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!

Monday, May 15, 2023

December 30- 31, 1985 Poppa's Birthday and The End of 1985

 

Monday, December 30, 1985 Bill 79

 

A mostly sunny day but on the cool side. I got up early, got my washing to going. Got the breakfast. Made a Jell-O salad, a sponge cake. Got my supper prepared. Then Betty came, we went over to get Carmen. We took off for the dog shelters. Norway, Windham and Westbrook. No luck at all. Then to Jean Edwards. She only had one which she may take another look at. Came home at four, the supper was doing well. I finished and got it ready. Carmen came and had supper with us. Very good baked ham. Then after supper Milan, Betty, Dorothea, Betty, Walt and Zack came, we had ice cream, cake for Bill. He got $71 in money. Billie and Zack done a few things over to Carmen’s.

 

 

 

Tuesday, December 31, 1985

 

Cold. The last day of 1985. I did my ironing, cleaned out the refrigerator. Betty is preparing for friends tonight. Bill didn’t feel too good this morning. Dorothea and David called. Dorothea called the Dr. for Bill. Carmen called with her new dog Alesia. Betty and Zack came up to see the dog. Zack up for a steak supper. Billie cooked them outside on the grill. Betty Smith, Zack and I up to stay with Fern while Dorothea and David were out for supper. Zack, Billie and I watched the old year out and the new one in.

 




 

 

Quite a number of eventful things this year. Billie had an eye operation. Zack in the hospital for his urinary problems. Bill to hospital in a very serious condition, hemorrhaging. Milan and Betty moved to Maine, bought Fern’s house. Milan had an operation. Betty Smith also. Bill also had many blood transfusions.

 

George here from Scotland to see bill. Made a nice visit. We enjoyed them.

 

We had a very cold and a lot of snow first of winter. Carmen took a course on real estate. The girls both got jobs at the nursing home. Also Carmen finally got a job at NCM hospital. A steady one, admitting etc. Fern had a lot of different help. No one would stay. Carmen worked for her for a while. So she decided to go into the new nursing home. She only stayed there for a short time. Then she went to Dorothea’s to live. Dorothea and Dave got a new furnace. Delores taken sick to the hospital then she too went to the Bridgton healthcare home. Carmen had asthma problems and Kim too. Kim met a nice friend this past year. Name Edward Thomas Boulter for Marblehead Massachusetts. He graduated from Bridgton Academy. Later they became engaged.  October 18, 1985.

 

Also a place in Harrison on the end of Plains Road was bought through Walt for Carmen and Kim. Also Eddie moved in as a tenant. A very nice pleasant place. They all work so hard getting it ready for occupancy. After a few months Eddie and Kim moved into a place of their own. One they are renting.

 

Esther came this spring in April, also she and Cliff took a trip to California. Susan got her course done at the beauty school in Portland. Got a new car. Also Joy got a new one.

 

Also Kim in the hospital, bad hemorrhaging. Very sick. Carmen was there with asthma. Betty had problems with her back. Eddie very sick and in hospital.

 

We had a good summer, picnics etc. I had a nice birthday etc.

 

Also we all had a nice Christmas. Many nice useful gifts, colored TV, chair, clothes etc. etc.

 

Now coming up is to get ready for the wedding. Carmen has met a new guy.

 

Carmen painted her house. Betty’s was also and new window blinds. Also getting a new bathroom. Dorothea has had a busy and  tiresome work all summer caring for Fern. She had a couple days a week off.

 

We got a new rug for the living room, a gift. Also this summer Norma and children came. We enjoyed them very much. Milan and Betty had a new drilled well and new septic system put in. July 9 Norma came.

 

 

On May 20th our good loving dog Heidi was put to sleep. It was so hard. We loved her so much. She did us. We will always miss her. She had a good home with us for years. We wish she had been able to live with us a longer time.

 

Billie only got two heifers this fall because of his health and no hay. He wasn’t able to get hay this summer.

 

Carmen met a new boyfriend a short time ago. I wish something might come of this meeting, time will tell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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