I will start with Lil's Diary First. We are following along with Lil's diary from 1943. She and her husband Bob are in their Mid 70s and live a simple but busy life and Bob is doing war duty but being one of the war watchmen on top of the hotel to watch for war planes. Make sure you have read the other entries, just look for the diary posts.
Monday, February 8, Showery & light hail storm. Bob at S. home at 2:30. B.M called a few minutes, wrote Helen.
Tuesday, February 9, Nice but cold. Hard frost. War time started a year ago today. Bob home at 2:30 Up Town to shop, Hair cut for Bob.
Wednesday, February 10, Fine, Frost in a.m. l Cared for Judy, while Ruth went to Dr. to have cast removed. Bob home 2:45 Mrs. Petty going home.
Thursday, February 11, Frost, fine day. Done the washing. Bob home early cut the lawns. He and Unc. had a short visit.
Friday, February 12, Frost every a.m. Fine day. Done the ironing and colored Nuco. Bob home late. Valentine from Jean.
Saturday February 13. Fine day, frost in a.m. Bob home. Early up town to shop.
Sunday February 14. Fine day, no frost but heavy fog. Bob at Air Lookout from 8 to 10. Reading and loafing till bed time.
Will continue next week with Lil's diary.
So Lil's diary is not a busy diary but we are picking up little bits of information about living through the war time. Her diary is a five year diary and she has only small amount of space to write.
So I have added a second diary and it is much more writing but the writing is very difficult to read but I will do my best because it shows us more about the rationing. We are getting closer to time for us to ration food.
This is a one page diary for one year. This is Lena and she is 73 years old and widowed. Her son Richard lives with her. Lena did not start her diary until January 11th because she did not have a diary until that time. Lena has many ailments but she is a very hard worker and determined. Richard has stomach and feet issues and he works at a place that he has to do heavy cleaning . They live in the North Eastern part of the U.S. where it is very cold and near a river.
There is not mention of a car, I do not know if Richard drives one Lena is on foot and possibly a train at times. At one point in the diary you will read about her jeep, this is not a vehicle jeep, this is a rolling basket cart you would see someone walking with groceries from the store to home.
Some words are shortened like many diary writers but Lena writes out more than most.
I will show you a few pages so you can see her handwriting and then I will be typing out the diary. I will catch us up to our actual date now and we will be caught up to Lil's dairy. I will then do one week of diary entries each week and possibly sometimes I might need to do two week postings if I have something where I cannot do a week. I will do my best to keep this going all year.
Monday, Jan 11th 1943 So the diary begins. Had quite a day. Got up with one of my stomach aches and didn't get around to do much til 10.30. Rather than 10:00. Went down and sawed a little wood then after dinner did my washing which was small and dried over the furnace. Then not satisfied took out the furnace ashes about 3 pails. Some how I felt pretty tired after supper and went to bed early.
Tuesday, Jan 12, Went over street this P.M. and did a lot of errands. Just got this diary. This is the first pleasant day for quite a spell. Bot me a bag, imitation alligator for $1.00 as my old one was pretty badly worn. It is getting hard to find somethings. I got 2 lbs. Parkay no nucoa no pimento cheese today. Paid tele & Elec light bills Guess Ill go back and write a little on yesterday. Got some rat-nip as the mice bother me so. 40 above at 3 O'clock.
Wednesday, Jan 13, Sun shining but a little colder, I think 12 above. Didn't get up very early as I took wintersgreen? sp? then went back to bed. Made a tapioca cream and pork chops with dressing. Richard thinks he is anemic wish I knew. He doesn't have a he-mans appetite but never did only when he was along the hungry age. Went over street the Home Loan says they didn't receive no payment. I sent it and they are sending a tracer. Did a little shopping. Got me some Kraut juice as it is laxative Richard says.
Thursday, Jan 14, 6 below Seems like a cold day but sun shines most of the time. Took the 3 remaining Magnesia tablets which I haven't taken for some time and they seemed to cure my stomach and I got around better after. I got the house warmed up. Made 4 cup custards and did my ironing which was very small and dried beef and succotash and apple dumplings. They wern't very nice but a change. Funny, I want to sleep most of the time this cold weather. Might try and hibernate". Didn't go out ordered a chicken and eggs off book. Sawed quite a pile of wood and didn't seem to wind.
Friday, Jan 15, 35 degrees Part Sun and part snow showers. Didn't do very much. Washed a little and called up for oil had 45 gals and am entitled to 27 more on coupon 3. Must have used 2 gal a day. Mr. Cook brot 2 doz eggs and a chicken, is asking .38 cts and a little over 5 lbs. eggs. I think are a little more. Paid him $2.84. 1.94 for chicken and .90 for eggs so they are still .45. Took out waste and ashes. I feel it a task some days. Got some rat-nip and put some around down cellar and in pantry: Mice seed" is recommended.
