Author: David Haldeman

Thursday, October 9, 1947
Uptown to get paper for upstairs. With a pt of linseed oil too it came to $8. Picked up flowers from Columbus for wedding & got 1/2 doz white mums from Goerlic’s $3.75! Started right after lunch on wedding. 5 corsages & bible showered. Did it by myself with Wally’s helping at the church. Delores with kids & we stopped at Brooks & then ate at “The Coffee Pot” in Oakland Heights. Then to Romines for evening. Florence had delicious pumpkin pie.

Betty Carmean paid her wedding bill of $52.53

Wednesday, October 8, 1947
Another day out doors. Dug out tublip – grape hyacinth – etc that I had heeled in last spring & replanted them. Hauled 6 more loads of manure. Planted 1 1/2 doz hyancinth bulbs around spruce in back yard.

Wally went to Mansfield for banking meeting so we kinda slipped supper. Just had kids in bed after baths & reading to them & Ray came. Had been in Lincoln Park with Scouts & stopped on way home. Wlly home about 11:15.

Paris Romine called saying he was ready to start papering tomorrow. Told him I didn’t have the paper yet so he’s coming Friday.

Tuesday, October 7, 1947
Worked in the perennial border the whole day. Dug out physategia – Kwanso day lily, red violets – spiderwort – sage mallow – shasta daisies – tritoma & ditched most of it. Hauled 3 carts of manure from daddy’s lot*. Was hot working – temp in 80s.

At 4:30 went with Ray out to Rueben Smith’s to collect premiums he gave in connection with flower show. Gave me President Pilkington Iris & I bought a short veronica & a spurge. Was dark when I planted them.

Wally went to school & then on to poker. Ray called about 7 asking me to come out. Felt sorry for me I guess. Had Delores over & he & Flo came for me at 7:45. Went star gazing to refresh Ray for Boy Scout talk tomorrow night & then I helped hime sort & record butterflies to send to Jack Smartt & Dave Bauer – Yuma Arizona. Home at 10:45 – Read & to bed.

[*Lots on Hartford Street where Ray Hemmerly grew gladiolus and other cut flowers for Hemmerly’s Flowers, at the time located at 229 E, Fairground Street.

Monday, October 6, 1947
Circle meeting at Emily Barnharts.

Sunday, October 5, 1947 hot & sunny
Kathy went to Sunday School while I went over home & made up 1 piece of mums. Picked her up at 10:30 & then out to Romines to go to Cedar Swamp*. Mary sick & couldn’t go along.
Had dinner in Urbana & then on south to the swamp. It was a dark, dismal quaky place-really a bog. Arbor Vitae drooping until it was hard to get through. The rest soon gave up & Ray found the prize – fringed gentian growing practically in open water among tall grass at the edge of the trees. Color beautifual & sinze surprising. Took pictures poised precariously. And then back into the bog alone & got some orchid seed pod for Keith Lamb. Kathy complained of headache so started home at 3:15. She threw up but was OK after we got home. Romines came up for waffle supper. Mrs. Tower brought me 2 pictures of Bertha’s wedding. Ray & I took program material to Mildred Gorby.

Wrote 3 page letter to Keith Lamb to send orchid seed.

[*Now Cedar Bog State Nature Preserve, collecting like this is banned.]

Saturday, October 4, 1947
[No entry]

Friday, October 3, 1947
[No entry]

Thursday, October 2, 1947
Wally’s Birthdayt

Wednesday, October 1, 1947
Hard Frost. Killed dahlia flowers & foliage that I had covered. Findished canning peaches – got 17 qts & had all we could eat. Day turned warm & was hard to stay in the house. Brought tuberous begonias in, some to continue flowering – others am drying off at once. Made a “well” around north basement window to keep dirt from washing in over my corsage bench.

To Ruth’s for Wally’s birthday supper. Everything delicious. Wally went to AIB school & I took Ruth & Lewis & kids out to see Mary J. She came from hospital Monday & is better. – Still in bed of course. Home about 9. Ray called.

Wrote to Eamon Ryan. Sent pictures of me – Wally & kids & BRay & I. Some Edward S. Thomas articles & the article I wrote for the Star. Took 2 1/2 hrs.

Tuesday, September 30, 1947
Washed & froze hanging things out.

Camp Operating Committee meeting at Mrs. Courtrights. Buying things for Camp. Authorized me to see about signs & to buy Nature books.

Picked Kathy up then & shopped at Albers. Sugar 10# $.96. Beef chunks $.64 lb. bologna $.49 lb. Didn’t get much for $11. Bought pajamas for kids & a dress for Kathy.

Mended clothes all evening.