My 54th year of keeping a diary. This lovely diary was given to me by my daughter-in-law, June who is like a daughter to us. Thanks Vernon, for picking such a good wife. Jolie Elaine Tryon and Zackary Allen McGowan’s wedding at justice of peace Howard George’s home in Watertown at 2 PM. Jim, Sue, Patty, Michael, Merrill and I, Jill, Jim M, Joel, Shawn Michael, Carrie Iseli, Jolie and Zack Ashley attended. Reception at Ramada at 3:00 PM. A lovely sit down dinner in private. 2 tables, 8 each. All very nice. Jim came after us and brought us home. Jim got Jolie and Zack a room for night at Ramada Inn in Syracuse, with a Jacuzzi tub. Little Shawn Michael, 5 years going through many mixed emotions today. He is such a smart, dear little boy

I called Dr. Powell’s office. I can go back on my arthritis medicine Relafen today. My shoulders getting sore from using walker. Elena Holt, health nurse called. She dismissed my case over phone. We got county tax bill. $370.34 We got 50% off. We are both tired today. Lazy day.

Foggy in morning and all day. Cloudy 43°. I called Social Security office. Mrs. Helen on vacation. Bryant Gumble last day on NBC Today show. A good show. We will miss him after 14 years. Merrill has slept a lot today. I made chocolate cake. Wrote letter to Ken’s. Dr. Numan called about 5:45 PM. She is going to send letter to Dr. Mike Hinman. We had pop corn in evening.

Still cloudy. Slippery. I washed clothes. Washed my hair. Merrill slept all night in ed. 8:30until 6:00 AM. Joel called at 3:30 PM He and his friend Ed, are leaving for South Carolina this afternoon. They will be looking for work. My prayers go with them. I had my right knee replaced one month ago today on December 4th. It is doing real good.

Raining. I put new batteries in Merrill’s hearing aids. Last time was 12/3/96. We were going for groceries but car wouldn’t start. I called Jim. Joel and Ed spent night on rest stop on 81 in Pennsylvania. A tire got chewed up. Cost $140.00 to fix. Jim came out and took us for groceries at supper time. Debby and Jerico here in PM. He is so sweet. He’s 14 months (11/6/95) Debby leaves Tuesday. Art and Doris here in PM. She brought a delicious warm coffee cake.

Ken’s birthday 7 years. Clark T goes into hospital to get medicine changed. His pacemaker not working right. Vern called in evening. He has been called on jury January 13th. Matt Laver’s first day as a Co Host with Katie Couric on NBC Today show.

Some sun in morning. Schools closed at Oswego, Sandy Creek, and schools near there because of lake affect storms. I talked with Vi. Martha didn’t go to Syracuse today because of snowstorm that way. Debby leaves at midnight from Syracuse by train for Karen’s in Colorado. Debby, Kenny, Johnathan here at noontime. Debby brought fudge and a dish of quiche for me. She is a good cook. She brought copy of family tree.

Sunny but cold 10° all day. Jim called. Boys got to South Carolina and are looking for work. Cold there. Texas has snow. Also Arizona. I sent donations to cancer, heart, Red Cross, lung and Veteran’s funds. Sent Clark card at hospital.

Sunny, warmer. Snowing some in evening. Shawn Michael and Jolie called. They may move into army housing. I called Vern’s but got answering machine. Vern called back in evening. I called Jim at work. He is coming tomorrow to take Merrill to doctor.

Snowed overnight. Everything pretty this morning. Bill Henderson plowed our driveway again. He won’t take any pay. Merrill’s appointment with Philadelphia Medical Center for blood work. His pulse very slow. 42 beats. I called Vivian. Clark answered phone. He got home yesterday. He couldn’t take other medication. I talked with Jim at work. Clark and Vivian took us to doctors and got us groceries. Jim called in evening. He was o his way home to Sackets from cabin.

Very stormy most of day. No drive by much. Sun came out about 2:30 PM. Bill Henderson plowed driveway. I washed clothes. We cleaned the floors. Good to see the sun after such a stormy day and night. Jim called in PM. Just getting thru work. He was going to Sackets to clean out snow. Sue didn’t come into work today. Too stormy. Windy in evening. Snow blowing. No mail or paper.

Nice today. Stormy south of us. Zack delayed at Griffith until 11 PM. Zack leaves for Egypt for six months. Jim M leaves early this morning for cold weather training in Canada. They had to come back for right gun permits. We got two papers this morning. Vivian called to ask if we needed anything from the store. I talked with Shawn Michael and Jolie. Zack delayed because of storm. Vern called in evening. Also Jim. He has been plowing snow at cabin all day. Worse it has ever been up there and still snowing hard.

