Quite a calm & quiet two weeks for Grandma Rose, comparatively so, to her recent weeks. Is it a false calm? We’ll have to keep reading on to see, but here’s hoping! She works so hard… the “urge” to clean? What is that?
I have to giggle at her feeding the birds because my husband has started feeding the birds, too, and we’ve been overrun with grackles, blue jays, mourning doves, and so many finches I can’t even count them. We do have a sweet little cardinal couple we call “Arch & Clara Lou,” who I think are making a nest in our bushes. The similarities between her life and mine continue to amuse me when I find them.
NOTE: As always, I left her spelling, capitalization, and punctuation as much as possible.
_____ WEEK 9 _____
February 26, 1978 – Got up at 10:00 Len been up and had coffee H2O on. Well, I did it again. Ate a hogs mess of popcorn last night with Parma cheese. I knew I’d wake up with a sick headache and I sure did. Ate toast and grapefruit for breakfast. Coffee tasted terrible.
After I cleaned up kitchen, I thought I could wear off headache by keeping busy. Washed half of kitchen door, but nosedived onto the at 11:30 and slept until 12:45. Pill did not good. had some soup & half sandwich – Len had ham & cheese sandwich. Nosedived on couch again about 1:30 after another pill, slept until nearly four – Some better.
Cooked beef and noodles and buttered carrots – ate small bowl of noodles but cottage cheese and peaches tasted much better. Len did supper dishes again. Can’t stay up for news and weather report – Did watch “Hardy Boys” and “How The West Was Won.”
February 27, 1978 – Got up about 8:45 – Len had water on for coffee. Headache better. Felt like eating breakfast food and toast.
Put money in mail box for stamps. Len and I cleaned the bed and put on fresh bed clothes. Cleaned my sewing boxes that have gathered dust from not being used all winter. Watched “soaps” after lunch and headache started coming back. Took two aspirins and slept for an hour. Felt some better.
Len peeled potatoes while I got the paper and fed the birds; I made potato pancakes for supper, eggs instead of meat, peas & carrots.
More snow on the way, Holbrook says.
22° 11:20 PM
Low 19° High 26°
28° 51° 1977
February 28, 1978 – Got up 9:15 Feeling lots better today than yesterday. I mailed three letter for Len after breakfast and filled bird feeders – and cat. Len made bed and I started working more on my green polyester blouse.
After lunch watched “soaps” and wrapped Lens yarn on card board for him. Finished facing on one sleeve of blouse and bound the neck. Cut out and fixed pockets for blouse. Sew on pockets and finished other sleeve and it will be done.
Len worked a couple hours on the crewel picture Lucy gave Susan to send him.
North winds 9 MPH
28° at 11:20 PM
Low 15° High 33°
28° 51° 1977
(Note written on the side for today as well – At long last we can see some ground where the snow has melted. Sure seems so wonderful after all these weeks of shoveling to get through every place one wants to go.)
March 1, 1978 – Got almost an inch of snow last night. Got up 9:00. After bed made and breakfast over, Len crushed nuts and mashed 2 cups bananas and I made 3 loaves of banana tea bread.
After lunch I basted pockets on green blouse and finished last sleeve. Len worked on his crewel picture. He says it is boring. Rather be doing regular embroidering. After watching soaps, I changed pants and emptied garbage into the garden – then crawled under the blocks, so the steel beam would rest more solid – couldn’t get to the ones on left side toward front of trailer.
No cat tonight for his feed.
11:20 PM 14°
Low 14° High 27°
(Note written on the side for today, too – Snowing back yard is over boot top deep, and too deep to drag out the trash to burn yet.)
March 2, 1978 – Got up 9:15 Sure hated to crawl out this morning. Got Susan’s letter ready – Took it out after breakfast then fixed the bird sacks and hung on the spice bough.
When I went out to get the mail – went on over to see Naomi but she wasn’t home. She is down with her mother in Gallipolis. (She is 86 yrs – has pneumonia so she is staying with her for a few days.) Worked on my black & white throw while watching “soaps.” Sewed until after 4:00.
Got paper – soup from freezer for supper. Arch called this evening to see how we were – Lori picked out her wedding dress and veil. Getting married in July.
Winds East 10 to 15
17° 11:20 PM
Low 1° High 24°
Ground covered with new snow at 8:30.
March 3, 1978 – Got up 8:45 Finished letter to Rosie, card for Amy with her birthday money after breakfast. Fed cat and birds when mailed letters.
Snow up over my tall boots. Too tired to shovel this morning so just waded thru. Path completely covered over with 3″ of blowing snow. Cleaned book case tops, and living room and kitchen. Cleaned under reefer & washed outside. Cleaned dewing room and bath room.
Watched “soap” then made a big tuna casserole for supper. Another trek thru snow for the Herald. Started letter to Effie.
Winds 10-15 MPH
20° 11:20
Low 22° High 26°
March 4, 1978 – Got up 8:45 Len had coffee ready – after breakfast changed clothes and went to Evelyn to see if she’ll take me to the grocery some time today. Melissa and her husband were home from Missouri for a visit.
