Sunday, January 31, 1926

Sunday, January 31, 1926
Cloudy and rain.

Went to the folks today for dinner. I was so tired I couldn’t hurry and we got up late besides. Marjorie has to do better than this I can’t stand losing sleep very well. Had a very nice time but would much rather have stayed home and rested. It started to rain after we got there and we had to come home in the rain. Albert had a sore throat already.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "At least she didn't have to cook dinner! Sounds like Mother gave me an ultimatum."

I've come to realize that Grandma was a bit of a home-body, commenting several times that she preferred to stay home to read or enjoy some peace & quiet, especially if Gilbert took the boys out for a walk or to some place to swim. Though he could not walk well, Gilbert was an excellent swimmer, once saving someone from drowning when he was a boy in Crawfordsville. I assume in the water, one leg being shorter than the other no longer mattered!)

Saturday, January 30, 1926

Saturday, January 30, 1926
Fair and warm

Instead of my usual Saturday cleaning I baked some whole wheat bread and pies then put in the rest of the morning sewing. Made Albert a waist and finished his pants. Then I bathed and went down town leaving the children with Gilbert who came home early. I got Dale some underwear and us all some stockings and me a pair of shoes. Got home at six and had supper to get and the button holes on Albert’s outfit to make. Would have gotten along ok if Marjorie hadn’t been wakeful. She fussed and cried and wouldn’t go to sleep till 1 o’ clock, so I had a trying time of it.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "Looks like I got my days and nights mixed up. When Mother made pies, it was almost always 2 or 3 at a time and not with frozen crusts from the grocery store."

I would guess she made her pie crusts with lard.)

Friday, January 29, 1926

Friday, January 29, 1926
Clear and Cold

A fine winter day. Cleaned quite a bit and hoped to get to sewing but that is as far as I get these days it seems – clean and hope to sew – but the sewing usually doesn’t get done. Marjorie kept me up till one again last night so didn’t feel any too peppy although I can’t complain. Dale was elected council member at school. Quite an honor. Our volume of Shakespeare complete and Omar came today. Marjorie wasn’t sleepy this evening till about one again.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "And many years later, if I remember correctly, Dale was again elected a council member, then vice mayor of Modesto, California."

Does anyone know who "Omar" is? I could not find anything on that or him, or whatever that book might be.

One thing that hasn't changed since the 1920's. people still have "hopes" to do something and can never seem to get to it. )

Thursday, January 28, 1926

Thursday, January 28, 1926
Cold Wave

I don’t know when I’ve heard the wind blow like it did last night. A terrible gale form the west and below zero, too. The boys were not very warm, I’m afraid. I must get some wool comforts made. Marjorie had the colic until 1 o’clock and kept me up in my nightie. Then Ned woke at 3 wet and cold so I don’t get much rest after that as he was so cold he wanted in my bed and that made me so crowded I couldn’t sleep very well. Mama came over today to “help”. She patched a waist for Dale while I ironed.

(Grandma has written before that her mother, Mama, was not much help when she came over. Something about talking too much and distracting Grandma from her work.)

Wednesday, January 27, 1926

Wednesday, January 27, 1926
Snow

I starched and washed and ironed and seemed to spend too much time with clothes to pay to have them washed. Then I had to darn the boys some stockings to put on in the morning. I haven’t yet found any that were hole proof and my boys are certainly as hard on them as any one can be. Even the baby kicks big holes in the heels of her stockings.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "The textile industries have certainly advanced in the last 80 years."

Imagine having to darn your socks the night before, or have none to wear? We have certainly come a long with socks especially. I think I've asked before, but it is worth asking again, who darns socks these days? I saw a segment on a Martha Stewart show where she showed Bette Midler how to darn socks. There are some tricks to it, including you need to own a darning egg. Bette had some cashmere socks with holes in the toes and she didn't want to just throw them out and Martha proceeded to show her how to mend them. She did make mention that Bette could just go buy more socks. I wonder if Martha darns her socks, or just throws them out when they get holes in them?)

Tuesday, January 26, 1926

Tuesday, January 26, 1926

Put in big day sewing. I wish I could put in lots of days like this. Maybe I could get something made then, but I don’t get more than a good start in a day and then can’t finish up right away so things drag. Tomorrow the washing will be home and I will have to starch and iron some of the clothes and so won’t get much sewing done I’m afraid. Albert is just desperate for clothes. I want to get his pants and several waists made this week.

