From my understanding, Grandma Rose was one to thumb her nose at society’s traditional standards early on. She got pregnant & married as a teen, wore pants before it was really “acceptable” for women, smoked, lived with a man she wasn’t married to for years, etc. She was a bit of “rebel,” if you will. But I have to say, this week’s entry couldn’t have shocked me more to read that Ethel… dear old Ethel… pulled out Ralph’s copy of Hustler and showed it to Grandma Rose! I can’t imagine these two flipping through the pages of this girly mag! Oh, to have been a fly on the wall for that! HAHA!
NOTE: As always, I left her spelling, capitalization, and punctuation as much as possible.
_____ WEEK 11 _____
March 12, 1978 – Got up 9:00 Fed cat – after we had breakfast Len made bed while I dressed. Cut Len’s hair before lunch – Swept living room – After lunch I got some of the wash from lines in garage. Put papers in closet to sop up the water from the melted snow. Shoveled snow from front of garage door (double door) and laid papers and old rugs – by door. Took out trash & papers from hours – slept for an hour or more. Made cake while I got supper. Len did the dishes while I finished my book. Got suitcases from garage.
35° NW 5MPH
11:15 PM
Low 30° High 40°
(Note on side of page – “Boy! The garage had water in it again from the snow that blew in during the blizzard. I should have shoveled out before the melting started but things kept me busy getting in and out for mail and things from the garage I didn’t think about until too late. Seems good seeing so much ground again. Some of the flower beds are exposed now and beginning to think about pruning trees and cleaning up water debri – If I ever get over this feel of stiffness and tiredness. Had fun seeing the sparrows and fighting each other for feed today.”)
March 13, 1978 – Got up 9:30 So stiff I could barely move. Had to put on my brace – Pelvic & hips acting up again.
Dug out one of the flat blocks from in front of the little garage door so could open the door wider. Got rest of the clothes from line the garage. Got Lens night clothes from drawers and packed to go to the hospital tomorrow. Packed more in case Ef and Ralph don’t want to stay here overnight.
Pulled plug on heat tape – now hope it doesn’t turn too cold. Watched “soaps” while mending a flannel shirt. Called Ef this evening. Ready to go tomorrow.
47° at 11:15 PM
48° 57° 1977
Low 33° High 45°
Winds 15 to 20 MPH
March 14, 1978 – Len went to hospital for right eye surgery Got up 8:30 – Had breakfast, took cat food over to Hanes so they could feed Pusskit while we were gone.
Dressed and got our coats out and ready. Ef and Ralph came early about 11:30 or 11:45 – Stopped at the bank for our check deposits. Got to the hospital about 1:30 – went to lab with Len after admission. Settled in his room by 2:00 – we stayed ’til almost 3:30 – Got to Hecks 3:50 and I go a bed pad and two pillows then we had supper at the Blue Drummer Steak House – I bought – we all three had rib eye, baked potato, salad, and macaroni salad, roll and coffee. After Ralph went to work, Ef and I looked at flower magazines – Talked to Olive. Marie called Ethel.
March 15, 1978 – Got up 7:30 Had breakfast – 9:15 we went to Lancaster. Ralph had his income tax worked on, then we went on to the hospital. Len had gone up to surgery at 8:00 so he was awake when we got there about 10:50 AM. We left our coats in the room and went to the cafeteria for lunch before I went to sit with Len. Stayed until 3:30.
Stopped at Sanders and got chicken, baked beans, and macaroni salad for supper. Ralph went to work about 5:30, so Ef and I had the evening to ourselves. Called Henry, as Olive wanted me to see how he was – Called Olive back about 7:00. Talked for 45 minutes. She seemed pretty good, tho’ she hated to leave me and the talk. She wants a cook book.
March 16, 1978 – Got up later than usual, since we were staying home. Not going to the hospital today.
Olive called right after I got thru with my breakfast. She couldn’t resist. Said last night she’d been having spasms in her throat, so was glad to hear her long talk didn’t make her worse. Called Len about 1:30 to see how he was – Ethel and I went to IGA since they’d moved to the new building. Very nice store. Enjoyed our shopping.
Ralph came home from work early, and took us in the truck to see Dons new garage. Going to be real nice. When Ralph went back to work, Ef and I spent the evening watching Waltons and Effie showed me a Hustler magazine. I’d never seen one – Ralph had brought one home that someone had given him! Good grief! I’ve never seen such pictures and smut. No wonder people are fighting the publication.
March 17, 1978 – Ethel called me at 7:30 this morning. Had breakfast right away – Then we got ready and left to go get Len – Got to the hospital about 9:30 – Got home here about 11. Len was all dressed and ready to go when we got there. Had his clothes all packed up.
Ef and Ralph stayed a few minutes while I made out his check. Gave Ethel the wash pan – small basin – pitcher, and glass from his hospital room –
Watched my “soaps” for the first time this week, while Len dozed in his chair. Went over to Hanes and got the papers, the mail, and rest of the cat food before supper. Plugged in the heat tape again. Supposed to get cold again tonight.
NW Winds 5 MPH
Low 23° High 36°
March 18, 1978 – Got up *;30 Looked at the clock and thought it was 9:30. Woke up with a sick headache so took my pills and laid down on the couch and went to sleep. Len woke me up at 9:30. Felt a little better. After breakfast, emptied suitcases and stored them in the garage again.