Saturday, Jan 16, Quite a nice day and guess my rat -nip worked for I found a dead mouse when I went in the pantry and they seemed to have eaten what I put on one shelf. Haven't seen a mouse yet. Made 2 apple pies and ordered from Gurino had a piece of steak for R-s dinner (Richard) also for supper but pretty tough altho it was rump and they called it good. Ordered chuck for a pot roast someday. Had a letter from Vinton, He passed his test and they said he had a heart ailment. Said he never had any trouble.
Sunday, Jan 17, Cloudy all day and not very cold. I cooked the chicken and it was nice but Richard is worked up over is fire at tile building. He started it last night. They put the grates in and he had it going and got home about 8. Story interferes he says. Id report him. Had to lie down after dinner was so tired and sleepy and should write letters. Wrote two letters, made an order to Sears and sent for 1 yrs sub to Farm Journal and Farmers wife.
Monday, January, 18, Rather a stormy day and I did my small washing and dried it over the furnace. Quite a lazy way to wash but I think my comfort worth more than drying some old clothe. Went over street and had a load home. Got some pigs legs, just 3 pieces and will make souse of them. Made Chicken soup for R-S supper and he really seemed satisfied. Hard to get anything he wants, seems to have poor appetite all the time but got some Magnesia tablets he thinks they help him.
Tuesday, Jan 19, 25 above, This is a disagreeable day and sleet and almost rain, but too cold and seems to be growing cold with a very strong wind late afternoon and clear this evening. Guess it will be colder in the morning, Having a lot of cold weather and do hope it will be an early Spring. Had two letters eve and Geneva. Geneva sent one enlarged photo of the group at Fred's. Much plainer. Finished ironing this P.M. and cleared the roof and cleaned the path front lot of snow or sleet.
Wednesday, Jan 20 It is quite cold about 7 above. Didn't feel like doing much today got along. Richard posted some letters. I wrote this forenoon, Sent a birthday to Mrs. Denison a little late and wrote a card to Eunice as Geneva said she had a bad cold which kept her home from work the last she heard. Well I cleaned up after dinner after awhile I had the rest of the chicken and made vanilla ice cream with nuts for a change and took out 4 pails of ashes then did a little sewing then went down and sawed wood and made kindling did quite a bit.
Thursday, Jan 21, 3 below. This is a cold day altho the sun shone but the thermometer didn't get up much above zero. Now at 5:45 it is 5 above. I thot I'd go out this P.M. but lost my courage as Richard came home rubbing his ears and I guess it is colder than yesterday when the wind blew hard but still and cold today. I made molasses cookies with nuts and raisins and they were very nice, I thot. Haven't bot a cake this week. Went down and sawed some wood and made kindling wood too. A great comfort to have a fire.
Friday, Jan 22. Another cold day and perhaps just a little more sunny. I went over street and seemed no worse for it called in Bartans and Pearl was there. I found some nucoa and pimento got a can of salmon .22 cents. First I've seen for quite a while. I have to get things when I can and did very well today. They seem to have dried beef, got a glass. Bread is unsliced now and it seems odd but am glad. 10 above at 9:30 tonight.
Saturday, Jan 23, 5 above. Gradually warming up and coming more cloudy in the afternoon. Picked up around the house and got dinner then went to N. Leb and got Hamburg, best round steaks and 2 lbs kidney beans .18cents and Cal oranges 6 - .25 cent. good sizes. Came home and wiped up the kitchen floor and washed the dishes. Pretty good day and also sawed a little more wood for kindling. Now at 6 is starting to snow. Folks next door got in some coal. They are having a coal stove. I'm glad as their windows frost from top to bottom.
Sunday, Jan 24, 28 above. Sun shines this morning. Didn't snow any last night. A bright moon cleared it off. Lena Whitcomb called this P.M. They are burning coal instead of wood this winter in their furnace but they don't burn much oil, I don't see how they burn so little.
Monday Jan 25. Today is much warmer and the water comes down through the Piazza roof right by the entrance. Put my clothes out today at 10 clock 40 above some difference! Dark and cloudy looks likes some kind of storm.. Canned 2 pints of soup as we didn't seem to want it. Went down and found my fire entirely out so had to make it up and use some wood so went and sawed some more and split some for kindling.
Tuesday, Jan 26, 38 above. Colder today and part sun and part cloudy. Got the clothes ready to iron but didn't do any ironing but mended. Called by Dr. Stephens and he will probably come tomorrow morning. I want his advice about Richard, His stomach is worse than usual which is pretty bad. Too much of that common cheese I think. I called up for a 5 lb pail of honey and it was brot this P.M. It doesn't seem as strong as what we have had.
