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!

Saturday, January 19, 2019

December 30 - 31, 1969 Good Bye 1969


Tuesday, December 30, 1969 Bill 61 today

Good day. I did my ironing. Did regular work. I went down to Betty’s. Kim don’t feel very good. Baby Zak’s skin not at all good. A bad eczema. Bill entertained  guys at the garage on his 61st birthday. After supper he and I went down to Betty and Walt’s. They had a drink for him. We had a nice visit. Cloudy in late p.m. and early evening. Then it cleared.



Wednesday, December 31, 1969

Cloudy all day, late in p.m. it cleared. The storm didn’t come. I went to Fryeburg and East Conway with Fern and Lloyd in a.m. Down to Betty’s in p.m while she went to town to do her shopping. I came home, made a turkey pie. Bill down to W. Dobbins to help him celebrate his birthday. Betty’s eye is bad.



Tonight is the end of 1969 and now we start a new era, 1970’s. The first of this year a continuation of uneasiness for us over Betty. As the year wore on to spring things began to smooth out for her. Kids were better and after they sold their home and moved Bridgton, got straightened out financially. They had a better understanding. Betty, the kids and I did a lot of riding around trying to find a home for them. Couldn’t seem to find a thing. During late spring Barbara Stanford called on us. She asked Betty if she would be interested in their place. The Old Home. They at once began to make inquiries in the situation. It was really for sale. The deal went through and on September thirteen fourteen the place was made ready and on the 14th they moved in. It made us all quite a bit uneasy because of Carmen and her asthma condition. Carmen came here middle of April, finished her school year. Kindergarten. Entered the first grade with high ranks.

 Billie raised two nice beef cattle, two pigs. Bill raised us a nice garden. 

Jeff left on June 30 for a month and a half visit with his father. He was a cute innocent boy when he left at the jet port Yellowbird Airport. Dorothea, Betty, Carmen, Kim and two little boys Dorothea cares for and myself were there to see him off. We all were there to meet him and when he came home he was different. He was two different kids. As time went on he was better at times. He got some awful ideas and very mixed emotions out there in Michigan. I worry a lot about what his outcome will be. I sure hope he has a strong and determined lot of common sense which will rule his ways. I hope we can help him in some way and he will accept help and advice.

Carmen and Kim saw their father Michael the summer. We had a nice visit from Milan and Betty this summer. Milan has lifted a load from our shoulders by giving up drinking. He is the same as he used to be, good company to have around. Also this year Robert was married to a very nice woman Pat. Also Jean and Stanley white were married. Also on September 15 Walter Ambrose Horton IV came into this family. He is a pride and joy of Walt Horton III. We all love him and he is tied to our heartstrings.


In October Esther and Cliff came to visit us all in our new homes. In January of this year Susan presented Esther and Cliff with a new grandson. Another love in the family. Betty, Walt and family went to Walt’s father and mother’s for Thanksgiving and show them their first grandson. In December we made plans and preparations for Christmas back home. We had a very good time in December 25. Dorothea’s family, Dorothea, Dave and Jeff, Betty’s family, Walt, Betty, Carmen, Kim and Zak. Bill, Billie and me, Fern, Lloyd, Aunt Ava. Dot came in p.m. for a visit. A very nice dinner and a lot of new gifts for everyone. 

A good ending for 1969. Birth of two boys, two marriages and the good Old Home came the property of Betty, Walt, Carmen, Kim and Zak.

A new road on 117 was built this past year. We had a very bad winter, lots of snow. It started on first of November. State Theatre fell in under snow.


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