Author: David Haldeman

Saturday January 28th 1978
Wind has stopped. Dave and Tonya were able to get to shop and get funeral work out for Mrs. Rhodes who died of a stroke during the blizzard. It was her house near Meeker where I stopped during a March blizzard on my way to Kenton with a wedding and had to turn back.
Snow plows through and Mr. Buyer in with his tractor and cleared my drive. I had started a one-track clearing. Took a walk east to edge of my property. Still very cold.
Shop has been closed Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Cheryl’s family got to Laura’s by snowmobile.

Friday January 27th 1978
Dove flew into crabapple tree. Wings and legs coated with ice. Could hardly fly.
Too cold to be in upstairs but rec room about 55. Still blowing and WMRN only had people calling in for help which the sheriff monitored and they have snowmobiles going out with medicines, stoves, etc. And also bringing people out of their houses. Mary, Kass and mother called me yesterday and today, but just to check, as Caledonia phones are on battery and they asked not to use them. Sorted 1977 checks and worked on genealogy papers. But have this feeling of waiting for something to happen. No traffic on roads so suppose we are blocked at corner of Williamsport Road. And down by Goff’s where road dips.

Thursday January 26th 1978
Birds at feeders all day on side away from wind. Peter’s blowing almost parallel to ground.
Howard woke me at 7:30 saying electric had been out since 4 a.m. no heat water or cooking. Moved dish gardens and other stuff out of greenhouse to rec room and build a fire there. Couldn’t see out the windows, frosted shut but 60 mile an hour winds driving snow so couldn’t see across the road. David called to say his surprise birthday party was off. I had decided last night not to go because of weather forecast but didn’t think it would be a blizzard. Cooked steak on fireplace grill and ate with candles. Howard had transistor radio and things are bad. But our electric came on at 7 p.m. so had a warm bed. Temperature in house 36.

Wednesday January 25th 1978
Poured rain all evening. Had warmed above freezing today and I tried to clear path to drains in driveway at shop to help drainage.

Tuesday, January 24, 1978
[No entry]

Monday, January 23, 1978
[No entry]

Sunday, January 22, 1978
[No entry]

Saturday, January 21, 1978
[No entry]

Friday January 20th 1978
David called and they will be up Sunday. Once Erikson’s to see his sound movies.
Howard says this is the worst snow yet. 6in since last night makes 20in on ground. Called shop and they can’t get truck out of garage. Delivering funerals and hospital in Lil’s car. Closed at 1 no customers in all morning.
Bath, washed and set hair and did nails. Continue with sorting materials that had been in file in bathroom. Found articles I had written from 1944 to 1958 and put them in book David gave me in 74.
Roberts Road guy plowed out lower driveway through 4 ft drifts and I finished near the door. Shoveled out Howard’s paths to the bird feeders.

Thursday January 19th 1978
Decided to clean out filing cabinet in bathroom so I can store slides and genealogical data. But it’s like going through an archaeological dig. Brings back all the years. Also worked on photograph albums that I didn’t get finished for kids for Christmas.
Six pairs of Cardinals at feeder along with 20 juncos, chickadees, white-breasted nuthatches, titmice, downy and red-bellied woodpecker. New today were tree sparrows and goldfinches. Girl from Commentator called to get more info on article. Decided it would be on feeding birds. Cheryl called she and Dave are leaving for Washington late today.