Wednesday, Jan 27 20 above. Good sun today and Richard left a note going to Windsor to clean the exchange and I hope he feels better, he has been off his feet, has been eating a lot of the regular cheese. I called up Dr. Stephens he didn't come this a.m. so I went up on his office hours and the mob he had in there about 2. I didn't bother him much but was 4 when I got out and a lot in there. He was nervous, he gave me an appetizer and other tablets for ? I'll take care of myself. I called on Mrs. Clark she looked bad. Did some shopping.
Thursday, Jan 28 10 above. Made cup custards and a mince pie and wanted to wash Richards clothes but will do them tomorrow. Had to lie down this P.M. Felt rotten and got up 5:45 and carried out 4 pails of ashes had begun to snow, was afraid it would snow us in. Richard feels Ann had neuralgia. He is so down hearted and is working too many hours. Four in the morning to 8 at night.
Friday, Jan 29, 9 above this morning. Quite a snow storm. I must push the snow off the roof. Well I pushed the snow off the roof, 4 or 5 inches. I should say looks more. I see in todays paper they had a fierce blizzard in Boston. I didn't hear any very fierce wind and the snow seemed very level this morning.
Saturday, Jan 30, 2 above. Did a big days work after I got started. Baked beans but not very good tasted like poor baked beans. Don't seem to care for them made molasses cookies with raisins and spice and spread the dough on the cookie pan then cold cut them easy way! Didn't go out. This morning cleaned out the refrigerator and took out the drain and moved over, then cleaned the back which was black as it was hard to get behind it. I worked most of the forenoon. Had fish hash for dinner. Richards medicine works fine, he seems much better natured too.
Sunday Jan 31 22 above. Warmer and cloudy and the ice on the piazza roof melts and runs down through! Each end is deep ice cant be helped as the weather makes it. Feel all in but expected I would a little too much work yesterday as I ironed and cleaned the kitchen floor last, also took out the ashes. I like to work but gets me down. Don't feel like writing letters but aught to. Had to lie down and now almost five o'clock.
End of January
Monday, Feb 1, 34 above. Well I'm 73 today and have worked as usual instead taking a long walk as Fred said he did when he was 70. I've sawed and split and made kindling for have quite a little pile of wood for the stove went over street after dinner and got my allowance of sugar and other things came home and washed Richards clothes. The water has been coming down through the piazza roof all over and he climbed up and chopped the ice pile up at each end. Hope that will help. "Ground Hog Day tomorrow". I don't believe in it. My things came from Sears, a bottle of Nupal and began taking tonight.
Tuesday Feb 2, 20 above this morning a little before 8. Did the washing and dried over the furnace. Rather a slack way but the water still leaks down through the roof and then the clothes are dried and out of the way quicker! Couldn't seem to spunk up and dumped down for the afternoon, was so tired out but didn't do much today. We have a lot of snow and the sun shown brightly all day. Guess the ground hog saw his shadow if he came out which I doubt.
Wednesday Feb 3, 6 below. Pretty cold and sun shines brightly this morning. Guess Feb is having the big lot of snow a usual as Feb is the snowy month. Finished the ironing, made escalloped potatoes and had dried beef and an apple tapioca with whipped cream. This coffee cream does very well as just a might of gelatin in it.
Thursday, Feb 4, 27 above. This is a cloudy dark day. Looks like rain, this noon had planned to go over street but haven't got any letters ready. Had a small pot roast and turnip and made cup custards and graham rolls.
Friday, Feb 5, 33 above. Did a little washing and made an apple pie for dinner and had fried perch. Have 1 lb of Parkay and got a lb of nucoa at A&P. Had a lot of stuff at the A.& P. All I felt to carry, oranges and some canned stuff.Can of chicken noodle soup, can of salmon and washing powder, scouring soap etc. Woman next door brot cards to sign. I want to do a little work for the Red Cross, but Richard has no time for any extra work. The stoker is behaving badly at Colodney's and has a man fixing it.
Saturday, Feb 6, Cloudy towards night but not very cold. Came on snowing this late P.M. but may not amount to much. I'm using to much oil and must try and cut down somehow. Had pork chops and a lot of fat just enough for Richard and I . Don't feel like buying more and I like the rim fried nice and brown. Had mashed potatoes and string beans with cream and chocolate pudding. We will have to try hard to get along. Made a Johnny cake, was nice. I had enough dinner and I hope Richard did. This is Sundays record. I am getting so helpless.
Sunday, Feb 7 I wrote todays record in yesterdays page. I had the dinner as I noted in yesterdays page. Today haven't much to write today. Yesterday made 4 cup custards and cleaned up the house, washed and waxed the kitchen floor and wiped around the doors etc. Today was Sun in the forenoon but clouded up then snowed late afternoon.
End of this posting.
Next week I will post two weeks of the diary and then I will be on track. My fingers got tired out typing. See you soon. Grandma Donna