(Seems like Grandma was still enjoying the "luxury" of the wet wash, sending their clothes out to be washed and then brought back wet for her to dry and, of course, iron.

"Waists" are shirts... I wonder if all families relied on the mother to sew their clothes? If I had to sew all my clothes, well, it would not be good.)

Monday, January 25, 1926

Monday, January 25, 1926
Warmer

Albert’s first day at school. Dale took him. To my surprise he gets to go all day from the first. He ought to advance faster than the other boys as he is getting a better start. He seems to like it fine. Mrs. McDowell registered him so Dale could go to his room then came and reported to me and visited awhile. Then Mama came over. I did a little washing and sewing. Feel like possibly I can get something done now if the boys all leave at once and stay all day. I have so much to do.

(According to Marjorie, "Mrs. McDowell must have been a neighbor and knew Albert, since she was able to register him."

Albert was being registered for the 1st grade. I think that his "better start" was the time he spent in kindergarten. Perhaps Dale and Dick didn't attend kindergarten?

We are not really sure who Mrs. McDowell was.)

Sunday, January 24, 1926

Sunday, January 24, 1926
Bright

A beautiful day and I believe warmer although I didn’t even stick my nose out. My head got achy and I feel so dull staying indoors all the time. The three boys went to Sunday school. Gilbert stayed at home and helped clean up. We didn’t get up early and so we didn’t get done with the work until 3:30. I read all the rest of the day, anxious for the time to come to go to bed so as I could open the window and breathe the fresh air. Collin’s came over about when we were about to get ready for bed.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "We grew up with bedroom windows open and bedroom doors closed to keep the rest of the house warm. In bitter cold weather, we had newspapers between the blankets, which kept us very warm. In winter the bedrooms were warmed about once a week to change the sheets and clean the rooms. I remember jumping out of bed and running out to the warm hallway to get dressed. Ah, I love springtime!"

I think breathing all that outside air is probably what saved them from the sooty air that they seemed to have inside because of the coke furnace. I think that is why Grandma was achy and dull after being inside all day long. But sleeping in that cold air doesn't seem like it would be all that restful.

It is nice to read that Gilbert helped out on the weekends. We should keep in mind that with his disability, one leg much shorter than the other, it probably involved some pain to do a lot of walking. And, he died from Parkinson disease in 1935, so at this time, 9 years earlier, would he be starting to experience some of the symptoms?)

Saturday, January 23, 1926

Saturday, January 23, 1926
Clear and cold

The first thing after breakfast the boys went outdoors to play – all four of them, but they didn’t stay too long. It was too cold. They played in the house most of the time after that, tore up everything, upset chairs and made airplancs out of them. Then when I was cleaning upstairs, without a word they (Albert and Dick) straightened everything up nice and ran the cleaner over the floors for me. Dick has been so good to help lately - more than willing. Albert will do things too if he wants to and thinks nobody is going to make him. But he is a regular mule to drive.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "As I recall, all the Smith boys (and girls) had minds of their own! That's what happens when you teach chidlren to think for themselves, but after all, I wouldn't have it any other way." Grandma has mentioned before that Albert was a bit stubborn.)

Friday, January 22, 1926

Friday, January 22, 1926
Colder

The boys came home with their grades. This is promotion day. I was real proud of their records, no tardiness or absence. Dale had 3 A+’s and one B in music – the rest A’s. Dick had a record of mostly B’s with a few A’s. Both had the best mark in the character development side. Dale was very much disappointed that he won’t have Miss Torreau again this term. I’ve felt so dull and depressed lately, can never get my work done any more. Too draggy to accomplish much.

(Aunt Marjorie commented that she thinks that Grandma was eating too many buckwheat pancakes, which is why she felt all draggy.

I did find out that they advanced grades at the beginning of the calendar year, and not in the fall as we do today.)

