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, May 26, 2022

June 26 - 29, 1982

Saturday, June 26, 1982

 

I done up the Saturday work. Made a cake and made bread and rolls. Baked red kidney beans today instead of the white beans. Fern came up in PM and here for supper. She stayed all evening, enjoyed her supper and glad to get away for a little while. Billie finished his lawns. Bill up to camp a little while. It cleared off good and on the warm side.

 

 

 

Sunday, June 27, 1982 Allen Reunion

 

I done up the work. Sat on the porch and in the swing. Bill, Heidi and I went up to the camp. We got home, Bill watched ballgame. I made my salad for supper etc. Billie down to Butch. He was bailing hay at Grace’s. Kim, Dorothea went to the Allen reunion at Evergreen Valley. Carmen tended shop for Dorothea. Kim didn’t work. Carmen called in the evening. Betty, Dorothea and kids all went to the movies.

 

 

 

Monday, June 28, 1982

 

When we got up it was raining but it stopped then just cloudy than another couple rain showers. Later in the forenoon it cleared off. This miserable weather we are having is due to the volcanic eruption they had in Mexico. I hope they don’t have anymore. I did a wash. Made cupcakes and Jell-O. Bill and Betty got the paper on the roof up to the camp.

 

 

 

Tuesday, June 29, 1982 thundershowers and heavy rain

 

A miserable day. During forenoon it was just cloudy but in PM the rain came. It rained so hard. I done up regular work, ironed, made a macaroni and cheese and a coconut pudding. Betty and Zak called and Carmen in evening. Carmen didn’t work today. Bill up to camp and worked some then he fixed the door here in the PM. Billie in and out, called at Fern’s, went to town, let the heifer out.

 

 

 

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

June 22 - 25, 1982

 

Tuesday, June 22, 1982 got our chicks from Betty

 

Well when we got up it was a nice sunny morning. Awful damp from the showers yesterday. I done up the work. Ironed, made a pudding. Billie and I went down to get Kim at school. She is taking exams. We called at Dorothea’s to see her new things she got yesterday. Billie finished the chicken yard and coop, they got the chicks tonight. Bill and Betty worked at the camp.

 

 

 

Wednesday, June 23, 1982

 

I done up the work. Early this morning we had a heavy shower. It was supposed to clear before noon but it didn’t till about suppertime. It rained all day. I watched shows. Today went down to the school to get Kim. I love to go down there. Carmen didn’t work. Betty, Billie and Kim up to New Hampshire to get lumber for the camp.

 

 

 

Thursday, June 24, 1982 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL Kim to Junior Class Zak to 7th grade

 

This is been a nice sunny day except for the heavy rainy shower we had about noon. Sunny before and sunny afterwards. I done up the work, cleaned up the house. Went down to the school with Betty to get Kim. Her last day. We came home and went to town. Took Delores. Then when we came home Zak had got home. He made it to seventh grade. Betty, Zak and I up to the camp with the roofing. Then she and Bill went up and worked all PM. Billie cleaned up the garage and did his trimming. Furnace was cleaned today.

 



 

 

Friday, June 25, 1982 Dr. Weary looked at heifer

 

Chicks are doing very well. I washed, done some cleaning of the house. Made custard. Bill and Betty worked up to camp. Billie worked at a lot of different jobs. David called this morning and Carmen called in evening. Also Dorothea.

 

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

June 18 - 21, 1982

Friday, June 18, 1982

 

When we got up it was foggy about 10 AM it cleared and it was a very nice day, mild and sunny. I done up regular work, vacuum, dusted, made some cookies. Watched soaps. Carmen and Zenya made a dooryard call. Then Carmen called in PM. Billie down to Fern’s. After supper we went down to see the chicks house etc. Kim didn’t have to work. Bill and Betty up to the camp. Kim’s class went to the movies this afternoon for a reward for having the best attendance in school all year. They were going on a picnic but the rain prevented that.

 

 

 

Saturday, June 19, 1982

 

Well a fair day. Sun got out and it was a pretty good day. A little cloudy in PM with the threat of showers. I done up regular Saturday. Betty came, we went up to camp with the kids. It looks good. Walt worked all day.

