From Mom’s Diary… 1945 - April 12-14 - Roosevelt died

From Mom’s Diary… 1945

April 12-14 - Roosevelt died

Franklin D. Roosevelt - 1944

On Wednesday night, Mom and Dad hosted a big party. “To bed at 2:00.”

Thursday, April 12:

Kinda lazy. Did up the work. Sprinkled clothes. Made another freezer of ice cream. Pete fixed the stretchers. Ate, doing dishes when Velma came & I fixed her hair. Took Hazel Bowman’s spoon & Marg’s stretchers back & then to Lil’s with her vacuum. Practiced songs for Paul’s wedding. Started raining. Came home. Ate. Roosevelt died at 3:35 P.M.
To bed early.

Friday, April 13:

Rainy. Didn’t get all the clothes dry. First day Jimmy ever stood alone. Pete got him to while I was hanging up clothes. Made 2 cherry pies & noodles. Chores early. Took boys in to the folks & we went to Young Married Couples at Jefferson. Toots, Lenore, Lucht’s, Honald’s, Anderson’s were there.
Ate discussed, danced. Home & got Jimmy at 1:00. Billy stayed in there all night.

Saturday, April 14:

Quite cold. Ironed my slacks to wear. Seemed quiet with Billy gone. Folks came at 10:15. Did sep, etc. Straightened the house, baked bread. Boys hauling trees out of yard. No radio programs - all Roosevelt Memorial. Did my ironing. Did chores. Orel stopped for the trees. Dad came, ate supper, I gave Billy a bath. Mom did dishes. Put kids to bed, listened to story of Roosevelt’s life.


My comments:

These three days suggest some of the life in the family at this time… in addition to what she said about Roosevelt. A few days earlier, someone had come with a power saw and cut down 7 trees in the front yard, and the tress had been cut up some. Different people got parts of them, it seemed.

Don Williams (Norma and Marla) had just ‘moved” a few days earlier. I assume that was from down the long lane to where his parents had lived, across from the Smith place, straight west of our farm. I think both couple lived there for a while. I have some memories of that… interesting.


Families are Forever! ;-)

From Mom’s Diary… 1945 - March 17 - 7th Anniversary

From Mom’s Diary… 1945

March 17 - 7th Anniversary

Saturday, March 17 - Curly Circle around it… 7 years [written along side]

Nice day. Mom & Bussy came out. Washed & set my hair. Did separator. Had steak for dinner. In P.M. cleaned the house. Scrubbed & waxed kitchen & dining room. Boys worked on cattle shed. Don Wm’s here awhile. Didn’t feel very good. Had potato soup for supper. Gave Billy a bath. Went to bed early.


My comments:

It had been a hard winter, it seems… reading between the lines. One entry said ‘worst blizzard’ ever… 3-7 pages blank, several times. Few weeks earlier, I had tonsillitis, to Doctor for medicine. [Had my tonsils and adenoids out on June 25, at Carroll!]  Jimmy was so sick, hardly slept for several day, about the same time. And, Dad had real sore throat for about a week. Mom had been fine, now she wasn’t feeling good.

Going back to late last fall, Dad and Bussy had been building the Cattle Shed on the south side of the road. I do have vague memories of that happening. One of two complete buildings added while we lived on the farm.

Seventh Anniversary, with two kids, not much time to celebrate!! ;-) Sound familiar? ;-)



Families are Forever! ;-)

From Mom’s Diary… 1944 - August 28 - first real day of school

From Mom’s Diary… 1944 - August 28 - first real day of school

Using same school image, again; still gives right 'feel' for the experience!

Monday, August  28:

Got up & fixed breakfast & Billy’s for school. Pete took him. He was home for dinner. He & Pete went to Scranton in P.M. to get school books. Bo’t a box of pears. Ate supper early. Gave Billy a bath & went to bed early. Canned 8 qts peaches. Baked an angel food.

On Tuesday… Billy rode with Mildred… got Billy at 4:00.
On Wednesday… fixed Billy’s lunch. Pete took him to school. … Pete got Billy.
Sept 3 … Billy cutting 6 year molars.
Sept 4 … Made macaroons for Billy to take to school.
Sept 13 … Billy walked home with Joan. Stopped for him & came on home.
Friday, Sept 15 … Let Billy stay up a little later. Played rummy with him awhile.



My comments:

Willow #3 was a little over a mile straight north of the farm house; east across the bridge over Willow Creek and sat on the hill, on the north side of the road. Bowman’s lived a mile straight west of us. Mildred Peverstorf lived a half mile west. Did Joan Bowman and I walk clear from the school, or get a ride with Mildred, the teacher, to her house, and then walk… or did Joan and I walk the full two miles, plus a little? Interesting to speculate. No-one was home, so they had made arrangements, but interesting. It seems I was walking home, some, on my own already. Another note had me walking several blocks in Coon Rapids, from downtown, up to ‘grandma’s house.’


