75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - November 5, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

November 5, 1939 

 

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK SMITH, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Sunday, November 5:

I went to church. Billy & Pete stayed home. Got dinner. Ate, Toots, Butch came & took Pete over on 80. Did dishes, sep. Irene & Betty came. Fixed Irene’s hair.  Mabel Hupp, Dean, Wanda here a minute. Bro’t back lamp. Pete bro’t picker at 5:30. Chores, made waffles & went to bed.

My comments:

Harvesting in full gear.

Had waffles lately? I do want to catch that drip...  ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - October 21, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

October 21, 1939

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK SMITH, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Saturday, October 21: 

Did usual work. Betty at Max's. Polly came down & had her hair set. She helped me do the dishes. Toots, Wayne B. & Merle here moving oats. Polly brought Billy's pictures. In to Mrs. Shavers'. She gave Billy a white blanket. Home & chored & then went back in to town again. Home late.

My comments:

Sure wish I had "Billy's pictures" - I don't think any have survived… from that time. Darn!

Glad they got to go back into town for "Saturday nite" - they always enjoyed that… over many, many years!!

Suppose that blanket looked like this?? ;-)

Note: Next entry will be Oct 24... ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - October 19, 1939

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - October 19, 1939

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK SMITH, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Thursday, October 19:

Really busy. Set up front room stove. Cleaned whole house. Make 2 cakes. Had ice cream with b.r. sauce. Don, Norma, Ruth, Glenn, Vic, Ger., Max, Betty, Gary, Verle, LVene, Arnold, Julia,  Merle, Polly, Margaret, Orel here. Sang. Stayed till 11:00.

My comments:

Quite a party. All very familiar persons. Could have just as well been ten or twenty years later!! ;-)

Cake and ice cream sounds pretty good, to me!!

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - September 12, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

September 12, 1939 

 

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK SMITH, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Tuesday, September 12:

Pete & Paul mowing beans on 80. Merle finishing wiring. All here for fried chicken dinner. Ate, took boys back, up home a minute. Home, did up dishes. Polly, Betty here till 6:00. Curled Polly's hair. Took Billy outdoors in his buggy. Pete came at 6:00. Chored, ate, took baths & went to bed.

My comments:

Wish there were a photo of Billy in his buggy!! ;-)

Fried Chicken Dinner will have to do, I suppose! ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - September 10, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

September 10, 1939 

 

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK SMITH, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Sunday, September 10:

I didn't get up until 9:15. Bathed & fed Billy. Mom, Dad & Bussy came out. Had beefsteak. Mom made a chocolate cake. Ate, doing dishes when Polly, Merle, Betty, Irene came down. Irene fitted my skirts again. Looked at fixture pictures. They stayed until 5:00. Ate some muskmelon. Chored. Fed Billy. Had pancakes for supper. Folks left at 9:00.

My comments:

Billy fed well, again, today. ;-)

Beefsteak for dinner.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - September 3, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

September 3, 1939

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK SMITH, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Sunday, September 3:

Didn't get up until 8:00. Cleaned to two bedrooms. Bathed & fed Billy & then got beefsteak dinner. Pete went in to town after kerosene. Ate, did dishes, cleaned up to go riding when Irene & Betty came so we went to Scranton with them. Home at 5:30. Irene took my skirts to shorn. Fed Billy, got supper. Folks came. Ready to eat when Vic, Ger. & kids came. Listened to Roosevelt speech. They all left early.

My comments:

Busy Sunday, good dinner, nice ride, visitors. Listened to the President's Fireside Chat.

Fireside Chat 14: On the European War (September 3, 1939) - see the whole thing:
http://millercenter.org/president/speeches/speech-3315

Roosevelt shortly after giving one of his famous fireside chats.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireside_chats



Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - August 19, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

August 19, 1939 

 

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK SMITH, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Saturday, August 19:
Real warm. Sultry. Pete mowing weeds. LVene, Betty, Polly down to get their hair set. Noon before they left. Had pancakes for dinner. Pete mowing weeds over on 80 in pm. He took the horses up home & I went up after him at 5:00. He wasn't ready so I went to Norma's a little while. Chored, ate, took baths & went in to town. Played the new piano rolls. Ate ice cream Mom made. Down town & did the shopping. Up home at (sic) ate muskmelon. Home at 12:00.

My comments:

Dad appears to have finally cut all the weeks. I'm fighting weeds, here, now, 75 years later… ;-)

How is your muskmelon coming?

