Seems as if the snow had caught up with Grandma Rose in 1977 and also with me in New York now as we had our first dusting of it here the other day. Tis the season, no? And her poor cat – it’s no wonder she had to “sweep” the snow off of him too! The weather outlook in November 26th’s Circleville Herald for November 27th showed it was going to be much colder than it had been with even more snow moving in later in the week which matches her journaling for next time. (I did peek a bit this week with the holiday upcoming.)
On an unrelated note, her medical woes this week are echoing mine in the worst of ways and I’m quite sympathetic to what she was going through then. I know all women go through this stuff, but as a kid, you don’t realize that your grandmother went through “woman troubles” so it’s interesting (for lack of a better word) now at 50 for me to read that she experienced the same things I am currently. I think she would have been one of those grandmas who talked about it if you asked her; I remember a really “bawdy” conversation with her once so I feel like she’d have been open about discussing women’s health issues and dishing out tips/hints on how to handle them.
NOTE: As always, I left her spelling, capitalization, and punctuation as much as possible.
November 26, 1977 – Some more snow on the AM. Got up 8:30. Put water on for coffee – Ye Gads! The water won’t run. Figured a fuse blew but changed them, pushed reset button – still no water, so figure water froze – it was 20° last night and very windy. Got on my very heavy clothes – no bra and got busy. Carried 3 – 1½ gal. water from the green house. Turned on a new tank of gas and made oats for breakfast – Fed cat and was he hungry!!
After breakfast carried in a bucket of water from greenhouse and a Jug full of coffee water from the garage. Put straw in burlap bag and put in over water tube by well pit. Checked the heat tape light under trailer. Got a gallon of water from Isles when I went over to see if Frank could check the pump. Wrapped controls of gas tanks with fiber glass. Got awful sick headache. Had to lie down couple hours this P.M. Tension!?
November 27, 1977 – Got up 8:45 – Brought in yellow bucket full and 6 more gal in jugs from green house – Put graffite in garage + green house lock and door lock on trailer. 46° in greenhouse. Len called Billy Carter – He will try to come out tomorrow if it isn’t too bad –
Snowed heavily today. But not as windy as yesterday. Pretty snowy when I went out to check the oil (Have 16″.) and got 2 more gallon of water from green house – Have 6 more gal. out there. Fed cat about 5:00 and had to sweep off the porch and the cat. Snow slipper top deep on the porch. Poor old cat was covered with snow and froze. Like he had white fur coat – Feel sorry for him. Supposed to be 4″ snow on by morning + freezing rain. I hope not. Don’t want to miss my Dr. appointment again. Have to sweep path in the morning of Ef and Ralph.
November 28, 1977 – Appt. Dr. Lutz 1:45 P.M. Got up 8:10 fed cat. Billy Carter came while we were eating breakfast. He said our heat tape was no good and the water line had frozen. Tested pump and control box – O.K.! had to go go Jim’s pay and save to get heat cable.
Ethel and Ralph came about 12:25 to take me to Dr. (PAP test) She gave me pill for cystitis and and premarin. (new ones not quite so potent)
Went shopping at Murphy’s and Big Bear while waiting for the prescriptions – Got new snow shovel at Murphy’s. Got home after five and Len was walking the floor. He tho’t Lutz had sent me to the hospital. had to wait so long on prescriptions. Took first two doses of cystitis medicine.
November 29, 1977 – Got up 8:30 Fed cat – Filled up the empty jugs that we had emptied and put them in bottom cupboards under sink in kitchen and bathroom. 11:45 went to green house and watered the flowers. They were pretty wilty, especially the newly potted ones. Went back in the house at 1:00. Watched soaps after lunch. Didn’t do much else – Evelyn called – wanted me to tell John she’d be late from work. Snow beginning to melt some in the yard.
Wrote to Pearl and Rosie while watching T.V.
Graffiti: “Happiness makes up in height for what it lacks in length.”
November 30, 1977 – Got up 8:15 Fed cat – Got suit case and overnight case from shelves in garage. After breakfast washed out 3 pr slacks, panties, bras, etc. Brought in garment bags from garage and put away some clothes.
Snow mostly all melted, but sure is sloppy outside. Took crab cactus back to greenhouse. Leaves had started to fall off.
Sent off letters and got new book of stamps from mail man.
Worked hemming a pair of my new slacks while watching soaps. Pressed what I had washed today.
Thought for the day: “Every parent knows how to bring up children – that is, his neighbors.” – anonymous
December 1, 1977 – Got up 8:25 Winds all but shaking the trailer apart – up to 50 miles an hr. radio says 50°. Mailed Lens letters and fed cat.
Ripped band from new pr. slacks – Had to lengthen waist. Piped button hold and dewed button on good wool plaid slacks. Sewed button on leopard house coat (long delayed)
Wind started lessening mid afternoon, but still 23 MPH and 41° at 5:45 P.M. Checked greenhosue – Flowers look beter since the watering the other day. Called and talked to Naomi for a few minutes about 7:00 P.M. Ended my 1st bottle cystitis medicine. Started my second bottle of cystitis medicine.
Got cute B’day card from Bill and Myrtle. Surprised.
December 2, 1977 – Got up 8:20 Fed cat then filled up 4 jugs of water from tub. I put them outside in greenhouse for emergencies. After breakfast started cleaning house. Continued after lunch. Got done, except mirrors in the bathroom. Len ran sweeper in living room and hallway.
Had fish and baked potatoes + green beans for supper. Called Effie about 7:30. She said Mary has to have another operation first of year. Another blockage below where her first one was. They’ll take a vein from her leg and make a bypass. Watched “Four Musketeers.”
Thought: “You must be poor to know the joy of giving.”