Author: David Haldeman

Monday, March 3, 1947
Washed – took Kathy shopping with me at Albers about 5. Saw the 2 Miss Freers. I told her later they had been my school teachers. She asked “Why are they still alive?”

Another conversation during the day concerned when Jesus was born. “Was it before I was?” “Yes” “Even before you were?” “Oh yes, a long time before that.” Was it before grandma?” “Yes, even before great-grandma” “Well, it couldn’t have been even before grea-grandma mother could it?” I assured her it was.

To Circle at Edith Roberts. Was elected vice-president for next year so that means planning program. I turned down the same job in the W. M. Society last week.

Stayed after others left to look at her cacti & antiques – and they have their upstairs furnished now. Home about 11:20.

Sunday, March 2, 1947 Temp 28
Wally took Kathy to Sunday School but Mrs. Tower called about 9:45 saying she was sick. Brought her home & she threw up – complained of stomach aching but got up for dinner. Reuben Smith stopped by & bought 10 cacti $1.50 & of course we had a horticultural chat. Showed him the seed flat & he offered some suggestions.

Left the kids with mother & the Romines & Wally & I went to Camp Young*. It’s delightful! The house is 1870ish. There is all kids of terrain – open fields, deep ravines, swampy lowland. Running creeks, woods and son the obnoxious weeds that the sheep were supposed to keep down there was a flock of what w3e took to be goldfinches. I was enchanted. We hiked over it pretty well & then went coasting on Sandra’s sled. And was it fun! The hills drop off all of a sudden. On the last run of the steepest one Ray & I fell off & broke the overhanging slats on Sandra’s sled. Tore Ray’s pants & nicked him considerably & jammed his little finger. They came here for waffles & ham supper. Mary J dropped in for evening. First she’s been here since New Years. Has been dating some. Edith Keeler & Gladys Nystrim called.

[*Girl Scout camp off US Rt. 23 south of Upper Sandusky]

Saturday, March 1, 1947
Snowed & snowed all day – about 4 in. by evening.
Worked out my experimental seed flat. Drainage – soil – dampening off take into consideration. Mary Baker was at Mother’s & they came over for a while. So it rushed me to get supper, bath etc. to meet Romines at Palace at 6:15. Darn those double features “California” & “Sweetheart of Sigma Chi”. Neither one too good. On way out met Dick Howard – friend of Romines I had heard so much about – Quite a surprise he was.

Ping Pong – Wally & Flo had no trouble beating Ray & I but beat Wally – Danced & Ray showed me some more moths – one a little jewell with gold bracelets on its wings. Also read his verse written since October. Lot of it I hadn’t seen & some quite uncomplimentary to David & I!

Friday, February 28, 1947
Wally got breakfast and got me up at 7:45. CLeaned the bay window – woodwork – plant – washed windws – ironed curtains & have things back to normal. Should last until Spring Housecleaning – Yes capital S H!

Daddy called at noon saying mother had another indigestion attack & had Dr. Ivan Schmidt for her. I went over about 6 & she was better but weak. Daddy was over getting his new car. Brought if over here later. Not bad looking.

Wally bowled & Romine’s came just as he got home – His team is tied with 2 others for first place in League.

Mary Wooley is getting a new stove & I called several places trying to sell the old one – no luck – and then Wally pitdched all over me for not putting an ad in the paper. He needs to learn that being “boss” is more than just telling people to do things. They have to know what everything is all about as well & offer a spirit of cooperation to their underlings if they expect life to go smoothly.

Thursday, February 27, 1947
Up at 7:20 & made pancakes for breakfast – but the kids insist on getting up early too – so —.

Spent the morning making out Daddy’s order for mum cuttings – Vaughn’s. Ordered 900 – about $50 – also got 30 dahlias – 1 doz ismene [spider lily] – 1 doz galtonia – 1 doz tuberous begonias – more fun.

Also wrote May in Cinci about a typewriter. It’s terrible trying to get along without one. Wrote Corder about $20 wedding flowers bill due from last August & ordered 100 corsage boxes $7.50 from Schupp.

Ironed more curtains & cleaned up house.

Kathy took it upon herselg to wash the dinner dishes. I helped in the clearing of the table & had to re-rinse some but she did very well.

Got yardstick out & David said “spank – sugar” Don’t tell me he doesn’t remember. I used it last week to spank him when he oured all the sugar into his cereal.

