Sunday, February 28, 1926

Grandma did not write in her diary on this day. I would guess they went to Sunday School and some would stay for church, which was their usual routine. Afterwards, they would have a nice Sunday dinner and spend the rest of the day relaxing.

Does your family ever discuss who looks like who in your family tree? Here's Aunt Marjorie's comment on that ,in response to my comment that I thought I looked a little bit like Aunt Bess (she doesn't necessarily agree that is who I look like, but she remembers the older Aunt Bess, and I'm just comparing myself to a picture of a younger Bess).

"Mother always said Eleanor and Albert looked like Smiths, Dale looked like Grandpa Cambell, Dick and I were Campbells and/or Jordans, and Ned was a changling. Mother always said if Ned been born in a hospital they must have switched babies!"

But Ned, along with all the other children, was born at home, so has to be claimed!

Saturday, February 27, 1926

Again, Grandma did not write in her diary today. Here is some information from Aunt Marjorie on the piano playing:

"When Albert was in high school, he visited one of his school friends in Irvington, either John or Louis Bruck and was enthralled with their ability to play the piano. Bruck told his teacher, Edith Garrison at 101 S. Ritter (I think) who invited Albert as a scholarship student. He advanced quickly, and I still instantly recognize the classical music he played. (One of the Bruck boys was killed in WWII. Their sister Katherine was at Tech (High School) with Ned.)"

Here's a link to a picture of Albert as an adult and a link to more information about him. Would any family members care to comment with memories of Uncle Albert?

Friday, February 26, 1926

Another day when Grandma did not post a diary entry. However, Aunt Marjorie sent me some notes on past diary entries, to expand upon what I wrote and clear up some comments I made. Here is what she wrote about their piano.

"We always had a piano when we were young. It was old and finally got so out of tune it couldn't be tuned again. The Collins family (they lived across the street) had a piano and later somehow they thought they didn't need it any more and offered it to Mother. She gave our old one to Goodwill or someone. I don't know how old I was, but I was old enough to be embarrassed when the men carrying it out stood on the front porch playing it and laughing at how bad it sounded. The Collins' piano was the one Albert, Eleanor and I took piano lessons on. Many years later, Mary Collins asked Mother if we were still using the piano as Marianna would love to have it for her 3 children. Of course, Mother said okay."

An odd coincidence, perhaps, but my youngest sister (who comments as "Sister of the Homestead") recently acquired a piano from her neighbor across the street, and her two older children are taking lessons. I did not know my mother (Eleanor) ever took piano lessons! I knew she played the flute in high school.

Thursday, February 25, 1926

Thursday, February 25, 1926
Windy

My how the days fly! Got my ironing done by noon and had planned to make a house dress this PM and possibly cut out some things but Mama came and I cut out a pattern off of hers and didn’t even get my dishes done till time to get supper. Had planned to take Dale to the church prayer meetings, but saw I wouldn’t get ready in time. Then I thought I would put in the evening sewing and get something made yet and Marjorie took a spell crying so hard that I haven’t done a thing but walk the floor with her. Don’t know what is the matter with her. This is the second spell this week.

(Another day with a lot of sewing, or attempts to do some sewing. In othe diary entries, Grandma has written that she didn't get much done when her mother came to visit, because her mother talked all the time, and because she could not hear well out of one ear, she had to strain to listen.

Wednesday, February 24, 1926

Wednesday, February 24, 1926

I’m getting a bad case of blues. There are so many things I would like to do – places to go, etc. none of them taking much, but I can’t do a thing to have any fun at all it seems, for lack of a few dimes and a little time. “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” and Jill, too and that’s my ticket. Gilbert had to work late this eve and a high wind came up with caused all kinds of noises around the house and coupled with rumors of a strange man in a vacant house in the neighborhood made me too nervous to enjoy the evening. More mending today – all my spare time.

(Aunt Majorie wrote, "I wonder if the kids brought home the rumors of a stranger in the neighborhood? I was never afraid when noisy boys were around the house, but only if I was alone with just sleeping babies.")

Grandma doesn't seem all too happy, but the end of a long winter can bring anyone down. As Marjorie previously noted several days ago, Grandma never had great material wealth, just "family" wealth.)

