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 - October 8, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

October 8, 1939 

William Emanuel Smith

(1869-1939)

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, October 8:

Polly & Merle woke us up at 3:30. Pop died of a heart attack. Didn't suffer. Was in town last nite. Pete, Billy & I went rite up there. Stayed for breakfast. Came home, chores, cleaned up, folks came & stayed with Billy & we went up there for dinner. Home & fed Billy. Pete chores, folks stayed with Billy at nite & we went in to funeral home to see Pop. He surely did look nice. Up home again & they fixed obituary etc. Charley & Bertha were there. Home at 10:00 & folks left.

My comments:

Quite a shock to everyone. So sad to see. But, we all go sometime. Getting closer every day!

Pop!


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 2, 1939

 75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

September 2, 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, September 2:

Pete up to Hufferd's shelling corn. Bussy fixing his airplane. I cleaned the house. LVene came & had her hair fixed just before noon & Polly came just after dinner. Waxed kitchen & dining room rugs. (sic) Pete home at 3:30 & finished plowing so. field. Chored, ate, bathed & went in town. Bussy to show. Took Billy down on street with us. Home at 12:00.

My comments:

Did the corn sheller look at all like this?

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - August 31, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

August 31, 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, August 31: 


Bussy rode his bike out. He & Pete plowed awhile in am. Ate, did dishes & went in town. Pete had his hair cut & I got 2 permanent curls. Home at 3:30. Chored, cleaned up & took Billy to Polly for her to keep. Went to Des Moines with Irene, Bernice Eyestone. Danced to Paul Whiteman. He really was good. Pete drove. Home at 3:30.

My comments:

Irene had asked them to go to Des Moines this evening in her car. Sounded like they had a great time. Paul Whiteman had been known in earlier years at the King of Jazz. Here he is, as he appeared in the film, "Rhapsody in Blue," in 1945:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Whiteman

Families are Forever!  ;-)

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

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

August 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 Monday, August 21: [bold]

Birthday note: Pauline Bower

Didn't get up very early. Pete & I both washed our heads & then we went in to town & down to Leo's to help him. Ida Marie was up to her folks. Ate there. Home after dinner, changed clothes & went back in. Did the chores, bathed, & went in again. Folks kept Billy and we went to Hal Stewart dance. Floor swell & we had a keen time. Band was real good. Had malted's at intermission. Home at 2:00.

[Big letters, under, like a reminder to herself] 4 Co Fair?

My comments:

Was Hal Stewart band there for the Fair? Apparently a dance floor that was new to them, or, a temporary floor, perhaps? Nice to see them back dancing. They really like to do that, for sure!! ;-)

I put "Malted Milk 1939" in a Google Image search, and this is one of the images that came up, from my post of August 5!!!

 

 

… as well as this one, further along… guess it is ok to use photo for this source… I've contributed a bunch, myself, it seems.

P.S. Actually , most of the folks in these photo are mentioned, here, even though the search picked up the "1939" as the primary search. Don't you just love technology!! ;-)



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 13, 1939

 

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

August 13, 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, August 13:

Up at 5:30. Real busy all morning. Lils, Edna, Gertrudes & WIlbur were here. Had fried chicken $ ice cream. Gertrude showing pictures of their trip. Took pictures of the group. Had the watermelon that Gertrude brought. Leo, Ida , folks stayed for supper. Aunt Lena, Nellie, Polly, Irene here awhile. Ate supper. Leo sick. After folks left we went up home. Saw Toots & Swanson's. Home at 11:00.
[Under, in big letter:]
Celebrated Mom & Dad's 25th Anniv.

My comments:

Never mentioned the gift. She was fully occupied with playing hostess. Seemed to pull it off well.

Swansons were to become Toots' in-laws… from Shenandoah, or thereabouts, as I recall.

Watermelon anyone?

Families are Forever!  ;-)

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

75 Years Ago Today 

Eileen's Diary

August 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 Thursday, August 10:

Birthday notes: Edith L.

LVene & Julia came in the T. LVene had her hair set. I washed & set mine. Pete & I went up home. Polly gave Billy and enama. Ate dinner there. Pete bro't the team down here. I came home & got ready for club at Dora's. Rained hard. Played piano. Ice cream & cake. Home at 5:00. Chored. Ate supper. Leo, Ida, Karen & the folks here until 9:00. Bathed & went to bed.

My comments:

Another day filled with different activities, for sure.

This is a team from the Smith place, about this time. Likely these are the same ones! 

Families are Forever!  ;-)

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

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

August 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 Saturday, August 5:

Birthday note: Rita Ballard

Up late. Pete took threshing machine back up home in morning & I went to Carroll to the Dr.
Everything is OK. Shopped for Merle. Talked to Mr. Clayburg.
I got a new brassiere & dress. Home at 6:00. Chored, ate, cleaned up & went in to town.
Folks kept Billy. Parked in front of Barber's. Had a malted milk at the Ice Cream Shoppe.
Home at 11:00.

