Jill’s first birthday. Jolie and I made her cake. Had birthday supper. Marie and Lorraine here for cake and ice cream. They sewed on 4-H outfits. Jolie and I went to store. Lyle Murphy, 28, died in Buffalo this morning. Cathy had a baby girl in evening. Jim’s called.

Nice day. Jolie played outside. Washed clothes. Mended girls clothes. I’ve had headache all day. Lorraine here to collect for Lyle M.

Marie here to sew in PM. Lorraine in evening. Mary here also. Had vet for cow. She has sore leg. Rainy. MYF pie sale. They cleared $152. Called Patty in evening.

I didn’t go to church. Merrill went. We took Jolie and Jill home in PM. Joel is so cute. Girls saw him for first. Cute to see them together. Our car wouldn’t start at Jim’s. Took hour to get it going. Lorraine and Marie here all day sewing. We went to Theresa funeral home for Lyle.

Danny’s 9th birthday. Sent him card, $5. Lyle Murphy’s funeral. I took Marie to Dress Evaluation. Others went by themselves. Cleaned house. “Small business” man here. We didn’t renew it. Cold but nice.

No Bible Study. Phone out in AM. Merrill went over to Pat B’s to report it. Merrill went to Theresa to get hair cut. I went to Mrs. Beardsley’s. She gave me soap cross for Elgin B. She is happy to have one go to Canada. They say Murphy baby, Cathy, is back in hospital.

Didn’t get the milk check again today. A beautiful warm day. I washed clothes and hung them out doors. Merrill cut wood for first since last fall. I didn’t go to Lodge.

Finally got milk check. 19 4-H members and friends went roller skating and to McDonalds. Mary took a load. Jamie, Jennifer, and Dawn didn’t go. Roger, Shari Rude, Brenda Backus and Patsy went. Beautiful day, warm. Called Jim’s from city.

Another nice day. Sent light bill, $118.22. Boots and I went to Philadelphia for groceries. Made donuts and 2 pumpkin pies and 1 apple pie in PM. Washed rugs. Got letter from Mrs. Beardsley.

Cleaned floors. Washed clothes. Merrill took Organ Fund Receipt to Martin Rudes.

Leap year. Orv’s 72nd birthday We went to church. Took flowers from Lyle M funeral. Rev. Cameron has flu but good sermon. Jim, Pat, girls, and Joel here for supper. Joel’s first time out. 16 days old. He is such an alert baby. Jill walking all over. We watched Sound of Music on TV until 10:30.

Nice day but rather cold. We went out to Mom’s. Juanita’s mother died last week. Goldie Backer, 72. She had cancer. Evelyn Scee still in hospital. Ken’s have had flu. Luke in hospital two days. Wrote Vern’s.

UMW. Only 8 out. Margaret’s projector light was burned out so she couldn’t show slides. Stormy all day. Ben Franklin smokes if door is open. Merrill took me to Philadelphia. He stayed with Jim M. No Bible Study. Windy.

No school. Freezing rain. Bad all day. I wrote letters. Ruth S and Beulah in Florida and Uncle Berl in California.

Christmas day. Raining. Dan and Robin have baby girl, Lydia Grace, 8 pounds 9 ounces born at 8:30 AM this morning. Vern, June, Jim, Jolie, Zack, Shawn Michael, Jill and Joel here for dinner with us at 1:30. It’s so great to be together. June brought apple and pumpkin pies and rolls. We got new mailbox and metal box to lock things in. I got diary like this one. Jolie gave me plain gold band I’ve wanted for ages. I can’t wear my wedding rings on my left hand because of enlarged knuckles form arthritis. They gave Merrill pretty plaid shirt. We got a nice picture of Shawn Michael. Lyla called in evening. She had a good Christmas. Vern put up new mailbox.

Slippery this morning. Merrill didn’t go to day care. I put dishes away and straightened up house. I washed clothes. Merrill’s driver didn’t come for him. Maybe it was too slippery. They didn’t call us. We got a Christmas card and not from Loren Strader in Canada. Vera has been gone over a year 12/9/96

Slippery in morning. Sunny and warm in PM 36°. A few snow flurries. Merrill slept a lot today. He was very upset at supper time. He was crying because his family had all gone home and he didn’t want to be alone He was afraid something would happen to me. No one has been here since Christmas day. Vivian called at supper time. She’s bringing over her extra food to morrow night. They leave for Florida Monday. Diane R called asking for prayers on the prayer chain for Alice F grandson who is very ill. I’ll call Jane.

A nice day. We went to church. Wayne and Nancy came after us. Not many out to church. Rev. Elaine goes on vacation today. Huntress’s gave us bottle of syrup. Jim, Sue, Ashley, Zack, Jolie and Shawn Michael here in PM and for supper. Jolie took me to the store. I got a baby card and sent to Dan’s. We all signed it. Merrill sure loves to have his family around him. He cried when the last of them left. We all signed a baby card for Robin, Dan and baby Lydia Grace. Joel leaves for Iowa in the morning early. Vivian T brought over her left overs.

Not a bad day. Merrill went to day care. Clark and Vivian leave for Florida for three months. Joel goes back to Iowa to day. 14 hour drive. Antique dealer Davis here trying to buy my antique square 1 drawer stand that he wants badly. I sent card, letter, and $25 to Dan and Robin and new baby Lydia Grace. Sue called in evening. Jim took Joel back to Iowa. He called Sue from Illinois while we were talking.

Very stormy. Syracuse at a stand still. Snowed all day. They didn’t bring our lunches. Housekeeper didn’t come. I called to tell office she could come tomorrow as Merrill will be home. Transportation called to ask if Merrill wanted to day care tomorrow. She said it was suppose to storm so I said no.

Cold. -18°. Bill Henderson plowed our driveway. I told him not to plow out back as we won’t be driving our car. I told him we want to pay him for plowing this year. He wouldn’t take pay last year. Merrill didn’t go to day care. I washed white clothes. Merrill cleaned floors. Jim called from city. He got home from Iowa trip at 4 AM. Good trip each way. No snowstorms. I called Jolie, Zack getting things ready for Ranger school Saturday. Watertown had it’s first “First Night Celebration” It is for the family and non alcoholic. Ends with fireworks at the Veteran’s Wall Way at midnight.

Another very cold night and day. Our water pipes frozen. Robbins can’t come until afternoon. Larry Neville’ house burned last night. Firemen were called three times. Started from wood fire. Tony didn’t come today. McKeever’s brought water for coffee. Temperature only up to 5° snowing hard in evening. I called Jim at work He said it was snowing hard at Adams and at city. A foot of snow in 1 hour at Adams. Linda and Rick got home from Florida. So good to have them back. I talked with Lyla.