|
1970 Diary (Transcribed by Kathy Desterhaft) Previous month - November TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1970 - I didn't get up very early, but had a good rest; felt pretty good. Gertrude called from the hospital. They were still taking tests. Lillian came down to talk & then did some shopping for me. Pat, Bessie & Louise called. Betty took me down for my appt for my hair & Gene got me. He also put dirt on my roses & then took me down for our party. I really had a good time. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1970 - I didn't get up too early, but got my washing done in good time, mailed letter to sister M. & Joe & Tina. Just sort of straightened up house today & rested a little this PM. Started a new quilt block. Pat came out this eve while the children were at Catechism. She brought me a rotary plate to put under my phone. I wrote to Bro John & sent check to Mary Knoll Fathers & letter to Oblate Philippines saying I got their cards. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1970 - Well, today it's a pretty good day. Damp this morning but warm. Very strong wind today. I mailed Bro John's letter & I got my ironing done & kept at my address book and got along real good. Betty didn't stop today, but I called her to find out what we will do Sat. about going to confession & also my light bill. Gertrude called and would be going home from hospital tonight. Have to go back next week. Louise, Pat & Gene & Lillian all called on phone today. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1970 - I didn't get up very early, but got around OK. Got the mail & talked a while with Ann. Got my first Christmas from Fr. Benda. Then a big surprise call from Bro. John saying he could come home from Dec. 17 to 26 if it was OK & Father Abbot could get his reservations. Now we wait to see. So I have been pretty nervous & excitable. I wrote to Sister to let her know. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1970 - I got around pretty good today. Not really too much to do, but seemed to keep busy all day. I had to wrap the gifts for Linda & Brenda, get card ready for Blaine. We didn't get to Mass on account of going to Gene's for supper for Brenda's birthday. Had a nice time. Dean & Anita & children & I were there for supper & Paul & Lillian & Linda came in the eve. Got home around 11:00 PM & made my late Holy Hour. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1970 - I got up early to go with Gene to 7:30 Mass. Then I got a good breakfast, read prayers. Then Louise, Pat & Wilma all called. Then I got a lunch & got ready to go with L & C to Charles & Anna May's for Blaine's birthday. Then L & C took me to Paul's to celebrate Linda's, Ron's & Mirvin's birthdays. Had a real nice time. All their family was there. Also Gerald's family. Ron & Pat brought me home. MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1970 - I got up in fairly good time to mail cards to Mrs. Larry Eckbring sympathy, Margaret Richey BD. Did up my work, kept going & did a little mending. Betty stopped in to put out garbage this AM. Also got some gifts this PM for me. Gene & I went to 5:10 Mass. I fell down going in, so felt a little sore for a while. Had a pretty good evening. Got mail ready. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1970 - I got around in fairly good time, but was eating breakfast when Brenda came while Betty went to Mass & down town. We had a good time. Then Betty came for me at 12:45 PM & she took Laura & Brenda to school, then made different stops, then took me to the Dr. & she went to Giant to shop for Christmas gifts for me. We got back about 3:30 after getting Philip. I finished my prayers & got supper. Libb, Lyle & Rita came then we played cards. After they left I wrote notes to Tony & John F. Got their Christmas cards ready. Also Get Well card for Fr. S. Ebel. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1970 - Well, today I got up in fairly good time, got my washing started, mailed letters, got breakfast. Betty got my groceries. I peeled potatoes & had spare ribs with potatoes, enough for 4 meals. I wrote to Benny & Joe & Tina tonight & got their Christmas cards ready, got most of my addresses in my book now & ready to start my cards. Bessie called & said Veatress was going to hospital for her arm. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1970 - I got up pretty early & wrote a letter to Sister M, then got it mailed. I also got my mail in and it was starting to sleet & turned out to be a bad day, raining & freezing. I didn't hear from Bro. John so I wrote a hurried letter to him, also one to Leaves about my cards & Gene mailed them for me. I addressed quite a few cards this evening and talked to Bessie. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1970 - I got around in pretty good time, watered plants & washed & dried bedding off of spare room. Betty came & vacuumed floors & put up my hair after I washed it. Had quite a few telephone calls & got some more Christmas cards ready. Feel pretty good - up late again - no letter from Bro John yet. Bad weather today; more rain & some snow. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1970 - This was a pretty busy day. Betty had vacuumed yesterday, but I had things to put away etc, etc. Then Wilma came & was here for dinner & did lots of good things for me, like cleaning the fridge. & cleaning off the table of pictures, wiping up the floors in the bathroom & utility room for me. Betty went to confession this PM & left the children here. Gene & I went to confession then to 5:10 Mass. It wasn't too slippery. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1970 - I couldn't get to sleep last night so I didn't get up too early. I got a good breakfast & read prayers, then Louise came and helped me get letters stamped. Then she took them & mailed them. After dinner Libb, Lyle, Gene's family & Pat's family came & put up Christmas decorations & went home early. I rested, read prayers, then worked on cards again this evening. MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1970 - Got up in good time then right after breakfast got some cards finished so Betty could mail them. I got 18 Christmas cards today. I got Bro. John's letter. It was a little discouraging as they couldn't get airplane reservations and wasn't sure about train. I went with Gene's to Libb's tonight for birthday supper for Rita, Dave's fiancé. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1970 - I got around in good time, got my breakfast, watered plants. Brenda was here for a little while, then Gene helped me get my electric blanket on. I addressed a lot of cards this forenoon and got my dinner on time. Barbara was over for about an hour. In the eve, Joe Frantz & Mary came to visit me & brought a basked of fruit. After they left, I wrote letters to Sister, Larry, Moe's & Gerald's & tied up the cards. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1970 - I sort of overslept and I really got a late start with everything so with phone calls and trying to get my washing started, I really had a time, but made it to get my washing done but not dried, but got my dinner on time & got a rest at story time, clothes dried & folded and dished done. Then Alan & Linda came out for a while. I got the rest of my cards selected so I can address them tomorrow. Betty got groceries & took the cards to go to Veatress. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1970 - I got up in good time & got my breakfast started addressing cards. Gene brought the mail in & I got 17 cards & a Christmas letter today. So Gene visited quite a while. Bro. John called to check & see if I got his letter about the train schedule. Had a few anxious hours after we heard about the accident where Ben works & 2 men killed. Thank God, he was spared. I finished addressing Christmas cards tonight & got them ready to mail; also wrote to Myrtle & a birthday card for Libb. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1970 - I got up in fairly good time. Betty mailed my last letters. She also got more groceries, cleaned my floors & put up my hair. Leonard called & plans to get Bro. J. in the morning. Sister Margaretta called to say she couldn't come until Tuesday. I think I can get along O.K. until then. Resting quite a lot this eve. Been pretty tired this PM. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1970 - I got u and took my bath and got my breakfast and watered plants and did up other work. Waiting to hear if Bro. J. got back. So Leonard called home to let the folks know that they were at Sister's in Houghton & had their breakfast there then they got home at Leonard's just around noon. He came over this PM then we went to 5:10 Mass and he brought me home & then he went to Leonard's for supper & all night. Lee Howell called & said that John F. was coming home right now on the plane to Cedar Rapids. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1970 - I got up rather early so I could get my breakfast eaten before the Shut Ins Mass was on. So then I got all my work done & prayers said before Bro got here. Then I made us a light lunch & we watched TV until Wilma & 3 girls came. Had a nice time with them. They brought a lovely gift of canned goods & candy from the children. Then Paul & Lillian & Linda came & brought a delicious supper & lots of meat TV trays and meat pies. Anna May came with a big fruit basked. MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1970 - Bro. John's 42nd birthday. I got up early this morning so that I could get Bro. John's breakfast early enough so he could take Marilyn to work & then he & Carol to got to Davenport to see Monsignor and then on to Ed's to see them. Also Dick, Reg & family; also Dean. They got back in fairly good time & then we got ready & went to a birthday dinner at Howard Johnson's for Bro. John, Wilma & Libb. Then home here & played cards & had ice cream & cake. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1970 - A pretty good day. I got the housework done the best I could. Had Bro. John for breakfast. Nick had a heart attack today, very severe. Gertrude called me & then Betty let most of the family know. I got my permanent this eve, a gift from Gene's & Pat's. Sister Margaretta got a ride to Iowa City with some teacher from West Point. Dietsch's last day in store. Bro. John went to Wilma's for supper & eve. Bro John worked on his report and then went to Leonard's for lunch & shower. Louise in PM. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1970 - We got up in good time to get Bro. John's breakfast. Sister & Betty went downtown & got groceries and Sister M. stayed at the hospital with Gertrude then home for dinner. We wrapped gifts in the PM & got along pretty good but had company. Wilma went to hospital in the PM. Bro. John had dinner at Libb's & then visited Gene's in the PM & had steak supper with us & then went to the hospital to stay with Gertrude in the eve. I worked on checking account this eve. Sister finished wrapping gifts. THURSDAY, DECMEBER 24, 1970 - Lyle's got me a new light globe. We sort of overslept this morning but felt good & rested & I got the cranberries cooked & chicken loaf made & Pat's & Gene's came early for supper. Sister M. & Betty visited a little in the hosp before noon. Bro. John had breakfast at Paul's & dinner at Gerald's. Gene & Bro. John went there in the forenoon. We had a big supper, then went to 7:30 Mass & I had the children all around me & sit between Bro. John & Sister M. at Mass. We had lots & lots of gifts & a very wonderful Christmas eve. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1970 - We got up in fairly good time, had good homemade smoked sausage from Paul & coffee cake from Carol. Very delicious. Then got ready to go to Pat's early for a very good Christmas dinner and see all of their lovely gifts. Came home early so Bro. John could get ready for his return trip home. He went to Paul's to get his things & to say goodbye. Also to Leonard's & leave the car, then Gene picked him up and he waited a little while & Pat's family took him to Burlington to catch the train. It was only 10 min late. Gertrude called & talked with us. I was quite sick with upset stomach in the night. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1970 - I got up fairly good time and took my bath & feeling some better. Ate a light breakfast and we had ousters for dinner & rested after dinner. Sister Catherine & Eva came down & brought me a gift of cheese. Robbie brought out Christmas gifts. We went to 7:30 mass tonight with Gene's. Louise came out to pot her plants today. No mail. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1970 - We got up around 8:00 AM and had a very good breakfast, read our prayers & got ready to go to our Christmas family dinner, which was a huge success. 98 of our family & 3 guests. I am so very happy & pleased at the good crowd. The weather was lovely and all seemed to have a good time, thanks to our dear Lord for this lovely day. MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1970 - We didn't get up too early. We were pretty tired. Sister & Betty went shopping in the afternoon and Sister got some shopping done with her Christmas money' bought a very nice dress. In the eve, Libb & Lyle came & brought us a good oyster supper and we had a nice eve watching TV with them. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1970 - I got up around 7:00 AM and wrote letters to Joe & Tina & to Benny, and Sister mailed them for me & then since I didn't hear from Bro. John, I wrote him a big letter after breakfast & Sister & Betty mailed it for me when they went downtown in the forenoon. We didn't have any company. Gertrude called in the eve & talked to me; also Nick talked to me. He is coming along fine. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1970- We got up around 7:00 AM & I got my washing started early and finished in good time. Betty & Sister went downtown for groceries & then got out shoes. In the PM Sister & Betty went to see Nick & I kept the children. Then later we got ready and went to Gerald's for supper. He came after us after work. Then Pat's family came & was there for supper for Francis' birthday. We had a nice evening; lots of music & pictures. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1970 - We got around in fairly good time and Sister starting to get her breads mixed. I dampened the clothes for ironing. I felt sort of weak this AM. Gertrude came out shortly after dinner & Sister M. went with her & Robby & some boys to Cedar Rapids. They got me a dress, Sister M. a blouse in exchanged for the sweater they gave me. Tonight went with Gene's to Mass. Feel pretty good at the end of 1970. — •— •— This was a fairly good year, family wise. The end of this year though Nick is in the hospital after having a heart attack but seems to be pulling out of it OK. We had our Christmas family dinner Dec 27 at the church hall in Hills with 101 present, 98 of our family and 3 guests, which made me very happy indeed. 4 weddings also this year; Alan & Linda in May, Joe & Tina in July, Phyllis & Mirv in August, John & Pat in October. Marilyn & Bill had a baby girl also this year & Ron & Pat a boy, Joyce & Denny a boy, Dean & Anita a boy. So that increased our family 8 this year. Bro. John was home for a couple of days at the end of July & again form Dec 19 to Dec 25. Sister Margaretta was home more often being she is now at Houghton Ia, around 60 miles from Iowa City. She came Dec 22 for Christmas and returned home Jan 5. Kenny Milder got out of the service this year after 4 years in the Air Force. Joe M is in N. Dakota at the Grand Forks AFB. John Frantz is back from Vietnam & is at Plattsburg NY AFB. Tony is at Ft. Bliss Texas. He was inducted into the Army this year and is studying languages, especially Vietnamese, so it looks as if he may have to go to Vietnam too. Benny is the only one in Vietnam at present. He expects to get home and out of the Army in April or May 1971 |