I had every intention of making a vintage version of applesauce squares from the 1970s for this week since Grandma Rose always makes them as they’re Leonard’s favorite and sharing the picture of them BUT our whole entire household caught RSV and we’ve been miserable for almost a week and a half and still going strong – just coughing our lungs off 24/7! So I’m behind on everything, including this plan of mine to try out this recipe. Hopefully next week, I’ll be back in the swing of things!
Until then, since she mentions burning old peonies, please enjoy this photo of my mom as a toddler sniffing the peonies at one of the grandmother’s houses. I believe it’s Grandma Rose’s mom’s house but I could be wrong on that. Crissie Peters had already moved into town by this point and this looks rural so I’m thinking it’s the Jones’.
NOTE: As always, I left her spelling, capitalization, and punctuation as much as possible.
November 5, 1977 – Got up 9:00 After breakfast, Len and I cleaned house. Finally got the living room mirror cleaned and some fixture backing wiped and cleaned. Furniture waxed. Len ran Hoover sweeper. Cleaned sewing room & put big box in closet.
The house was so hot we went to the garage about 3:00 – I painted more on the wall around the freezer.
Thought for today: “I don’t do anything to keep my weight down because it’s my weight that’s keeping me down.” – Irvin W. Cobb, American humorist, 1876-1944
November 6, 1977 – Got up 8:30 Damp from the little bit of rain we had last night. Fed the cat – while waiting for Len to get up, sifted flour & measured all the ingredients for apple sauce squares and cookies. After breakfast, Len made the icing while I did the baking and doing up the dishes. (One 9×13 pan of squares and 2½ doz.)
After lunch I took a nap for 1 ½ hours. Had our usual afternoon cup of tea. Put roast on and Len peeled carrots and potatoes while I went to the garage and washed west garage windows, painted windows frame and finished painting the wall above the freezer. Had beef roast with potatoes, onions, celery and carrots.
8:30 Starting to rain pretty good now.
November 7, 1977 – Got up 8:45 Rained in the night – after breakfast hauled 3 cart loads of leaves from Hanes yard while they were damp and easier to handle. Warm outside and really got warmed up in my jacket. After lunch, watched my soaps.
Then Len and I put up plastic window in garage – west window – and got the shelf back up with my kick knacks. Washed out 2 pr. summer pants to put in winter storage – washed out 4 prs socks for Len.
November 8, 1977 – Got up 8:15 After breakfast Len did the washing. I did some hand washing. Got most of the things hung out by 12:30. Finished hanging after my soaps –
Before supper Len and I dug out the old rose bush by front maple tree. Turned out to be quite a job. Ironed a few pieces as I took them from the line. Took last of clothes down at 5:00 while supper cooked. Len got the paper this eve.
November 9, 1977 – Got up 8:15 Fed cat and ironed for an hour. After breakfast I hauled three cart loads of leaves from Hanes yard. Cleaned up debri from old Rose bush and cotoneaster. Painted new door Len made for side of trailer. Finished painting South side of green house including window frame and door.
While I watched soaps, Len cleaned the spade and sharpened it. Cleaned and put in trash barrel old peony bushes to burn. Len did dishes after supper while I read the paper.
Thought: “A nation from which religion is banished can never be well governed.” – Pope Leo XIII, 1810-1903
November 10, 1977 – Got up 8:00 Good gosh the wind is awful today. Haven’t done much today except empty some trash and garbage on the compost pile. The garage was real cold but I pressed Lens old raincoat I’ve been wearing in winter so I can get the heavy lining in it. Stayed inside in afternoon – Cold seems to chill to the bone, after the 72° yesterday.
Thought for today: “A man is as young as he feels, after trying to prove it.” – Anonymous
November 11, 1977 – Got up 8:00 After feeding cat I boxed up a few of the potatoes, so they’ll be ready to be carried to the green house. Put dry straw under green house for Kat to sleep on. Cold in green house – turned up heater.
Thought: “Drunkenness is temporary suicide. The happiness that it brings is merely negative, a momentary cessation of unhappiness.” – Bertrand Russell, British mathematician and philosopher, 1872-1970