Froze bread and got meat from freezer for supper tomorrow evening. Took short walk around the yard when I got the mail – very wet yet. Sure is a lot of cleaning up to do outside when ground dries up.
Took a nap for 1/2 hr today then made a rice and tuna casserole for supper. Head quite a bit better. Put on new pillows – hope Len likes his. Mine will take getting used to, after sleeping on such a small one for so long.
Low 19° High 40°
34° 56° 1977
_____ WEEK 12 _____
(There is a note on the side – “Boy, the yard is a mess- sure is going to take a lot of back breaking work to get things cleaned up this spring. Things are beginning to settle into place again. The trailer and the green house are setting back together again. The walks are so out of kelter from thawing and freezing. You can hardly walk on them. Lot of picking up and raking to do. Arms, neck and shoulders so sore. Hope spring brings less aches and pains.”)
March 19, 1978 – Got up about 9:45 Len already up and had coffee water on. Slept pretty well last night. Took a powerful pill before I went to bed, so woke up without my headache. Felt lots better than I did yesterday.
Swept kitchen after breakfast – ran sweeper in living room, hall, bedroom and bathroom. After lunch, spent most of afternoon (’til 3:30) writing down recipes and things from cook book for Olive –
A beautiful sun shiny day of 46° but the 15-18 mile and hour winds were mighty cold. Peeled potatoes – fixed pot roast with potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, mushrooms. Real good! Ate a hogs helping as per usual.
The breezeway is going to take a lot of picking up of debri.
Low 38° High 47°
March 20, 1978 – Got up 8:45 Finished letter to David and Carold before Len got up. Mailed letters to them, Olive and Lens bills. After breakfast, burned half a bag of trash. Took up some of the wooden square walks and emptied up several pots of flowers from the green house. Threw away old frozen potatoes and pumpkin that were oozing all over everything. Some of the daffodils are coming up, up front.
61° today – Warmest day we have had since Nov 10th 1977 129 days
Len saw the first pair of robins today in the locust trees.
Low 24° High 68°
March 21, 1978 – Got up 9:00 Finished letter to Lens mother, and mailed it before breakfast. After we ate, I addressed, made the bed and started working more on my polyester afghan. At noon, put drops in Lens eye – Lunch at 12:30.
Sewed more pieces on afghan until 1:30. Watched “soaps” until 3:00. Sewed 10 more 4″ blocks and added to afghan.
Got paper 4:45 then baked biscuits to go with our stew for supper. Did dishes, wrote a couple letters, then basted 10 more 4″ squares to add to afghan tomorrow. Watched “Misty” on T.V. Very good! 9:00 to 11:00
39° at 11:18
Low 41° High 58°
March 22, 1978 – Got up 9:00 Len got up at 8:30 and had coffee ready. I fed cat and mailed letter to Mary – Easter cards to Jill, Arch & family, and Rosie & family. After breakfast made the bed.
Carried bricks from back of trailer and fixed walk by the small garage door to replace what I had to chop up during the winter. Then worked on my afghan until 12:30. Sewed on 20 more squares I had pieced. Watched “soaps” while I pinned together 20 more squares. After soaps I sewed the last 20 on the machine.
Made soup (potato) for supper. Dishes done by 6:15 – Took bath and washed my hair. While “When Havoc Struck” basted the 20 pieces to the afghan.
SW 5 MPH winds
Low 30° High 59°
March 23, 1978 – Got up 8:45 Len already up and had coffee water hot. Ate breakfast – laid out Lens clothes then took half and hour trying to decide what to wear. Ethel and ralph came 12:15 or thereabout. Eric was with them. She was baby sitting him for Susie.
After the Dr. (Len has 20-40 vision in his right eye. Dr was pleased) went to Big Bear and got a couple chickens, beef, and an Easter cake – Had to have something pretty. Bought me a Scottish Heather tree (from Len for Easter). I think he was disappointed that I didn’t get a lily or a hyacinth. Maybe I should have.
43° at 11:15 PM
Low 45° High 51°
March 24, 1978 – Ed got me out of bed at 8:00 when he came after the trash. Len got up about 8:45. Had quit raining some time in the night. Very windy today.
After breakfast, fed cat, made the bed; carried both the heaters to the garage, from the sewing room – Gad! Where does all the dust come from? Swept Hallway, bath room and bed room. Took our old winter funnel to garage.
Watched soaps, then took an hours nap. Neck bothering me today – right side of neck stiff. Made casserole for supper. Macaroni, cheddar cheese, and tuna. Beets for side dish.
29° 11:15 PM
Low 31° High 41°
Winds NE 10 MPH
March 25, 1978 – Got up 10:00 today – meant to get up early. Must have rained nearly all night – a good morning to sleep in. After breakfast – made bed, dressed, adn started making apple sauce squares, Lens favorite. One 13x9x3 pan.
Rained all fore noon. Didn’t go get the mail until 1:00 – Decided to get it rain or no rain. Got Easter card from Lisa & Jill, David and Carol and kids. Felt too tired to clean house so took 1½ hour nap. Felt better when I woke up. Len worked on his crewel work. Still raining at 4:00. We called Lens mom 5:15. She sounded real good.
Thunder and lightning storm between 5:30 and 6:00. had to shut off pump. Couldn’t watch T.V. until 9:00 PM. Poured rain, but no lightning from 9:00 on.
11:15 PM 44°
Low 35° High 43°
Winds SE 10 MPH
Winds gusted to 23 this fore noon