 

 

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - August 15, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

August 15, 1939

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK SMITH, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Tuesday, August 15:

 Did usual work. Straightened up house. Pete mowing weed in the pasture. I was cutting up apples when Aunt Lena, Swansons & Betty came. They stayed until after 6:00. Chored, bathed, & went to bed.

My comments:

Pete was using the team to pull the mower to cut the weeds in the pasture.

Mom was cutting apples... can another apple pie be too far away??? Yum! ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - August 9, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

August 9, 1939

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK SMITH, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Wednesday, August 9:

Birthday notes:
Leverne
Betty Smith [he was 24 and she was 20]

Up late. Cleaned a chicken & made a white layer cake for Pete.
Had a really good dinner.
Loan Co. man here to look at the place. Chored early. Batherd & got ready to go to town. Left Billy with Mom. Up home at 11:00. Had cheerios & then came home.

My comments:

Happy Birthday, Dad!! First birthday as a father!! White layer cake!! Yum - did Billy get any?? ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - July 21, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

July 21, 1939 

 

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK SMITH, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Friday, July 21:

Up at 6:00. Fed baby just as Pete finished chores. Hurried & ate & took Pete up to thresh. Home & did my work and went back up again. Had 12 men for dinner. Polly slept until 3:00. Grant, Rita, Betty came & ate dinner. Took Norma home. Home at 4:00. Fed baby. Priscilla had been here and she left the cutest cover. Late with the chores. Folks came & got the washing. Bussy had an airplane ride today. Fed the baby & went to bed.

My comments:

Assume Polly was involved with Toots "operation" and/or recovery. All pitching in. Threshing needed to be done while weather good. NOTE: See article in paper, below the photo.

Have an airplane photo to go with comment on Bussy… hold it off a day or two…

Here is a threshing crew at work… remember them well!

***** Coon Rapids Enterprise, July 17, 2014, p. 5:

75 Years Ago
July 14, 1939

Threshing rigs in operation about the country report medium yields of fair quality grain. W.A. Kretzinger, who threshed Monday, reports his oats went about 35 bushels to the acre.



Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - July 4, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

July 4, 1939 

 

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Tuesday, July 4:

Slept real good again last night. Nursed baby at 6:00. Had a fancy red, white & blue cookie for breakfast. Marjorie, my favorite, gave me my bath. Ate, fed Billy, rested awhile. Was feeding Billy at 3:00 when Don Herron & Glenn Betts came. Betty, LVene, Polly, Irene came. Stayed until the bell rang. Rested awhile, ate, fed Billy. Read a little bit. Pete & Dad came in good time. Mrs & Mr Lund came too. Really hot. Dad & Pete stayed to watch the baby nurse. I just couldn't sleep. It was so hot & my breasts hurt. Finally rained a little bit & cooled things off.

My comments:

Everyone wants to watch her feed the baby… amazing…  ;-)

Suppose her cookie looked like this? Happy 4th of July! ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - June 29, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

June 29, 1939

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Thursday, June 29:

Up in pretty good time. Took Pete over to plow beans & then went in town & got Buss & Mom. Did usual work. Slept an hour in pm & then went down in garden awhile. Over after Pete. Pop stopped awhile over on 80. Home & chores & ate supper. Doing dishes when Polly, Irene, Betty came with papers for me to sign. Bathed shaved after folks left & went to bed.

My comments:

Have to wonder what the papers were…

Cake left over from the day before, YUM!

White coconut layer cake:

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - June 17, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

June 17, 1939

 

 

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Saturday, June 17:

I didn't get up 'till 8:00. Really hot & awfully windy. Betty, Polly & Jo came & had their hair set. They did the dishes. Folks came just as they left. Cleaned 2 bedrooms before dinner. Pete plowing beans on 80. Ate dinner, did dishes. Scrubbed kitchen floor & cleaned the rest of the house.
Mom & Dad worked in the garden awhile. Pete got through on the 80. Dad took me over after the car. Home. Chored early. Ate Sp. Rice. Did dishes. Pete shaved & we bathed & went in to town. Got a good parking space by Kitty's & Bertha's old place. Lyle sat with us awhile. Ed, Elmer, Orville, Erna, Lucille M., Ila Jean, Mrs Lund stopped & talked. Got groceries & came home about 1:00.

