From Mom’s Diary… 1951 - July 1 - Bill’s 12th Birthday and farm work

From Mom’s Diary… 1951 - July 1 - 

Bill’s 12th Birthday and farm work

 

Thurs. June 28:

… Bill & Pete put up hay at Toot’s. …

Friday, June 29:

… Pete & Bill plowing thru’ pons for late corn. …

Saturday, June 30:

… Made angel food cake for Bill.
Bill & Pete mowing & finished planting corn at 7:00 PM in ponds. I went down to Buss’ to get another bu. corn for him. Surely glad he’s through with that.

Sunday, July 1:

Fine day. Bill 12 years old. We got him a guitar & a badminton set. He was awake at 4:00 & said he didn’t go back to sleep. I tuned his guitar for him. Fried 2 chickens, baked beans, did sep, gave boys baths, cleaned up & went to Lils. Mom & Dad stopped so I could comb out her hair. Ger’s were fine. John & Jeannette really grown up. Really a crowd. Little Judy H. there - sang “It is no secret.”
Kids played ball. Ila Jean expecting in Dec. on my birth day. She & Colleen his year. Aunt Josephine is at Charlotte’s. Jack going to Denver. Mid Continent Co. Pilot. Leo’s, folks, Buzz’s here for supper.
Had Billy’s birthday cake. Toots, Mary stopped to invite us over for 4th. Mom & Dad did dishes. I put Tom to bed. Put car away -


My comments:

Interesting that during this time she called me Bill most of the time, but still Billy sometimes.

I remember the badminton set. Had forgotten about the guitar. I could not play it worth a darn. My fingers just didn’t have the size or dexterity… or something. Perhaps, lack of interest!?!?! ;-)

I was obviously working in the fields with Dad on a regular basis. Wonder if this was the summer we argued over me wanting to stop and watch Captain Video on the television at 5:00 p.m., followed by Tom Corbett, Space Cadet, at 5:15??? ;-)


Families are Forever! ;-)

From Mom’s Diary… 1948 - Dec 14 - Mom was 30

From Mom’s Diary… 1948

Dec 14 - Mom was 30

 

This was our 1948 Christmas Card photo

Sunday, December 14:

30 years old today. Buss came & bro’t blue silk nitie. Really pretty. He & Pete went to Barr’s to finish picking. Worked on aprons, got a lot of birthday cards in mail. $1 from folks, hair brush, holder from Ida. Sidewalk & roads real slippery. Had fresh liver from Buss’ for supper. Did dishes, got boys to bed.

 
My comments:

Just chose her birthday as a marker to use the Photo. They bought ‘a big Console Bendix at Furn. Store’ on Dec 21. Said ‘Bill sat by it all night.’ Radio/phonograph combination. They had been to Leo’s the Sunday after Thanksgiving, so had been looking to get one for us, since! ;-)
Also a note that this was the year Dad got a ‘jig saw’ for Christmas and made the stand (welded) himself… I do remember the arrival of the jig saw, for sure… We had a great life!! ;-)
Mom made and gifted many aprons over the years... ;-)



Families are Forever! ;-)

From Mom’s Diary… 1948 - June 23/July 1 - Wedding and Birthday

From Mom’s Diary… 1948

June 23/July 1 - Wedding and Birthday

Waiting outside the old Methodist Church in Coon Rapids for Buzz and Colleen to emerge.
Her Dad, Wes Davis, is tall gentleman in the middle, holding his hat. Do you recognize others?

Buzz and Colleen’s wedding dominated the ‘news’ in the diary for many days, before and after.
Here is the "Wedding Day”

Wednesday, June 23:

Really busy getting clothes ready. Folks & Buzz came to bathe & dress here. Ate early, bathed, took Tommy to Norma & Jimmy. Bill in Bible S. To rehearsal in church at 3:00. Leo’s bro’t us home at 5:00 & got Bill, Jim, Pete & went to Bride’s Dinner at Library at 5:30. Really nice. Bridal party, close relatives & friends. Cute rolling pin favors. Changed to Colleen’s pink formal at Winona’s. Helped unwrap gifts at church till nearly ate. Jo, Colleen’s roommate & I. Wedding was perfectly beautiful by candlelights. Sammy sang Lord’s Prayer as the knelt. At reception I cut cake & Winona handed the plates. Big crowd. Nice time. Frances, Roger, John, Pearl & Barbara there. Changed at WInona’s again. To Norma’s at 11:00.

Didn’t seem to find a 9th Birthday photo… but,

Thursday, July 1:

…I made Billy an angel food, did sep & milkers. Worked on school books, Bill building model airplane. Baby good. … School board at night.


My comments:

First notation of “School board at night” on my birthday… one change, from my memory, it was because Mom was Secretary to the board, not that Dad was on the board, at this time.

Have a few other photos from wedding reception… cannot put my fingers on them, at the moment!!



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… 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… 1941 - July 1 - My 2nd Birthday

From Mom’s Diary… 1941

 

In 1941, this was my 2nd birthday. We lived on a rented farm on the county line between Carroll and Greene County, north east of Coon Rapids, Iowa.

I’ll post occasional interesting tidbits.

 

Tuesday, July 1, 1941:

Billy 2 years old today. Over to LVenes after angel food pan & made Billy a nice cake. In after Mom & Buss. Did dishes, cleaned up. Took Billy in town. Put $4.12 in bank. Got his hair cut. Had ice cream cones & came home & took picture with his cake. David came & we took his picture too. Toots & Betty came at nite. They had ice cream & cake with us. To bed at 11:00. Mom & Buss here all nite.

 

My comments:

Always wondered about the context of this birthday photo. Neat to read about it.


Families are Forever! ;-)

Happy 210th Birthday - Asenath Butler

Happy 210th Birthday - Asenath Butler Preston Thomas

Asenath was my Great-Great Grandmother, the daughter of my only known ancestor born in Ireland, John Butler. She survived the surrender of Detroit in the War of 1812, married the "Old Sheriff" in Defiance County, Ohio, had several children including my grandfather, James P. Preston. Following the untimely death of the "Old Sheriff" she remarried, had two more sons, moved to Iowa and lead a long and productive life for the times of 85 years.

See my Fearless Female post on Asenath

Happy Birthday, Grandma!!

Families are Forever! ;-)