1970 Diary

(Transcribed by Kathy Desterhaft)

Previous month - September

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1970 - I got around fairly early & realizing that I had quite a good sized ironing to do, I got it done and prayers read before dinner. Then after dishes, I put my hair up as I had to go to Mike's tonight for Angela's 1 yr. birthday and I had a very nice time. Ken's got me, and Ben's & brought me home. So I got some bookwork home tonight after I got home.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1970 - I got up fairly early and got my breakfast & some prayers read & ready to go to get my hair done. Then Betty came after me & I hurried & got some apples in the oven to bake for our supper & read Mass prayers & got a quick dinner & ready to go with Betty after Sister. We had a good trip down & back and Sister & I got the plants watered & a good supper and had a nice evening.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1970 - Sister & I got up in time to get a good breakfast before we got ready to go to John & Pat's wedding, which was at 10:00 AM. It was a lovely day, a nice crowd and I enjoyed it a lot. After the reception we cam home & got our lunch and seemed like we had work most of the PN. Ben & Joann came out. She brought their wedding gift for J & P.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1970 - It was 32 this morning. We got up early to get ready for 7:30 Mass. We went with Betty then got a god breakfast and gradually worked on our dinner. WE got a good dinner & had Carl & Louise out to eat with us. Louise brought an apple pie. Gene over for a little while. Then Betty & the children came over for a little while. Then we left after 4:00 PM, Louise, Carl & I to take Sister back. We stopped at Mt. Pleasant for a sandwich & cone & drink. Had a good trip. Got back & went to Chas. & played some cards.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1970 - I didn't get up too early, but I got around pretty good today. Betty took my checks to the bank. Pat called early to say that they had a wreck with their car last night on their way to Oxford for their church supper. No one hurt. Wilma called to say they had a good trip to see Tony. Libb called to tell about their Sunday & Sharon the Little Flame of 1970. I went over to Gene's to stay with Philip & Brenda while Gene & Betty went out for their ann. supper.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1970 - I got around in fairly good time & I was going to mail my letters, then it started to rain & Betty mailed them for me. I got the plants all watered & prayers read & ready to go with Betty before 1:30 go to the Dr. for my appt. B.P. up to 150/90 & weight 167, so will have to try to lose some. Went to card party this eve. Gene took me down & Rita Dvorsky brought me home. Had a nice time. Nehre's still fussing about order in their house.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1970 - I didn't get up too early, but got my washing started & done in good time. I got the mail in & got a good letter from Bro. John. I got my prayers all read & got a little rest. Sewed on a quilt block in evening. Pat came out while the children were at Catechism. Talked to Mrs. Nehre this evening. Getting pretty tired but staying up to take my pills.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1970 - I got up in fairly good time. It rained a little this morning. I cut out quilt patches this AM & ironed this PM. Barbie & Timmy were over for a little while. Betty, Louise, Wilma & Pat & Ann called today. I wrote letter to Benny & fixed an ann. card for Pat & Glenn. Made Holy Hour this PM. It rained quite hard this PM & more this eve.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1970 - I got up in fairly good time, but it was rainy, so I asked Betty to mail my letter to Benny & card t Pat & Glenn. I watered plants and did various little jobs & cut out more blue & white quilt patches. So I am set up for quite a while now. Gene brought me green tomatoes tonight. So now I can get my chopped pickle made next week.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1970 - I got up fairly early & took my bath & got started to work. I was sure slow today, but managed to get through somehow. Betty came over & put up my hair. I mixed their sausage for them. I felt sort of bad I couldn't go with them to Libb's tonight. I do miss out on card games & no one comes to play with me. I guess I'm getting too old.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1970 - I got up and got partly ready & then got my breakfast, then got ready to go with Betty to 9:00 o'clock Mass, then home, read prayers & got my lunch. Got ready to go to shower & Betty took me. Pretty nice crowd & a very nice time. Went home with Libb, then went with them to Nichols for the church supper. Then we went to Ed's for the evening. Had a very nice time and I feel pretty good tonight.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1970 - I didn't get up very early, as I got to bed so late. I felt pretty good & Marilyn & Joann called this AM & Pat this PM. I worked at my tomatoes, celery, peppers & onions & ground them ready for my ground pickles or Indian Relish, I call it, and got it draining & I plan to cook it & can it tomorrow. Wilma, Ann & Clarence came up this eve & we had a pretty good visit.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1970 - Gertrude's birthday. I mailed her a card, also Ed's anniversary card & telephone bill. I got up early & I peeled apples for about 2 hrs. so Betty could make pies & we came home. I watered plants & put the vinegar, sugar & spices on my ground pickles, then cooked & canned it after noon. Got 6 pints. Wrote to Tony, Bro. John & Sister M. tonight.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1970 - I got around fairly early & got my washing started & I had 3 batches washed my bedding, also my big bedspread. I went out & mailed my letters to Tony, Bro. John & Sister M. Brenda was here for a while this AM. Betty tightened my sheet for me & finished making my bed. Betty got my groceries this PM. I sewed on quilt block this eve & did some mending. Pat called late. Wilma called this morning.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1970 - Today I got around fairly early & got a pretty good breakfast & then did my ironing. I got the mail & got my prayers read before dinnertime. Gene & Betty picked Ben's peppers looking for a frost tonight. Betty cleaned my floors this PM. I wrote a letter to Velva & Leo tonight for Velva's birthday. Also sent check to bank for safety deposit box rent, also check for Spirit & Life magazine.