Grandmother’s Diary…

Hello diary! A brand new year. No special celebration. Merrill had the day off. Cleaned kitchen stove pipes. A cloudy day.

Snowed all day. Oren & Lonny [White, Barker’s hired hand] stopped in on way to woods. Arlene was here this afternoon. Got chicken feed today.

Mother & Dad were up in afternoon. Dot & Dick were here this evening. Snowing hard tonight.

No mail. No school bus. Still snowing & blowing. Got a piece of beef today. First we have been able to get some in weeks. Grandma Harlow [Merrill’s maternal grandmother] died today.

I went up to Barkers this morning. Called Aunt Cora [Kellogg, then Cross. Merrill’s Aunt] about Grandma’s Funeral. The snow plow broke down out front of our house. Still there.

Ken’s birthday. 23 years old. Grandma Harlow’s funeral today. Merrill & I went. Stopped at Ange’s [Mrs. Orvile Haggerty] & saw their twins. First time. They are real cute. So is Stanley.

Grand day today. They plowed our roads all good today with the tractor plow. Got 6 eggs today from the pullets.

Rec’d letter from Aunt Myrtle today. Dot was down in afternoon. A swell day.

Oren Jr. birthday (22 years) Don Moore’s also (25 years) Rec’d letter from Mother Tryon. Beulah & Gloria are a little better. Arlene was down. Made chocolate ice cream.

Sunday again. Spent the afternoon reading the Sunday papers & sleeping. Vernon went up to Barkers awhile in PM.

Dorothy came down today. Sent $15.00 Spiegel for dishes. Wrote a letter to Mother Tryon.

Snowed hard today. Vernon came home at noon because of the storm. Bought a pound of oleomargarine today. First I have ever bought. Can’t get butter.

Snow storm over. Quite cold. Made ice cream today. Have felt quite good today. Able to work all day. Washed my hair.

Another blizzard! Received letter from Marg. Oren Jr. ill in bed. Couldn’t get doctor because of storm. Merrill got new winter rubbers with leather tops.

Got 1 pound of butter today. Some blizzard all day. Calmed down some tonight. No school today because of the storm. Buster got our mail at Lacona. [Oren Junior is called Buster.] Oren’s cold is better today.

Sent letter to Aunt Mildred, card to Mom. Oren has pneumonia. Had Doc Reed. Got flashlight batteries. They plowed our roads with big plow in the night. Lorraine roads aren’t open yet.

Dot & Arlene was down. Made ice cream. Went up to Barkers awhile, (Merrill & I). Wrote letter to Mom.

Baby Harlow Cobb died today. Stomach trouble. Edna Kellar called. He was 1 year 20 days old. Ken got notice to appear Thursday for medical exam.

Have been up to Barkers all day long. Called Edna K. Wrote Aunt Edna & Uncle Ed. They are taking Harlow’s death awfully hard. Another blizzard.

Vernon didn’t go to school. They did not go with the milk either. Snowing hard tonight. Plow has been over 3 times.

Harlow C. funeral. We couldn’t get around in time to go. Vernon is ill & couldn’t go to school. Wrote mom & Aunt Edna. Ken tried physical today. Awful cold.

Mr. & Mrs. Glenn Congdon have baby boy. (Roger Lee). Mr. & Mrs. D Pitkin have baby girl. (Anna Mae) Still cold. Arlene was down. Feeling horrid tonight. Received letter & pictures from Merrill’s Aunt Lila of Barnes Corners. Vernon didn’t go to school as they only had to go awhile this morning.

Had letter from Mom. Don & Dick was down tonight. Made ice cream & played cards & marbles.

Arlene has been down twice. Ken & Oren Jr. was here. Vernon was up to the barn playing with Harwood Yerdon [friend that lived near Redfield] all forenoon.

Received letter from Angie. Aunt Sarah Coons is dead. Dot was down. Wrote letter to Marg & Lila Tiff tonight.

Received letter from Aunt Mildred. The See kids have measles. Clifton & Buster was down & played cards. I washed clothes today. Watkins man was here.

A grand day. Heard on the radio last night that Pres. Roosevelt had just returned from a 10 day conference with Churchill in Africa concerning vital war doings.

Sent for mattress for Vernon’s bed. Dot, Evelyn & Arlene was down awhile in afternoon.

Received window shades for kitchen & bedrooms. Evelyn & Arlene was down. Had letter from Mom. Washed my hair. Made ice cream.

Vernon got his hair cut at Lacona. Got new hot water bottle & attachments. Feeling horrid all day. No work done at all.

Arlene was down in afternoon. Mother, Dad, & Don was up in evening. Vernon went down to Lorraine with kids in afternoon.

Sent 3 dozen eggs to town @ 34¢. Just opened our roads today. Vernon & Arlene couldn’t get home. Stayed at Morton Poole’s tonight. Mailed letters & Valentines.

Can get sugar. A horrid day. School bus couldn’t get home. Vernon stayed with Rosemary DeMarse tonight.

The “Bear” saw his shadow. Vernon got home today. Enjoyed his visit at DeMarse’s. Made ice cream. Wrote letter to Angie.

Dot was down to supper. Had scallop potatoes. Merrill called Father Tryon tonight.

Received a letter from Mother Tryon. Beulah has a baby boy. (Roger Lee) Merrill, Vernon & I was up to Barkers & played cards tonight. They plowed our road all good & boy what banks.

Received letter from Mother Tryon, Aunt Edna, & Marg. Aunt Edna’s letter sounds so sad about baby Harlow. Sent a get well card to Edna Kellar. Wrote Beulah C.

Has rained or snowed about all day. Received letter from Alice. Was invited up to Barkers tonight. Too stormy. Made pop corn balls tonight.

Coffee. Another blizzard. Merrill made me a bread board & fixed silverware drawer. Wrote to Aunt Edna & Mother. Made ice cream.

Still storming. Wrote a letter to Marg. Oren & Lonny came down to play cards. Popped some corn. Vernon is sick. So is cat Dusty.

Vernon is better but didn’t go to school. No roads plowed yet here. Wrote letter to Alice. grand day. Dusty still very sick.

Still snowing & blowing. Dusty died today. Vernon got home from school with a terrible cold. Merrill cleaned kitchen stovepipes tonight. Got 4 days mail.

Roads plugged again. No mail. Vernon didn’t have to go to school because its a holiday. Clear, sun shiny day today.

Received 2 new feather pillows today. Also new girdle. Washed my hair. Quite stormy.

Dot was down. Merrill & I made pop corn balls for Valentine party at school tomorrow. 47° below tonight.

Still awful cold. 21° below tonight. Arlene was down this afternoon. Sent letter to Mom & Mother T. Smoky is very sick. Merrill froze his nose.

Mother Tryon’s birthday. Signed for Farmers Wife magazine for 5 years. Journal a year, True experiences a year. No mail today. Snowing hard & blowing.

No school today because of the storm. Got 2 days mail today. Had letter from Mom. Grand night tonight. Smoky is lots better.

22° below zero this morning. Dot & Arlene was down. Had letter from Beulah C. Made peach ice cream. Wrote letter to Aunt Myrtle.

Thawing. Real warm. Received letter from Marg. Arlene was down. First spring like day we have had this year.