12/20-12/26/53

Dec 20 Sunday We went down to see pop today, Sylvia waiting downstairs as usual. Pop is recuperating from Thursday's operation. He was out of bed today for the first time with one of the two pipes taken out again. Afterwards we walked to Chinatown looking around, then eating at Joy Young's. The kids ordered Chow Mein, fried rice and egg roll. I got shrimp Chow Mein. Lil ordered spare ribs but ate some of our Chow Mein and felt pretty good.          6 Hrs. O.T.

Dec 21 Howard Fast was one of ten who won a Stalin Peace Prize. William B Ziff is dead at 55, Kinrey Matsuyama at 56 and One-Eyed Connelly at 84.          No O.T.

Dec 22 Lillian got gloves for the kids and me. Also shoes, velvet skirt and ear rings for herself. Mossadegh got only a 3 year term for rebellion in Iran.             3 hrs O.T.

Dec 23 I saw pop who was out of bed most of the time. The 22 recalcitrant Americans in Korea refused to hear any "explanations" on returning home        3 hrs O.T.

Dec 24 The kids went ice skating in Central Park. They went down by car in a party including Larry and his brother Peter. They took lessons at $1.50 per half hour but told us it was superfluous. Moscow announced that at an unannounced six day trial closed to the public, Lavrenti Beria, former Deputy Premier had confirmed and been found guilty with six of his aides of treason to the Soviet Union. They have all been shot. 

I remember the lessons; what I remember most is the instructor saying that his job was to make sure that we didn't fall, but that the only way you learn to skate is to fall. 

Dec 25 We went downtown intending to go to the Little Carnegie to see "Heidi" and another children's picture but the theater was so packed we did not go in. We ate in the Automat then visited Playland where the kids played machines. Lil and I played ping-pong then the kids played then I played Eugene. A New Zealand train wreck cost 164 lives out of 269 on board. Rene Coty an obscure conservative was elected President of France to replace after a six day vote. Ilya Ehrenburg urged more liberty for Soviet writers following Khatchaturian's plea for Soviet musicians. Dr Ralph Linton is dead at 60.

Dec 26 Sylvia and Susan Kahn went to the Paradise to see Martin & Lewis in "The Caddy" and "The Vanquished" with John Payne & Jan Sterling. Eugene and Larry went to the Garden to see Niagara beat St Johns and Brigham Young beat Manhattan. In the meantime, Sadie & Bernie and the kids came over for dinner. Molly was also here and Sam came after work. Little Robert had a 'crush' on Sylvia and asked to kiss her repeatedly, which he finally did to her discomfiture. There was a lot of piano playing & general chatter and fun making. Bernie took the girls back to Sadie's brother then came back here to sleep with Sadie and Robert. More than 100 died in a Czech train wreck. Lee Schubert is dead at 78.