The blog posts below are taken from my grandmother's diaries. Althea Green Smith Crook was lovingly referred to as Nanny to her immediate family ~ thus her diaries are called Nanny's Diaries.

Nanny wrote in her diaries when she remembered to - mostly in the evening. There will be some years in which she didn't keep diaries and there will also be some days/weeks in her yearly diaries in which she skipped or forgot to write in them. For the most part, these are her words - written as she wrote them. There will be typos, forgotten punctuation, and other grammatical errors - but I am rewriting these as my Nanny originally wrote them.

As with all old handwriting, there are some entries that I can't quite make out - and these entries will be followed with a (?) to signify that this may or may not be correct or I can't figure out what she is trying to write.

Thank you Nanny for leaving us 50 years worth of memories! We miss you!

Sunday, June 30, 2024

February 19 - 22, 1990

 

Monday, February 19, 1990

 

Quite nice day. A holiday, Lincoln and Washington’s. No work, mail or school. I prepared carrots and meatloaf for supper. Made a pie, tarts. I watched soaps. No one here till suppertime. Jason came and shoveled. Zak’s friend Ann and children called on Betty today. I did the wash.

 

 

 

Tuesday, February 20, 1990

 

A nice day, cold and windy. I did odd and end jobs. It was a nice day. Brogan and Carmen, Kim and Betty Zak and Walt called. I watched soaps in PM. Zack done some work on the car.

 

 

 

Wednesday, February 21, 1990

 

A very nice sunny mild day. I went for a ride over to Harrison, Bolsters Mills and Otisfield with Carmen, Kim, Betty and I. Brogan stayed with her grandpa. I made a beef stew for supper. Also went for a ride up to see Tom’s house. Jimmy Harmon came and put the hood up over the stove. We went over to see where Zak’s girl lives. Zack got some work done on the car, got the license changed.

 

 

 

Thursday, February 22, 1990

 

Quite nice day, some cloudiness. Mostly sunny. Zak came today. He went to work. Now he has got to get the insurance taken care of. Carmen gone on a date. Kim didn’t have to work today. Billie didn’t do anything today.

Saturday, June 29, 2024

February 15 - 18, 1990 Birthday Party for Joy and Betty

 

Thursday, February 15, 1990

 

Cloudy and snowing. I worked at the desk. Zack came for breakfast. I made a pudding. A Jell-O salad, cooked a good chicken for our supper. I watched soaps in PM.

 

 

 

Friday, February 16, 1990

 

Carmen and Brogan came. Carmen cleaned. She feels better but gets tired out easily. This is been a miserable day. No school, all of the state. Bad traveling. Zak up for coffee and donuts. Carmen had a date. A birthday celebration at Betty Smith’s tonight for Betty H and Joy. A bad night, snow, rain and bad traveling.

 


 

 

Saturday, February 17, 1990

 

Betty’s 47th birthday. This is a nice sunny day, on the cool March winds side. The ice got off the trees. I made bread, rolls and baked beans.

 

 



 

Sunday, February 18, 1990

 

I didn’t do much. Got all my reading done etc. Walt up for coffee. Had to bring the dogs in the car. Susan here in later PM. Also Dorothea stopped in for a little while. Betty brought up some popcorn, very good.

 

Friday, June 28, 2024

February 11 - 14, 1990 Valentine's Day

Sunday, February 11, 1990

 

A nice sunny day. Walt up for coffee. Quite nice day. No one here except Walt. I got the magazines read. I got two more to do. Carmen got Brogan home. Dennis brought her. Ray up for supper at Carmen’s.

 

 

 

Monday, February 12, 1990

 

I done the wash. Cleaned my chair and scoured up the aluminum dishes also the coffee pot cleaned. Carmen dropped in for a few minutes and Brogan. Zack didn’t come today. I got a call from the Bridgton PD wanting to know if I still owned the car. Betty dropped in for a minute, brought something up. Jason here after school and did some odd and end things for Billie.

 

 

 

Tuesday, February 13, 1990

 

Cloudy. I cleaned the stove, my chair and aluminum dishes. I made a custard. Also other odd jobs. Carmen called and Betty also Brogan here for supper. Carmen did the shopping. Billie didn’t do anything. Tonight I met Zak’s friend Ann. I liked her and she is a nice girl I’d say. Tonight Betty had her kids for supper again at her house.

 



 





 

 

Wednesday, February 14, 1990

 

I got a nice Valentine cards from Betty and candy also a nice card and candy from Kim. I done some odd jobs. A nice day. Carmen didn’t get up today. Betty and Walt up to camp for the day. Kim and Tom left for a trip up to New Hampshire and Vermont for a few days.

 

 

Thursday, June 27, 2024

February 7 - 10, 1990

 

Wednesday, February 7, 1990

 

A quite nice day, sunny, mild. David called and he fixed Billie’s truck. Zak up for breakfast and to work today. I made a apple pie and cooked a roast beef. Watched TV soaps. Betty came in PM, got her boxes. Carmen called and Brogan. They both enjoyed the supper at Betty’s very much last night. A very nice sunny mild day. I got a nice letter from George. Carmen had Ray for supper.

 

 

 

Thursday, February 8, 1990

 

A very nice spring like day, sunny and mild. Very warm. I done up regular work. Kim came and I went up to the camp with her. Very nice and warm. Watch soaps in PM. Carmen and Brogan here for Carmen’s birthday supper. Zak didn’t come today. Kim and Tom are enjoying each other’s company very much. Carmen is getting there.

 

 

 

Friday, February 9, 1990

 

Kind of cloudy. Carmen came and cleaned today. I did my washing. I watched soaps in PM. I done some odds and end jobs. Betty called. Carmen had to go to town, she got a few things for me. Brogan is smarter than chain lightning. A mostly nice day and it was temps of 45 to 55. Snow run and settled. Dorothea called this p.m. I had a Mrs. Budds chicken pie for supper, very good.

 

 

 

Saturday, February 10, 1990

 

Cloudy, rain and foggy. I got up real early. Made cupcakes, bread, got beans in to bake. David here for coffee. Carmen and Brogan over to Lewiston and Auburn. Carmen has a date. Brogan to see her father. This has been a cloudy miserable looking day. No one here except David. Zak came at suppertime and got the rolls. Snow settled a lot.

 

Wednesday, June 26, 2024

February 4 - 6, 1990

 

Sunday, February 4, 1990 SNOW ALL DAY

 

We got a lot of snow, 10 to 12 inches. I didn’t do much. I wrote to Esther and sent Cliff’s card. Carmen called and Walt up for coffee. A miserable day. Carmen out on a new date.

 

 

 

Monday, February 5, 1990 ZAK’S FIRST DAY AT WORK

 

A very nice sunny day and mild. They came and plowed and shoveled. I did the washing and took care of rest of clippings. Cooked a sliced baked ham for supper. Today was Zack’s first day at work with a good job of his choice. He is very pleased. He didn’t come for supper. Carmen out on a new date tonight. Very good. Carmen’s 27th birthday.

 

 

 

Tuesday, February 6, 1990 Cliff’s birthday

 

A nice day, very warm. Carmen and Kim down to Betty’s then they went shopping over to Norway. They did my shopping. In PM they worked like mad at Betty’s. Carmen, Betty and Kim getting ready for the supper for their children and their friends. Carmen and Ray, Kim and Tom, Zak and Ann. Walt and Betty liked them all very much. They had a good time and was pleased. Brogan up here in PM and for supper. Billie had car trouble, it wouldn’t start.