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1970 - I got up in fairly good time, got my breakfast, made my bed, then mailed my letters & washed my hair, so Betty could fix it up for me at 9:00 o'clock. Then I mixed the noodles & read my prayers. Then Joe & Tina came out & stayed a while. Then I got my noodles rolled out and got my dinner. Then Louise came & visited a while & watered my plants for me. In the evening, Gertrude & Nick came out.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1970 - I got up and took my bather and got started for the day. I cooked a pan of prunes & made vegetable soup for my dinner. Betty took me to Confession, then Sherri & the Savage girl came and was here off & on until suppertime. I got a bite to eat & then got ready & went with Gene to 7:30 Mass. Then the Kaspers came out after Mass for the evening. Kathy made popcorn.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1970 - I got up in time to eat my breakfast before 8:00 o'clock, so I could attend the Mass for Shut Ins over TV. Then I did up my work & read my prayers. Joe, Tina & Larry came out for a while. Then Lillian called & said I could go along out to Gerald's. So I hurried & ate lunch & got ready & they were here. We had a nice time. Came back to Iowa City. Paul got Kentucky Fried Chicken & had a big supper at Paul's, then came home around 9:00 PM.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1970 - I took my time getting around this morning. I had calls from Libb, Louise & Pat. I made a good dinner, spare ribs & potatoes, sauerkraut salad. Sewed on quilt blocks at dinnertime. Rested a little while, then wrote a letter to Bro. John & got his today. This eve I sent names in for prayers for our deceased to Abbey, Seraphic Mass Association, Franciscan Friars of Atonement & Franciscan Mass Associates. Also for prayers for Novena to the National Shrine of St. Jude. Pat called this eve. Rained a little this eve before supper.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1970 - I got up fairly early as I had quite a lot to do, so I made my sauerkraut salad and watered plants and read prayers this forenoon. Had dinner and then got ready to go with Joe & Tina to Gerald's. They came out a little earlier & Wilma also came out for a while & she got to see Tina. Betty also stopped in. We had such a nice time at Gerald's. She had a lovely supper & table set fine with China & silver & candles. Wrote letter to Sister & 2 mission letters $2.00.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1970 - Today I got up in fairly good time & got my washing started. Wilma called early to tell me that Tony didn't get his leave. I talked to quite a few of the girls helping Pauline out about Joe & Tina's wedding gift. Betty & Louise came & got the walls dusted down & the windows all washed & floors done. God Bless them. I really appreciate it. Pat & Nancy came out this eve while the children were at Catechism.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1970 - I got up in fairly good time. I did my ironing & mending today. It was a very rainy day, so Betty mailed my letters when she got the groceries. I made lemon pie pudding today. It was very good. Tonight I went with Gene & Betty to Paul's for the wedding party for Joe & Tina. There were 19 of us all together. The 9 men played cards and the 10 women played Bunco.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1970 - I didn't get up too early but got around pretty good. Joann, Louise, Lyle & Pat all called. Betty brought in my mail. I mailed letter to Mary & the water rent. I fixed the white slip of Sister's and got started trying to figure out the little quilt. Also watered plants. It rained some more this eve & Regina won their game.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1970 - I got up and took my bath and got started at my work. I took it fairly easy today, but still kept busy. I started basting the strips in the little quilt and its not going to look bad either. I went with Gene to Mass at 7:39 tonight the Libb & Lyle, Paul & Lillian came down & we played cards & Paul got my ding a ling clock set back. Lyle put in a new light bulb in the hall. Got letter from Benny today.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1970 - I got up at 7:00 AM, got my breakfast over & then watched the Mass for Shut Ins. Then finished morning or forenoon prayers & then did up my work then got ready, my rosary said & then got ready to go to Wilma's. Carol came after me. I had a real nice day and time went quite fast. Wilma & Clarence brought me home a little after 9:00. Talked to Louise for quite a while.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1970 - I got up in fairly good time & feel pretty good. I called the phone office & they will change my phone tomorrow. I basted on the baby quilt & started sewing on a block. Rested a little while, read prayers. Wilma, Pat Joann & Libb all called today. I wrote to Benny & Maurice's tonight. Late to bed as usual, feeling fairly good.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1970 - I got up fairly early & kept busy about all forenoon. Watered plants & made vegetable soup. The telephone man came & changed my telephone for me, over here by my chair. It should help a lot. I sewed some this PM, then Gene came & fixed a drop cord for me to plug in my heating pad. I wrote to Sister M & Bro J this eve & sent order to Leaves for cards.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1970 - I got up around 7:00 AM & got dressed & my washing started, mailed my letters to Bro J., Sister M & Leaves, made a good breakfast. Lillian came down & brought me a bouquet of beautiful chrysanthemums. I f finished machine sewing on pink striped quilt & started putting in hem on my blue dress. Pat & Nancy came this evening.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1970 - I got up a little earlier for me & had a long day. I ironed & got the blue strips ready for the new quilt so I could iron them. Then Maurice & Andy came & visited quite a while and I had more telephone calls today too. So it was late when I got done ironing. Gene mowed yard. I expect for the last time this year. Betty got my groceries.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1970 - I got up fairly early & had quite a busy day. I did 3 pr. Pants for Gene that I shortened - had pretty good luck with them too. Betty took me down to Hottell's to get my glasses adjusted while she got my watch & capsules. Got home in good time. Little excitement as Pete & Jill's dogs ran away. I called Oxford to let Jill know that the neighbors go them locked up. The Dietsch's, Wilma, Clarence, Ann came this eve.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1970 - I got up in good time. I had a pretty full day in my slow way, watering plants & cooked rhubarb. Put up my hair, cleaned floors & bath & dusted, got Halloween treats ready. I had 12 besides Pat's family. We had a nice time. I was up pretty late but slept pretty good. I feel fairly good too.

Next month - November