Lil turns 24 and parties with her Freddie, and several others. The next day after celebrating with her favorite girlfriends, she reflects on how lucky she is. (See Lil’s baby picture on her birthday post at Happy Birthday, Mom. If you’d like to start at the beginning of Lil’s diary postings about falling for Fred, go to Falling in Love 70 Years Ago.

Having just celebrated Thanksgiving, this seems like an appropriate post. Mom takes a good look at the wonderful people in her life and is grateful for her good fortune. I’m struck by how unusual it is today (or maybe always has been) for so many people, especially the young, to focus on the positive in their lives.

Sat., Oct. 18, 1941

Got a card from Fred; a darling one from Carl yesterday. Went with Eleanor Stewart to Isabell’s to celebrate our mutual birthday together. Had two whiskey sours and a gentleman treated us to two more because were “obviously such right –five girls — and we should stay that way.”

Then I had to dash home in the Essie [Lil’s name for her car], grab a bite to eat and do shopping for my party tomorrow.

Got home at 6:00 pm, ate supper, got dressed, and wanted nothing quite so much as to have abour four or three hours to take a nap. I did squeeze 15 minutes in for that purpose.

Fred brought me a box of glazed fruits — I’m so glad he was thoughtful as to remember me in this way.

As usual, I got as many roses as I am years old from good old Carl. [Carl Schodt was a young man madly in love with Mom. She dated him prior to meeting Fred, but always told him she liked him, but couldn’t love him. He literally ate peanuts for lunch so he could buy Lil lovely gifts. Each time she said she couldn’t accept the gift because she didn’t love him, he responded, “If you don’t take, it I’ll throw it away.”]

Went via street car to the Germania Club where Kenny and another gal, (Blondie [a model Ken was dating] couldn’t make it), Bill [Fred’s older brother] and a girl,  and many others were there to make up the party. Had a lovely evening again, although not up to the kind we have when alone.

Around 3:00 AM Freddie and I got terribly sleepy so we went up to the balcony and slept, his arm around mine.

This time on the way home, no kissing; we had an audience and a very short goodnight kiss since there was a waiting gang in the car.

Ah, propriety! What an old-fashioned concept!

Lil, age 20 at The Bayer Company working for Chicago President, Mr. Gibney. Spring, 1938. See diary comment below about her raise

Lil, age 20 at The Bayer Company working for Chicago President, Mr. Gibney. Spring, 1938. See diary comment below about her raise

Sunday, Oct 19, 1941
Had Gert, Myrtle Haling, Ruth, and Marge Johnson and Lucille Kaye as well as Ceil over to help celebrate my birthday. Had a most enjoyable day – one of the nicest birthdays I’ve had. Though I’d have to arrange to play some games, but the crowd was so congenial that conversation was definitely sufficient entertainment.
Gert gave me a recent picture of herself, a darling little traveling case, and brought a beautiful gardenia corsage with a dubonnet ribbonon it from her pop. [Gert’s dad owned a florist shop.] Very thoughtful, I’ll say.

I thought tonight, if I am never happy again I really shouldn’t complain because I’ve had such a very full life already. Good friends, one excellent friend, Gert, of course, romances behind me, and now a young man I’ve been looking for all my days, wonderfully good parents, an excellent job, mein Liebchen, was willst Du noch mehr? [My Dear, what more do you want?]

How could I forget–on Wednesday Gibney [Lil’s boss and president of The Bayer Company in Chicago] told me he had authorization from H.M. Manns, Pres, [maybe national president?] for an increase to $130 per month. Not bad, eh — for a kid of 24, minus college? 
Also on Friday we learned that effective Nov. 1 we are to work 8:00 to 5:00 and no Saturday. Ah, life — how wonderful! Couldn’t resist phoning Fred at his lab to tell him these two good pieces of news.
So here I am—Monday night, Oct. 20, and up to date on my diary. Took me an hour to write…but I think some day these notes will be worth the effort.
 
Boy! I’ll say! I’m having so much fun reliving Mom and Dad’s youth. Coming up… Trouble in Paradise. What happens when Fred puts off asking Lil for a date one too many times?
Please add your thoughts to the comments below. Thanks!