Nanny's Diaries: 2015

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!

Thursday, December 31, 2015

October 2 - 4, 1957 Fryeburg Fair

Wednesday, October 2, 1957 COLD

A very cold day. Fern, Lloyd, Uncle Os and I went to Fryeburg fair. Had a good time. Dawn called. Verna called and children.

Thursday, October 3, 1957

A very nice day. Not so cold as yesterday. Blanche, Doris Hatch, her little girl, Betty, Steve and I went to Fryeburg fair. Delores, Nola and Jeff called on Mama. Had a good time at the fair. Paper began to come today. Awful dry. No school today, fair.

Friday, October 4, 1957 No Rain

A cloudy day. Betty cleaned her room up today. I churned, made a pie, got ready to go to town. Brud and family went home today. Russia sent a satellite into the sky today. First one ever to go up.

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

September 28 - October 1 ,1957

Saturday, September 28, 1957 Letter today about wedding

I cooked. Cleaned up the house. Betty went to the ballgame. Today we got the letter from Dorothea telling about the wedding. A great letter. Aunt Ava and Uncle Lewis called. Today we got some very nice school papers from Susan.

Sunday, September 29, 1957

A very nice day. I wanted to go for a ride, but Billie and Bill helped Lloyd tear down his old hen house. Brud and Kennard called. Kennie and Dot, Raymond called also. We got a new cream separator of the North Bridgton Fire Association, the Harry Leavitt one.

Monday, September 30, 1957

I washed. A nice day. Bud Lowell called tonight. Donnie very good.

Tuesday, October 1, 1957

I cooked, churned and ironed. Don is well.

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

September 24 -27, 1957

Tuesday, September 24, 1957

A very pretty day. I cooked, ironed, done up the housework. Mama over to Aunt Ava’s for the day. Donnie is sick again. Kay up here after school.

Wednesday, September 25, 1957

A nice day. I went to Evie Virgin’s funeral in Portland at S. S. Rick and Son Funeral Home on Mellon Street. Went with Fern, Lloyd and Uncle Os. Betty had a good tasty supper ready when I got home. Dolores up here all day to stay with Mama and Donnie. He is not very good.

Thursday, September 26, 1957

Cloudy, windy and awful cold tonight. I cooked some, cleaned up the house. Donnie sick.

Friday, September 27, 1957 COLD, Dorothea and Dennis back to work

A very clear pretty day but cold. Mr. Sanborn brought the apples. Barbara called and talked this morning. I didn’t do much. Went to town in p.m. Donnie sick.

Monday, December 28, 2015

September 21 - 23, 1957

Saturday, September 21, 1957

A very hot day. I did regular work. Bobby Smart shot himself last night in the foot. Was taken from this hospital to Portland hospital today. We sat on porch tonight. We saw a bull moose tonight over to Raymonds. Dorothea and her husband called tonight.

Sunday, September 22, 1957 Hot

I went down to Mrs. Dearborn’s with Dot and Forrest. Kennie and Dot called. Fern, Mrs. Christen and Aunt Ava. Dot and Forrest and Raymond called. Sat on the porch late tonight, had thundershowers tonight. Evie Virgin died about midnight.

Monday, September 23, 1957

Cloudy and rained this morning. I washed. Delores called in a.m. Blanche called, she and I went to Norway in the p.m. In evening Bill and I went up to Forrest and over to Dr. Newth. Edith McAllister called.

Sunday, December 27, 2015

September 18 - 20, 1957 Dorothea Crook marries Dennis Adair

Wednesday, September 18, 1957

A very nice day. Dolores called. I ironed. Bill finished painting the end of the porch. Put up a railing. Donald Cole called this morning. Got a letter from Dorothea, she is all set for her wedding.

Thursday, September 19, 1957

Bill and I went to town in p.m. Didn’t do very much today. Donnie okay today.

Friday, September 20, 1957 Dorothea and Dennis Wedding Day

I thought of them all day and evening.I cleaned up the house. Did some cooking. We sat up till 1:30 and Betty until two waiting for the call from Dorothea and Dennis.

Saturday, December 26, 2015

September 14 - 17, 1957

Saturday, September 14, 1957 Letter from Dennis

A very nice day. Quite hot. Bill still working on porch ceiling. I helped most of the day, so didn’t get my work done very early. We froze nine boxes shell beans. My pen came today. Today we got a very nice letter from Dennis.

Sunday, September 15, 1957

Cloudy most of the day, clear in early a.m. Bill worked on the porch. Got rest of sheathing up. Fern and Lloyd called in late p.m. Charlie here in a.m. for eggs. Bob called late in eve for eggs. Billie kept HEIFER in today.

Monday, September 16, 1957 Hot

Very hot. I washed, got Jean’s wedding gift off to Dorothea. To town in p.m. Bill over to Dr. today. Got to put a wide belt on him. Donnie quite good today. Got $15 check from Mrs. Randall. Over to Aunt Linnie’s in the evening.

Tuesday, September 17, 1957 I sent Dorothea and Dennis wedding gift

A nice day. Emma Wheeler here for the day. Blanche called in evening. I cooked, we canned corn. Had a chance to board two students, one from Naples, one from New London Connecticut. Bill began painting today. Today I sent a wedding gift to Dorothea and Dennis. Dolores also sent one. Aunt Ava’s dog got out. $50 bill to Dorothea and Dennis.