The good news -
While attending a meeting of The Friends of the Pierce County Library, I asked whether they had any older issues of The Blackshear Times I could look through to find Rose's early columns. She said, "You mean these?" and opened a cabinet behind her, revealing multiple hardbound volumes of The Blackshear Times dating back decades!
They're in the Heritage Room, and I arranged a time to go in there and start my research. I found when she was hired, tracing the first column to February 18th, 1982.
The bad news -
My limited familiarity with computers, phones, and cameras has made it difficult for me to present them in an easy-to-read and collectible format.
Nevertheless, I will do what I can and gradually improve my ability to display and compile the columns.
I think they are worth sharing. Her writing is very sharp and humorous, real slice-of-life gems, worthy of Erma Bombeck and Lewis Grizzard.
Below is another attempt at making it more readable,
From the start, Alison is an important feature of her columns. She is determined to participate in the Cabbagepatch doll craze of the early 80s. She is even willing to settle for a knockoff and put up some of her own hard-earned money (allowance? chores?) to get it. When the store is initially closed, I love how Alison says, "I just knew this would happen, now I'LL NEVER GET A BABY."
Be patient, Rose and Alison. One day, you'll both have something so much better than a cabbagepatch knocoff!
More columns to come, and I will continue to improve my technical skills.
