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, June 5, 2025

Jul 10 - 13, 1993

 

Saturday, July 10, 1993

 

Another hot hot day. A long day, a miserable day. I will be so glad when it is over. Pills pills pills pills all day. I’m so sick of them. I had company which was nice. Betty, Walt, Lorraine, Dorothea, Carmen, Carmen (Brogan?), Cameron.

 

 

 

Sunday, July 11, 1993

 

Another long long day in the hospital. I hate it because of the medicine I have to down every day. It makes me so sick. I’ll be glad when it is over. It has been a long day. Had company, which I enjoyed. It has been so hot they say. Family called.

 

 

 

Monday, July 12, 1993

 

Company today at the hospital. I’m sickish. I’ll be so glad when I’m much better. I had company today and tonight. Thinking about Es coming in a couple of days.

 

 

 

Tuesday, July 13, 1993

 

Well it was a very hot day. I was in hopes I would get home. Petrone didn’t want me to, may tomorrow. Well, didn’t do much today. I’m so sorry to have to stay here. It makes me sick. The family have been to see me every day.

 

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

July 6 - 9, 1993 Nanny Admitted into Hospital

 

Tuesday, July 6, 1993 RED-HOT, A RED-HOT DAY

 

80°. I done a slight wash. Carmen came and done the chores. It is a very hot sunny day. David down this morning. He got his hay all in yesterday. Dorothea and Betty S went shopping today. Betty, Walt, Patty and Ray over to the lot in Harrison. Kassie to the vets for a checkup. Jeffrey Dennis Adair (blank) years old today. I love him.

 

 

 

Wednesday, July 7, 1993

 

Terrible terrible hot. I was sick today with that darn ear infection. Also dizzy. Betty came and called Dorothea. They decided for me to go to the hospital. I was so dizzy and sick. They had the ambulance. I don’t like it but I guess it was best. It was also because they found many other things that want just right. So they put the darned old pills right to me, and that made me so sick.

 

 

 

Thursday, July 8, 1993

 

Another hot day. I just stayed in bed and those pills was just put right to me all day. It is a wonder I came out okay. I had company at the hospital. Zak called to see me also today.

 

 

 

Friday, July 9, 1993

 

Sick in the hospital again, it was the pills. I couldn’t have salt. So that made the meals unbearable. Company today, Carmen, Dorothea, Kim called.

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

July 2 - 5, 1993

 

Friday, July 2, 1993

 

This has been a nice sunny day. Dorothea came and done a week’s work. Betty has been busy all day cleaning up her house and getting ready for the big weekend. Carmen’s right out straight all day. To town shopping. Going to the bank. She came to the hospital where I was. Dorothea took me to see the doctor. I have swollen ankles, one leg is oozing. I had the works down there. To cap it all I got a mess of pills to take. I hate that.

 

 

 

Saturday, July 3, 1993

 

It has been a cloudy dreary day. It rained some which we need it so bad. Carmen and Dorothea came this morning. Dorothea went down and got my pills. Carmen came and made the bed etc. She and Dorothea did all my work. Betty and Walt entertained friends up to the camp. Brogan was up there today also. And Carmen and Cameron went up later.

 

 


 

Sunday, July 4, 1993

 

A very nice sunny day, there was a good breeze to help dry the hay. Saliba came and mowed David’s hay early this morning. He came down and done the chores then he had coffee. I got ready to go to the parade with Carmen. Betty Smith went with Dorothea. It was a very nice parade. Betty is having a good time at camp with their friends. Arnold is working over on Walt’s lot today. Fred, Wanda, Phonie and Susan was with us at the parade too.

 

 

 

Monday, July 5, 1993

 

A quite nice day, kind of on the hot side. A nice breeze. David here this morning. They are going to get his hay ready to go in. They came home from camp. Zac called. He has got to go to work tonight. He went up to help David with the hay. Jeff was going to help, but he couldn’t get anyone on the phone. Dorothea came and got the supper here tonight.

 

Monday, June 2, 2025

June 28 - July 1, 1993

 


Monday, June 28, 1993

 

A very nice day. On the hot side. Carmen and kids came. Carmen did her work. Betty came and cleaned from top to bottom, looks very nice. Misty the pony went today. She will have a nice home. It will be better for the new horse, Misty was mean to her.

 

 

 

Tuesday, June 29, 1993

 

A quite nice day. I didn’t do much as usual. Carmen came early this morning. Dorothea called today, she is going to see about a job at Simpsons. Betty and Carmen did the chores. Bro riding her bike more, she likes it so well. Carmen got the supper tonight, Betty and Walt

 

 

 

Wednesday, June 30, 1993

 

A nice sunny day. Carmen came and did her work. Down to Betty’s and did the chores. David came this morning. Betty H, Brogan and Betty Smith up to camp today. A nice day, it got cooled off about noon. Dorothea called today for a minute. She went to see Charles Simpson and she got a job working there a couple days a week. Also Susan has a job there working two days a week. I’m glad for them both, they need the money so bad. Carmen got the supper tonight.

 

 

 

Thursday, July 1, 1993

 

A nice hot sunny day. Carmen came, got the list to go grocery shopping. Brogan slept till 8:30. David came and did chores as usual. It has been a nice day. Sunny and good temperature. Carmen and kids here a little while, done chores at Walt’s. Cameron is very cute now. Brogan is so cute and smart. She does very while riding her bike. Betty has got a very busy weekend coming up.

 

Sunday, June 1, 2025

June 24 - 27, 1993 Last Day of School

 

Thursday, June 24, 1993 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

 

A quite nice day, it was sunny, no wind. I done my little jobs first thing, then Carmen came, she did some work. She did cooking, got things to going for supper. In p.m. she came and got a very good supper. Cameron was so cute today. Last day of school. Well this was Brogan’s last day of school, kindergarten. She passed to the first grade. A very good report card.

 

 

 

Friday, June 25, 1993 HAYING AT WALT’S

 

Today they came, raked and baled the hay. The baler was broken down so it was very late when they got it all baled. Tom and Walt got some of it hauled in. Tom throwed it up into the barn. Dorothea came and did the housework today. She worked all day. She was tired when she went home. Carmen worked tonight at the hospital.

 

 

 

Saturday, June 26, 1993 hot hot hot

 

I was out on the porch until it began to get hot and muggy. It was so uncomfortable. We had the fans going. Dorothea came in early p.m. She prepared the supper.

 

 

 

Sunday, June 27, 1993

 

Cameron Alexander Crook Horton’s one-year birthday was celebrated today at his home The Ridge House. It was a beautiful nice day. It was so pretty up there. He got a lot of nice clothes, toys and money. He enjoyed the party until he began to run down. The guests were Aunt Kim,  Uncle Tom, Aunt Dorothea, Uncle David, Betty, cousin Zenya, Grammy, Grandpa Horton, Brogan and Great Nanny and his daddy Arnold. It was a nice party, all enjoyed it. Tonight Bro went up to Gary Chadbourne’s with Kim and Tom to a cookout. Other people too Kim’s friend Missy King was there.