Partly sunny. Some flurries. Dr. Powell 12:30 but Xray changed until Wednesday 1/15 at 12:45. Jim getting snow cleaned up at cabin today. Lots on roof. Lyla was over this forenoon. Good to see her. Merrill very mixed up today. Sony Hull here to clean furnace. Chimney very dirty. Seven feet of snow in Barnes Corners and vicinity. Many people stranded. Alice Flaherty called. She said Marge Heck has to have cancer operation. Breast. Jim called in evening. Was on his way home to Sackets.

I made out some checks to day bills. Clark got us cereal at Philadelphia. I loaned them Fred Angel tapes. I called Dr. Mike. Merrill’s blood report didn’t come in. He had letter from Dr. Numan. She said to go ahead with treatment we talked about. Jim called from mall in evening.

Sunny most of day. Dr. Powell 12:45 PM. Jim took us out. Everything fine. Go back in a year to have Xrays of hip and knee. We went to Social Security office. Finally got our bankbook and papers back. Took forever. 1 ½ hours. Jim got Jill and Jim a used washer and dryer today. They were going after it from here. He got Jolie one while back. Talked with Dr. Mike. He is calling Pharmhouse for prescription for Merrill. Jim called. Jolie and Jill got Merrill’s pills. I talked with June. Vern was at a church meeting. Gir across the street over to use phones. Her husband had bad back.

Merrill started Tapozole tonight. Very stormy. Windy. Several schools closed. Some snow. Paper and mail went. Merrill had bad night. He got out of house at 1:00 this morning. He said he was going home. I was so scared as I couldn’t see him. I talked with Jolie twice and Jim. Jim brought out Merrill’s pills. Merrill took first one tonight. I Tapozole 5 mg 3Xday. Bill Cosby’s 27year old sone Ennis shot to death after fixing a tire in California. He was working n his doctorate. Mentaque NY has set a world record of 77 inches of snow in 24 hours. Made world news broadcasts.

-10° below this morning. Very cold all over. Our water pipes all frozen this morning. First time since new system installed. Clark came over and tried to thaw it out. He brought us water. I called Robin’s but Tony couldn’t come today. So busy fixing heating equipment. Will be here soon as he can. I sent tax statement to Roy Petrie. Snowing hard in evening.

Cold. -12° Clark and Vivian brought us water. Clark cleaned our driveway. Terry helped. Tony Hull got water thawed. The water meter was frozen. We had to have a new base on it. Took him about an hour to fix. I made brownies and scalloped potatoes. Talked with Jim at work He called in evening. Talked with Vivian a couple time.

Still below zero this morning. Snowed some. I called Jim about putting locks on doors. Merrill went outside in just his clothes in below zero weather this morning. I called Crystal. Debbie may be home next week as she can’t find work. Vernon called in evening.

Warmer this morning. 18°, Some snow all forenoon and about all PM. Up to 32° this PM. Merrill cleaned floors. I washed clothes. Jim called at noon. Stormy at Lorraine and city. He broke spring on his plow. Bill H cleaned out our driveway again. Presidential Inauguration. We watched it on TV. Very moving. Makes one proud to be an American.

-10° this morning. Sunny. Vern goes back to school. Vivian called to see if we needed anything from city. I talked with Lyla. Kathy will take us to store. Lyla ended up taking us to the store. Vivian brought back tapes and got their water pails. They leave Thursday for Florida. Jim called from work at quitting time.

Very icy in morning. Most schools close. 43° at noon. I washed some white clothes. Cleaned range burners. Mary Chamberlain called. The Rebekah’s are planning a 70 years Rebekah celebration for Dorothy Williams in April. Dorothy isn’t to well this winter. Vivian brought over fresh vegetables she had in her freezer. They were on their way to the funeral home for her cousin.

30° in morning. Clark and Vivian leave for Florida. Plan to get an early start. They left about 7 AM. I talked with Dr. Mike. He will increase Merrill’s Tapozole dosage to 10 mg later. Jim called at noon. He hasn’t heard from Joel lately. He may be working. Alice F called. Marge Heck hasn’t had cancer operation yet. It having a second opinion in Syracuse. Earl Yerdon 84 a long time friend of ours died today in Samaritan Keep.

