The Kendra's Journal Podcast

This was still before I was born hence the title, "Waiting...". Mom talks about what she's planning on for names, talks about more friends of hers who are having babies and gives an excerpt of a poem from "The Prophet" about being a parent. It's one of those things that she stuck to throughout the years too. A very good description of what kind of parent she was and what her view was of being a mother. She talks about a lot of othe...

January 27, 1976 - July 31, 1976

Six months of writing! Mom shares a lot in this one and a lot of great stuff happened. She mentions my love for pizza which I confirm hasn't changed! She also mentions us moving into a new house, but it was still in Lawton. Plus there's another "Pee Bird" reference, great! Mom shares some of her dreams for the future and explains a bit more about who she was prior to getting pregnant and married. Sh...

August 2, 1976 - August 21, 1976

In this episode we find out why Ft. Sill has a regulation that forbids family members from visiting soldiers in the field and Mom makes another pee bird reference. We also hear what her plans were for the journal at the time, she makes a claim that she'll never leave Oregon again unless she absolutely has to and her anxious side comes out. We end the episode with an entry from "the future"! Actually...

January 16, 1977 - April 22, 1977

This episode starts out with a new car (a 1967 Chevy Malibu Chevelle) but it goes back and we end up car-less. Mom also has a quick stint cutting rotten spots out of potatoes at Lamb-Weston, I assume in Hermiston but there were a lot of Lamb-Weston plants in that area back then so it could have been one of several places. We end up moving to Ione, OR to live with Mom's friend Robin (the same one wh...

May 7, 1977 - July 9, 1977

Another episode that was kind of cut up to shorten the length. This was originally the first half of episode nine so forgive us if it sounds a bit choppy in the beginning and end. Mom gets a special present for mother's day and parties it up! But she warns us not to overdo it when we start to party. Mom's friend Candi goes through a break up and Mom almost gives into temptation herself but decides to work...

July 14, 1977 - August 30, 1977

We start this one on Mom's 19th birthday then a new job moves us to Tri-Cities. She debates stopping when the notebook she was writing in gets full, obviously that didn't happen. Mom also remembers more about the day she started writing the journal. She mentions a dog named Presto that I don't recall her ever mentioning before but she doesn't go into much detail on that one. She also starts planning ...

September 1, 1977 - September 10, 1977

In this episode Mom starts of slow but tells us about having a lot of car trouble on a road trip. She also shares her new budget that will get her the van she'd been dreaming about, but she's added a few things to the list, like new tires for the van and a waterbed. By the end of the episode she's added even more, a Harley and a boat. She also tells us that she plans on writing in the journal ...

September 11, 1977 - September 21, 1977

Another episode that covers about 10 days. I think we're really getting into a grove here! We start this one eating Kentucky Fried Chicken, not KFC, this was before that. We also get accepted to move into the projects. Then Mom obsesses a little more about her dream van. She admits Mat's the mean one then I admit why he was always mean. Big brother was a bit sneakier (and meaner) than she kne...

October 9, 1977 - November 4, 1977

We start this episode talking about the Doobie Brothers/Pablo Cruise concert in Pullman, WA in 1977. Then the Yankees beat the Dodgers in the World Series and Mat poops in the tub. Both Grampas have birthdays (I believe they were the same age so they should have been 46 here) and Mom says she's going to write a book. Apparently not the one you are currently a listener of either. We end it by talki...

November 5, 1977 - November 14, 1977

Mom pays some bills, helps more friends move and goes to a Tupperware party. In all it's just another week or so of life in the 70s. A little pot, a little coke, kids with crappy pants and another awesome concert, The Steve Miller Band this time. Mat and I also talk a little about what they paid back then compared to what we pay now and about how even though Mom talks a lot about the stress of n...

November 16 - December 6, 1977

Mom started this one with an announcement from Aunt Shannon. A new cousin was on the way! Mom hoped for a girl but it ended up being a boy, our cousin Keith (obviously several months later, we'll get to it). Then Mom prepared for Phillip's third birthday party. She also mentioned her worries about what smoking will eventually do to her. Phillip's third birthday happened on a Tuesday and that Thursday ...

Special Episode

This is a special episode! Robin (one of Mom's oldest friends) and her husband John were kind enough to sit down with us and talk about Mom. Robin talks about how they met waitressing together in Pendleton and we all reminisce about John coming into the picture. Robin's son Chris even drops in part way through and relates some of his memories of Mom. We could have gone on for hours on this one, and we may go back vi...

January 15, 1978 - January 25, 1978

Super Bowl XII starts this one. Dallas beat Denver 27-10. Dad started school and we moved again, this time with help from welfare. Mom was excited about the new place, it was bigger so in her mind that meant it would be easier to clean. A place out in the country with a full basement and a fenced backyard. She also got another hint that she should quit smoking and talked about getting a hysterect...