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, March 8, 2024

December 31, 1988 End of the Year

 

Saturday, December 31, 1988

 

This has been a very nice sunny day. I been busy. Got the breakfast. Washed floors, done up rest of the Saturday work. Made some bread, baked some very good beans (red). I made out the bills and wrote a letter to Esther. David came down this morning, he is so tired. Carmen and Kim out tonight for a New Year’s Eve greeting.

 


 

 


 

 

This past year’s events

 

MILAN JANUARY 29 BILL AUGUST 9

 

Two very sad events this past year for all the family. January 29 Milan was pronounced dead at NCM hospital after a bad attack last night at his home where he collapsed. He never came to again. His funeral was on February 1. There was a grave side service at Homeland Cemetery. Many relatives and friends attended. It is awful. He used to come and visit each day and on the cookouts at Twin Oaks as Stearns Pond. We wish he could have been with us a few more years at least. Miss him so much. Now from the Smiths only Fern, Esther and I are left. He was very kind and thoughtful. He made himself of what he was. He was smart. I hope Mama and all knows some way what he did for himself and family. He had a very good wife who done so much for him and raised a nice smart daughter with two children from her marriage, Regina and Jason. I miss you Milan and all the rest of the ones gone before. Hope we meet again. Also you had another daughter whom we will remember and her children.

 

 

 

Bill it seems you are still among us. We love you and miss you every day. Bill had a lot of serious sickness and many operations. His first visit was when he was a young boy in Scotland. He had diphtheria from there to here. All the hospitals in Portland, he was in them. All for many reasons. Boston Mass. and in Lewiston. His gout was the worst problem when he was young. And later years he was continuously in and out of the hospitals. He gave us all a good happy life. He did so much helping everyone. We enjoyed our children and grandchildren and great great grandchild very much. He was a smart man and very well-liked. He built us a very nice home which we have enjoyed right here at home. His nephew Gordon helped him. No place in town was any better in this town also we love living at my old home. Billie and he kept the place in good shape inside and out.

 

Dorothea took a course in real estate. She passed and did very well. Now I hope she will have good luck and sell a lot of property. She has been very busy caring for Fern and all her other work.

 

This past year Carmen worked here for me a day week. My legs aren’t what they used to be. Hope they don’t get too bad.

 

This past winter Duchess the pony had problems and had to be put to sleep January 28. On January 27 Milan and Betty had a brief call which we never expected to be his last visit. He had a good day and at about suppertime he collapsed. A terrible shock. Kim had a car accident and totaled her car. She got a new one. Also Bill got a new one. Betty got a new puppy. Norma was here for Milan’s service and it was nice she was here with Betty. Kim and Eddie broke up this year and became just friends. A blow to Eddie and all. Zack got a new truck. Carmen had a nose operation this past summer. She was sick with asthma and also Kim asthma and flu. Most everyone had colds. This summer Betty had a nice play house built for Brogan. She enjoys it.

 


 

 

Zack joined the National Guard in March. He has to go into basic training for it during the summer.

 

Esther came this summer and during the time Bill was sick and she was here for the service. She was a big help.  Thanks to her.

 

This spring Mama, Papa and Dorothea was moved from Forrest Hill Cemetery up here to Homeland Cemetery. The cemetery was fixed up and it is a beautiful one. Milan was there and Bill went there August 12.

 

George Bush became present this fall. Hope he will do okay. Zack graduated from Fort Leonard Wood on November 10th.  He came home next day. We was very glad to see him. Billie bought a Jersey heifer from Anze Buzzell. He dressed a nice beef this fall. Thena died this past fall. Betty raised a nice batch of pullets, some got away. Walt bought a brand-new truck. We had a nice Thanksgiving and Christmas again as usual. Kim got a drive to work license permit for this next month. Had a earthquake this past winter.

 

This year we had some papering done, first time this house ever had a strip of paper put on it. Bill didn’t like it too much. The kitchen and two bathrooms. Also had Merle Barker come and varnish the whole house, breezeway to. Betty and Dorothea did papering March 28 to April 2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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