This is Walt sitting around Bud and Mickey’s coffee table at the close of the holidays in 1949. In front of Walt are the matches that he will use to light up his third cigarette since dinner. Next to him is Dondi, who clutches the doll she just received for Christmas.
Walt is still getting a kick out of life in Casper Wyoming, where he spends his free time roaming the land, looking to scare up some relics or fun. And things down at the job are moving right along, as he watches and learns how to build an oil refinery from the ground up.
Walt is still an ironworker, welding the beams that define the refinery’s structure, but in the evening Walt drives over to Casper College where he takes a few drafting classes.
In a few months this training will pay off and he will become Project Engineer.
Grandma J says
November 6, 2008 at 12:50 pmI love Walt’s ambition and that coffee table
Eliza says
November 6, 2008 at 12:58 pmI worry that everything in the story is foreshadowing. The cigarettes. The missing Bert. The DOLL.
jan8mr.lootiato says
November 6, 2008 at 1:50 pmand man, do I remember this exact look on his face, 3 or 4 scotchs into it.
He only got funnier, and more Waltish with the drink.
corrie says
November 6, 2008 at 3:07 pmI am hopeful that finally their future is hopeful to them!
Though, Eliza (above, #2) made my gut clench at her predicitions! I prefer to hope that all will improve for Walt, Bert and Dondie!
bossy\'s friend martha\'s sister says
November 6, 2008 at 9:00 pmBossy, was that doll made to look just like Dondi or what???
Sandy_Shoes says
November 6, 2008 at 9:01 pmIt would be more helpful to relate if you called them by their relateionship names, such as, Grandpa or Grandma or Great-Grandma/Great-Grampa (Mr./Ms. )…growing up in the south and living next door to two Great-Grandmas and Granddaddy and Grandma we knew a lot about relationships(“oh, that’s your cousin twice removed”) and respect. My great grandmother had her 14th kid 4 years after grandma had her first. I had great-uncles older than my mother. Anyone older than 15 years of me, was addressed as either, “Aunt/Uncle” or Ms/Mr.. and still is (and was to my husband until he moved to my hometown with me).! I guess that’s what I love about the South. I love your site, but just a little confused about your respect for your elders I don’t mean that to seem harsh, but I have been following your site for quite some time and have never understood this, but maybe it’s the 4 Canadian Mists I’ve had! Gin is NOT good out of a cat bowl or any bowl, sorry Dooce,! Go Barack! Let’s see some CHANGE!
CT says
November 7, 2008 at 3:57 amIs it me or does Bossy’s Daughter look exactly like Dondi?
steph says
November 7, 2008 at 1:57 pmGood job, Walt.
Momo Fali says
November 7, 2008 at 4:09 pmGo on with your bad self, Walt! Way to step it up!
V says
November 7, 2008 at 5:36 pmI love this bit of your site, but please tell me who’s hand that is??? I feel I NEED to know
dgm says
November 7, 2008 at 9:46 pmWalt has rockin’ brows. He’s a dapper one, that Walt.
Laura says
November 12, 2008 at 3:01 pmHey CT-I thought the same thing!! Bossy’s daughter looks exactly like Dondi!
Tara Anderson says
November 12, 2008 at 3:19 pmNot sure if this little-known fact has ever come up in conversation but, I was born in Casper, Wyoming and my entire family still lives there.
Oh, to be somehow related to Bossy…however distant…
Reeb says
November 17, 2008 at 8:57 pmI think I have the end table that matches the coffee table.
jan8mrlootiato says
November 20, 2008 at 10:59 amto answer 10…that is Dondis mamas hand.
and like 6 said…we don’t so much do the grandma/grandpa names in their traditional sense.
But is the RESPECT ever there…we adore, mimic, remember, tell stories, every single day. We just had our own special names.
dlyn says
December 5, 2008 at 5:05 pmBossy looks like her grandma
Eloise says
December 6, 2008 at 12:42 amYay! Another Bossy’s Family Tree post! I’d been missing Walt and Bert and Dondi. You left Bert and Dondi out on that icy sidewalk for quite some time!
junebug says
January 5, 2009 at 12:59 pmI was going to ask about that extra hand too but someone cleared that up. I am wondering though, did Bossy get to meet her grandpa Walt? I hope so.
psychophant says
January 8, 2009 at 5:50 amHoly Poo. Not only did I have that exact same doll, I still have her in pretty much the same condition as when I got her for Christmas in 195smmph.
Unemployed Susan says
January 16, 2009 at 4:03 pmI’m waiting…
foolery says
January 22, 2009 at 3:43 pmI agree with all of the commenters above that Bossy Daughter looks SO much like her Dondi in this photo. Something irrepressible in the eyes.
And I write about my grandmother in her early years quite a bit, too, so I know you have to make a choice early on: honorifics like Grandma and Grandpa or true names/nicknames? Let me say that the name Grandma just doesn’t work when writing about her when she’s prepubescent. ; )
Surcie says
January 22, 2009 at 8:11 pmDondi is so pretty!
(PS: I’m all about deep comments–like that’s not obvious.)
Cat@MyNameIsCat says
January 27, 2009 at 12:06 amBossy, you need to get on this story. You’ve left us hanging here.
deedledeedee says
February 2, 2009 at 9:43 pmWow, Bossy! I just found you. I can’t believe that it has taken me this long to find you. I love your family album. I have just revived my dead blog and have been doing a similar thing with pictures of my childhood and family. I haven’t started on the relatives yet.
Joy says
February 16, 2009 at 7:39 pmTick Tock Tick Tock…Foot Tapping….It has been months now. Give it up already. On with the show uh I mean story of the ancestors.
Crystalina says
February 27, 2009 at 4:27 amI’m new here, but this, THIS is amazing. Please keep this going. It’s so wonderful. =D
Grandma J says
March 9, 2009 at 4:19 pmIs bossy going to finish this saga? If not can grandma j have that coffee table? And Dondi want’s to know if she can finally be excused!