Thursday, January 21, 1926

Thursday, January 21, 1926
Snow

Mama came over today and I went to the kindergarten to try to locate Albert’s rubbers that he lost Monday. He has had such a cold and the walks have been wet so I didn’t let him go without his rubbers and I thought they were in the kindergarten by now. There was a pair there which I brought home but they were too little for Albert. I should have ironed but going over there took all morning and as Mama was here, I didn’t feel like starting in the PM so got the clothes ready for an early start tomorrow. Ran up a couple of pairs of pants for Ned.

(The rubbers fit over the shoes to keep them from getting too wet. Aunt Marjorie must have lost hers as a child, too, since she wrote "So, another kid had to go home without his rubbers?"

I think Grandma wrote more each day in 1926 than in 1925, and she so far is writing more about her children, as she intended, though she still wrote quite a bit about cleaning and ironing.

What do you think?)

Wednesday, January 20, 1926

Wednesday, January 20, 1926
Colder

Marjorie is getting awfully sweet these days and as good as can be. Sleeps all night long lately and I should be feeling top notch, but I don’t. I guess my system is filled with cold and together with buckwheat cakes for breakfast, I don’t feel top notch by any means. Ned gets me up in the night generally and always wakes up wet in the morning. The baby sits up propped in a chair with pillows tied in with a towel and thus Bess found her this evening when she happened out for supper and she was so surprised to see how she had grown. She tries to get hold of things she sees but can’t make her hands behave.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "The buckwheat pancakes started for Christmas and went on till it was all gone. Combine pure buckwheat flour (NOT a mix) with water, yeast and a pinch of salt in the evening to the right consistency for pancakes, cover and let it sit in room temperature until breakfast; make how many pancakes you can eat (best with sausage or bacon) and put the balance of batter back in refrigerator (covered) till you want pancakes again. Then the night before, get the batter out again, add a little water, buckwheat flour & a pinch of salt and mix again, let it sit at room temperature all night again, etc. You don't add yeast again, just to start it. You can just add to the batter several times."

I always wondered how they made buckwheat pancakes! Mom (Eleanor) and Aunt Marjorie try to get together once a year around the holidays to have buckwheat pancakes for breakast. I've never had them.

Bess, recall, was one of Gilbert's two older sisters. Look at her picture here. That picture kind of creeps me out a bit because I think I look "somewhat" like her. I even asked my nephew who is 11 who he thought she looked like and he said "you".

I will be looking through more family pictures soon to see if I can find some more to post.)

Tuesday, January 19, 1926

Tuesday, January 19, 1926
Foggy

Albert was so pale and irritable this morning and didn’t want to go to kindergarten so I didn’t insist. Thought I would let him stay home and doctor him up. I don’t like for him to be this way. I guess it is just cold. I went to the attic and invoiced a couple of boxes and found eleven waists that have lost their pants that Ned can wear with his little suspender pants and look cute, too. I will be glad to have them worn out. Intended all day to get at Ned’s other wool pants but was kept busy otherwise.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "If the waists (shirts) had 'lost their pants' I suppose the pants had originally buttoned onto the shirts, like the 'panty-waists' I wore when I was little (underwear). I was told that Grandpa thought it was not good for children to have tight clothes around the waist - elastic - therefore buttons were used to hold the pants on."

That attic was a small room that ran under the eaves on one side of the upstairs. It was a scary, dark, dusty place, from what I remember. We were afraid as kids to go in there when we visited. There was always that long, coffin-shaped box in there...

For those who have been reading for awhile, remember that last spring (1925) Albert was very sick with "glandular fever". Apparently, Grandma's father, a physician, spent a lot of time researching Albert's symptoms trying to come up with something to cure him. At least one person who was reading the diary entries last spring wrote a comment asking if Albert survived, he seemed so sick. I think readers were afraid they would read one day that he had died. I promise, he did survive these childhood illnesses.)

Monday, January 18, 1926

Monday, January 18, 1926
Warm drizzle

Albert went to kindergarten but came home without his rubbers, someone else had worn them home I guess. It was too bad for the boys to play out after school so I let them make houses with the chairs indoors and tear up Jack generally. Gilbert did not come home to supper, but came home earlier in the evening than I expected and the house looked like a cyclone had struck it. Marjorie has quite a cold again – in her eyes and head and today acted as if her stomach hurt her and cried quite a lot. Then Ned cried and tried to get out of his nap till late, then only slept half hour when Dick and Albert woke him up. Then with the boy’s noise I got awfully nervous.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "Ned and I, too, used ot make "houses" with dining room chairs on rainy days. We turned the chairs down side by side and crawled beneath the backs, like tunnels. Or lay a blanket over them and really had privacy. Trouble was, Mother always spoiled our fun by making us put the chairs back in place when we were finished!"

