Author: David Haldeman

Sunday, June 1, 1947
Could hardly even croak but somehow managed to direct the Children’s Day rehearsal. Practiced during Sunday School. Rushed out to George Stafford’s to see his iris. Then home & Ray had called. The Iris Society tour in Columbus began at 1 – so quick lunch & picked Mary & Betty up & then Romines – Mother kept K&D. Had quite a time finding first place & they were just leaving there. At next on saw Prairie Sunset – a disappointment – Ormoor [sic?]- Golden Treasure – and from then on each Garden had its treasure. McCormick on W. 9th had most & best labelled in a yard much like Aunt Mays. Arlington Garden had the most expensive ones. Started raining. Stopped at Botany Garden & their iris were grand. So was the whole thing. Then to Harry O’Brien (Plain Dirt Gardener) had Cascade Splendor – Remembrance – California Gold – $300 bed he said – Only a few blooming. Dumped Romines. Supper at Mother’s & was just getting kids to bed when Mary Johnston came – to see Betty. But we visited a while before she went over there. To bed at 10:00 with headache.

Saturday, May 31, 1947
Moved things all out of living room again.
No rug layers by 11:30 so I called Lazarus. Layers wife having baby “unexpectedly”. Will come “sometime next week.” But I had invited all the people up – so they came to bare floors. Betty Dunn in on bus from Detroit. Has quit job in New York for weekend. Every thing including me a mess.

Wally helped Daddy on car. Rather pretty day & dried off some but didn’t get anything done in yard. Iris are starting to bloom – Old varieties.

Romines – Mary & Betty – Mary & Bob Woolley – hard entertaining a group like that – especially with some of living room furniture in sun room. Bernard & Rosina Brooks in at 11:30. Had been to Alumni dinner.

To bed about 1:00.

Friday, May 30, 1947
Moved bedroom furniture back in.
Left over dishes to do while Wally took Kathy to parade. David slept late. Then made 60 corsages of 2 roses each for Edith Russell’s club. $10. Hurried & baked cookies & got lunch. Fixed hamburger for Pioneer drumsticks & Mary, Romines & us went to Camp Young at 1:30. Sunny but cool. Mary & I listed plants – accompanied by kids most of time. While Wally & Florence shot & sernned [sic?]. Ray chased butterflies. I got a list of 85 herbaceous & 29 woody plants. Edith Keeler & Jeanette Powers were up & listed about 12 birds – Ray added about 10 butterflies & moths. So eally accomplished somethingl. Frews up with Holdridge to evaluate land next door. 7 acres woods.

Had repeat of G.S. Licensing Course supper – at which Florence turned up her nose. Ray, Mary & I talked around fire & then cleared table. To Ray’s to see iris in last light. Norveta & then up here for a little while.

Thursday, May 29, 1947
Painted all the woodwork in bedroom – ivory & athen varnished floor. Hurried me to get ready to go after Mary in Columbus at 3:30. Got her about 5 & took 45 minutes to get across to Smith & Young for the roses – Traffic terrific. Wanted to shop a little but no luck. Stopped in Worthington for a snack. Stopped at Albers to get hamburg for tomorrow. Had lunch on the run. Wally mowed lawn.

Poor David has chicken pox along his eyelashes – in his ears & all over. A little fussy but not sick.

Wednesday, May 28, 1947 David breaking out with chicken pox.
Out along Scioto to get camassia for Daddy.
Mother & daddy having time finding enough iris to fill orders. Got some from Ruben. He came on over here & talked garden. Shame to waste beautiful day like this in house. Finished woodwork in bedroom. First coat. Things moved into living room & it’s a mess.

Ironed living room curtains & draperies came back from cleaneres so got them up.

Romines up at 7 to see iris & then out to George Stafford’s. He wasn’t home but his Eleanor Roosevelt good.

First look at Ray’s iris – Summer Tan – Dolly Madison – Mary Seward – Happy Days – Eros & some good unnamed ones. Ping pong & since Ray hadn’t wanted us to come out I suggested we go home about 9:15 & was looked upon scathingly. Florence said “We laid out the whole evening for you so you might as well stay since you’re here.” However none of my ideas for vacation met with her approval.

Tuesday, May 27, 1947
Edith Russel (colored) called about corsages for Fri. Will make her 10 – using 2 roses in each for $12.50 Called Smith & Young & can get them Thursday.

Card from mary saying Lazarus used their men to lay carpeting in store Sat. Wait till they get my bill for inconvenience.

Washed living room curtains & sunroom draperies & rugs. Raining again so they are still in the basement.

Wally took tiles out to Romine’s – I washed sunroom windows. Sandra is really broken out. Too bad.

Daddy called saying grandma Sheneman had fallend off east steps of porch & broke her arm above wrist. In bed with a sedative.

Wally cleaned bedroom papers before going to poker game.

I rewrote playlist for children’s day & got it reqady to send to participants.

Had popcorn. Take a bath – scrubbed bedroom floor – to bed 12:15.

Monday, May 26, 1947
[No entry]

Sunday, May 25, 1947
[No entry]

Saturday, May 24, 1947
Spent morning getting ready for rug layers – Even to scrubbing floors. Wally stayed here in afternoon watching for them while I went back to Camp Young with Mary H., Edith Keeler & Jeanette Powers. Gang up there (about 12 took the course.)

Friday, May 23, 1947
Joyce Blair birthday
Worked on house all morning. Had to forego the Garden Club District Meeting at Country Club.

Drove up to Camp Young in afternoon for Camp Licensing Course. They had been washing dishes & getting Camp ready all morning. A little disgruntled that Camp Operating hadn’t functioned. But I had had no word that we were supposed to.

Weather perfect – so peaceful up there. Tents very inviting. Supper of pioneer drumsticks delicious & then had popcorn popped over open fire while we evaluated.

Stars even out but I sure was turned around. Virginia Feaver came home with me about 10.

Delivered carpet this morning.