Program committee of Burroughs CLub at Mary Keills. Got Bernard Brooks job of printing program & Ray job of speaking at February meeting.

Wednesday, February 26, 1947
Up at 7:25 & got Wally’s breakfast. Worked all morning in kitchen getting caught up on dishes, etc.

David’s vocabulary is increasing by leaps & bounds. When music comes on the radio his reaction is “Dancing” – going around in a circle mostly – and during commercials he shouts – “music – music!” He saw the records at Albers yesterday & they heard him yell “Rcords!” all over the store. “Radio” is another one he uses often. Kathy says she wishes her name were “Judy” cause David can say that so well. His Kathy comes out “Tathy” He loves to take a picture of someone & point out their ears, eyes, nose, etc – saying each thing as he points to it. He’ll try to say anything but sometimes only gets the last syllable.

Daddy bought a car – ’39 Plymouth from Tommy Totaro while we were there in evening. $650. Played ping pong – me 4-3. I decided to get a typewriter if I can from May Co. in Cincinnati.

Tuesday, February 25, 1947
Class meeting here cancelled.
Got busy on the house – washed windows, woodwork, etc. ready to put up curtains that aren’t ironed yet. Shopped at Albers after Wally came home – snowing again. Groceries were $12 – pork chops 75 cents lb. – Butter 75 cents & we didn’t buy 3 lbs processed cheese at $1.79. Got 3 records – 1 of which we had!

Delores over to put kids to bed & we went to Romines. I got 18 points on Ray & was he surprised – But he was tired. Flo’s toe enough better that she could play.

Ray had alist of things we’d like to do this summer – Clifty Falls, Cedar Point, Cleveland Flower Show – Limberlost – Wassenburg iris – Statae Parks – Russells Point, dancing, etc.

Home at 10:30 – FInished taking downclothes & sorted & folded them.

Monday, February 24, 1947
Girl Scout Council
Washed in AM & rushed around to be ready to go to Kehrweckers at 1:30. Mother kept the kids. Grandpa K was at the funeral home & then taken to church so the procession went to the church. He looked so very nice. Death took at least 15 years from his looks. The 6 grandsons were pall bearers. Wally took Alice & Lowell back to Bucyrus in a snow storm – They & Ruth & a cousin had stopped here – Curtains down etc. but was glad to have my house not look too good knowing what Alice had to go home to.

Wally had to go down to open vault at bank just as I was ready to go to Council so had to get Delores over. I gave report of Troop Camp operating Committee – imprompted. Stopped at Walgreen’s for hair oil & then had fun at Gallaher’s buying candy.

Read Sunday papers – bad habit I wish I could break. They are OK on Sunday but all that daddy buys takes too long to read.

Ray called about 6:30 inviting up out tomorrow night.

Sunday, February 23, 1947
Wally had to go to bank to be there to open the vault for the men working on the remodeling, but my head was still aching so I didn’t go to Sunday School – got Kathy ready & daddy came over & got her. I worked a little on the ferns we got yesterday. Mary came over & got dinner. Gorman’s came in PM to urge me to attend evangelist meeting. Mary went back on bus at 4:20. Wally went up to see Grandad at funeral home. My head was much better so invited Romines up for evening. Worked on letters to send people at Easter. BBB & Rosina came in about 9 & Bernard helped too. Romines left early & Brooks shortly after. I had popped corn.

Made up little fern terrarium in late afternoon & got other specimens in press.

Saturday, February 22, 1947 Temp 18 at 8 AM
Hocking County in the winter. Kids with Mother until noon & then Daddy brought them here & Delores came over. Left Romines at 8:30 – Mary Hemmerly, Ray, Wally & I. First stop was Conkle’s Hollow. About 2 in snow. The stream from the top of the cliff had frozen a canopy of icicles & then at the floor of the hollow the rest of the water was building up a pillar of ice. Heavenly shades of blue & pearly white honey-combed in beautiful designs. Found the one at Ash Cave later even bigger. Then to Rock House. Falls were beautiful there & Wally broke off icicles taller than he. Went in to Logan for lunch. Then back to Ash Cave & Old Man’s Cave. Had found Asplenium pinnatifidum plentiful at R.H. & CC but none at OMC & AC. I had a pretty bad headache so let the others fo on at OMC & they had to break through the ice at the end of the tunnel. Got back home a little after 8 but my head was so bad Wally called Flo & told them they had better not comp up as planned. Flo o [sic] toe was enough better she went to a movie but still painful.