We used to turn chairs over and and crawl through them when we were little, too. Or we would put blankets over a card table to make an indoor tent. I hope all moms let their kids do this at least once on a rainy day.

Thank you to all who commented on yesterday's post. I plant to continue this blog until I run out of diaries, which will be in late 2008, unless we discover some more diaries that we didn't know about.

Back in the 1920's, when people went out visiting, if they didn't find someone at home, they would leave a calling card with their name on it to let the person know they had been by. Feel free to leave your "calling card" if you can't think of a comment to make.)

Sunday, January 17, 1926

Sunday, January 17, 1926
Drizzle

Papa and Mama were here for dinner. Of course Papa had to hurry away after dinner. He never stays much longer than he has to. Mama stayed till after the dishes were done. Gilbert and the boys went to Sunday school but didn’t take their usual walk afterward on account of the rain. A good day to stay home and read. I am getting so I enjoy the Sundays at home so much more than trying to go any place. The children are better and I get lots more rest. We have so many good books that I haven’t read yet although I read every day while the baby nurses, it will take me a long time to catch up.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "Daddy used to take Ned and me to walk in the park on Sunday afternoons. And Mother spent many Sunday afternoons lying on her bed reading and then napping. She wasn't too happy if we wanted to talk to her during her rare moments of rest."

I think several of us inherited the desire to read, and I remember many long Sunday afternoons lying around reading a book. It seems that Sunday afternoons were twice as long when I was younger! Growing up, we often went on Sunday afternoons to visit Grandma. Sometimes, we brought along a small Hibachi grill and my Dad would grill a steak and Grandma would provide potatoes and salad. Other times, we stayed for dinner, which was usually spaghetti. And I remember that at times when we arrived at her house, Grandma would just be getting up from a nap!

Would any family members like to add to this recollection? Is your memory of visiting Grandma the same? Or do you remember something different?

I would like to get an idea if any relatives (or others) are reading this blog. If you don't know what to put in a comment, just comment and let me know you are reading this, relative or not. And if you don't want your comment to be published, just indicate that in the comment, and I won't publish it. (Comments are moderated so they aren't published until I've reviewed them, so I can 'reject' a comment if you want to remain known only to me.) My guess is there are about 30 people a day who read these diaries... who are you and what brings you back to read more?)

And just in case, Happy Birthday to my nephew Ty, 21 today, a great-grandson of Ruth Campbell Smith.

Now commence to commenting!

Saturday, January 16, 1926

Saturday, January 16, 1926

Cleaned all the white enamel in the bathroom today and felt when I had that and the kitchen scrubbed that the house was really clean. But the air is full of smoke in spite of the fact we burn coke everything soon gets a film of black on it and of course the children do too.

(Thankfully, the days of burning coke, or coal, are behind us! I can't imaging living in an environment where you get dirty just standing there. Unfortunately, while we have fairly clear air now, in some parts of the world, people are still living under these types of conditions, with even worse pollution than you get from this type of furnace.)

Friday, January 15, 1926

Friday, January 15, 1926

Not a very interesting day. Spent it cleaning windows and brushing walls and pictures, etc. Dale went with Vernon Hinchman on his new route then brought him in to play with his Erecter set. They played upstairs in the hall and had a good time. The baby has reached that stage where she lays and looks at her hands by the hour. She is so sweet, good natured, and well contented, getting as fat as a little butter ball.

(Aunt Marjorie sent me a another note with comments for the next several weeks. For this day she wrote: "Mother brushed the walls and ceilings with a special long-handled soft brush to keep the cobwebs off. It was used for nothing else."

I believe the "new route" is a newspaper route.)

Thursday, January 14, 1926

Thursday, January 14, 1926
Fair and warmer

A lovely winter day. Household affairs moved very smoothly today. I got my ironing all done and a lot of mending that has been stacking up for six weeks. The baby is so good or I wouldn’t ever be able to get my work done. She doesn’t sleep as much the last few days but she just lies in her bed and never cries. Ned is the little chatterbox. Right at my heels all the time talking. He says words (or tries to) and expect me to make them into sentences. And he keeps up till I do. When I don’t understand what he means he keeps repeating till I feel almost distracted at times. He just makes me tired talking so much.

