Nanny's Diaries

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, May 26, 2017

August 18 - 20, 1963

Sunday, August 18, 1963

A nice day, on the cool side. Didn’t get up very early. Betty and Mike and Carmen to town to say goodbye. I cooked a fried chicken supper. Billie worked around home all day. Bill down to Fern and Lloyd’s. Kennie, Dot, Fern, Lloyd, Nola, Nona and Jeff, Bob and Blanche called. Mike will be leaving us tomorrow.

Monday, August 19, 1963 MIKE LEFT

A nice day. At 6 PM Betty, Blanche, Carmen and I left home to take Mike to Logan airport to take American Airlines jet plane to Oakland California to be gone exactly 11 months to a day. We miss him tonight. We will be so glad when he gets back. This is his last time to go and leave his wife and baby. We all enjoyed the trip except to see him go. Mama at Ferns.

Mike and Carmen

Blanche and Nanny with Mike and Carmen

The Boutilier Family - Mike, Carmen and Betty

Tuesday, August 20, 1963

Rained all day. Churned. I went to town with Fern and Lloyd. We got Mike’s papers off today. We missed Mike today. Kennie, Dot and Wanda up in evening. Betty and I to town, Wanda went too.

Thursday, May 25, 2017

August 14 - 17, 1963

Wednesday, August 14, 1963

Thunder showers in morning. Ended about noon and it got windy and cloudy. Betty, Mike and Carmen came home about 1 AM this morning. Betty, Mike and I to Portland today. Blanche came over here and babysat. Lorraine taken by ambulance to Maine Medical Center to have her baby. Only 6 1/2 months. We hope it will be all right. Betty and Mike to drive-in alone. They are so happy. I hope it lasts.

Thursday, August 15, 1963

Betty, Mike and I to Portland. Mike had some errands to take care of before he has to go back. Blanche took care of Carmen. Mama over to Aunt Ava’s. Fern up here, we had a big steak cookout.

Friday, August 16, 1963

A nice day. Betty and Mike didn’t get up till very late. Very happy. I washed. Made pie, etc. etc. Holly here for afternoon. Betty and Mike helped Chet some.

Saturday, August 17, 1963

Billie gone to Skowhegan Fair with the Boyntons. He left about 6 AM. Nice and sunny in a.m., clouded in p.m. I washed, churned, done a little cooking. Bill, Carmen and I to town. Betty, Mike and Carmen out riding today. Only one more day for him. Fern up for supper.

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

August 10 - 13, 1963 Norma and Susan Head Home

Saturday, August 10, 1963 NORMA LEFT

Fair, cooler, windy. I churned. McCarron’s and Fern and Lloyd called. They brought Penny up for the day. They took a ride up to Andover to Telstar. Betty, Mike, Carmen and I to town. Susan and Betty over to North Bridgton beach. Betty and Mike went over to Auburn tonight to stay for a few days. Also Carmen. Anne, Alice and Timmy came over after that. It sure seems quiet here with Carmen gone. Milan and family left about 3:30 AM. Seems lonely without Norma. Billie mowed up to Chet’s.

Sunday, August 11, 1963 SUSAN LEFT

Fair in a.m. Bill and I down to Fern and Lloyd’s with Susan for a nice turkey dinner. Susan hated to go home. She wanted to see her family yet she enjoyed being up here. Aunt Ava and Uncle Lewis here with Mama. Missed Carmen today. Well Susan has been gone three hours. She is a sweet kid. Billie haying up to Chet’s. Black clouds. Billie got a brockle face steer today.

Monday, August 12, 1963

A nice day, on the cool side. I washed. Got my washing done real early. Done vegetables from the garden. Done some ironing after supper. Down to Jean’s in evening. It seems so quiet with Carmen gone. Also it is an empty place here. Today no kids around. I miss them all.

Tuesday, August 13, 1963

Cloudy and rainy all day. I finished my ironing. Cleaned up the back porch. Also cleaned up all the upstairs. Got things back to normal. I missed Carmen. Billie’s new cow got out and went way down as far as Ed Howe’s. Bobby and Amy got her home.

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

August 6 - 9, 1963

Tuesday, August 6, 1963

A nice day. I made pie and donuts. I done up regular work and ironed after supper. Kids over to beach at North Bridgton. Betty and Mike up to Chet’s to help hay. Billie up after supper. All went to the drive-in after supper. Milan and folks came from Fryeburg. Alice, Betty’s sister came with them. They took her to Portland and Norma and Susan to Raymond to some friends of Milan and Betty’s. Betty and Mike on the hot side. Betty didn’t want him with her this p.m.

Wednesday, August 7, 1963 Permanent, Mike and Betty

Fair in a.m., clouded in p.m. I cleaned up the downstairs. Churned, made a custard pie. Cooked a chicken. In p.m. I got my hair done at June’s, it looks so nice. Mama gave me $10 for my birthday. Betty Smith got my supper. Kids to beach and to town at night.

Thursday, August 8, 1963

A nice day. I washed. Susan and Norma over to beach in p.m. In evening they went to town. Betty and Mike, Bill and I went to the Bridgton Drive and Blanche went too. Holden’s had car over there to the garage to be fixed.

Friday, August 9, 1963

Well, I churned and cooked. Kids didn’t do too much. Norma and Susan over to the beach, also Betty, Mike, Betty Smith. McCarron’s got to Ferns last night about 10:30. They called here in p.m. Kids all took off for town and around tonight. Penny went with them.

Monday, May 22, 2017

August 2 - 5,1963

Friday, August 2, 1963

Cloudy, misty all day. Churned. Washed. To town in evening. Mike stayed home with Carmen. Susan and Norma all agag tonight over boys. They met Bill Brown and Sammy. Wow.

Saturday, August 3, 1963

I baked a big pot of beans. Made rolls, donuts and pies. Cleaned up the house. Betty, Mike, Carmen and I to Norway.

Sunday, August 4, 1963

Didn’t get up very early. I cooked, churned, done work all day. Cleared off in p.m. Fern, Lloyd called. Kennie, Dot called. Aunt Ava called. Kennard called. Bill down to Ferns and Lloyd’s in p.m. Bob and Blanche here. We had a heavy thunder shower in a.m. Art and family were here. Billie and Art put up electric fence. Milan and Betty rested. Norma and Susan over to the beach. Betty and Mike out till late.

Monday, August 5, 1963

Another one of those all day washed days. Washed, and got supper. Norma and Susan over to North Bridgton beach. Betty and Mike out on a picnic. In evening an agent from Maine Line Homes came to see Betty and Mike. He will come again next summer when Mike is out of the service. Kennard called after supper. Milan and Betty gone away all day.

Betty at an abandoned shack

Mike out canoeing

Sand Pond in Sebago