Who's going somewhere?

"All packed, and maybe repacked, did I forget to bring that very necessary thing? Oh dear, there's too much in there, maybe I can skip that extra..."

And then a family pet has to show his bewilderment when young miss is about to go somewhere without him...

My first solo travel was to Washington DC when I was a Junior in High School.  It was exciting, and somewhat scary too!  Sleeping in a hotel room with other girls...not at all a positive experience.  But we all lived through it.  I received my first set of luggage, which survived many other travels through the years. This photo recently scanned had already lost much of the true cherry blossom color and faded out.

I can't imagine walking around on all those tours in new shoes...but somehow I kept my bleeding blisters in check.  Wearing hat and gloves to show I was brought up right...this was 1959 after all!  And just an aside for the ladies...this was before panty-hose days.  So I had on a girdle...at that non-shaped hip stage of my growth...because that was how to hold up my nylons!

That outfit is totally red...so glad the camera only saved it in black and white!  For my 15th birthday I made the cake, proudly I might add. I'd learned how in our Home Economics classes.

Excited to have been graduating from 8th grade...age 13.  Loved those little heels!

I almost didn't get to go to my graduation because I got in trouble playing hooky with my girlfriend, Rosemary.  We were to go to the home-ec class, where I learned how to mix up birthday cakes, but it was in another building across the street from the main school campus.

We just kept on walking, and explored the neighborhood where we'd never gone before, this was my first breaking of rules which Rosie encouraged in me like a gleeful imp.  In 1956 mid-town St. Louis, we of course were totally part of an isolated private school culture, and actually had no idea that our teachers (and parents) were going to be pretty worried about us.  We came back at the end of the class time, and were told to go see the principal the next day.  My mother joined me in an interview where I tearfully said I wouldn't ever do it again.  Both Rosie and I were able to walk across the stage and get our diplomas.  I got a real gardenia corsage to wear too.  It wasn't until years later and the Civil Rights movement that I considered the "white privilege" fears about young white girls on the streets where there was early integration happening which might have triggered unfounded fears in our parents.  The school moved its campus out to the suburbs within 3 years, where I graduated from high school.

Probably dressed for a piano recital, not sure which year...but again am so happy to be in heels.  I know the dress has a crinoline petticoat under it, and the dress was pale blue. I think 7th grade perhaps.

Enjoy your journeys, all Sepia Saturday readers.  So glad to have shared some of our old pictures today!  See you again next week!

Today's quote:
When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.  Willie Nelson