Author: David Haldeman

Saturday, April 30, 1955
Beautiful day again. Milan Gorby over to borrow tractor to plow his garden. Refrigerator delivered at 10 & men put old one in basement for me. In at 11 too late for graveside service for Birdie Hemmerly*. Decorate Country Club with geraniums for Mrs. Danner. Home at 4:30. Dubbed & ironed. Mother & Daddy out. Bed at 12:00.

[*Cousin]

Friday, April 29, 1955
David called from school – braces hurting new tooth so took him in to dentist. Got him 2 pr. jeans & shoes. Looked at refrigerator again & decided on ’54 GE at $299 – originally $399. Early supper, mowed along river – Cooper* kids here. Then to visit Mary Jordan at dark till 10 – headache.

[*Bill and Dick Cooper, neighbors on Whetstone River Road]

Thursday, April 28, 1955
To Columbus with Daddy at 7:00 to get Mother’s Day plants. Made 11 corsages for Caledonia kids. Daddy out & disked garden. Planted cabbage & broccoli plants & seeds of lettuce, carrots, beets, radishes, zinnias. Bought Kathy’s trumpet that she’s had rented since January. $75.

Wednesday, April 27, 1955
Ironing & greenhouse again. Took David in to Goodman [braces] at 2:00 & braces are on now. Then Daddy, Mrs. Deyson, David & I went to Thompson woods mushrooming. Found a few but I dug loads of stuff including yellow root. Mowed lawn with Rotary mower after dark & sat out wild stuff under hawthorn.

Tuesday, April 26, 1955
Ironed & worked in greenhouse. Cold & rainy. First bad day in ages tho. Bob Dickerson & Larry Brooks here to order corsages & stayed till 11:15. Mary & Rocky brought me 3 American Holly trees from Kate Messenger.

Monday, April 25, 1955
Weeded iris garden some. In & paid off all of mortgage on Acres. Looked at refrigerators. Supper at Mary’s. At Girl Scout board meeting said I would direct Day Camp. Home at 10:30. Dried jeans – wonderful. Raining & colder 50 degrees.

Sunday, April 24, 1955 My dearest Ray,
In at 9 to do wedding. David to Sunday School. At 1, Gorbys & Bill & Eddy Hutchman. Kathy & I to Thompson woods sw of Morral. Trilliums & morel mushrooms. Stopped at Hutchman’s new house. Alice & Milan Gorby here for supper. Fresh river fish & mushrooms.

Saturday, April 23, 1955 – over to see Gorby’s place.
Meant to clean house but more evergreens arrive so finished foundation planting. Brown yew, Katela & juniper, euonymus etc. Daddy brought rotary mower out & finished lawn. Darrell Fyffe over practicing trumpet with Kathy. Daddy connected dryer & did several loads.

Friday, April 22, 1955
Went down to Ketchums woods after school. Nodding trilliums, maindehair fern & Canada lilies which I lost when I went to dig. In & Alma Creasap came up & paid $2800 on mtg. leaving $700 balance. Clarence Greer brought rose bushes out from Daddy.

Thursday, April 21, 1955
Dryer delivered. Worked outdoors. Lilacs blooming. Tulips starting. Red Emporers gone. Apple trees out. Very early spring. Late Daffs blooming. Thalia, Mrs. R.O. Bachman