~These are getting harder and harder to write so I am putting a five review ransom on this before I update the next time. So Please Review!
Chapter 14: A New House
July 1, 1939
Well I have not written in a while because we have be so busy touring the country. It has actually been a ton of fun. We get to see all the cool famous sites and beautiful natural wonders. In a few weeks we are going to California. That should be fun. We are all going to Yosemite to hike. I have heard it is gorgeous!
July 4, 1939
Today we were in New York. Father told us about Independence Day before. It is a US holiday celebrated in remembrance of when the US gained independence. There was a large party, larger than I have ever seen before. At night there was all these fireworks over the Statue of Liberty. This day symbolized freedom. The fireworks were so beautiful…I wish Rolfe were here. Oh my did I just say that? No why would I still be in love with him? It is too wonderful out here to be thinking of him and some dumb Nazis. The war is still going strong in Europe. It is getting worse and worse. I don't think we are going to go back anytime soon. It makes me a little sad, but not as sad as I should be. It is just so wonderful here. We don't really have a home, but again I really think a home is where your family is. Our family is very happy touring around the country. Rosemarie is such a darling. Father and Mother are very happy and seem to fall more and more in love with each other with each passing day. I love it here. I don't think I ever want to leave.
July 15, 1939
We just found out something exciting. Mother is pregnant again! Father was so excited when Mother told all of us. Another brother or sister huh? This time he is convinced 100 percent that it is a boy. So are the others. I for one am going to laugh hysterically if it is another girl.
August 10, 1939
Yosemite is so beautiful. I have never seen anything so pretty, well except maybe the Alps, but this is so impressive. We have hiked many trails. Mother insisted that we go on as many as possible. In a few days it will be their first wedding anniversary. They are going to go and stay in the Awanie Hotel, which is a very expensive nice hotel in the valley. Today we were discussing what our favorite places at Yosemite were. I had a difficult time choosing, but I think my favorite place is Bridal Veil Falls. It is the most beautiful waterfall I have ever seen. An old Indian legend states that if you are misted by the falls you will get married within a year. Father let the other children play in it, but told me to stay far away. Mother was just sitting there laughing at him. I mean really, he is not one to believe in an old Indian legend. I am pretty sure it was only a joke, but still I did not get to play in the water.
Father and Mother agree with me and Bridal Veil is one of their favorite places too. Kurt and Friedrich like the rocks and the others couldn't make up their minds they loved so many things.
August 16, 1939
Today Father and Mother and Rosemarie left for the "rich" hotel in Kurt's words. They told me to watch the children. They have actually put me in charge for once! It's amazing. The children and I are going to go on some easy valley floor hikes. It is going to be fun.
August 19, 1939
Today Mother and Father returned. We took one more hike and then it was time to leave. We are going to Sacramento for a small concert next. It should be interesting because Sacramento is where I am told gold was discovered in California. That is how California got its nickname, "The Golden State."
September 20, 1939
California really is one of the most beautiful states I have been too here. I absolutely loved everything about it. Its weather is so beautiful. The sun is out and there is not a trace of rain, like we get in Austria. We have started to sing a few Christmas songs. "Silent Night," is one of our favorites. The audiences seem to love it to death. So we are singing that every night along with "Edelweiss," for our closing songs. Today was my birthday! We had a very nice dinner. I am eighteen now!
December 25, 1939
Today we found out father and Mother were discussing what to do about a house. A house! They asked us where we might like to have it. We all seemed to want to either have one in Vermont, because it reminded us of Austria, or California because we loved it there. I am so excited. We spent time as a family for Christmas and later went to sing at a hospital for dinner. We have also decided to start a relief fund for Austria because the end of the war does not seem to be coming.
February 1, 1940
Today we found a house! We decided to move to Stowe Vermont. This decision was based heavily on the fact that it was a lot cheaper than any houses in California. So we bought a small house on some beautiful hill in Stowe. We have just been getting settled in. Mother seems to be doing well. She is about eight months pregnant now. A new baby should be arriving soon! We are all excited.
March 8, 1940
You know what I thought of today? Rosemarie is an American Citizen and we are not. Since she was born here she is already an American. Soon our visas are going to expire. Then what will we do? Go back to Austria? The war is not close to being over.
