Sunday, January 19, 2014

July 30, 1977 (Letter from Barb N.)


Hello.  So how goes it back in New England?  Are you enjoying your summer?

Leroy and I broke up for good.  He told me that because I hurt him so bad when I kicked him out of the apartment that he would never go back to me.  He built up a wall that is not going to come down for a long time.  I didn't think that he would react that way to the break up.  I took our split up as a temporary lapse in our relationship but obviously he took it as an insult.  He could not even listen to the way I saw our relationship and he did not even consider to rectify our love in any way. I was very hurt for the first week.  It was a very deep wound that left me very desolate inside.  I had to think over our entire relationship and all the people involved indirectly.  This included talks with friends and with Leroy's mother.  I had come to an understanding of why it ended as it did.  After accepting the fate of our love affair I have decided that it is for the best.  Leroy and I were doomed from the beginning.  We would have destroyed each other eventually.  He was good for me for the few months that we had lived together.  I needed to experience a deeper relationship which I had avoided for 22 years of my life.  Now I am able to make a fresh start in my life in a better direction. I feel free inside again.  I was getting to the point in our relationship where I felt that I was leaning too heavy on Leroy.  I don't want to doubt myself in a relationship with a man.  Lesson learned, chapter 1.

After I knew that it was over I needed a change in my life so I cut my hair short.  I dont' feel that I was doing it for any other reason than I wanted it short.  I don't particularly like the haircut.  It is a bit shaggy, but I will wait until ti stats growing out and find a style that I like that will be easy to take care of.  My hair is as short as it was in 72.  I like it very much even it if is a bit short now.

I went on a shopping spree today and I spent $65.00 on clothes.  Now that I am single again and I have only me to support, I have a big more money in my pocket.  I also got a raise for going over four years in the service.  (I took my first oath for the Navy in July of 73,)  I want to get Christmas presents.  Do you have any idea of what you want?  I am going to buy Dad a painting and Lar a tea set.  I do not know what I will buy Mom, Dale, and you.  So if you have any suggestions please offer them.  I will give you my guitar.  It is not a good guitar but it will be adequate for starting you off.

I am looking for a new guitar.  I am not sure what to buy.  So I am going to get the advice of an expert.  I plan to take some guitar lessons form someone who will teach me what I want to know.  I don't want to get stuck with some old fogey who goes strictly by a lesson plan.  I am also going to buy a halfway decent receiver amp since prices are really cheap over here for members in the service.  I don't want to buy the largest model and have so much power I could blast the neighbors. I am going to see if Dale will make some speakers and later I'll find a turntable later on in the States.

I sent away to a company that deals in kits for down goose feather jackets, sleeping bags, etc.  I ordered a down jacket for $28.00 and a sleeping bag for $45.00.  The bag is not down feathers.  I will have to sew the jacket and the bag together but I feel that is worth the trouble for the price.  I put your name down for a catalog so you should be getting the catalog in the mail shortly.  Doobie made a jacket which is the same one I ordered and I feel it would be ideal for backpacking this winter.  It should keep me very warm.

I have been going to Carney Park pool every chance I can get.  I have been swimming widths of the pool and today I was up to 18 widths nonstop.  I plan to go every chance that I get throughout all of August.  I need to get into shape before I put a backpack on for 30 days.  I am doing yoga sporadically but I attribute my lack of success to the watch hours I stand.  I want to get into a routine when I get back to the States.  I also have cut down on my alcohol consumption 95% and the same with smoking.  I am trying to abstain from any dope until I get back to the States.  I want to clean myself out for a four month period then when I get back to the States I will most likely take a few hits or so.

That's all that has been going on in my life at the moment.  I am fine, trying to stay cool, and looking to the calendar date of 25 October.

I am going to get a European discharge from the Navy instead of going back to Philly and getting discharged there. So I won't be going on leave until the 25th of October.  But once I leave here in Naples I will never have to go back to a military station for duty.  What a relief!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See you at Christmas.

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