Nov 6, 2008
The Family Album Straight Up With A Twist.
This is Walt sitting around Bud and Mickey’s coffee table at the close of the holidays in 1949. In front of Walt are the matches that he will use to light up his third cigarette since dinner. Next to him is Dondi, who clutches the doll she just received for Christmas.
Walt is still getting a kick out of life in Casper Wyoming, where he spends his free time roaming the land, looking to scare up some relics or fun. And things down at the job are moving right along, as he watches and learns how to build an oil refinery from the ground up.
Walt is still an ironworker, welding the beams that define the refinery’s structure, but in the evening Walt drives over to Casper College where he takes a few drafting classes.
In a few months this training will pay off and he will become Project Engineer.
I love Walt’s ambition and that coffee table
I worry that everything in the story is foreshadowing. The cigarettes. The missing Bert. The DOLL.
and man, do I remember this exact look on his face, 3 or 4 scotchs into it.
He only got funnier, and more Waltish with the drink.
I am hopeful that finally their future is hopeful to them!
Though, Eliza (above, #2) made my gut clench at her predicitions! I prefer to hope that all will improve for Walt, Bert and Dondie!
Bossy, was that doll made to look just like Dondi or what???
It would be more helpful to relate if you called them by their relateionship names, such as, Grandpa or Grandma or Great-Grandma/Great-Grampa (Mr./Ms. )…growing up in the south and living next door to two Great-Grandmas and Granddaddy and Grandma we knew a lot about relationships(“oh, that’s your cousin twice removed”) and respect. My great grandmother had her 14th kid 4 years after grandma had her first. I had great-uncles older than my mother. Anyone older than 15 years of me, was addressed as either, “Aunt/Uncle” or Ms/Mr.. and still is (and was to my husband until he moved to my hometown with me).! I guess that’s what I love about the South. I love your site, but just a little confused about your respect for your elders I don’t mean that to seem harsh, but I have been following your site for quite some time and have never understood this, but maybe it’s the 4 Canadian Mists I’ve had! Gin is NOT good out of a cat bowl or any bowl, sorry Dooce,! Go Barack! Let’s see some CHANGE!
Is it me or does Bossy’s Daughter look exactly like Dondi?
Good job, Walt.
Go on with your bad self, Walt! Way to step it up!
I love this bit of your site, but please tell me who’s hand that is??? I feel I NEED to know
Walt has rockin’ brows. He’s a dapper one, that Walt.
Hey CT-I thought the same thing!! Bossy’s daughter looks exactly like Dondi!
Not sure if this little-known fact has ever come up in conversation but, I was born in Casper, Wyoming and my entire family still lives there.
Oh, to be somehow related to Bossy…however distant…
I think I have the end table that matches the coffee table.
to answer 10…that is Dondis mamas hand.
and like 6 said…we don’t so much do the grandma/grandpa names in their traditional sense.
But is the RESPECT ever there…we adore, mimic, remember, tell stories, every single day. We just had our own special names.
Bossy looks like her grandma
Yay! Another Bossy’s Family Tree post! I’d been missing Walt and Bert and Dondi. You left Bert and Dondi out on that icy sidewalk for quite some time!
I was going to ask about that extra hand too but someone cleared that up. I am wondering though, did Bossy get to meet her grandpa Walt? I hope so.
Holy Poo. Not only did I have that exact same doll, I still have her in pretty much the same condition as when I got her for Christmas in 195smmph.
I’m waiting…
I agree with all of the commenters above that Bossy Daughter looks SO much like her Dondi in this photo. Something irrepressible in the eyes.
And I write about my grandmother in her early years quite a bit, too, so I know you have to make a choice early on: honorifics like Grandma and Grandpa or true names/nicknames? Let me say that the name Grandma just doesn’t work when writing about her when she’s prepubescent. ; )
Dondi is so pretty!
(PS: I’m all about deep comments–like that’s not obvious.)
Bossy, you need to get on this story. You’ve left us hanging here.
Wow, Bossy! I just found you. I can’t believe that it has taken me this long to find you. I love your family album. I have just revived my dead blog and have been doing a similar thing with pictures of my childhood and family. I haven’t started on the relatives yet.
Tick Tock Tick Tock…Foot Tapping….It has been months now. Give it up already. On with the show uh I mean story of the ancestors.
I’m new here, but this, THIS is amazing. Please keep this going. It’s so wonderful. =D
Is bossy going to finish this saga? If not can grandma j have that coffee table? And Dondi want’s to know if she can finally be excused!