Fall/Winter 1983: Second Jobs

Sometime in early Fall, you took a second job at Dart Drug store. It was always so comforting to know that you would do anything for me and us. This job was mostly to save to buy a second car. But, we used the discount you received to buy our first Christmas tree.

Mom, Dad, Jason, and Kim came up to visit in early Fall. We toured the DC exhibits, rode paddle boats and generally played tourist during that time.

We went to Ashland for Thanksgiving and went about daily life in Arlington.

We went to Ashland for Christmas and began the tradition of celebrating with Nana and Grand-Dad the morning of Christmas, then going over to the Roses in the afternoon.

New Year’s was never a big deal for us. I don’t remember what we did, but we usually just stayed in and watched the ball drop on television.

I tried my hand at a second job at David’s Bridal, but working seven days a week was brutal. I know you were doing it at Dart Drug store, but I was your little girl and you never wanted to see me suffer. You took making me happy seriously. So, I began looking for a job that paid more. In late January/early February, I landed a job as Bookkeeper for Dowell and Dowell using the Accounting classes I had taken at ACC. With that salary and the NAVY, of course, we could afford for you to quit at Dart Drug and let a loan for a 1980 Blue Thunderbird. You loved that car. And, I loved buying our first big expense together.

The rest of winter was daily life in Arlington with you working at the Annex and me at Dowell and Dowell. We spent the weekends doing laundry and catching up from the week along with going to the mall, etc.