As I’m writing this, it’s July 16th and currently 93° at my house here in New York, just as it was in 1977 at Grandma Rose’s. This week’s forecast here looks almost identical to hers in 1977. I had to chuckle at that – oh, that and I’m having foot surgery tomorrow so I’ll have a bum foot like Len did for a bit! I did think of him when I was being carted around in a wheelchair the other day. But what are the odds? I joked and told my husband it’s like I’m osmosis-ing both of them somehow through these pages! I wish I had half of her energy at 8 am though – I’d get a lot more done!
Any way, enough of me – this week, Grandma Rose mentions a Dr. Dingledine giving her a picture and I while I think everyone in Ashville knows the name of Doc Hostler, Dr. Dingledine was giving me pause so I went looking to see who he was. If he gave her a picture in 1949, her first husband Glenn was still alive then and Glenn, Rose and Rosie were living on 13 W. Gay Street in Columbus. In the Columbus Directory for 1949, Dr. Dingledine can be found practicing at 327 E. State Street, Room 117. Because I’m a nerd, I had to Mapquest it – it’s a 2 minute drive or a 20 minute walk if you were so inclined.
NOTE: As always, I left her spelling, capitalization, and punctuation as much as possible.
July 16, 1977 – Got up 8:00 Raked some debri[s] from old corn patch. Picked 1st beans from flower bed. Len and I did more apples for sauce today. Froze what he did yesterday. 6 9oz. container & 4 pt.
93° today.
July 17, 1977 – Got up 8:00 After breakfast ran sweeper over floors. Froze 5 pt. apple sauce from yesterdays apples.
Rosie and Ethel, Ralph and Kim were here in the afternoon. Ralph & Ethel left at 3:00. Rosie brought lunch meat, cheese and buns and we had sandwiches. Also brought me 3-5 lb. bags of flour. 1 meatloaf to bake and some sausage. Had her pick up a gallon of clorox. First time Rosie had been down since Mothers Day.
We all took a turn around looking at the flowers. Gave Ethel the rest of the apples I had. Back yard like an inferno. 95° Everyone liked the patio – Thought it looked like a greenhouse.
July 18, 1977 – Got up 7:30 Sprayed potatoes (pick after 35 days) and side flower beds. Beetles are busy. Hoed pop corn and beans. Cleaned pea bed. Came in 10:20 A.M.
Took our lunch out to the garage to eat. After the soaps, did some more rearranging in the garage. Cleaned and hung the doctor picture that Dr. Dingledine gave me in 1949.
July 19, 1977 – Got up 7:30 Sent Ruthie birthday money. Rake up old weed I’d cut down in last years garden. Got a cart full piled high. Two more hours or so, should see most of the lot done.
Watched soaps after lunch, then went to garage where Len was – Fixed pr. of shorts, and we ripped four or five feed sacks to make dish towels. Had lunch in the garage again today. Len sharpened my hoe for me.
94°
87° 11:15 P.M.
July 20, 1977 – Got up 9:40 My early rising catching up with me. Spent most of the day in the garage with Len- Sorting out bolts, screws, nails, etc. from cigar boxes.
Ate lunch and supper in the garage – Sat outside on the bench for almost 2 hours this evening. Swept garage with wet sawdust earlier in the forenoon.
Washed out 13 bras and a bucket of panties to hang out in the morning.
Len took walk out to see potato and garden – First he’s been out back since July 3rd.
93° high
81° 11:15 P.M.
101° in 1934
July 21, 1977 – Got up 7:50 Lopped down the hedge apple I started from seed in 75. Was crowding the sumac. cleaned old Rose bush back bank. Emptied cart I filled with old garden debri[s] few days ago. Finished raking up last years corn stalks.
Talked to Donna for time in months by back fence.
Sickled down some weeds on bank by front flower bed. Came in 9:45. Sure hot even so early.
1:00 P.M. hung clothes in garage I washed yesterday.
Thundering again – very cloudy. Hope we get some rain – 84°
87° High
106° in 1934
July 22, 1977 – Got up 8:30 Worked in iris on bank by maple tree for 2 hours. Helped Len make screen for garage window. Got the frame done.
Washed towels, and dish towels. In eve pulled grass from around tomatoes – Hoed beans, put fence between potatoes and beans. Got the bags of manure that Donna had put over the fence for me – left loaded wagon in old garden til I can find spot for compost piles.
Carried boxes of things from bedroom closet to garage so I can paint the ceiling and wash the walls.