The Ice Maiden by Paula Louise Shene (robert munsch read aloud TXT) 📖

Feb 27

This is it! I am so sick of dating losers. It is time to draw up a plan of action. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately and it seems to me the only way it's going to work is if I make a list…will sleep on it…night!


Feb. 28

Here’s the list: What I want in a husband ~

1. Must have sense of humor
2. Rich enough to keep me in style ~ we’ll figure this one out as we go
3. Over six feet tall
4. Intelligent
5. Good looking in a Superman kind of way ~ glasses okay
6. Wants at least four kids
7. If I think of anything else I’ll add it


March 17

Oh, my word ~ it’s been weeks since I put anything down! But diary, I am really too busy to ~ No cross that out ~ I am too tired from being too busy to sit down and write anything. This semester is busy and with working all day and classes all night and that dang car that I’ve got to park so it goes forward ~ well enough. I’m off to bed…maybe tomorrow night BUT don’t count your lines on it!


March 18

Ha,ha - faked you out! I’m here and home right after class too. The guys I usually go and have coffee with all cried off tonight. It’s been fun getting to know them. There is one guy that is absolutely gorgeous! NO! No way am I interested! Too rich {haha - not that way} for my palate. Can you just imagine me going to dinner with him and everyone whispers as we go by ~ “Whatever does HE see in HER?” Nope, I want a guy that isn’t better looking than me!

Yawn - beddie bye ~ six a.m. comes sooner than I like.


March 23

I did warn you - I just cannot

be faithful when it comes to seeing you every night but I just had to let you know tonight I went out with one of the guys from the ‘round table’ ~ he’s interesting, has scads of money, fits most of my list BUT there wasn’t a spark of interest - not at least on my part.

Everything and I mean everything was about him and I can just see what that would be like after marriage if it's like that before getting hitched. No, Joe, will have to go on without me in his life. Alas, I cannot be there for him.


March 27

That RAT JOE! He’s engaged! How dare he date me when he’s got a fianc’ee! Not a mere GIRLFRIEND ~ noooo ~ a FIANC’EE! How did I find out???!! The RAT met her for coffee and brought her over and introduced her to all of us at the ’round table’ - that’s what we call it at the ha! very appropriate ~ RATskeller on campus! OHHHHH I am SO MAD!!! Talk later.


April 10

Went out with another one of the guys. Went to Canoe Place In! The first time for me there - big band, dancing and the food was fantastic!

I usually pick at my food but Hal said he wasn’t leaving until I ate! Imagine that! He had dessert while I finished up and the food was very much to my liking... I did say that didn't I? He even was willing to wait for me to have dessert but I was really full and no way was I going to eat and have him stare at the fork going into my mouth.

When we reached my house, my heel caught on that blasted board that needs fixing and I fell right off the porch into his arms. He smells soooooo good!!

Then quick as a rabbit, he had me in a lip lock… ooohhh…so sweet

!

And, AND… We have a date tomorrow night SO DON’T COUNT on me saying anything to YOU tomorrow night..

I’ll make it up to you..MAYBE!


April 14

Not seeing Hal tonight - both of us have to get our taxes done. DRAT! Not only do I hate doing these blasted taxes but this is the first night without Hal.

I do think he’s going to be the one. He’s a Clark Kent, Buddy Holly type…ummm..really smart but so amusing. He makes me laugh.

The only thing I don’t like is his car. It’s an MG sports car {So what’s not to like? you ask.} It eats my clothes! The passenger door sticks and Hal’s always having to lean over and slam it and when I get out {I can’t find the 'snagger' place, either!} it grabs and rips my dress or skirt. Good thing I know how to mend but it’s a pain in the you know where.


April 20

We’ve got a big date planned for this weekend. Going over on ‘The Island’ - got to get to the ferry on time and we’re going to stay for a weekend party with some of the crew from college and their girlfriends. One of the guys has a big house over there.

Never done anything like this before. I’m a little scared of what I think will happen but this really is the next step, hopefully in the right direction. We’ll see.


April 27

Well, I’ve got to say that went well! The party was lots of fun - some of the girls were nice, some not so nice but I knew most of the guys and they went all out to make the weekend special for each one of us.

Hal and I got to spend the first night together. He was as pleased as I was and since we’ve been seeing one another every night except that one before tax day, it seemed natural to end up in the same bedroom.

