We are at the end of living life in 1977 with Grandma Rose through her day book/journal. What a year it has been learning more about her and her daily life. I mean, as a kid, I knew her, of course, but I didn’t know her daily routines or habits or how hard she worked, both in and outside the house. It was impressive – she was a cleaning and gardening machine!
Her journal also provided genealogical hints about our family history that might have eluded me otherwise, especially the story about our grandfather being in that huge explosion at the state house building. We saw her navigate the death of her brother and uncle just months apart, medical struggles, tending to a recovering loved one following surgery, neverending house repairs, losing a cherished neighbor, and greeting the new ones.
It was just a most interesting journey this year and I’m so glad I decided to do this each week and share it with everyone. I hope you got to know Grandma Rose a bit better ~ I know I sure did. Thank you, again, to my cousin Kim for gifting me this journal and setting me on this fun jaunt into Grandma’s life.
Next for me? Transcribing a Revolutionary War journal of a commissary officer who witnessed the British officer/spy John Andre’s hanging. So excited for this multi-year project… it’s massive. But Grandma Rose was a good warm-up!
NOTE: As always, I left her spelling, capitalization, and punctuation as much as possible.
December 24, 1977 – Got up 8:30 Water okay. Fed Pusskit. After breakfast and we got dressed, put Len to work peeling potatoes for supper. Ed, Bernie, & boys came to pick up the trash. After lunch, I took bath & washed my hair. At 2:00 brot in green chairs from garage.
Starting browning chicken for oven chicken at 3:15, put pumpkin pie to heat – then put in browned chicken in chicken noodles and ham. Len and I put in table board + around plates etc. Rosie and family came about 4:30. I put on potatoes. Kim mashed them 10 min. later – Rosie made salad – Rosie, Kim, Deane, Robin, Darryl. They left about 8:00.
About 9:00 or little later – Lori and Robert came with a macrame pot hanger for us. Lou and Arch came about 10 min after Lori did. Had ham sandwiches, pie, nut break and coffee & pumpkin pie with us. Ken brought over basket of fruit.
December 25, 1977 – Got up 9:30 Water okay, down to 20 last night. Stiff this morning after all my cleaning in cupboards yesterday. Didn’t do much but pick up clutter and ready up the house – Rosie got Len box of candy – Darryl gave us two tiny glass snails, Kim gave me a nice photo album, Robin gave Len and I 2 flannel shirts. Kim gave us 2 hooded jackets. Arch for Len – nice flannel shirt & carton of cigarettes. Lori for Len – 6 prs orlon acrylic socks. Amy to me – writing paper. (A + Lou) pens and calendar book – photo album and hot pot – griddle combination. Lro to us 4 nice coffee mugs. To me pr. of shoes. (had to exchange) Neale + Lisa to us weather monitor. Amy to me – writing paper in metal box. Rosie to me, 1978 day book and waste can for kitchen. Lisa, macrame hangar.
Did Lens eye. Went to see Naomi and Big Al for half an hour. Took her over some of Rosies rolls, my banana nut bread and 2 coat hangers I crocheted. Froze a few eggs. Rosie brot me 2 doz. 40¢ a doz.
December 26, 1977 – Got up 9:15. Fed cat + put water on for coffee. After breakfast, made bed and got all photos out of chest that Doc made, and had a couple hours enjoyment looking through them. Wrote letter to Mary and sent her and Elwood a belated wedding anniv. card – Took it to mail box and forgot it was a holiday so had to bring it back in.
Did Lens eye drops – don’t burn quite so much now. After lunch and “soaps” went to the green house for an hour or so. (Door froze shut again) Stuffed some corner [illegible] with plastic and watered most of the flowers. Checked the light under the trailer – Seems to be working.
Brought in oranges for juice to freeze – also brot in more potatoes. Froze a dozen eggs for baking and scrambling.
Thought for today: “It is when the holiday is over that we begin to enjoy it.” – A. G. Gardiner, English Journalist, 1865-1946
December 27, 1977 – Got up 8:30 Fed cat – mailed Mary’s card + letter. Brought in towels and some things from line in garage. After breakfast, Squeezed half a doz oranges + froze juice. Froze jar of grapefruit.
Brought in towels, personal laundry from garage lines; Took fruit juices and eggs to garage freezer. Read[ied] up the drawers where I keep personal clothing. Put drops in Lens eye at noon. Looking better.
Thought for today: “Reason never has failed men. Only force and oppression have made the wrecks of the world.” – William Allen White, American writer, 1868-1944
December 28, 1977 – Got up 9:00 Ususal cat feeding and breakfast. Tried to write letter to live but didn’t get it finished in time to send out. Put towels away and pressed off a couple of patterns that I hope to use for skirts.
Really enjoying the shirt that Robin got (Len hasn’t worn his yet) Also hooded jacket Kim gave me. Put drops in Lens eye at noon. Complains of some irritation.
Thought for today: “Vanity plays with our memory.” – Joseph Conrad, English novelist, 1857-1924
low 5° hi 24°
23° 11:15
December 29, 1977 – Lens eye Dr. appt. 2:00 P.M. Got up 9:00 – Couldn’t seem to come to this morning and its one time I should have gotten up early. Fed cat and the tiger cat invaded his privacy. You never heard such howling. I let them fight it out this time. After breakfast, Len and I got ready to go to the eye doctor. Ethel and Ralph came earlier today, 20 to 1. So we had time to chat –
Len has 20-30 vision – when looking through glass, doctor put on his eyes. Go back now in two weeks. Went to Big Bear after the Dr. Ethel and I got groceries. Ralph & Effie stayed for coffee and banana bread with cheese ball spread. Had cheese burgers and salad for supper after I took meat and bread to freezer and paper supplies to the garage cupboard.
December 30, 1977 – Got up 9:00 Mailed letter to Olive, then fed cat. After breakfast, picked up room and put away supper dishes. Gas man brought new tank of gas.
Did Lens eye at noon. After lunch, watched “soaps” for 1½ hr til 3:00. Len peeled potatoes for supper. Checked greenhouse (the new heater went out and it was 32° in there.) Cut down all the plum grass and put it on small hedges, and tulip bed – some on Fox Gloves. Raked the grass from west yard. 40° in afternoon + nice to work outside.
Think about: “A friend is someone who knows all about you, but likes you anyway.”
December 31, 1977 – Got up 9:00 Fed cat – Just messed around this morning. After breakfast cleaned furnace filter + filled with water.
Did Lens eye at noon – looks good. After lunch took 1½ hr nap. Burned trash and checked green house – got in more potatoes + put leaves around evergreens. Before supper squeezed oranges for 1½ pint of juice to freeze. While watching T.V. I ripped apart the blouse that Lori gave me last year for Christmas. Have to make smaller.
low 31° high 41° 11:30
Thought for today: “A bad man is worse when he pretends to be a saint.” – Francis Bacon, English philosopher and writer, 1561-1626