(Wouldn't we all love to have a good day like this one was for Grandma, when we seem to get all of our work done!

My memories of Uncle Ned are that he was a fairly quiet man, so it is a bit surprising to read he was a "chatterbox".)

Wednesday, January 13, 1926

Wednesday, January 13, 1926
Clear and cold

Hurried to get my work done. Took care of the laundry then Mama came over and I didn’t know whether I would get to the Mothers’ meeting at school or not but she left early and I left the babies asleep and left them with the boys. Enjoyed the meeting and came home to find the boys has been so noisy they frightened the baby and she was so nervous and crying. I feel as if I can never leave her again. After supper we made fudge which turned out fine. Then I played the piano – the first time for a year at least and the boys sang some of the familiar school songs. They haven’t any voices and really can’t sing but I wouldn’t tell them that for the world. I’m glad they want to sing and will try.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "As adults, Dale, Albert, and Eleanor were fairly good singers, I could carry a tune, but it didn't sound like it was worth it. (I sang a lot to my babies!) In my recollection, Dick refused to sing at all, and Ned loved to sing & whistle and couldn't carry a tune, no way, no how!"

And I was astounded when I first read these diaries as I did not know that Grandma knew how to play the piano. There was never a piano in her house when we visited as kids, so I don't know what happened to it. Perhaps she sold it later in life when she might have needed the money.

Overall, sounds like a great evening.)

Tuesday, January 12, 1926

Tuesday, January 12, 1926
Clear and cold

Finished the little pants and put them on Ned and he looks so cute. He is proud of them, too. There never was a cuter prettier two year old. These pants are out of an old black dress skirt of mine with black straps over his shoulders. His little white top just shines. The boys were all feeling so joyous this evening. We could hardly get them settled down to go to bed. They are surely hard to manage when they all get on their high horses. Dick and Albert are usually that way but they are easy to quiet than Dale in his rarer sprees. I almost give up then.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "I guess Dale was pretty boisterous sometimes. I remember him when I was little as being more dignified, as being the oldest."

Indeed, as I commented yesterday, Grandma did use scraps of fabric and fabric from old garments to make clothes. Nothing was wasted.

Ned's "little white top" I think refers to him having very blond hair as a child. Marjorie said Dale used to call him "cotton top".

Monday, January 11, 1926

Monday, January 11, 1926

Planned to do a lot of things but didn’t get so very much done. Just wash and look after the kiddies. They are all about okay now. They had gotten so run down during the holidays and they are lots better now. I am making Ned a little pair of wool pants as he gets so cold these days and the paper predicts a cold wave tonight.

(Grandma seemed like she could sew up a pair of pants as quickly as we could buy a pair today! I believe she used a lot of remnant fabrics to make the younger ones their clothes. Nothing was thrown out or wasted.

And just like back then, doesn't it take awhile for people to get back to normal after the holiday season.)

Sunday, January 10, 1926

Sunday, January 10, 1926

A long quiet day at home. Too tired to wiggle when I first got up but took things easy and got to feeling better. Marjorie didn’t sleep all morning as she usually does so I probably couldn’t have gone to Sunday school very well anyway, even if I had my dishes washed. The three older ones went to Sunday school. After dinner we all read while the babies took naps.

(Sounds like Grandma stayed home and did dishes, while the boys went to Sunday School. And what is nicer on a Sunday than spending time reading? I spent a lot of time reading when I was younger, and would like to make more time for reading now.)

Saturday, January 9, 1926

Saturday, January 9, 1926

Worked hard all day to get the house cleaned and Sunday dinner ready so as I could go to Sunday school in the morning. Even put the meat in the cooker intending to warm it up tomorrow. Surely I would be free tomorrow I thought until evening. Boys bathing one by one while I was trying to get supper and I had to stop and help them. Ned cried for his bath and I bathed him, making supper late. By that time Marjorie was through her day time nap and not ready for her night and by time I got her settled I was so tired and sleepy. Washing dishes was out of the question so the object of the day was lost. I can’t go to Sunday school with the kitchen full of dirty dishes.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "I think by the time Ned and I were the ages that Dale & Dick were in 1926, we were washing dishes!" Perhaps she thinks Dale & Dick should have helped out with those dishes. And where was Gilbert?