After lunch I worked on my polyester squares for my afghan to pass the time waiting for Evelyn when they got home from Lancaster.
We had supper at 5:30 – Evelyn came about 6:00 – she couldn’t take me, so Linda came over instead. We were gone almost an hour – Len had dishes done and kitchen cleaned up when we got home with the groceries. I shoveled new path to the road again today – Too hard wading through, since more snow drifted in the night.
West winds 5 MPH
13° at 11:20
Low 15° High 22°
43° 53° 1977
_____ WEEK 10 _____
There is a note to the side – “Looking out on the snow in the bright sunshine – it is brutal on the eyes; but in the softness of the night – the light from the security light – it’s fascination to look out the window at the shadows on the snow – glistening, colorful, sparkles, like jewels scattered over the drifts.”
March 5, 1978 – Got up 9:30 to perking coffee Len beginning to rise early nearly [every day]. After breakfast, got an urge to clean. Did wall where cooking utensils, etc – stove hood. Worked until 11:30.
After lunch I spent an hour or so working on polyester afghan. Machine acted up, so Len took it apart and oiled motor and took up pully belt. Had difficult time getting covering lined up, so I helped him.
Made meatloaves while I got supper. Fixed bird feed and hung on bush. Len did dishes while I finished letter to Ethel.
Winds at 4 MPH
1° above 11:30
Low 1° High 23°
March 6, 1978 – Got up after nine this morning. Mailed 4 letters and after breakfast we started getting ready to clean behind the reefer. Took all frozen food to freezer in garage and emptied reefer. Len moved it out – I cleaned evaporator coils. He did floor and I did sides of box and walls. Had a time getting the damn thing lined up to put the holding bracket in place. The floor and walls were really dirty. Mopped most of the kitchen so I can put the long rug back tomorrow – Turned out to be an all day project. Len’s B-day card from sister Pearl.
Winds 5 to 10
29° 11:20
Low 15° High 38°
26° 47° 1977
March 7, 1978 – Got up after 9:15. Len had coffee perked for me – Didn’t do much after breakfast – spent half an hour fixing bird seed balls and put out three bags and 2 containers.
Went to green house and got 5 gal. buckets to clean up to use for laundry. Got a letter from Amy today, thanking me for birthday gift. Cleaned kitchen rug and got it down again. Watched “soaps” after lunch. Sewed half and hour or so on my afghan – again for a couple hours this evening. Snowing pretty hard this evening.
Think heat tape burned out – Have to check tomorrow.
Low 23° High 31°
23° 38° 1977
March 8, 1978 – Got up 8:45 Cat came for breakfast. Boy! He looks so skinny. Put some white clothes to soak after breakfast. Fed birds. Something had taken the sacks off the tree and they were lying on the ground.
Our heat tape seems to have gone blooey again. Crawled under the trailer today, and sure enough. It wasn’t on. Makes the 3rd one to go bad.
Had to shovel new path to road today after last nights snow and wind – Rained about all day today. Very icy outside this evening. Len and I both had headaches this afternoon. Called Dennis about tape this eve. Took hour nap this afternoon. Len napped in his chair. Hands stiff – hard to hold pen.
11:15 PM 31°
Low 26° Hi 32°
22° 61° 1977
March 9, 1978 – Got up. Mailed Birthday cards to Ray and Elwood. Path to road icy – chopped up some of it.
Len and I did washing today. He did all the washing & rinsing. I did the hand wash.
Rained part of the forenoon, and sun came out this afternoon. While Len emptied and cleaned washer, I hung clothes in the garage – all lines full.
Had spaghetti and green beans for supper tonight – a quickie for we were both bushed – Poor old pappy was dragging.
Fog rolling in tonight. Thick and white.
Winds North 5 MPH
31° 11:15 PM
Low 20° High 37°
42° 67° 1977
March 10, 1978 – Got up 9:00 Fog had rolled in and up to the yard from all directions. Washed living room windows. Did some ironing this morning that we washed yesterday. After “soaps” I cleaned bed room completely – mirror and the corners and under bed was a mess. Don’t know where all the webs came from. Hanging from everything. Cleaned living room mirror and all teh pictures on either side.
Chopped ice from in front of small garage door and some off the path to the road. Seems good to see ground again after so much snow – Len worked some on his embroidery. He did supper dishes while I read paper.
Winds 2 to 3 MPH
21° 11:15
Low 20° High 41°
42° 65° 1977
March 11, 1978 – Got up 9:30 Stiff and achy after all the work yesterday. Could barely move my feet and hips. Aching pelvic discomfort.
Cleaned furnace filter this forenoon while Len washed his hair, so I can cut it tomorrow. Washed my hair – couldn’t stand it any longer. Took nap for a couple hours today. Too tired to work anymore.
Len ran the Hoover in kitchen and living room while I made chocolate tapioca for dessert. Brought in chicken from the freezer for tomorrow.
Len did the dishes this evening while I read some of the book I’ve been reading for several nights. “Pilgrims in Paradise” Been a long time since I’ve read a book.
42° 11:15
Low 22° High 46°
39° 74° 1977
Raining steady