 

 

 

Sunday, June 20, 1982

 

Well a fair day except it was quite a windy and a lot of wind clouds and sunshine all day. It was good to see so much sun. I didn’t get up till seven. I got the breakfast, did up all the regular work. David called. Kids came up. Late in PM Joy and Laurie came and brought the chicken house over. Billie over to Brownfield with Wes. Bill got the car up finally. In evening Betty, Carmen, Zak and Dorothea called for Father’s Day. Bill got $20 from Billie, fishing pole from Dorothea and Betty. Fishing supplies from kids. Betty and Walt out for supper.

 

 

 

Monday, June 21, 1982

 

Another one of those dreary rainy, sunny, cloudy, thundershowers days. I did my washing, went down to the school with Betty to get Kim. This is the last week of school and they are taking exams. Billie put the hen or chicken fence up today. Bill and Betty up to camp. Carmen called and Dorothea. She had bought a big load of furniture, good old antiques. I had a roast beef supper and had a couple rhubarb pies. Awful showers in late PM.

 

Dutchess

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, May 23, 2022

June 14 - 17, 1982

Monday, June 14, 1982 Billie to Dr. Bell over to Fryeburg.

 

Well another miserable day. Cloudy, foggy and rain. What a miserable spring we are having. I did the wash. I cooked a chicken for supper and had Kim up. She was pleased and enjoyed it very much. Dr. told him one leg is longer than the other. He has got to have it built up gradually. It has given him a lot of trouble.

 



 

 

 

 

Tuesday, June 15, 1982 Bill and Betty started on the camp porch

 

A fair day. Sunny yet it was a hazy cover. The temp was fair. I cleaned up the house and did the ironing. Today Bill and Betty started to do the porch up to the camp. They got quite a lot of it done. Billie done a lot of picking up out around and cleaned up the garage. Monica came over and got some flowers for Susan. Kim called. Bill is much improved it seems.

 

 

 

Wednesday, June 16, 1982

 

A little cloudiness, rain and sun. It was very hot and humid in late PM when the sun did shine a few hours. Now tonight it is really cloudy and getting ready to rain tomorrow. This is wicked weather. It is hated by everyone. Bill and Betty worked at the camp today. Billie did a lot of odds and end jobs. Kim’s class supposed to go on picnic but didn’t, going tomorrow I hope.  According to the weather forecast they are more apt not to go.

 

 

 

Thursday, June 17, 1982

 

A miserable day, most of the day. It cleared some later. Bill and Betty didn’t work at the camp. They mowed their lawns. Billie mowed. Dorothea and David got there truck. It looks like new. 


 

Sunday, May 22, 2022

June 10 -13, 1982

 

Thursday, June 10, 1982 Took measurements for porch at camp

 

Well a very nice and sunny day. I did a wash first thing this morning. Then Betty took Delores and I to town. We ordered a plant for Dorothea’s shop. Also Betty ordered one for the new clinic up here, Dr. Weary and Linda. It has been very warm. Bill up to camp to take some measurements for the porch. He and Billie mowed lawns. Billie had a lot of trouble with his hip. Carmen called, Chris and Monica.

 

 

 

Friday, June 11, 1982

 

A very nice day. I done a lot of odd jobs. Down to Betty’s for a little while. Kim worked tonight. Carmen got her first paycheck tonight. She was some pleased and excited. She has got sunburn. $118.60

 

 

 

Saturday, June 12, 1982 Zak up tonight

 

A cold day, a cold East wind all day, a kind of sunny day. I was busy all day. I cleaned up the house, washed floors, some windows. Did some cooking etc. Zak here off and on then came for supper and all night. Betty had a get acquainted party tonight. To introduce the Weary’s to some of the neighbors. Billie been busy all day. Bill up to Dorothea’s.

 

 

 

Sunday, June 13, 1982

 

Well another cloudy miserable day and cold too. Far from a summer day. It began to rain towards night. It is to rain until tomorrow forenoon and clear. We will wait and see. I put a rinse on my hair. It looks somewhat better. Zak watched TV most of the day. He was quite bored because he couldn’t get outside. David called this forenoon. Betty’s folks had a good time at the party last night, all enjoyed it. Men folks played cards, ladies talked. Dorothea and Carmen called in evening. Carmen was so tired looking. She had a good time.