I'll admit I've left my house with dirty dishes still in the sink, I'm sure others have, am I right about that?)

Friday, January 8, 1926

Friday, January 8, 1926
Snow

The most memorable thing about this day is the snow storm. It started in about seven and snowed as hard as it could till dark. A fine day for kids. I was crazy to get out in it abut I didn’t have any rubbers. I had planned on going to the Piggly Wiggly to get some Rye Krisps and the dry goods for some buttons. I wished I had some galoshes but I found some rubbers that were too small for Dale’s new shoes so I tried them on and they were a perfect fit so I went and Dale, too, leaving Dick with the babies. He is a loving little nurse. Found him wheeling Marjorie in her bed to keep her quiet as she had awakened while I was gone.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "Dick always loved babies till the time he died. Too bad he never had any of his own."

I did not know there were Piggly Wiggly stores in Indianapolis. There certainly aren't any today. In fact, if I hadn't seen the movie "Driving Miss Daisy", I would not know what such a place was. And when Grandma wrote she was "crazy to get out in it", I think she meant that she really did want to go outside in the snow, not that she shouldn't.)

Thursday, January 7, 1926

Thursday, January 7, 1926
Fair

A lovely winter day. I ironed all morning and when Albert came from kindergarten he begged me so hard to go to the Mothers’ meeting that I decided to get ready and go when the boys came from school. Ned and Marjorie both looked too peaked from their cold. Ned is real pale and thin and Marjorie has it in her eyes, so I left them both asleep and they got along all right. Dale knows how to fix the milk and barley. Got there late of course and found Miss Ida Connor speaking. She and I got to be friends when Dale was in kindergarten and she attended those Mothers’ meetings. I was glad to see her again. She remembered me. I had an enjoyable time.

(I don't know many five year olds today who would even be aware that there was a Mothers' meeting at their school, let alone beg their mother to attend it! Perhaps Albert's teacher talked a lot about it and told them all to have their mothers go to it.)

Wednesday, January 6, 1926

Wednesday, January 6, 1926
Mostly cloudy

Weighed Marjorie today, 12 lbs. She was three months old at one yesterday. That is doing very well I guess. There is a schedule on the barley box of average weights and she has been exactly right according to that. Gilbert worked this evening, but his Dad was out. Had come over to take treatment for his feet and came on over to find out how to fix the baby's milk. Nell’s twins are hungry and they don’t know how to feed them. Otherwise they are doing all ok I guess. I would love to see them. I am glad they asked me how to care take care of them. It shows confidence in me – satisfaction in the products I put out. I told Dad all I could of to help them out.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote "The babies Grandpa Smith (Dad) was talking about where the twins Aunt Nell had on Christmas Day. Aunt Nell was a large woman and I had been told she didn't realize she was pregnant until just a couple of weeks before they were born. (Remember, mine was a recollection of a child's memory of events!) I presume Nell had a doctor out in the country - who knows?"

Well, that is certainly interesting information from Aunt Marjorie!)

Tuesday, January 5, 1926

Tuesday, January 5, 1926
Cloudy

Albert went to kindergarten and Ned and I were alone for the first time for two weeks and I was surprised at his talking. Constant chatter, and he expects me to repeat his words filling in those he leaves out and often I don’t understand what he means. Then he doesn’t like it, so it is pretty trying. Got a good days work done. Thanks to our new alarm clock. Finally finished all the back ironing that has been accumulating for three weeks. Papa reports that Mable is there with Winifred while Mama is gone and says nothing of any plans to leave or work, so he is afraid he will have to ask her to go which will be very hard. I wonder how it will all turn out.

(Well, Grandma and Ned weren't exactly alone for the day, as baby Marjorie was also there. And, Grandma is ironing again. Everyday, she had something to iron.

You can read more about Mable, who is Grandma's brother Harry's wife in this previous post from July. I believe Grandma wrote back in November that Harry was going to Florida. Sounds like he left Mable and their daugher Winifred behind to stay with his parents, and they are wearing out their welcome.

