Nanny's Diaries: October 2014

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!

Friday, October 31, 2014

March 30 - April 5, 1946

Saturday, March 30, 1946

Bill only worked half-day. He and Billie went over and got our new horse. Bill walked him home from Sam Pitts. Cooler today. Dorothea down to Ferns. Mama came home tonight. I put the separator out for first time.

Sunday, March 31, 1946

Very cold. Dolores and Verna came up. Bob and Ronald, Fern and Lloyd. They been plowing with the horse. Olby Grover came up.

Monday, April 1, 1946

Very cold. Milan and I went to town had trouble with his car. We washed. Mama went back down to Ferns.

Tuesday, April 2, 1946

Snowed, thundered, lightning, and rained. Got about 4 inches of snow. Bill lame again had Dr. M. Bill has got to go to hospital.

Wednesday, April 3, 1946

Milan decided to go to Florida. Sold his car. Got pension check today. He made reservations for Florida. Les Thomes came up got Milan to kill (?) heifer.

Thursday, April 4, 1946

Cloudy and rainy. Bill still home from work. I cleaned up the house today. Billie over to Aunt Linnie’s to take care of (?) Tim’s kittens.

Friday, April 5, 1946

I washed and churned. Charlie and Jean, Kennard and Dolores called in eve. Bill still home lame.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

March 23 - 29, 1946

Saturday, March 23, 1946

Colder with March wind. Mr. Murray brought grain. School kept today. Billie to movies. Raymond Allen spent eve with us. Cooked and churned today.

Sunday, March 24, 1946

Bought our bay horse, Bruce, of Sam Pitts $150 paid cash. Money we earn from the chicks. Nice day. Took up the sap buckets.

Bruce

Monday, March 25, 1946

Rained a little. 1600 chicks came from Hague at Gorham. We washed. Bill down to Jean’s in evening.

Tuesday March 26, 1946

I have a terrible lame back and shoulders been bothering for some time. I ironed today.

Wednesday, March 27, 1946

Dorothea didn’t go to school. Betty, Dorothea and I cleaned the shed chamber. Very windy.

Thursday, March 28, 1946

Fern up all day and started a very pretty red suit for Betty. A very pretty dress for Dorothea. Snaps came back today.

Friday, March 29, 1946

Very nice day 85 degrees hot. I washed and finished the shed chamber. Betty and I had a good shampoo and bath. I washed Dorothea’s curtains.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

March 16 - 22, 1946 - Billie turns 15!

Saturday, March 16, 1946

Bill got in a full week over to Jims. Made quart of syrup.

Sunday, March 17, 1946

Nice day. Bill raked the front yard. All bare ground all around the buildings and fields. Mr. Murray came got chicks.

Monday, March 18, 1946

Very nice day. I washed. We killed black and white cat.

Tuesday, March 19, 1946

Very nice day. Milan I went to town. Made 1 quart of syrup. Milan got done at the mill. I ironed.

Wednesday, March 20, 1946

Very nice day.

Thursday, March 21, 1946

Very nice day. I made 2 quarts syrup. Milan and I went to town in a.m.

Friday, March 22, 1946

Very nice day. I washed and ironed. Mama came home from Ferns. Billie 15 years today. $2 from Jean also card from Fern.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

March 9 - 15, 1946 Tapping Maple Trees

Saturday, March 9, 1946

Rained most all day. Bill didn’t work. Wind blowed awful hard tonight. Billie and Val went to the movies. Charlotte had a baby girl.

Sunday, March 10, 1946

Kennard and Dolores called also Fern and Lloyd. Cooler today. Billie and Val went to the show tonight.

Monday, March 11, 1946

We washed. Cloudy and cold today. Bill back to work. Hired out with Jim today for the summer. Sent camera film today.

Tuesday, March 12, 1946

Nice day. Mama went back down to Ferns. Mama and Milan called at Dot and Forrest. Got first letter from Brud. Dolores up in p.m. George Staley arrested.

Wednesday, March 13, 1946

Very warm. I went up to Minnie’s in a.m. Milan tapped maple tree. Bill down to Kennie’s last night. Down town tonight.

Thursday, March 14, 1946

Billie tapped trees this morning. Very nice weather. Snow going so fast.

Friday, March 15, 1946

Another nice day. Billie took Holstein cow up to Chet Edson’s to his Guernsey bull.

Monday, October 27, 2014

March 2 - 8, 1946 Milan gets divorced

Saturday, March 2, 1946

Cloudy and rainy. Milan worked in the mill today and working tonight forward Charlie Robbins. Billie to the show as usual. Jack brought our groceries up.

Sunday, March 3, 1946

Nice warm day. Kennard called and Kennie and Rayburn. Mama still down to Ferns.

Monday, March 4, 1946

Very nice day 70° at about 1 to 2 this p.m. I washed, got my clothes in. Billie over to Raymonds tonight. Town meeting today.

Tuesday, March 5, 1946

Bill didn’t work. Got our car license tonight. Fair and warm.

Wednesday, March 6, 1946

Bill, Betty and I went up to Walt Ford’s and Pikes. We sold the Guernsey cow to W. Lords $85. Bill and Billie called on Chet Edson. Cloudy.

Thursday, March 7, 1946

Milan, Betty, Blanche and I went to Portland. Milan got his divorce.

Friday, March 8, 1946

Very nice day. Snow went awfully. Bill back to work. Got Betty’s shoes. Mr. Murray came with some shavings and grain.