Category Archives: Trailer Tales Journal

Trailer Tales Chapter 2

Trailer Tales Journal

No sooner did Roland give up his job than our plans started to fall apart. Lesley was sick too often with colds.  The doctor said she needed her tonsils taken out. At the same time both our mothers became sick, one in the hospital possibly needing back surgery. Our trip needed to be delayed.

We took Lesley back up to our doctor in Massachusetts for surgery. She and her grandmother were in the same hospital.

Journal  (Roland)
Because  Lesley and her mom were in Massachusetts,  I was living alone in, what the boys at work called, “Pinel’s sardine can,” as I finished the last week of work.
On December 20th my friend, Russ, helped me hook up the trailer to the new trailer hitch on our Ford Station Wagon. The trip to Boston was uneventful except for the trailer riding a little low on the front end.

We had a nice Christmas. Lesley’s tonsils out just a week before.

Since we won’t be leaving for awhile I have been out looking for a job ever since Christmas. I hope I don’t have this much trouble in Florida finding a job (Will sure be glad when we get started). Money is a little bit of a problem right now. Too bad I don’t own a printing press.

“What?” exclaimed both girls as they read this. “You’re getting ready to drive across the country with us and money is a problem?”

Les & Sandy

Christmas picture of Lesley and Sandra

Journal January 1, 1953  (Roland)
We spent New Years Eve in Boston at a movie. We are now living in the trailer parked in my parent’s driveway in Quincy, Massachusetts.

in driveway

I am still looking for work. I hope now that the New Year has come that I will have better luck.
There was a nice little snow fall last night, so we all went coasting this morning. The kids seem to be coming down with colds again (I hope not).
No news yet as to when Jane’s mom will go in for back surgery.

Journal January 2, 1953 (Jane)
Roland went job hunting again – no job. Bought himself a new hat for luck. Mother is feeling fine but doesn’t know her hospital date yet. Lesley shook her cold but the baby still has hers.
We went to see the Ice Capades tonight. They were beautiful even though we had to sit with our heads against the roof, but we didn’t mind.

January 5, 1953 (Roland)
Got up this morning after a good nights sleep and kept my appointment with Monitor Electric. Got the job as design draftsman , at $1.70 per hour. I hope I make out OK. I feel guilty as I don’t know how long I’ll be able to work for them before we leave. Spent the afternoon shopping with Jane. Her mom is to go into the hospital Friday, operation on Wednesday.

Journal January 6, 1953 (Roland)
Jane took me to work today at the new job. (I think the word she used was “fascinating”) – and how.
Les is getting very restless and irritable, slightly competitive with Sandy for attention. She is very anxious to start for “Talifornia.”

Trailer Tales Chapter l

Children, Trailer Tales Journal

It was the day after Christmas. My grown daughters were home for a visit. We decided to check out the attic for old movies of their childhood. As we climbed the stairs to the attic I tried to remember where I had put the projector and the film. We pulled out a box that looked promising but held only old letters and photos. The next box held awards, school papers and yearbooks. The girls were searching through the box and giggling over the yearbooks when suddenly Lesley held up a blue book.

“Look mom, here’s the journal that you and dad kept when we went west in the trailer.”
They both knew about the trip but had never read the journal.

“Let’s read it,” said Sandy, as she sat down on an old mattress with the open journal.

Journal 1953
Purchased our Spartan 25’ house trailer in September. (1952) On November 20th we sold our house. Just previous to this we had one trailer hitch fall off the car.

“What does he mean – the trailer hitch fell off the car?” said Sandy.

Better back up a little:

Their dad and I married in June of 1948, right after World War ll. He was still in college at Northeastern on the GI Bill. I had graduated from Cornell the year before and was working as a teacher in a private school. Things were moving fast. By the following June we had a baby girl, named Lesley, and Roland was graduating from college. In the next three years we moved to Connecticut for Roland’s new job as a time study engineer for Stanley Tool Company. We built a house with the help of our parents, and we had another little girl, named Sandra. It seemed like all was going very well – nice job, new house, two little girls and a black cocker spaniel, named Inky.

You would think. But no – adventure called. Roland was unhappy in his job. We decided to go west to California to check out new opportunities. We bought a Spartan trailer, sold our house, had the trailer delivered to our  driveway, and made plans to leave for California right after Christmas. Meanwhile Roland built a single bed in the back of the trailer for Lesley, and built a crib across the foot of Lesley’s bed for Sandy.

Just before the house was sold we took our station wagon to Ziggie, the Blacksmith, to have a trailer hitch welded onto the back of the car. When it was finished we drove the car to the trailer and lowered the trailer onto the hitch. As we watched in disbelief, the trailer, hitch and all, sank slowly to the ground. Not a good omen. We had to jack up the trailer and hire a tow truck to tow our trailer to Two Gardens Trailer Park in Southington, CT.

Towed to park

Towing the Spartan from our old neighborhood

We planned to spend Christmas with our families and then leave for California. We would  head south to Florida, then west across the south to avoid the winter weather.

Roland gave his notice at work.

The best of plans ………..you known the saying.