Aunt Marjorie wrote and said that Grandma's mother "Mama", often took off on a whim to go and visit family in Gibson City, Illinois or Rennsalaer, Indiana and Papa would stay home.)

Monday, January 4, 1926

Monday, January 4, 1926
Cloudy

Well the boys went back to school again today and it was quite a relief to me. Of course I love to have them around, but a bunch of cowboys or bandits are noisy and do get on my nerves if they are around all day long. They need some real business anyway and they really like school. Albert was in all day and he and Ned played and painted very congenial. Albert is a constant chatterbox and having Ned to talk to lets me out of having to answer all his remarks. He is such an innocent babyish boy for his age. It is hard to believe he will go to school soon. Ned is trying hard to talk these days, says any word but does not put them together yet.

(So far, Grandma seems to be keeping to her resolution to write more about her children and not the work she did each day. How long has it been since she mentioned ironing?)

Sunday, January 3, 1926

Sunday, January 3, 1926
Rainy drizzle

A pleasant day at home. Reading Elbert Hubbard's “Little Journey” part of the time, playing checkers with the boys, eating Christmas nuts, etc. I read the journey to the artist Turner’s home and told the boys parts of it, so Dick assured “I’m going to be a great artist, don’t you worry.” Then they all got to making pictures, even Neddy, and showing me. Well they have plenty of room for improvement, I’ll say. Dale doesn’t do as well as he did at the age of five. Albert made an orange tree and black grass. They spent some time making resolutions before they went to bed.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "How wonderful the days when children talked and planned things instead of sitting and watching TV!"

Dick did not become a great artist, unless he left behind some paintings or sculptures that we don't know about. Instead he became a philosophy professor at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky. I provided information on him in this post from July of last year.

In fact, other than my mom (Eleanor) doing some painting when we were kids, I'm not sure any of the Smith children did anything artistic.)

I wonder what the boys came up with for their resolutions for 1926?)

Saturday, January 2, 1926

Saturday, January 2, 1926
Foggy

The boys show the effects of eating too much Christmas candy and nuts and staying in the house too much this past couple of weeks. They got so peevish I suggested a walk in the fresh air which did them lots of good. Gilbert came home about four and I got ready and made a hurried trip to town to get the gloves fitted that Guy gave me for Christmas. Mrs. Collins was here a little while before I left to see what we got for Christmas. I had to hurry home so Gilbert could go to the bank and the show. I was so tired every muscle ached and I felt could never get the boys to bed.

(I've never heard of having gloves fitted, but I suppose 'back then' when women wore gloves any time they went out, a good fitting pair of gloves was more of a necessity.

Aunt Marjorie sent me her comments for the 1st two weeks of January and wrote for January 2, "When I was a child, my friends and I visited to see what we all got for Christmas. I didn't know adults did that, too. I'm glad Daddy (Gilbert) had opportunities to have relaxation. What I remember most was his stiffness and apparent pain." (Gilbert suffered from Parkinson's Disease.)

Guy is Grandma's brother, Mrs. Collins lived across the street.)

Friday, January 1, 1926

Friday, January 1, 1926
Cloudy

Of course this is the day for resolutions so will try to make this diary less a chronicle of work done and more of the development of the children and also will try to keep it up to date and not let it slide a week or then fill in forgetting some of the most interesting things. But it really is a task, this keeping a diary. I have so many tasks that have to be done that if I am not in the mood for writing, or get too tired, it is so easy to let this slide as no one is going to make me keep it. However Gilbert gave me this little book for my birthday and I want to keep it to read over in my old age and recall these days when my family is young and so interesting and pesky! Then who knows, historians or biographers may seek this data relative to the boyhood of a great Smith.

(This entry is quite intriguing. What is going to be in this year's diary? We've had a few minor discussions about whether or not Grandma intended for others to read her diaries. In response to this entry, Aunt Marjorie wrote "So, Mother did intend for us to read her diairies!" No one knew she kept the diaries until they had to clean out her personnel belongings after she moved to a nursing home, shortly before she died. Those who read the diaries at that time wished she had let them read the diairies while she was still alive because there are entries that prompt some questions that we will probably never find the answers for.

And she certainly believed that her sons (and daughters) could go on to do great things!