-2° below this morning. Storming hard in evening. Lyla called in PM to see how we are doing. It is in today’s Times that Earl Yerdon 84 died yesterday. I called Florence in evening. She has been in hospital with heart attack. Earl had to go to Samaritan Keep for about a month. He was in hospital 3 times with pneumonia. Roast beef supper at church. We couldn’t go to it. Jim called in evening. Was on his way home to Sackets.

Warmer 40°. Cloudy with some sun. windy. Vernon and June called in morning. I called Doris H to thank her for coffee cake, their visit and all their cards while I was laid up. Jim and Cliff came and got our car with Cliff’s new red wrecher.(?) They brought it home in evening. The battery was run down. Jim put in another one. Joel called while they were here. He was using a fax so Jim couldn’t get thru to Joel. He may be working in a restaurant. I called Margaret K in evening.

0° this morning. Sunny day. Doris H called and offered us a ride to church. Merrill wanted to drive. Bill and Lois Burns offered to come after us. We went to church for the first time since December 1. Good to get back. 51 in church. Sunday School kids sang. Earl Yerdon’s funeral at 1:30 PM at Sandy Creek

-10 in morning. Sunny. Jim and Sue came after us and brought us home. We ate at Philadelphia Restaurant. Dr. LaPoint 1:40 PM. Everything okay. She wants me to see Dr. Sherman. Had urine test weight 139 and BP 130/80. Jim called in morning. Joel called him last night and said he had a job cooking in a Burger King Restaurant. Slippery in evening. Freezing rain and snow.

Snowing in AM. Sunny rest of day. Dr. LaPoint’s office called. She wants me to have urine test at hospital some time this week as I have blood in my Urine. Merrill had bad night. Up most of night. He shoveled snow today. Vi called in evening. Good to talk with her. She and Martha went to Syracuse today. Martha has another treatment Thursday. It has been a stormy winter for them to get to Syracuse 2 or 3 times a week. Martha is doing good. Marge Heck has her breast cancer operation today in Syracuse as an out patient.

Cold. Sunny. I called Jim at work. Jolie can take me for urine test tomorrow. We went over for groceries after lunch. I made a pot of chili for supper. Tasted good. We haven’t had any in awhile.

-2° in morning. Up to 18° later. Urine test at hospital. Jolie and Shawn Michael came out and drove us out to hospital with our car. Jim met us at hospital with my doctor’s order for test. I met Gilbert Denny’s wife in office. She knows Ken’s. Merrill got haircut when we got home. First one in ages. I rode over with him. We got a card from Debby from Colorado. She hasn’t found work yet. She left for Karen’s on January 7th.

20° this morning. Up to 34° later. I talked with Dr. Hinman. He increased Merrill’s pills to 2 at breakfast time. He says Merrill probably has some Alzheimer’s. Wants me to talk with someone from the office of the aging. We got laundry room cleaned. Took trash to garage. I made meat loaf for supper.

Cloudy. Rainy. 38° high. We took garbage for past few weeks. My first time up there. Got 2 extra bags. $3.00 Lyla called to see if we needed anything. I washed clothes.

Six more weeks of winter. 34° high. A beautiful day. Ground hog didn’t see his shadow in Pennyslvania. We didn’t go to church. Merrill too tired. He slept until late. I wrote a letter to Nancy and Tom in Kansas. Jim M gets home from Canada winter training (3 weeks) Vern called in evening. We talked with him for a long time. I hated to tell him his dad may have Alzheimer.

Nice day. Partly cloudy. I called Jim at Sackets. Sue goes for shots today. I called office of the aging. A woman is coming tomorrow to talk to us. I w rote checks to pay bills. Also ailed them and letter to Nancy. Jim and Sue here at suppertime. She had shot treatment before she came. Jim went to store for sugar for us. Merrill cleaned floors. We got notice that our FHA grant of $4380.00 is taxable.

Nice day. Partly cloudy. Snowing some in evening. Woman from the Office of Aging 10:30 AM. Bonnie was here a couple hours. We like her. She said Merrill qualifies for day care. It’s from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Bonnie is from Kentucky. She has been in city five years. A chipmunk or squirrel took my ear of Indian corn out of basket on deck. We found lots of stuff from kitchen waste basket under the stove.

Snowy and raining. Shirley L called. Jim called in PM. He was at work. I called about HEAP check. I was sent Jan 23rd to Agway. Agway here with fuel oil. 135 gallons at $1.169 a gallon.

