Nora and Earl Pierce
As I type my grandmother's diary, written in my mother's neat handwriting (where is the original diary?), it occurs to me that one needs a vivid imagination to see the reality of her life, the happiness, anger, boredom. So few things seem to happen, though I know that a comment like "baked" or "did wash" meant a day of hard work. Her life seems boring to me, though I know that life in that little community was more than just work. The church was well attended, and there were social organizations with lots of meetings. I know, for example, that for years the men met at the little general store/feed mill to play sheepshead. The women seemed to spend time together with church meetings, especially the Ladies Aid Society. I don't know what the R.C.C. was. Some of the ladies mentioned here were the elders who served cake, cookies and Kool Aide to us little children at Vacation Bible School, and who organized socials after weddings and funerals. The last of them have died off in the past few years, and I sometimes went to the wakes just to hear stories.
March 1: Did Saturday work. Blizzard in evening.
March 2: Home all day. E.P. Here in evening.
March 3. Washed. Ironed. Washed windows. Changeable weather.
March 4: Went to see Lydia on business. Mended. Blacked stove. Mr. and Mrs. Weaver, Geo. , I., Lydia B., Elaine D., Earl P., Hawley and self went to Delavan in a sleigh load and had a good time.
March 5: Swept, scrubbed and dusted whole house for L.A.S.
March 6: L.A.S. here, about forty in attendance. Alma stopped to help me wash dishes, stayed to supper.
March 7: Cleaned up house. Done some washing. Went to R.C.C. at Pollards in evening.
March 8: Have a bad cold. Baked and cleaned.
March 9: Cold no better. Attended church both morning and evening. E.P. here.
March 10: Washed, ironed, cut out an everyday dress. Edna ad Mr. Dooley called.
March 11: Cleaned up in morning. Ida Kittleson came in the afternoon and we went to Tibbetts with Hawley in the evening. We went to the neighborhood meeting. It was good.
March 12: Made dress, all but finishing.
March 13: Swept upstairs and finished dress. Went to the store.
March 14: Swept downstairs. Made a night gown and lengthened gingham dress.
March 16: Went to church in morning. Weather blustery.
March 17: Washed and ironed. Went to Loomers for missionary money. Went to store and done shopping. Weather fair.
March 18: Cleaned and mended. Solicited for missionary money. Weather changed.
March 19: Sewed all day. Not feeling well. Pressed coat. Weather fine. Saw first robin.
March 20: Swept, baked cooked. Weather changeable.
March 21: Snow and blustery. Swept. Made apron. Went to R.C.C. and had a good time.
1 comment:
Yes it sounds like drudgery.
But I wonder if that's how they experienced it. Or was it calming like the Zen concept of 'empty mind' & they were at one with reality in some way.
Post a Comment