Reallly fun to actually read about my first days going to school!!! ;-)



Families are Forever! ;-)

From Mom’s Diary… 1944 - July 1 - 5th Birthday

From Mom’s Diary… 1944 - July 1 - 5th Birthday

 

 

Saturday, July 1:

Nice day. Got up at 7:00. Fed Jimmy. Made an angel food cake for Billy. Pete & Bussy putting up hay at Steele’s. Billy & I ate dinner alone. Washed cupboards & refrigerator. LVene & kids came. Fixed her hair. Took pictures. Chores, bathed, ate & went to town. Parked by Whitnell’s. Jimmy slept all the time. Home at 12:30.


My comments:

Angel food cake for Birthday. That was the important thing! ;-)



Families are Forever! ;-)

From Mom’s Diary… 1944 - June 25 - Family Photo

From Mom’s Diary… 1944 - June 25 - Family Photo

 

 

Sunday, June 25:

Got up at 8:30. Hot again. Got ready to go to Lohrville. Left at 10:45. Jimmy slept all the way. They got a 37 Plymouth. Had beef roast. Did dishes, played croquet. Sprinkled & then real hot. Ira, Edna & girls came in P.M. & stayed for supper. Had fried chicken & ice cream. Took pictures. Home at 9:30. Chores, gave Billy a bath & Jimmy too & went to bed. Folks stopped & left Bussy on way home.



My comments:

Such a typical Sunday.  Wow!  Did that many, many times.



Families are Forever! ;-)

From Mom’s Diary… 1944 - June 6 - D-Day

From Mom’s Diary… 1944 - June 6 - D-Day

Tuesday, June 6 - D. Day [Mom had written in diary]

Nice sunny day but cold. Pete got his own breakfast & went to do Toots grinding. Took head of tractor to town. Washed. Had quite a bit. Holley’s came to tune piano at 12:30. Ate, did dishes & Mom hung out rest of clothes. Radio all invasion news. Jimmy fussy. Folded clothes. Got Toots tractor for Bussy to disc with. Max & Elsie stopped a minute. Dad here to supper. Gave Billy a bath.


My comments:

Life just went on, as usual,, but the war did too. A week or so earlier, mention that Paul Nielsen (cousin) ‘went back’ - he served in the Army, in the Pacific Theater. Few references, but just enough to know they did think about it, a lot, even with the challenges of everyday life.

Toots had been very ill earlier with Strep Throat. I think he was better, but Dad had been helping with chores, and other things, in recent days. Pretty sure he would have been living alone, at this time, on the ‘homeplace.’



Piano tuning also important news, of course! ;-)



Families are Forever! ;-)

From Mom’s Diary… 1944 - May 21 - Jimmie photos taken

From Mom’s Diary… 1944 - May 21 - Jimmie photos taken

This photo, along with the one posted earlier, were each taken on May 21

Sunday, May 21:

Nice day but had rain last nite. Late getting up. Did dishes, sep, milker. Folks came at 2:00. Pete & Billy to Marg’s & got her camera. Fed baby & we ate at 3:00. Took Jimmy’s picture. Did dishes, straighten the house. Cleaned up. Took drive in folks’ car to see Willow. Fed Jimmy. Popped corn. Louise’s came. Ate did dishes, visited till 10:00. All of them here except Howard.


My comments:

Besides being first photos of Jimmy, the rain and drive are significant.
Had rained on several recent days, so Willow Creek, a mile north, would have been out of its banks, creating a small lake - between our farm house and the school where I would go in the fall. Happened a couple of times every spring. It was a popular thing to do, to drive up over the hill in the middle of the mile and stare to the north at the flooded water. Perhaps why I’ve always had a fear of bodies of water…

Water normally went back down in a few days, leaving a mess on the roads, ditches, fence lines and crops in nearby fields. Great memories! ;-)

Oh, one other thing...  Notice that the morning cleaning ritual now included a 'milker' - Dad had purchased a milking machine for the cows. The barn was apparently already equipped to handle them, so one day a couple of weeks ago, it was noted he had gone to Atlantic to get the machine. What was being washed was the tank that the milk was put in from the cow, ... poured into the five gallon cans, for transport to market. I clearly remember the milking machines. I got to be the washer of the machines, a little later on. ;-) Surge milker, that was the brand name... something like this...

