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!

Monday, February 24, 2020

February 16 - 19, 1974

Saturday, February 16, 1974

A very nice day. I got up early and got my work done. I cooked, washed my floor, ironed. Was busy all day. Walt called.

Celebrating Betty's Birthday - with Dick, Walt, Randy and Errol sitting in front

Dick and Freya

Sunday, February 17, 1974 Betty 31 today

Partly cloudy and some sun today. I got up early, got my work done and got my dinner to going. At about 1:30 we sat down to a roast pork dinner on the new table. Dorothea and Dave came a little later and brought a very pretty birthday cake. Betty got some very nice pretty and useful gifts. One, a very pretty coat from Walt. Carmen went home with Dave and Dorothea to stay all night.

Monday, February 18, 1974

A nice sunny day, a little windy, but not too bad. I did my regular work and washed. Kimmy came up and spent the day. Betty and Walt out for lunch. I was down to Betty’s to babysit while she and Walt was over to Esther and Cliff’s for supper and evening. Arthur Sanborn’s funeral today.

Tuesday, February 19, 1974

Partly cloudy. Quite a nice day. I done up regular work, went to Portland with Betty. She done grocery shopping. We stopped at Dorothea’s. Carmen came home with us. Kim up here with Bill and stayed here all night.

Sunday, February 23, 2020

January 12 - 15, 1974

Tuesday, February 12, 1974

No school for the elementary school. Water pipes were broken. I done up my regular work. Kim up for breakfast and stayed until noon. She and I sewed. Zak stayed here while Betty and Dawn went to Harrison. Dawn was up to Betty’s for the day. Carmen up here in p.m.

Nanny mending my old purple coat

Wednesday, February 13, 1974

Another nice day. Down to Betty’s. We went to Norway. Bill kept Zak with him. He was very good. In p.m. Maryanne came to Betty’s and stayed for supper. This is Walt’s night for school. Walt done very well on his test. He got the highest rank.

Thursday, February 14, 1974 very cold and windy

I went down to Betty’s in a.m. Zak to Humpty Dumpty school. They had a Valentine party. He enjoyed it. Carmen and Kim got a lot to. I went to town, worked on the puzzle. It was very cold and windy. Fern and Lloyd to town and done there grocery shopping today for the first time since he got home from the hospital.

Friday, February 15, 1974

A very nice day. I washed and was down to Betty’s for a little while. I washed windows and finished putting the puzzle together. A very nice sunny day. The winter carnival started today.

Saturday, February 22, 2020

February 8 - 11, 1974 Brain Wave Test for Carmen

Friday, February 8, 1974 Cliff and Esther new car

I done up my work. Went down to Betty’s. We cleaned her house. She took me to town in p.m. Today Esther and Cliff got a brand-new car. Bought it up to New Hampshire where Walt got his truck. Dark green body and light top. Very pretty.

Saturday, February 9, 1974 Hay

A nice day. I done up my regular work. Made a pie. Baked beans. David came up, he and Walt hauled hay from Kay Davis’s stepmother. Fern and Lloyd called this morning. Kim up here for the day and stayed till after supper.

Sunday, February 10, 1974

A very nice day. I done up my regular work. Changed beds. I did my washing. It was such a nice day. Billie here all day and Bill. Carmen came up for the day and stayed for supper. Kids didn’t go to church or Sunday school. Zak don’t feel good. Carmen and Kim both have colds. Fern and Lloyd out for a ride.

Monday, February 11, 1974 Carmen to MM Center

A pretty nice day. I done my work up early and got ready and went down to Betty’s to stay with Zak while she took Carmen to Maine Medical Center in Portland. She had a brainwave test. I was at Betty’s all day. She went to the doctors for her check up. I washed before I went down there and I washed down there too. Betty and I called at Ferns in evening. Zak don’t feel too good.

Friday, February 21, 2020

February 4 - 7, 1974 Birthday Dinner For Carmen at Nanny's

Monday, February 4, 1974

A very nice day, on the cool side. I did a big washing. A lot of other chores. Betty and I went up to Stoneham to see a guy, Everett McAllister, about some antiques. In evening Betty called and we went down town and called at Fern’s a little while. Betty brought Carmen and Kim’s rank cards up. Very good.

Tuesday, February 5, 1974 6 Below, CARMEN CHRISTIE BOUTILIER HORTON 11 years today, windy and cold

It was a little cloudy but it cleared off. I washed. I ironed, washed kitchen floor and made some fudge. Went to town. Bill got HAIRCUT. I made preparations for Carmen coming up for supper for her 11^th birthday. She is a sweet girl. Kim came up after school. Carmen went skating with the Girl Scouts. Came home with Billie. This has been a very cold and windy day. Bill called at Ilan’s in p.m.

Wednesday, February 6, 1974 10 above

Another very cold and windy day. We have had such cold winds. A beautiful moon all night. I did a dite of cooking.

Thursday, February 7, 1974

Well, we got more snow today. About five or 6 inches. I went down to Betty’s while she took Fern to town. Zak to school. Bill plowed the yards.

Thursday, February 20, 2020

February 1 - 3, 1974 Carmen's 11th Birthday Party

Friday, February 1, 1974

A beautiful day. Mild. I washed windows, did regular work, ironed. Betty and Zak here. It has been windy. Last night it was an awful windy night. It blew down trees and did a lot of damage. It blew the top or most of a large tree down. It was in front of Betty’s. The town crew cleaned it up this morning. I was down to Betty’s in p.m.

Saturday, February 2, 1974

Kind of on the partly cloudy side. A pretty good Calamus Day or Groundhog Day. I done up my work, went to town, done a little shopping. Checks came today. Billie didn’t go anywhere with Lawrence today. It was on the cold side.

Sunday, February 3, 1974

It was a little cloudy, but it cleared off very good. I got up, took my bath, got breakfast. Done up my work and got ready and went down to Betty’s to help get ready to make the sandwiches for the party. Today Carmen celebrated her 11^th birthday which is Tuesday the 5th. Fern, Lloyd, Cliff, Esther, Dorothea, and David, Jeff, Billie, Bill and me. She got a lot of money and many nice gifts. Had a good time. Dorothea, David and Jeff came in Jeff’s car. It is a good car and he gave Bill a ride in it. Also Billie and Carmen and Billie Deming. We are pleased he has it. Now if he turns out to be a good man is all we ask for.

Uncle Lloyd, Dorothea, Aunt Esther, Billie, Nanny, Aunt Fern

Aunt Fern, David, Poppa, Lloyd, Dorothea and Nanny