The following was written by my Grama Nova on her 72nd birthday in 1972.

We all went to Santa Cruz, California, to Uncle Ralph and also where Aunt Stacia lived. Uncle Ralph and Auntie Amelia had a big home on Cliff Drive, and he and Aunt Stacia’s husband, uncle Mac, worked on the Ocean Shore Railroad, which is no more.

The outstanding recollection of staying at Aunt Amelia’s, was when we children, of whom I was the oldest and biggest, and the leader, was the time we were playing follow the leader and because I was daring them to do what I did I dived into an 18″ culvert under the road, which drained onto the beach below Cliff Dr. The little folks, followed quickly and I discovered to my dismay, that I HAD to keep crawling through. There was no other way back as we were all crowded into the bore. I do believe that was the beginning of my claustrophobic fears.

We did make it, after I’d pulled myself out enuf to drop down to the beach, which seemed a long way, but was probably only 4-5 ft. We all had sliver scratches and there had been spiderwebs, too.

Nova Age 16 In 1916