Families are Forever! ;-)

From Mom’s Diary… 1944 - May 7 - School preview

From Mom’s Diary… 1944 - May 7 - School preview

This photo from a year later… but represents “going to school” in those days, the place…

Miss Peverstorf on the left, I'm in front, on the right

On the prior Tuesday: “Mildred stopped to ask Billy to school Friday.”

Mildred Peverstorf, who lived a half mile to the west, was the teacher at Willow #3, a mile to the north of our farm, where I would go to school in the fall. This was apparently a ‘try it out’ day, upcoming…

Friday, April 7:

Nice day. Made choc. cake. Fixed lunch for Billy to take to school. Pete went to LVene’s to get lunch pail. Mildred came for him at 12:00. Ate, cleaned up & Pete took me to Worker’s Conf. at Eunice’s. Quilted. Dor’t T. there. Doughnuts & cheese. Pete & Billy came for me. Walked down the lane. Folks came out for supper. Mom did dishes & I finished my ironing. To bed early. Billy really tired.

Note: Prior Sunday was Palm Sunday. Went to Sunday School. “Billy spoke a piece. Had large crowd. 56 there.”

Sunday, April 9:

Cloudy. Up early. Billy had to see if Bunny was here. Chores, cleaned  up & all 4 of us went to church & Sunday School. 70 there. Mom bro’t out chicken. Ate, did dishes. I took a nap. Turned kinda chilly. Had potato soup. Played rummy. Folks left. Pete & I put slip covers on davenport.


My comments:

I was interested to see that I got a ‘preview visit’ to school in the spring. There would be three in our class. Wonder if they attended on different day. Apparently only attended half a day, but included taking a ‘lunch pail’ - fascinating to see!!

Always interesting to read about Easter.

P.S. Later, on April 10: "Went to 'Lassie Come Home.' Too sad for Billy."
I never liked sad or scary movies... still don't!! ;-)



Families are Forever! ;-)

From Mom’s Diary… 1944 - Apr 20 - Jim Arrived

From Mom’s Diary… 1944 - Apr 20 - Jim Arrived

The diary went blank from April 20 through May 1 - guess what occurred…

Baby Jim arrived on April 20

This was taken a month later, but will suffice for this post!! ;-)

Tuesday, May 2:

Rainy & cloudy in morning.
Started to clear off so we washed in P.M. They didn’t get clear dry. They came with well machine. Hazel & Joan here at 7:00 to see the baby. Almost too much excitement. Tired at nite.
Well drillers here.


My comments:

She ended, and started up, again, like nothing had happened. Amazing!! What fun! ;-)
Next day included, “Fed baby at 6:00.” “Baby good.” Also, “Ruth G., Clara, Agnes, Donna & Wayne here to see baby & bro’t a may basket for Billy.”



Families are Forever! ;-)

From Mom’s Diary… 1944 - March 18

From Mom’s Diary… 1944 - March 18

 

Prior day was Mom and Dad’s 6th Anniversary: “Pete gave me box of choc.”

Saturday, March 18:

Quite a little bit of snow in nite. Sun out all day. LVene bro’t Johnny. Went to D. Moines to get Betty. Did dishes, sep., ate, did dishes, truck got steers. Johnny took a nap in P.M. Billy outdoors awhile. Pinned my hair. They came for Johnny at 6:00. Ate, did dishes, gave Billy a bath. Billy joining dots in new book LVene gave him.


My comments:

Wonder who kept David?? Probably Grandma Thomas. Always questions…  ;-)
Couple days earlier, Mom read Billy the Children’s Activities magazine.
Today, Billy joining the dots. Neat!



Families are Forever! ;-)

From Mom’s Diary… 1944 - January 22 - Bomber over house 3 times

From Mom’s Diary… 1944

January 22 - Bomber over house 3 times

A World War II B-25 Mitchell bomber

This phrase caught my attention… to say the least (This is west central Iowa, after all). Here it is:

Saturday, January 22:

Nice day but windy. Mom & Buss caught us in bed. Did dishes, sep,, both of us got our hair washed & set. Had steak for dinner. Did dishes. Bomber over house 3 times. Finished ironing. Finished Rebecca’s dress. Cleaned the house. Folks left at 8:30 so Dad could load. Played rummy. Gave Billy bath. Went to bed.


My comments:

Entries have been pretty much the same, day after day, month after month. This one caught my attention, as I said.

Note: Knowing that brother Jim is born in April of 1944, I have noticed two or three Dr. visits to Carroll, in recent month. No comment even hinted as to why. She knew, I know, no need to write it down, I assume…  ;-)

P.S. Late addition - photo from Aprill 1943, just came across this...

