Author: Trella Hemmerly Haldeman Romine

Sunday, June 5, 1988
Howard 86 years old. He trimmed some tree limbs for me. Ducks have babies on lake in trailer park.
Mary brought Kentucky Fried Chicken, potato salad and coleslaw out for early supper. We went in search of my bridge railings that Martha Neville had reported to 14 to 15-year-olds boys from the trailer park stole yesterday from bridge in woods. Found them in use as railing on a bridge they had built across hole in dam at lake in trailer park. Had to saw them to make uprights stuck in cement blocks. Mary uprooted them and we brought them back home. No use to me that way but couldn’t let them get away with stealing them.

Saturday, June 4, 1988
Mowed down in the woods for first time. Gave spring beauties, violets and trout lilies chance to mature. But sure looks nice mowed. Got a stick caught and blades and couldn’t get it out.
Watering someplace each day
Little kids from Trailer Park netted frog tadpoles and baby bluegills and put them in pool by patio. Hardy white water lily has three blooms.
Finished setting out bedding plants. Jewel box celosia in front bed by drive. Yellow Crown Marigolds in raised bed by greenhouse. Fausablumen begonias in terrace.

Friday, June 3, 1988
Have a terrible case of Poison Ivy from Sunday in woods with Harters and no chance to wash for several hours.
Royce here to clean.

Thursday, June 2, 1988
Rained third of an inch slow all day rain.
Had to pick up all over house for visit of Bernice, Shirley and Ruby. Took all morning. We couldn’t go out because of drizzle but enjoyed talking. Showed them the six books I have helped publish.
Bernie took us to dinner at Bucky’s and we parted old friends. Shopped at Krogers- watermelon $2.19

Wednesday, June 1, 1988
To Ruby Graham’s about 5:00 to have supper with her and Bernie Schoechle, George Scantland’s widow who came to Marion from Washington DC to make arrangements for marker in Marion Cemetery for Jan Schoechle who disappeared 8 years ago from Virginia Military College.
Bernice’s sister Shirley with her.

Tuesday, May 31, 1988
[No entry]

Monday, May 30, 1988
Water to evergreens and prairie plants across the road with 28 gallons of water and jugs hauled over in the station wagon. Also ran sprinklers from river and well most of a.m.
Rewrote Day Before Yesterday column on George Schoechle- Presiden’t Column for Local Historian and letter to County Commissioners telling them to get on the ball.
Mary out with weatherproof extension cord for deck and a letter from Kathi. Went in at 4:30 for supper with her at Bob Evans. Shopped at Odd Lots and met George Brown in parking lot and showed him letter to commissioners. He agreed. Dug Prairie plants along road- liatrus, spiderwort, flowering spurge, Sullivan’s milkweed.

Sunday, May 29, 1988
89° Sunny hot fence pictures in Star Camera Club pages.
Kathi called saying Bob has accepted the job offer with FAA as radar technician in Anchorage, Alaska. Probably move by August. Called David he thinks it’s great.
Boys at Pond caught a 12-in snapping turtle in net- also catfish 8 inches bluegills and bass. Bob and Sue Harter here at 8:45. Went to Mrs Waite’s Woods but too grown-up to find Alum Root. Then to Claridon Prairie- inspected inch by inch. Michigan lilies, (7 plants) okay and liatrus profuse. Spiderwort will have some bloom. Late things not hurt- no yellow pucoon. Plenty of seedlings but so dry. Found Rocky Fork and Rayl Cemeteries but didn’t go back to them. Lunch at McDonald’s.

Saturday, May 28, 1988
Watered using flat hose with holes- soaker. Carroll Elsey out with some old complaints- he made mistake in handling his life and lost everything- healing practice- shoe manufacturing- two wives- self respect. Just wanted to touch someone- hugged me several times. Came back toward evening and sat down by river absorbing Terradise. He took up a lot of my time but did get letter off to the Washington County Genealogical Society begging them to remove Prettyman from Benoni Hurlbut’s name. Also wrote Dave. Nice letter from John Schroeter. Several returns on 1933 Reunion letter. Need new addresses.

Friday, May 27, 1988
Planned to go with Charlie Evers at 10:00 to see Mel Koehler of Marion Development Office at Jerry Ballinger’s insistence to get City to buy post office. But found the meeting in Columbus to interview Richard Francoviglia for head of Local History office was at 11:00 not 12:00. Took material to Charlie and told him he was on his own and headed for Columbus. Jim Strider, John Briley and Pat Dugan also there. When I found he teaches a course Reading the Landscape I saw him as more than just a preservationist. Lunch on Ohio Historical Society at Colonel Crawford Inn. Saw Gary Ness in parking lot and he suggested I would be welcome at committee meetings of Ohio Historical Society Board. Stopped at Harters on way home with royal catchfly.