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

75 Years Ago Today
Eileen's Diary
July 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 Monday, July 31:

Took Pete up home. They threshed flax at Vonnahme's. I had an end curl from Jennie. Up home for dinner. Karen & Billy both there. Down town shopping in pm. Home at 5:30. Pete didn't come till quite late. Chored, ate, & went to bed.

My comments:

Here is a photo of Karen and Billy at Grandpa and Grandma Kinnick's house, actually the following year. Don't have earlier ones. This feels right, to share, today, however! ;-)

Aren't they cute!! ;-)


Families are Forever!  ;-)

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

75 Years Ago Today
Eileen's Diary
July 29, 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, July 29:

Threshing at Moylan's. I was going to help but baby seemed to have a little cold so I stayed home.
Made a burnt sugar cake & cleaned whole house. Up after Pete at 6:00. Chored, ate, bathed & went to bed.

My comments:

"How convenient…" Do you suppose she thanked me, for having "a little cold??"

Good excuse to look at a 'burnt sugar cake," again! ;-)  YUM!!! ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - July 28, 1939

75 Years Ago Today
Eileen's Diary
July 28, 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 28:

Couldn't thresh in the am. Pete went in to town awhile. Had chicken dinner early & he went over to Bud's to thresh. Did dishes & went in to town, & washed & ironed. Home at 6:30. Ate, Ed Kult came. Made 2 qts of ice cream. Bathed & went to bed.

My comments:

Since nothing special, today, I'll catch up with that "airplane ride" that Buzzy took a few days earlier… I had this photo of a plane like he likely flew in...

This is a 1939 Stinson...

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 26, 1939

75 Years Ago Today
Eileen's Diary
July 26, 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, July 26:

Pete threshing at Laurensen's & Herron's. Washed my hair. In town to dinner. Clyde & Delma's came. Home at 4:00 & cleaned my house a little. Pete came at 7:00. Chored & all the folks came out for a few minutes & then went down to Rasmuses. Cleaned up & went in to town until 11:00. Home to bed.

My comments:

Delma was another sister of Dorothy, Eileen's Mom. Clyde and Delma were uncle and aunt. They lived up near Sioux City… eventually went to California for rest of they lives.

Here are the three Sorensen sisters, within a few years of this date:

Louise, Dorothy, Delma

Families are Forever!  ;-)

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

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - July 25, 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, July 25: 

Bussy had a blood test for his tonsils. Cleaned the house a little bit. Looked at new catalog & rested. Down & picked a few beans, tomatoes & cucumbers. Pete threshing at Bowman's. Folks came out at nite & stayed until the baby fed. Bathed & went to bed.

My comments:

Doctors seemed to like to "take out" the tonsils!

Glad she rested some…

Haven't shown cucumbers yet? Have you picked any yet this year?

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - July 24, 1939

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

July 24, 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, July 24:

Took Pete up home. Bathed baby & then Julia & Edith came & got cream to help serve Berthal's threshers. Left for Carroll at 10:30. Mom, Buss, Billy & I. Real hot. Ate at Carroll. Saw Dr. Baby weighs 10 1/2 #. Home at 3:30. Quite tired. Mom & Dad & Buss left here at 6:00. Rainy. Chored, bathed & went to bed.

My comments:

She was tired… her writing style showed it! Billy gaining weight 'nicely.'

Notice that threshers moved around the community… different groups of men, worked at different sites… big noon meal at different  place each day. Quite a well orchestrated tradition!! ;-)

Cream came from the separator… milk separated into milk pail and cream can. Cream sold, milk consumed… by family or hogs.

Here is a 1939 new International Harvester separator - with model! ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)