There was some talk about us going back on Saturday but we agreed we’d like to stick around and do some more exploring around the Island AND the bedroom.

I was too pooped to write anything last night as you must have guessed!

By the way, he smells really good with or without his clothes. {giggle

}


April 28

Wow!


April 29

Wow! But the stick shift is a really big

problem!


April 30

Wow!


May 1

Figured I’d let you know it’s still WOW! We’re talking about getting married in September. Neither of us want a big wedding. Don’t know which church though ~` maybe a Justice of the Peace…We’ll see.


May 2

Wow!!! But that stick shift is still a problem!!


May 3

Can only be faithful to one and diary, I’m sorry to tell you: “It’s not you!” Tell you what though ~ I'll let you know if anything changes!


May 10

Oops!


May 11

Went to the doctor today.


May 13

Speaking of rabbits - it died!


May 14

September’s out - June’s in!


May 15

Hal say’s he wants to wait until he turns 22 to get married. His birthday is the second of June, so it's not that far off.


May 16

My stomach is all in knots. We’re going to talk to his mom tomorrow night. Hal says let her

tell his dad - It’ll be easier. Easier for Hal, at any rate.


May 17

Oh Boy! Told his mom. More later.


May 18

Hal’s mom is really nice. The only thing is she wants us to get married in church and she wants it at her church.

That’s fine with me.

I’ve not been to church since they transferred Father Francis for talking too much about Jesus and His miracles. Stuffy old crowd. “Not in our day” they said. 'Old Farts!' is what I say.


May 19

Got an appointment with the preacher tomorrow night to set up the marriage time.


May 20

The Preacher wanted us to go through counseling before we got married but changed his mind and set the first Sunday in June after Hal told him I was pregnant.


May 27

Hal told me to go get the rings for the wedding. He’s got a paper due at the end of the week. Besides he said, he’s paying for the Honeymoon. Said to pick out what I like and he’ll like it.

Decided on the gold with the beading on the edge. The salesmen said it takes years for the beading to wear off so I'll take the chance on getting them and hope his word is true.


June 5

Everything is ready for tomorrow except me! My stomach is all upset and it’s not the baby. I really like Hal but do I love him? He says everything will be fine but he hasn’t told me he loves me either.

I’m still a teenager! What was I thinking? Oh yeah! Sex is good! That’s what I was thinking! Oh crap!


June 6

I can’t believe this! My car is dead in the water - well the yard - but it’s going to be going on a deep six dive when I get back from the honeymoon! And my brother who's supposed to ‘give me away’ - where is he???? I’m going to be late for the ceremony!!!!

My brother’s friend just called - my brother’s drunk and won’t be walking me down the aisle. GREAT!!! But typical! Should have known better than to count on him.

Called Hal! Thank God! He’s on his way to pick me and my grandmother up for the ceremony. Geesh! How many women walk into church on the arm of their husband to be? With their grandmother in the car? My aunt is meeting us at the church; at least Grandma will get to go home with her.

Hal said his brother will walk me down the aisle. Which brother? Oh, right. The tall one! Guess then it’s a good thing I got three inch heels on.

Hal’s parents are having a reception for us at their place before we take off for the Adirondacks.

Hal’s bringing his mom’s veil - that’s my old and borrowed. My suit is the new thing and the skirt and jacket are powder blue. Hal said I should get a white dress but I didn’t feel right about that.

He’s here! He’s here!!! Got to go! See you when I see you!


March 30, 2011

Well diary - all I can say is… sorry. I know it’s been a long time - actually a life time - wow is right! - almost 47 years. Still don’t have much time to sit and think and write. Just have kept moving.

Want to know why Hal asked me out? I was a bet in Economics class. The guys apparently called me “The Ice Maiden” and set a bet on who would thaw me out. Guess Hal won!

Three sons alive and lost another one before he was born. Grandchildren and ‘adopted grandkids’ with kids of their own making us great grandparents. How did we get old so fast?

Saw the United States seven times over - except for Mississippi - kept falling asleep at the border. Did get to see a lot of Canada. Didn’t get to see Ireland either…that’s one of Hal’s dreams. Don’t know if that will ever happen now.

Sometimes he knows me; sometimes he doesn’t. When he doesn’t know me, he talks to me about me. Thank God, so far, it’s all been good stuff he’s told me about me. May be a blessing for him, that he