My comments:

Cultivating beans when it was "really hot & awfully windy" reminds of experiences on the farm, in my early years… didn't mind leaving that… though, at the time, it was just what we did! ;-)

Don't remember Mom ever mentioning Spanish Rice, before. Did it look like this??

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - May 21, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

May 21, 1939

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Sunday, May 21:

Pete up at 6:30. Did chores. Went to SS & church. Over to LVene's for dinner. Grant, Rita, Pop, Irene, Polly, Merle, Betty, LVene, Verle.
Pop is 70 yrs. old tomorrow.
Talked until 5:00. Home, chores, took washing in. Sat on porch & talked until after 10:00. Home to bed.

My comments:

A full family birthday dinner for Pop. Neat! [Oops! Max, Orrin & Gary not there...]

The never imagined it then, of course, but that was to be the last birthday for him. He died on October 8, 1939. This photo was about a year earlier….

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - May 9, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

May 9, 1939

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Tuesday, May 9:

Up in good time. Max here from 9:00 to 10:00. Pete planting. Ate dinner, did dishes, up home a minute, over to LVene's, in to town & got plow lathes. Betty, Polly, LVene here to get their hair fixes. Max, Gary, Norma here too. Had to get a setting hen from Norma. Out to chicken house when Edith Lund & Harold Johnson came. Harold milked 2 cows. Ate, took baths & went to bed.

My comments:

Lots of folks in and out during the day…

Harold milked 2 cows… with Pete?? I assume…

Needed one more setting hen??? Too many eggs? Just got new chicks, not eggs. ???

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - April 27, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

April 27, 1939

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Thursday, April 27:

Nice day only windy. Did up work.  In to town until 11:00. Got some rhubarb from Rena George. Had wieners for dinner. Up to LVene's & went to club with her, Julia, Betty, Carrie at Selma Hagan's. Our Farm Bureau Group sang. Home and in to town at 5:30. Got 25 more white Rocks from Alex. Came home & fixed them. Did chores & went to bed.

My comments:

More chickens… Do you have rhubarb yet??

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - April 25, 1939

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - April 25, 1939

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Tuesday, April 25:

 Out & worked in the garden. In morning planted radishes, lettuce, beets, carrots. Betty & Polly & Pop here awhile in the evening. Planted beans & peas I had soaked. Did chores, ate & went to bed. Dan Weaver here and looked at sow with 9 pigs.

My comments:

Will her beans look like these?

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - April 20, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

April 20, 1939

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Thursday, April 20:

Did usual work in morning. To town a minute. Took things in for Gleaner's class. Pete discing & harrowing oats east of barn.
LVene, Margaret & Polly came while I was scrubbing. Curled their hair. Finished making smock. Ironed them. Got ready to go to S.S. party at Glenn & Ruth's. Had a wiener roast. 21 there. Home at 12:30.

My comments:

First mention of "Gleaner's class."

She curled a lot of hair! ;-)

"Glenn and Ruth" Bolger, of course, became my in-laws. Nancy was born just 33 days after me. So, whereas Mom was 6 1/2 month pregnant, Ruth was 5 1/2 months along, if I counted right!

Ruth on left, Glenn on right, his sister, Clare, in middle.

Carolyn and Bob?? late in 1938, perhaps

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - April 11, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

April 11, 1939

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Tuesday, April 11:

 Pete didn't get up very early. Really is cold out. Pete sawed a pile of wood in morning.
I did up usual work. Pete disced (sic) after dinner. Merle brought Betty down for the afternoon. I curled her hair. Cleaned out cabinet drawers. Pete chores, ate potato soup, shaved, bathed, & went to bed.

My comments:

Potato soup sounds good for a cold day in April.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - April 7, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

April 7, 1939

This entry is a post from the diary of my mother, twenty year old Eileen KINNICK, 75 Years Ago this date. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.


Here is the daily entry for Friday, April 7:

 Birthday Note: Jean Jenks

Up early. Went up home with Pete. He sowed oats. Slept awhile in pm. Polly to Guthrie Center. Betty made popcorn balls. They gave us 4 quarts of meat & 2 quarts of beans. Home & chored. Were going to the Ball Games but were too tired. Ate & went to bed early.

My comments:

Tired from the party the night before, I suspect. They need their rest.

Oats to sow… in the 1950s, we used a spreader on the back of a wagon, as I recall. We didn't have a separate spreading machine. I like to sit in the wagon of oat seed. ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)