Author: David Haldeman

Wednesday, August 20, 1947
[No entry]

Tuesday, August 19, 1947
[No entry]

Monday, August 18, 1947
[No Entry]

Sunday, August 17, 1947
Cecropia are really spinnning. 12 in the wooden box & the siamese twin pair that started yesterday are completed.

Went over home at 10 & started in. Made 5 funeral pieces – a big piece for the fair board – daddy always donates it – one for Bibler for over there – one for hospital.

Mother resting comfortably but will probably be there until Wednesday for tests to find out what’s wrong.

Wally working selling tickets at Fair. Started at 12:30 noon.

Daddy took Kathy & David to the fair. Rode on ferris wheel & “Merryon” (merry-go-round) had cotton candy etc.

Had cucumbers for dinner of our Burpee hybrid vines. Tried for 3 years before I finally got the seeds bu no bugs bother them.

Ray & Flo came about 9 – Ray all thrilled about collectin done on trip!

Friday, August 15, 1947
Almost got the house cleaned up but Mary called about 2 saying Mother had had another stomach attack & would I come over & give her an enema. Daddy actually did it – but mother looked awful. Had Dr. Plymale.

Over after supper to do funeral work & tried to act as if I had all evening but we had planned to got to Romines. Ray’s vacation starts tomorrow & he’s going to spend Saturday & Sunday with Baker at Waynesburg – nothing but bug. Was getting stuff ready to take over when we got there. Helped him pack – played ping pong – records – lunch – & home about 12:

Saturday, August 16, 1947
Wanted to go shopping in A.M. but Mary came at 12. In meantime cleaned bathroom good & rest of house somewhat. Photographed 2 cecropia larva that are spinning their cocoons in corner of wooded box entwined. Gene Stratton Porter has nothing on me!
Mary called after lunch saying Mother had gone to hospital. Had X-Rays – blood tests, etc. as her stomach pain hadn’t stopped as it usually did. I went over & did funeral work – Got uptown about 5 – home & got supper. Then over to make a couple more. Home & got ready in a flash – kids & all – wnet out & picked up Florence & Sandra & went to movie at the new “Drive-In” Theater up by Forest Glen. Rather fun, but kids were a little wriggly. Fed Ray’s cecropia & polyphemus & home & to bed.

Thursday, August 14, 1947
Got up feeling punk – bowel & head so was in bed part of the morning when I couldn’t come over daddy made up 4 funeral pieces – and right well I guess.

Got around a little in P.M. Cleaned living room. Kathy at mother’s all day.

Romines came at 7:30 to go to ball game. Had rained about noon & still looked showeryl. Started to sprinkle & I stuck it out until the third inning & then went to car. Hated to sit in a drizzle feeling the way I had. Wrote a letter to Florence Farrell & took a nap & then went back. Eighth inning & Marion was winning 5-1.

Mary stayed with kids. Had a coffee cookie lunch.

Had washed my hair but it wasn’t dry when I took it down & I looked a mess. Heat wave broken.

Wednesday, August 13, 1947
Took all morning getting flowers ready for Mrs Peterson for Benefit Bridge. Wedding basket of glads & arrangements of zinnias, snaps & daisies $7 – Then did a funeral piece & home. Napped a little after lunch. Heat is getting me down – Been in 90’s all week. Jo Stafford came about 3 to sew. House was still a mess. Had corn & beets & tuna fish salad for dinner. George Stafford & Wally went to ball game & see Louie Ruhlman. He sure looks terrible. Lips sore from fever & couldn’t talk very well. Felt like a heel that I hadn’t been up before & hated to leave Jo to go up then. She got her gown done & most of her bed jacket.

Marion man from Zanesville & Staffords left about 11:15.

Tuesday, August 12, 1947
Hung up the second line of clothers & then to mother’s to work. The basement is cool thank goodness. Made 9 pieces total of $78. Wally over here for lunch with us. Got home at 5 so didn’t get anything done to the house before Romines came at 8 to go dancing at Seccaium. Delores stayed with kids. Ira Metcalf played. Has several new members but it still sounded like last year- but good. Ray & I went out looking for meteors about 10:30 but they weren’t enought to make a show. (Perseids). They came in for cheese sandwiches after & I got to bed at 2:30. Wrote to Betty Dunn thanking her for every thing.*

Got another letter from Eire – Keith Lamb wants a pinch of seed of our terrestrial orchids.

[*Betty Dunn (later Frasier) was Mary Hemmerly’s Army buddy at Mitchell Field during WWII]

Monday, August 11, 1947
Worked at mother’s in morning. Made 4 pieces. Hotter than Hades.

Washed in afternoon. Coal came & the dope didn’t water it. Coal dust all over the basement & the clothes & everything. Such a mess. And he didn’t shovel any back so Wally had to do that & put the rest in.

I told Kathy to pick up her toys while I went to get corn or I’d put them in the fireplace. She didn’t but when I started carrying out my threat Wally took her part & she naturally then says – “I don’t have to pick up my things if I don’t want to, do I daddy? Just made me sick for her to develop such an attitude but when I cried Wally slapped me so hard it cut my lip & made it swell. Didn’t want to face Mr. Frew who was coming about [illegible] so spent evening in car over in the garden.