Nanny's Diaries: July 2016

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, July 31, 2016

May 24 -28, 1960

Tuesday, May 24, 1960 Pig

Rained all day. Billie got pig tonight of Lawrence. It is a nice pig, weighs 20 pounds. I cleaned kitchen ceilings and inside refrigerator. Betty home all evening.

Wednesday, May 25, 1960

Rain rain again today. Worked in kitchen, cleaned the upper cupboards. Cleared off late p.m. Blanche Sawyer and Arlene called and Aunt Ava. Bill worked on the kitchen chimney, topped it out.

Thursday, May 26, 1960 Nice day, Bill got hurt

Well tonight I finally finish cleaning the kitchen. Bill got hurt today at the transmission shop. Sawed his finger, went to Northern Cumberland Hospital, Dr. Skilin took stitches. He won’t work for several days. Betty, Rowena and Linda went on a bike ride and picnic tonight after school. Raymond here for supper. Rayburn and family called and Wanda Jean. Wanda and Karen had a good time with the lambs. Kennie and Dot called. Joy and family on their way home. Kennard called a minute.

Friday, May 27, 1960 Betty home on crutches tonight

Betty came home tonight from school on crutches. Her leg all swollen way to her toes. She has got to lay low for the weekend. Then by Tuesday if it isn’t any better she will have to go to the hospital for x-rays.

Saturday, May 28, 1960

A very nice day, but a busy one. I done up the housework, cooked. Milan, Betty, Norma and Ned came about 9 o’clock. After got the work done up, Bill, Billie Betty, Lloyd and I over to Fryeburg. Got the garden seeds. Billie drove us over by John Weston’s and over to where the cattle was on the big farms.

Saturday, July 30, 2016

May 19 - 23, 1960

Thursday, May 19, 1960

A very nice day. I cleaned the living room, also made a pie this morning. Tonight Linda Berry and Rowena Robinson came up here to get ready with Betty to go to the fashion show. Blanche and I went, it was very good. Betty modeled her new dress she made. She was on the Theme Committee.

Friday, May 20, 1960

A nice day. I cleaned the dining room. Also washed. Went to town in evening. Called at Bob’s and Blanche’s. Bill got a haircut. Also tonight he got a pair of new shoes. Betty came home from school lame. She is staying up to Irene’s.

Saturday, May 21, 1960

A very nice day. I cooked, washed. In p.m. Fern, Lloyd and I went to open house at the new dielectric plant. Billie works there and Lloyd too. It is a very nice place to work. Clean and pleasant. Kay Fleck up here for the weekend.

Sunday, May 22, 1960 Mike called

A cloudy cold day. In a.m. sun shown some. Billie and I got the grass trimmed, rest of lawns mowed, and plant set out. I cleaned up the house. In p.m. Aunt Ava here, also Fern, Lloyd and Kennie and Dot and Bob. Also Mike was here this p.m. He and Betty glad to see each other, had a fight, made up and he finally gave her his ring. Mike says he is better.

Monday, May 23, 1960

Cloudy. Rain showers. I washed and done all my ironing. Used the (?) mangle ironer.

Friday, July 29, 2016

May 14 - 18, 1960

Saturday, May 14, 1960

Partly cloudy, some East wind. I cooked, got the clothes in and ironed. Betty up to Dawn’s and up to Irene’s in evening. Bill painted the rest of the front side of barn roof. Billie fenced, got hen grain.

Sunday, May 15, 1960

Another one of those awful rainy days. Billie and Betty finished the fencing. Betty made a tuna fish casserole and cookies for supper. Had Blanche and Bob here than Fern and Lloyd over here also. Kennie and Dot called. Bill and I sat out the plants in the boxes. I hope the next week will be better weather.

Monday, May 16, 1960

Kind of cloudy. A little on the cool side. I washed quite a lot of extras. Got them in, also today I washed Mamas curtains. In evening Bill and I went down to Zayres at Portland with Kennie and Dot. Had a good time. I came home and Bill put my new ironing pad on and I did my ironing.

Tuesday, May 17, 1960

A very nice warm day. I cleaned Mama and Billie’s rooms. Blanche called after supper. Billie did some more fencing. Betty and Bill mowed lawns. Betty painted mailbox. The summit meeting at Paris was given up today. Now what?

The freshly painted mailbox

Wednesday, May 18, 1960

Today I cleaned the hallways, bathroom and cellar way. A fair day, on the cool side. Betty came home happy they won another game. Billie still fencing tonight.

Thursday, July 28, 2016

May 9 - 13, 1960

Monday, May 9, 1960

RAINED HARD ALL DAY

I washed, picked over some dandelion greens for supper. In evening Bill, Betty and I down to Jean’s. Betty called at Irene’s a few minutes. Billie sold his DURHAM HEIFER to Milton Allen. Got a very pretty card from Dorothea and family.

Tuesday, May 10, 1960

Cleared off this forenoon. A very nice day. I finished all my cleaning upstairs, got my clothes and, did a little cooking. Billie and Bobby began fencing. Bill started painting the barn roof. Bill and I downtown after supper. Betty up to Irene’s. Painted barn roof.

Wednesday, May 11, 1960

Rained again today. I didn’t do much. The durham heifer went tonight.

Thursday, May 12, 1960

A nice day, windy but warm. I didn’t wash. I cleaned the draws and closets and Mama and Billie’s rooms. Betty played ball tonight. They played Mechanic Falls. Billie got paid again. Another check came from Thomas lumber company. I picked up some strawberry plants. Also dug greens for supper.

Friday, May 13, 1960 Letter from Dorothea

Rain, rain, rain all day and hard. I did quite a wash today. Got ready and went to town in evening. Betty up to Irene’s in evening. I got paid rest of Dr. Nash’s board. Letter from Dorothea.

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

May 5 - 8, 1960

Thursday, May 5, 1960 Susan has broken her arm

Another nice day. I washed. Cleaned two bedrooms. Bill and Betty’s. Put up new curtains. Blanche and I to the B. H.S. concert. Good. Betty sung in the Glee Club. Linda Berry and Rowena Robinson here for supper, came back after the concert and here all night. Es called. Susan broke her right arm. Billie got his first pay CHECK tonight. $70.36, he was so pleased.

Friday, May 6, 1960

Another very nice day. Hot and sunny. Kathy Carsley here all day. Her mother got her divorce today from Dick. I cleaned Dr. Nash’s bedroom. Betty to Potter Academy today, her softball team played and they won. Billie took me to town tonight for groceries. Bill came home lame. Put up new curtains.

Saturday, May 7, 1960

A very nice day. Bill and Billie finished the hen house and got the hens moved in tonight. Did up the work and cooked. Betty up to Irene’s in a.m., home all afternoon. I ironed today also.

Sunday, May 8, 1960

Cloudy today and some rain showers. Bill mowed lawns, first time. Ilan Smart, Dutch Pike, and Art Grover called. Bob, Blanche, Kennie and Dot, Ken and Dolores all called. Bobby moved the old hen house today up to his house. I got money for permanent and a very pretty box of chocolates. I had a nice day today, Mama did too. Fern, Lloyd called, Aunt Ava, Uncle Lewis. Aunt Ava, Uncle Lewis here for supper.