From Mom’s Diary… 1945 - Late November - Made bathroom

From Mom’s Diary… 1945

Late November - Made bathroom

Old front porch before being enclosed for bathroom

Bathroom addition, where porch was, over rear tire... (unpainted yet)
[This photo taken on January 29, 1946... per diary... snowed real hard the next day!]

Saturday, November 24:

Nice day. Henry J. & 2 boys came & started work on bathroom. Are we ever glad. …

Thursday, November 29:

… Johnson’s finished about 3:00. …

Saturday, December 1:

… Pete laying block in basement. …


My comments:

These entries are to record several events of the time - that I’ve wondered when they actually occurred. Before I get to the bathroom… Grandpa and Grandma Kinnick and Buzzy apparently had moved out to the Harvey Place on the Glidden Road in about late August. No big announcement, but one reference to ‘Harvey’s’ and then it was ‘over to Mom’s’ rather ‘in to Mom’s… and other things.

What had been a front porch on the farmhouse, southwest corner, west of the kitchen, became the bathroom, and ‘front entrance hall’ (that we never used) by way of Henry Johnson and his boys at this time. Mister came a few days later to put in the bathtub, toilet, and other plumbing. At the same time, it appears, Dad was finishing the south half of the basement, putting in the cement block walls. Again, I have vague memories of this happening, but nothing to tie it to a date. I’m a bit surprised it was this early, but really enjoying seeing how quickly Dad was improving the farm and house, now that it was theirs. Earlier in the fall, they also had workers in installing ‘insulation’ that must have been very nice. The word ‘remodeling’ was used a time or two, but nothing more specific. It was an ongoing set of tasks, obviously. Outdoors, during this year, there was much reference to tiling. One day: “Billy helped Pete unload tile,” for example. Other references to ‘digging ditches’ and one to ‘the septic tank.’


Families are Forever! ;-)

From Mom’s Diary… 1945 - August 14 - V. J. Day

From Mom’s Diary… 1945

August 14 - V. J. Day

On Tuesday, May 8, Mom had written: “Got Billy ready for school but it was V. E. Day & he didn’t have to go.” She had underlined and circled ‘V. E. Day.’ But the day went on with no other mention.

Tuesday, August 14: [Curly circled… an important day!]

V. J Day finally came at 6:00 P.M. I was ironing when the news came from Truman. Seems to good to be true. Won’t this be a wonderful Christmas. I wonder what Paul N. is doing. Boys started threshing here using the buck. Canned 3 1/2 quarts br. & butter pickles in A. M. Got all my ironing done. Cooked some peaches for pies.

My comments:

The big news of the day was very important… but life went on, in its day by day activities.


Families are Forever! ;-)

From Mom’s Diary… 1945 - July 15 - Louise's

From Mom’s Diary… 1945

July 15 - Louise's

Sunday, July 15:

Kelton Kent Kinnick born at 3:00 A.M. Fried chickens, made potato salad, ice cream & took it to Louise’s. Bussy Luce went with us. Had a nice time. Took a lot of pictures. Home at 6:00. Chores, shelled peas, & cooked them. Went to bed early.

My comments:

Found the day this photo was taken. Darrell, Marie, and Annie, behind me, Judy in front, with Jimmy! ;-)

Kelton born this day, as well!! ;-) Son of Leo and Ida, of course.

Families are Forever! ;-)

From Mom’s Diary… 1945 - July 1 - 6th Birthday

From Mom’s Diary… 1945

July 1 - 6th Birthday

Angel Food Cake at 6 Years Old with Dennis, at his house

Sunday, July 1: [Billy - 6 yrs.]

Nice day. Got up at 8:00. Cleaned the downstairs before Jimmy got up. Scrubbed kitchen & porch. Lil’s stopped after church, left present for Billy, asked up to bring our chicken over for dinner. Folks went too. Made ice cream in P.M. Had a nice time. Jimmy had a nice nap. Had Billy’s cake there. He & Dennis played with the trike, new tractor, caterpillar, etc. Home at 5:30. Did sep, etc. LVene, Irene came & left gifts. Miss Pev. left gift while we were gone. Cleaned upstairs. Folks came & we made more ice cream. Boys to bed. Pete discing with lights.


My comments:

Pretty typical birthday. I was a very lucky boy. What a life!! ;-)


Families are Forever! ;-)

From Mom’s Diary… 1945 - A day in June

From Mom’s Diary… 1945 - A day in June

 

 

Jimmy, Billy, and Whitey

Monday, June 4:

Swell day so I washed. Had a lot of it. Went over my whole garden with plow in P.M. and planted onions. Billy & Jimmy & I went in town to use up blue stamps. Home at 7:00. Jimmy in store with me till Dad came. He didn’t want to stay with Mom but Billy did.
Clouded up and rained again.


My comments:

Picked a day, sort of at random, to share the photo I found. Also, this day mentioned the ‘blue stamps’ whatever they were…


Also, this is first appearance of "Whitey" the dog! ;-)


Families are Forever! ;-)

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! ;-)