March 21, 1940
Today the baby was born at a small hospital in the small town of Stowe! Guess what it was? It is another girl! Mother was ecstatic and Father could only smile at the child lovingly. My two brothers were completely upset before they saw her. I for one was laughing so hard. Everyone except me thought it would be a boy. I for one am happy with another girl. We are totally outnumbering the boys now. As I write this we are still debating the name. Kurt says if they have another kid it better be a boy because we are running out of girl names.
March 22, 1940
Well we decided on a name last afternoon. Gretl decided she wanted someone in this family to have a name that began with a J. She was very vocal about this though she did not know which J name to pick. Louisa walked up to the baby and picked her up.
"Well I think it looks like a Julia." She said smiling at it. The baby smiled up at her and we all agreed that was the sign and so the babies name became Julia. I think it is very pretty and so now we are trying to make our house a bit more livable. It is difficult it is very small compared to what we are used to but it is a roof over our head.
September 14, 1940
Well unfortunately now there is not a roof over out heads. For a while we had been doing repairs on our old house and today most of it fell down right in front of our faces. We were all outside enjoying a picnic when we heard something that sounded like thunder. It took us a minute but soon we realized it was our house collapsing. It just kindov collapsed. We all stared at it blankly.
"I knew we should have bought the more expensive house in California. It was much nicer." Father mumbled.
"Well at least we were planning on starting to tour tomorrow." Mother said getting up from the grassy plain.
"Mother, what are we going to do now though?" Gretl asked.
"Well I guess we can build ourselves a new house here. We could make it however we wanted…it could be fun. What do you think Georg?" Father's frown was still apparent, but it instantly went away as he gazed into Mother's eyes.
"I guess we could do that if you all want to stay here." He looked around at our faces. We all nodded. "Alright then we will start making plans to build a new house while we our touring. Now lets go and see what we can rummage out of this mess." The children ran toward the fallen house and Father and Mother had a moment together and soon were helping us collect objects we could still use. I could tell this was going to be a long project.
September 20, 1940
Luckily we are on tour and can stay in hotel rooms. I don't know what we would be doing now if it weren't for touring. Today was my nineteenth birthday. That's so scary that I am nineteen. Father and Mother have been married for two years and we have been here for a while. I honesty thought we would be going back shortly and that we would be living in our villa before I was nineteen, but apparently not. Mother started to talk to me about going to college to maybe get an education, but I just don't know. Going to a school here would just be strange. I mean we are still not even American Citizens. Our visas got renewed, but expire next year around Christmas time.
Mother also had some news today. She told us at my birthday dinner that she was pregnant again. This of course led to excitement from all of us. Father kissed her and whispered that it to us that it better be a boy. The whole boy thing is funny because he told me when Julia was born that he actually loves girls just as much and I would have to say that is true. I love the was he watches over Rosemarie and Julia he loves them so much and you can tell by the look on his face. Mother loves girls too. I think today she was a bit apprehensive to tell us in fear it might end up being another girl. Father whispered something in her ear to calm her down and she smiled and they kissed. He probably was uttering the same words he had told me that girls were wonderful.
December 18, 1940
Touring has been going great! It is so much fun! I love it I never want it to end.
September 21, 1941
It has been such a long time since I wrote. So much has happened though I have been so busy. We finished our house a few days ago it is beautiful. Mother had her baby on May 2 and low and behold it was a boy. Mother insisted we name it after Father so we named him George with American spelling of it. He is cute and my brothers are so happy. We applied for citizenship a few months ago and soon we will get word on when and what to do to make it final. Hold on Mother is calling. Wow something strange just happened. A letter was delivered here from Austria. Mother picked it up and called for me.
"Liesl darling the letter is for you." She handed me a small brown letter.
"Are you sure?" I stared at it blankly. Who could be writing to me? I was sure it was the citizenship forms for all of us.
"Why don't you go to your room and read it darling?" She said and smiled. I nodded and headed up to me room where I am now. I still don't understand who would write to me…Oh my gosh it is Rolfe's writing…I will write more later now I have to read.