Families are Forever! ;-)

From Mom’s Diary… 1943 - Oct 11 - Yankees win series

From Mom’s Diary… 1943 - Oct 11 - Yankees win series

From Wikipedia: The 1943 World Series matched the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals against the New York Yankees, in a rematch the 1942 Series. The Yankees won the Series in five games for their tenth championship in 21 seasons. It was Yankees manager Joe McCarthy’s final Series win.

Because of World War II, both team’s rosters were depleted: Johnny Beazley, Jimmy Brown, Creepy Crespi, Terry Moore and Enos Slaughter were no longer on the Cardinal’s roster. Joe DiMaggio, Phil Rizzuto, Red Ruffing and Buddy Hassett were missing from the Yankees, and Red Rolfe had retired to coach at Dartmouth College.

Photo of Stan Musial ten years later… best I could do… ;-)
He was listed as playing… Mutual Radio broadcast with Red Barber and Bob Elson.

Sunday, October 10:

… Folks came out for dinner. Ate, did dishes, listened to Series. …

Monday, October 11:

Warm & windy. Got up late. Did sep. Went with Pete & dug onions. Got dinner.  Ate, did dishes. Pete went to Scranton to get Lety. Billy & I listened to Yankees win Series & took a nap. Sewed on apron. Chores, made waffles, wrote in books.


My comments:

I got being a Yankee fan from a very young age. We liked winners. What more can I say! ;-)



Families are Forever! ;-)

From Mom’s Diary… 1943 - Aug 23 - Boys & I went to field

From Mom’s Diary… 1943 - Aug 23 - Boys & I went to field

A few days after this, there was a big party, in town, honoring several guys in the service, apparently at home on leave at the same time…

Mom, Buzz, and Billy

Assume that is the road down to Schultz's, behind us. 

House off to the left in this photo, old garage behind the tree behind Mom.

This is the road that split our farm, 80 acres on left, 80 acres on right, stretching into background. 

P.S. Buzzy had really put on the height!!! ;-)

This photo is undated, but fits about this time. This day has words in the diary that fit. Buzz was at the farm just about every day, all summer, helping in a variety of ways, included chores at nite. Often stayed over, sometimes taken back to town. Just love this photo!!! ;-)


Monday, August 23:

Really hot. Mom did dishes & boys & I went to field. [Mom and Buzzy had stayed over night on the farm.] Picked cucumbers & sweet corn. Canned 21 qts. in P.M. Really tired at nite. Took Mom in town. Bro’t ice cream home & ate it, then went to bed.

Added note: on August 26:

... went to Club Picnic at church. Quite a crowd. Billy swang at school house. ...

[That would have been at Star School, across the road from the Star Church. That is where Nancy went to school in future years. First mention of me being there... ]


My comments:

Just another day, like many others. It is interesting that I am beginning to get memories of doing many of these activities, though it is like from a few years later. The daily routine, and folks they interacted with, really didn’t change that much, over the next ten years. I guess, honestly, that is the biggest surprise to me [Not sure why it is a surprise, but just had not thought about those years before I was old enough to remember…] in reading these diary entries in detail.  […reading diaries of your life is fascinating… to say the least!]


Families are Forever! ;-)

From Mom’s Diary… 1943 - Aug 3 - Nancy’s 4th Birthday

From Mom’s Diary… 1943 - Aug 3 - Nancy’s 4th Birthday

A few days earlier, a few days earlier, Mom mentioned that Howard was ‘home for 10 days’ obviously from his army service - he made a career of it…

This photo is from a church gathering, perhaps Bible School the following summer, but will insert it here because it goes good with “Billy went to Nancy’s party.”

Tuesday, August 3:

Nice day but still wet underfoot. Did up usual work. Ate early, did dishes, Billy went to Nancy’s party & I went to Marg. Brennan’s. Made buttonholes in slacks for Karole. Home at 6:00. …

Added note: On August 6: ...went to W. [Worker's] Conf. at Hazel Bolger's. 10 adults - 16 kids. ...
[Billy spending time playing with Nancy, again... and a few other kids, of course!!]

My comments:

There are numerous mentions of Mom and Dad going to Glenn and Ruth’s for gatherings, or other places together, along with other community friends. But, think this is the first birthday party I went to… certain, alone! Don’t recall another one, prior to this. Very nice. Has ended up very nice, 72-73 years later, as well!! ;-)

The mention of 'still wet underfoot' - there had been a huge storm. They had gone over to Dedham to see severe hail damage, a few days earlier, and it had continued to rain a couple of times... breaking a long heat spell... it is Iowa, after all! ;-)


Families are Forever! ;-)