Partly sunny day. 32°. I got card and letter ready to send to Joel in South Carolina (Greenville) I called Dr. LaPointe’s office. My urine test is okay. A little blood in it. Alice F called at supper time. Jim called in evening. He talked with Director of Office of Aging. She wants to meet with us.

Partly sunny day. We went over town in AM. Paid water bill, went to bank and got groceries. We got birdseed. Also D-Con to see if we could get rid of our night guest. He gets into the house every night. Probably a chipmunk or squirrel. Talked with Dr. Mike. He wants Merrill to have blood work last week of February. I sent Joel’s car, letter, and $20.00. I sent Jill the 2 I owed her. Also sent Fran Soluri sympathy card and $10. Her mother Jennie Bendedetti dies. She was a nice lady. I worked with her at the Olga. Vern called in evening. They are coming tomorrow.

A beautiful sunny day but on cool side. Vern and June here for lunch. They brought it. They brought nice light for over my stove. Vern put it up. Also fixed light over sink. I made a cake this morning. Also washed clothes (white) June gave me copy of an article that was in the Red Cross paper. A very nice article about a very great guy. We are so blessed in our sons. They do so much good for other people. The Lord must be very pleased with them. I hope he is. We thank Him for them.

Cold in morning. -3° when we got up. Very sunny. Got up to 27°. We went to church 41 out. 45 in Sunday School. I’m tired today. We had a bad night. Merrill didn’t sleep. I called Juanita in the PM. All well. Debby has work in hoop factory. Karen and Bill getting their new house built. They have buyers for their old house.

Sunny 32° I washed Merrill’s clothes. A rodent chewed a hole in a pair of Merrill’s work pants. I sent letter to Dr. LaPoint to extend my doctor’s visits Medicaid. Jim called in evening.

A nice sunny day. 32° A little snow over night. Lyla and Marge Powell here in PM. Good to see them. Lyla said Helen Rockwood has been in hospital a couple week but she is home how. She saw Helen’s daughter, June. Uncle Ray Haggerty dies 28 years ago today.

32° high. Lots of snow this morning. Indian River school closed. Bill plowed out our driveway. Jim called at suppertime. No Rebekah meeting because of weather. I called Ginny to tell her I couldn’t go anyway. Church Ash Wednesday at Evans Mills 7 PM

Very cold 20°. Joel’s 21st birthday. He is in South Carolina. Bill H finished cleaning our driveway and pushing snow back. I washed breakfast room windows. We can see outside now. Jolie called. I talked with Hill and Shawn Michael also. Zack’s mother and little brother are coming to Jolie’s this weekend. Jill said Jim hot frost bit in Canada to his fingers and toes. Jolie and Shawn Michael slid off road near their home. We got a letter from Clark and Vivian. Clark wrote it. They have a nice trailer until middle of March.

Warmer. A little more snow over night and snowing all day. 32°. We went for groceries. A bad day to be out. Snow wet and slippery. Jolie called. Zack’s mother and brother left Ohio at 10:00 AM today.

A nice day. Only a few flurries. I washed clothes. Also made an apple pie and an orange cake with a white frosting. Merrill shoveled snow and cleaned floors. We sent Jill birthday card, $10. And a letter. Jim called in evening. They are coming out in the morning.

Cold. 0° cold all day but sunny. Jim, Jolie, Shawn Michael, Zack’s mother Carla, and his brother Michael age 7 here in AM. Carla very nice. Jim put lock on kitchen door. Hope Merrill doesn’t notice it. Zackary had two way video hook up with his family for 15 minutes today. He has free 15 minutes telephone calls home every day. They said he looked happy and tanned. It is hot here. He works in the food part of army.

-2° this morning. Sunny up to 31°. No mail today. Paper delivered. Pauline called from Marge’s. We had a nice visit. Marshal fell and broke his ankle. I washed dark clothes. Jim called in evening on way home from cabin. Jill and Jim were up there snowmobiling. Jim’s first time on a snowmobile.

40° this morning. Sunny up to 45° Merrill has been outside most of day chopping on our driveway and lawn. He has so much energy with not much sleep. I mended some of Merrill’s clothes. I wish I could see better.

43° in morning. Mostly rainy. Shirley E called. I sent Dan birthday card, $10.00 and letter. Vern called in evening. They are going to Vermont tomorrow. Will be home on Sunday. Jim called in evening. He and Sue had supper at Jill an Jim’s to help Jill celebrate her birthday. Joel is working at home repair job. Good money in it. Our touch floor lamp blew a bulb and the touch “off and on” does not work.