My comments:

Have you seen your Doctor on a Saturday, lately???? ;-)

Great that everything was OK. Looks like a "normal" Saturday night!

Photo of Polly and Merle Bower, and their girls, Joyce on left, Joan in center, plus Judi Hilgenberg on right... this is about 5-6 years later, of course.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

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

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

August 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 Thursday, August 3:

Up early. Took Pete up home. Frosted cake, bathed Billy & got rest to go to Toots' to cook for his threshers. In Polly's car. Had a keen ham dinner & ice cream. Stopped to show Billy to Aunt Lena. Stayed there nearly an hour. Went in to town. Bussy doesn't feel so well tonite. Home, did dishes, separator, ate, bathed, & went to bed.

My comments:

Aunt Lena was a sister of Michael Smith, so, my Dad's great-aunt… Always called her Aunt Lena. She married Bert Brown, they had a farm over near Scranton. No children.

Her she is, a couple of years later, holding cousin Judy Higenberg. ;-)

 

P.S. This is the day Nancy Bolger was born to friends, Glenn and Ruth Bolger, but Mom didn't know about it yet, of course. ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)

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

75 Years Ago Today
Eileen's Diary
July 27, 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, July 27:

Up early. Made 2 cakes. Took Pete up home. Threshed here.
LVene, Polly, Folks, Delma, Clyde, Ferne, Claire, Buzz here, too.
Had chicken & ice cream. Real hot & were we ever busy. Played & sang in pm.
Ida & Leo came awhile. We girls rode up home with Pete a minute. Home, chores, ate, Pete bathed, Leo & Ida came again & then Claire played again & we all sang 'till 10:00. To bed.

My comments:

Fed the threshers at their house… and had family company, as well!

Ferne, Claire and Buzz were the children of Clyde and Delma Luse.
Ferne was Mom's age, Claire a little older, Buzz was younger… "favorite" first cousins, it seemed.
They became semi-professional musicians in California a few years later.
They all loved to sing!

Here are Claire and Ferne, about this time, perhaps a couple of years later:

I think this was probably taken at their home near Sioux City, but I'm not certain.


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 19, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

July 19, 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 Wednesday, July 19:

Got up and fed baby, went back to bed & didn't get up until 7:30. Ate, Pete picked a pail of beans. Bathed baby & fed him & then fixed 9 quarts of beans. Got dinner. Fed baby, ate, & then took Pete threshing at Anderson's. Up & talked to Polly a minute. Home, did dishes, & canned 5 quarts of tomatoes. Polly came down a minute. Fed baby. Late with chores. Really tired. Ate late, I slept while Pete bathed. Fed the baby & went to bed. Rained a lot.

My comments:

Quite a day. Much canning going on… but, "fed the baby" a lot, as well!! ;-)

How about those tomatoes, today! ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - July 13, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

July 13, 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, July 13:

Up in pretty good time. Had Polly come down to see rash on baby. Took him to Carroll to Dr. Polly, Pop & I. Got new shoes. Didn't get home until 6:30. Ate at Carroll Cafe. Pete milked & then we ate. Glenn, Ruth, Bobby & Carolyn came & stayed until 10:00. Took baths & went to bed.

My comments:

Assume the rash was taken care of… shopping… ate at Cafe…

Not mentioned, of course, is that Nancy was there, as well, about 3 weeks or so from making her first appearance. When we say we grew up together, we were not kidding! ;-)

Here are the three Bolger kids, a couple of years later…

Families are Forever!  ;-)

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

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

July 12, 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 Wednesday, July 12:

Overslept. Didn't get up until 6:30. Did we hurry. Junior helping bind again. Polly here a minute. Bathed baby. Ila did sep. & dishes. In town & washed. Home & got dinner for boys. Baby fussed awhile after dinner. Ila cleaned the house. Rested. Gertrude, Everett, Anita Carlson, John, Jeanette here just while we were eating. Lil & Del, Bertha, Warren, Roberta, Dennis came use as Pete got through milking. Left early. Bathed & went to bed.

My comments:

Baby not getting enough attention…  !!??!!  ;-)

Too many "guests," as well. ;-)

Binding oats, in the field...

Families are Forever!  ;-)

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

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

July 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, July 11:

Up at 5:45. Ate, gave baby his bath. Had chicken dinner. Junior here. Baby fussy in pm so I called Polly. She said he had indigestion. She left about 6:00. Ate & then Pete chores. Max & Orrin & folks came. Pete bathed & then we went to bed. Really slept good. Baby fed at 3:00.

My comments:

Beginning to get back to normal, perhaps. Still have visitors, though.

Chicken dinner. Fried? Yum! ;-)

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!  ;-)