Beginning on November 1, 2024, which is the date of my mother’s first letter from her Hawaii trip 84 years ago, I am serializing day by day, the book, Cecilia King’s Extraordinary Senior Trip, which you can obtain from Amazon in either Kindle or paperback.

I hope you enjoy the upcoming nine-months in Hawaii 1940-41. You can order the entire book from Amazon in either paperback or Kindle format, click here.

Honolulu Monday, March 24, 1941
Monday, March 24

Dear Daddy & Mother,

Have had the nicest weekend – but had better start with Saturday so I’ll go in order. And, too, will first get the bad news off my chest. & on with the good. Saturday afternoon I went to Mrs. Smiths to get the dresses and her prices (which she couldn’t “predict” before) were absolutely outrageous. She does exquisite work – but $3.50 a dress is an outrage. So I’ve already paid for all except the green organdy (I’m afraid to even think of what it’ll be) & taken the others to Leatrice.

The Japanese (Leatrice) are rather careless and not nearly so good as Mrs. S. – but the latter’s price is prohibitive – am having to spend $15 of my Christmas money for her. Then, that cute dusty rose crepe you sent, I’ve worn twice & paid for Mrs. S to alter – and the material has just evaporated in several places – I may send it to you so you can take it back & exchange or something because I’m afraid the whole thing will un-do. It is so pretty, & the most marvelous kind of a dress to have that I’m sorry it happened.

Now to the Sat-Sun news. Saturday night max & I had dinner at DeRussy with Lt. & Mrs. Elmore (Vince & Bobbye) then Hand & Rick came in later from Sch. To join us. It was such a lovely night at the Pavilion Club & we had loads of fun.

We laughed at Bob Hand & Max, though, until we hurt – Bobbye & I were talking rather secretively about some trivial matter & they were absolutely burned up with curiosity – so for fun we egged them on & said I’d make the announcement within 2-3 weeks about the subject of our conversation – so they at once supposed I would be getting engaged – Hand bellowed out that if he and Max had been wasting the last two months trying to marry m – for THIS that it was too bad if I got engaged to somebody else. And the more we laughed the more curious and jealous they got – max is so jealous anyway, that he sits and leers at anyone, not in our party, who dances with me. Anyhoo, we breezed over that, and left the pavilion club to go for a hamburger at the Bluebird. Sat on stools there, and saw the oddest arrangement of humanity I’ve seen in a long time – Dinner clothes, Joe Colleges, a few men in turbans – several with cave man beards. Max bought me the nicest lauhala cigarette case – think I’ll get Carol one like it.

I was trying to save Army Day (April 7) date for Bob but Max asked definitively about it & the day before also –so guess that’s settled – but I’m afraid two whole days & nights & then the Wed. following won’t see s through without some finale on the whole thing.

Sunday morning Bob Dunlop came at 10:30 – I was still asleep & had no idea he’d even keep the date, much less come on time. So I quick dressed & we had a coke –he still had no car so church was out, and we decided to call on Millers (friends of his family – live down the beach). It was such a lovely day we decided to walk the “block or two” which turned out to a mile with blistered feet – and then they weren’t at home. We took a bus coming back. He left about one and he had asked me to go out to Schofield at 2:30 & meet his family. They came in for us & “Grandmother” Mason (the spryest little lady of 82 you can imagine – an army of fifth – has an endless line of chatter & I was the victim of the afternoon) & Col. & Mrs. Dunlop, Bob & I (His six 3 ½ and myself, practically filling the car – and they kept calling us “the children.”) The entire afternoon was the most pleasant I’ve had since I’ve been here – and the Dunlops are just wonderful. I was absolutely captivated the mom net I met them –

We stopped on the way out for glasses of fresh pineapple juice and a pineapple to take home – (10 cents for a huge, ripe fruit).

Dunlops’ quarters are lovely – high camel hair Persian rigs – brocade chairs – and right on the mantel the biggest brightest laughing Buddha I’ve ever seen.

We all “laid to” in the kitchen making roast and peanut butter , jelly sandwiches – then went out to the “marine porch” to eat on a bright blue table. It is the cleverest room – walls line with fishnet – clusters of blue, green & red floats hanging – a life preserver “USS Dunlopian” – china fish caught inside the nets – cunning.

We were going to Kemoos for dinner but it was already six-thirty – and we’d had too much sandwiches, pineapple, milk & pumpkin pie for that.

Bob & I went for a drive to try out his car that had been being fixed out there – then came in to dress for the movies. I had on my chartreuse chiffon and when I came down, Mrs. Dunlop brought out a beautiful white & lavender orchid corsage for me to wear. Honestly, I’ve never had such a fuss made over me – but guess a family with one son does find a girl in the house a bit unusual, having no daughters to “affectionate.”

After I had let Mrs. Mason take me out to her aviary in the back yard for a lecture on canaries – we started “collecting” for the movies. Bade Rudolph (the half-Persian – half alley pet cat) farewell.

Mrs. Mason fluttering around in a beribboned dinner dress with a blue bow perched in her white hair – insisted should come back because I had folded my napkin – and hoped that I would. And did I? Should say so.

Bob and I drifted throughout the Officers Club – only a few people in for the Sun. night supper dancing – then on to the movies – saw Bette Davis in The Letter. Came out of the theatre into pouring rain (my chiffon skirt certainly suffered) – went to Kemoos for grilled cheese sandwiches and coffee – then back to town and home. It was a perfectly marvelous day – am just hoping the Dunlops will invite me out again. Next to my own family and the Reids, I can think of no other family I’d rather be a part of than the Dunlops.

Speaking of the Reids, I missed your clipper letter today, but got the grandest letter from Mrs. Reid. She said so many lovely things about Carol. I also would like to be home & see you all.

Mrs. Reid gave me an ensign to look out for – but I don’t know anybody on the Tuscaloosa –wish she’d tell him to look me up if she has any correspondence with his family or him – it’s so good to see somebody I “know.”
Uncle Ed is having the “boys” in for poker tonight – so I’m confined to my room, with the little radio and “Oliver Wiswell”[1] reading material for entertainment.

Haven’t done much today except wash my locks and plan a complex errand trip to town tomorrow. Mrs. Caldwell called to say Bill Herron is taking me to her party Wed. night – she says he’s a love & a honey, etc. – I’ve never been out with him but have heard that he can be a lousy date. Was going to wear my new green dress, but think I’ll save it for Sat. night, Mandy’s party – that is the opening of the new $27,000 Officers Club at Hickham & quite an occasion – reservations have been made & closed for months so we’re lucky to get to go.

Music from Lau Yee Chai via radio reminds me – did I tell you we saw Doris Duke Cromwell[2] there the other night? A frowsy looking blond in diamonds & a natural wool chubby.

Mother, if I mail the pink dress tomorrow with paper pinned on the bad parts, will you try to get something just as cute & informal & good weight of crepe – that is, if they will do something about it & they surely should because the cloth is plain rotten in places. And pink or dusty rose is very good here – with my slight tan -- & navy accessories --

Have to get up early tomorrow --- so had better sign off –