The more I transcribe these journal entries, the more I miss the days when people wrote actual letters and sent cards. Emails are nice, sure, but there is something so endearing about a letter coming on the regular. You start to look forward to it. I’m very lucky to have one such person – an NSDAR Daughter from our chapter who moved to Maine, now a widow and fighting cancer alone, 40 minutes from the closest grocery store! I find myself looking forward to her letter to see how she’s getting along, and feeling, of course, but we also talk in length about history quite a bit, which I love since I don’t have many people who have that shared passion. There’s just something unique in that form of communication – and I know Grandma surely could have easily picked up the phone and called her sister Ethel, but I think a letter affords you some privacy and allows you to get your thoughts in order as well to express yourself better. (I think, anyway.) I’m glad she had that in her life.
NOTE: As always, I left her spelling, capitalization, and punctuation as much as possible.
March 5, 1977 – Windy today. haven’t done much. Spent a couple of hours fixing one of my braces.
Rosie came little after 1:00 and had lunch with us. She ran Hoover over the rugs for me and we had a couple hour gab fest. She brought five bottles de-greaser and two of aqualine cold water soap $3.11 per. Paid her. She took it to store in the green house for me; Gave her a flower for Kim and one for Carol. (Spider plants)
(Gave Rosie two more coat hangers I had finished.)
Temperature 11:30 36° Low 41° High West Winds 10 M.P.H.
March 6, 1977 – Amy Stewart Birthday
Beautiful, beautiful, sun shiny day. After lunch and dishes done, went to the greenhouse and watered all the flowers and swept the floors. Afterward, I just stood and looked – gave me a good feeling, seeing the flowers so green. The lipstick vine now has five blooms – Rosie gave it to me for Easter 4 or 5 years ago. In a little Easter egg cup. Just a few inches high.
Back feels better today – Pelvic bone not so sore, but do hurt when I have to cough.
Low 26° High 47° Winds calm
March 7, 1977 – 28° 33° 10:30 AM.
Cut off part of a throw that Pearl gave me and made a big cushion for my summer chair. More comfortable now.
5:30 38°
Didn’t get too warm today.
Took my afternoon rest. Back not too bad today, but felt good lying down.
11:30 P.M.
Thought for the day: Give your best to the world and the best will come back to you.
March 8, 1977 – Cloudy today – was supposed to be sunny.
Took my afternoon rest. Did some embroidering.
Ethel called this evening – Thought maybe I’d need to go to the Doctor for my back. Told her I was lots better – Just sore now after all the misery.
March 9, 1977 – Got up 7:45 this morning. Didn’t turn on radio. Hurried to get ready to go to Circleville with Evelyn. Took me to bank, Revco & grocery. Went to Sentry Hardware and got myself a Baby Hoover sweeper. Got tired of the old one not picking up. All work for nothing.
Left home at 9:00 AM. Got home little after 11:00. First I’ve been to Circleville since Feb 11 when Rosie and I went. Got 7 yds unbleached muslin.
Got up to ___° this afternoon – Beautiful sunny, tho’ windy day.
Record day I haven’t laid down for an hour or so of rest. Embroidered a couple hours and watched my soap opera. Mailed Bday card to Elwood & a letter to Ethel.
Low 42° High 67°
March 10, 1977 – Finally got warm enough in the garage. I put all the Christmas stuff in the big box and stacked up the pint cans from the food we’ve opened.
Burned trash that had been in there since The Big Storm.
Beautiful day. Took a walk around the yard – Too tired to do anything work but did pick up a few cans that I’d used around the plants last year. Had to take the storm window out of the door this eve. Just too warm in the house. Couldn’t stand it. Quite a change in the weather.
Back not too bad, but still get awfully tired –
42° Low 65° High 11:30 P.M. 50° N.W. Winds 10 MPH
March 11, 1977 – Beautiful sunshiny day.
Cut out a red dress from one of them Grace Donaldson gave me – washed a few pieces and hung them in the garage- Too tired to make two trips but back to the clothes line.
Low 39° High 73° 11:40 62° 5 M.P.H. 70% chance of thunder showers