1940 - California. Went to Big Bear Lake with my Aunt Cecil, Uncle Gail and their little boy Bill. Saw a small patch of snow and got out to play in it. I never saw snow before. It is white and cold and wonderful. We threw snowballs at each other.

1942 - New Mexico. Because California is on the coast we are too close to the war and are moving to Arkansas. This is the first time we have traveled in winter. I will miss my friends. I feel sorry for them because they don't know the joys of snow. We stayed in a motel and it snowed in the night. Lois and I played and slid in that marvelous snow before we started for the day.

1943 - Wenatchee, Washington. It snowed night before last, the apple trees look like an enchanted fairyland. Yesterday Lois and I joined the other kids and slid down the long hill. At the bottom there is a ditch and I fell into it. Shoot! I have a terrible cold and can't go out to slide with the other kids in that splendid snow.

1944 - La Junta, Colorado. We are living here. Now I will have all the snow I want. There are so many things to do with snow. Mama showed us how to make snow ice cream just like her mother made in Route County when she was little. I was invited to a party at Sydney Haines' house. They played post office and wanted me to kiss Ira Claude Curry but I wouldn't. Ira Claude throws snowballs at us, with rocks in them. Snowball fights here aren't fun like they were in California.

1945 - We went to the country, hooked our sleds behind the car and Daddy pulled us. Such fun! There are so many things to do in the snow. It is much nicer than California. I love to lay on my back, move my arms and make snow angels. It's fun building snowmen.

1946 - For some reason Daddy doesn't like the snow. I wonder why?

1947 - Hooray, it snowed so much the high school was closed for four days. Snow made the streets of La Junta impassable so my friends and I walked to town. We had fun horsing around downtown. Superintendent of schools McCauley said since all the kids were downtown anyway they might as well open up the school. I don't know why all those kids had to come to town.

1948 - Iowa. I am living with my sister, Lois and her husband, Ray. We live on a mud road, two miles from the gravel. The snow is melting and making the road muddy. The mud sticks to your feet. After I walk that two miles instead of being 4 foot 11, I am six foot tall and can't move.

1949 - Lots of snow and ice. The boy I am dating enjoys that ice but I don't care much for "wheelies."

1951 - La Junta, Colorado. Earl and his Dad built a sled and everyone but me went sledding. I didn't feel up to it since I'm five months pregnant. Maybe after the baby is born I will go.

1952 - Leadville, Colorado. We are living in the mountains now. There will be a lot of snow up here. I'm dreaming of a white Christmas! The snow is so pretty on all the trees.

1953 - We visited my parents in La Junta, it is spring there. We didn't have any spring. I want to see some flowers.

1954 - Leadville. Where is summer? Went on a picnic and it snowed. Who wants snow on the 4th of July?

1955 - Brighton. Moved out of that cold icebox back into God's country. My three little girls love to go sledding.

1960 - Lorraine tried to walk on the ice in the creek behind our house. She fell in, looked like a snowman.

1961 - It snowed early this year. We have a big garden so I had to bring green tomatoes in and wrap them in newspaper.

1962 - Snow and freezing cold - 17 below zero and my car heater wouldn't work. I thought I was freezing on the way to work. Maybe I was wrong; this might not be God's country.

1965 - The snow is still pretty when I'm sitting inside but it stinks when I have to go out in it. I'm not as thrilled over snow as I used to be. I wonder why? I wish God would keep the snow off the roads and cars.

1969 - Lois had a slumber party for her birthday. We got a lot of that stinkin' snow, it broke the branches and our electricity went off. The snow isn't very pretty on the trees when we are without lights. I fixed pancakes for breakfast and am surrounded by dirty dishes. When the electricity goes out so does the water. How can I wash dishes with no water?

1970 - I found a way to wash dishes without water by carrying in ten buckets of snow and melting it on the stove. I prefer running water.

1974 - Snow and more snow. Our lights are out AGAIN. I had to melt snow to drink and flush toilets. The electricity was off for four days because of that lousy snow.

1976 - Lots of snow. I waded waist deep through cold snow to get to work. Only four of us showed up. Everyone else had more sense than to venture out.

1979 - Had a big snow for Thanksgiving. Bill and Larry dug a tunnel in the snow. The hole caved in on Larry and scared us half to death.

1983 - What a Christmas! We were snowed in and couldn't go to Lois and Gary's for Christmas. Ate hot dogs and felt sorry for ourselves. They may have been made out of turkey but it wasn't the same.

1987 - Bill and I went skiing. I wanted to learn to ski on snow but the boots wrecked my legs. After I fell down I sat in a cold lodge all day. Guess I'm not a skier.

1990 - Snowy and very cold. Our water froze. Plumber working on it, wish he'd hurry.

1996 - I'm going on a sleigh ride with the seniors from the Commerce City Senior Center. I never did get to go sled riding on that homemade sled. I remember all the fun I had when I was a child and decided to recapture that fun.

1997 - I nearly froze to death on that sleigh ride. Boy, that's not MY idea of fun.

March 18, 1998 - Snow dumped on us! Who ordered that snow? Not me. Maybe it was some dumb kid who just moved here from California.