Tuesday, February 23, 1926

Tuesday, February 23, 1926
Clear & warm – springlike

Marjorie is getting as fat and pink cheeked as she can be. But last night about midnight she had a crying spell that seemed to bespeak genuine misery someway. She cried so hard! Finally got to sleep after one and I let her sleep this morning as long as she wanted to 11:30, thinking her stomach needed the rest. However it made her bath late, etc. and I didn’t get as much done today as yesterday as I had quite a bit of mending to do. Bess came out for supper – seemed in good spirits which is unusual for her as she usually has something to howl about. She plays with the boys and they are always hilarious when she comes out.

(This could be any 'stay at home' mother's post for today, even 80 years later.

If you haven't looked at the pictures in a while, here is a link to Aunt Bess's picture. This is probably when she was in her early 20's, she'd be closer to 40 at this time?

I see that it has been awhile since I posted any family pictures. I'll have to look for some more soon to post.)

Monday, February 22, 1926

Monday, February 22, 1926

The boys home all day dodging in and out. Mama came out about noon and Mrs. Collins came late in the afternoon and watched me sew. I made Albert a waist and she marveled at the ease with which I did it. A boy’s waist is a big job for her, but I told her that was because she never made many of them. I hope I get as much accomplished all week, as I did a pretty good sized wash by hand this AM. Been working in my low bath slippers, but have decided to put my shoes on soon even if my toe does hurt for these flat shoes make me tired all over.

(A "waist" is a type of shirt, by the way. And this would have been a school holiday, Washington's Birthday!)

Sunday, February 21, 1926

Sunday, February 21, 1926

Stayed home all day and tried to rest. Gilbert went to Sunday school and church with the boys. Albert stayed in “kindergarten” during services. Gilbert likes the new minister fine.

(Grandma was probably still struggling from her toe injury. I'm sure it was hard to get around and keep up with everyone and everything when she couldn't put weight on her foot.)

Saturday, February 20, 1926

Grandma did not have a diary entry for this day. Since it was just President's Day, I thought I would explain how through Gilbert, we can trace the family tree back to a branch in George Washington's family tree.

Gilbert's mother was Lucinda Caroline Thompson.
Lucinda's mother was Mariah Caldwell Thompson, born October 10, 1808, died April 26, 1886.
Mariah is somehow related to the sister of Mary Ball, "who married a Caldwell". I don't know if the sister of Mary Ball was Mariah's mother or her grandmother, I just know that she married someone with the last name of Caldwell.

Mary Ball was George Washington's mother.

At least that is what Grandma wrote in her family history.

Friday, February 19, 1926

Friday, February 19, 1926
Fair and cold

As I write I sit with my feet in hot water. My injured toe stays about the same. The flesh soreness has left but the joint hurts constantly and is painful when I walk.

(I'm still curious why Grandma didn't write in her diary nearly all of last week, and made no mention of why she hadn't. She just starts writing again, and then this week, she's written every day, in spite of her toe injury.)

Thursday, February 18, 1926

Thursday, February 18, 1926
Dark and rainy

Managed to get my ironing done by sitting on my high stool. Then I did most of my mending. Four pairs of pants, other things and Dale’s lumberjack. These boys so active and hard on clothes! Dale is the worst. He has two pairs of everyday pants and one for Sunday and this week he has torn his pants every day making me always having a pair to patch. Yesterday I didn’t get it done and so today he had to wear his Sunday pants to school so this evening I had a button off of them to sew on and a little hole in the knee to darn. I patched up an old discarded pair for Dick so as he wouldn’t have to wear his best to school while I darned his school pants.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "Too bad jeans were not available for kids those days! Now days, if jeans get a hole in the knee it is stylish to wear them without patching them apparently, according to the TV ads."

I'm sure fabrics were not as sturdy then as they are now. And it is good that Grandma knew how to patch and darn. Did every woman have this skill back then?)

Wednesday, February 17, 1926

Wednesday, February 17, 1926
Warm and cloudy

Was on my feet all day cleaning up the house, starching clothes, etc. Mama was here a little while. Knocked the day right in it’s middle. I oughtn’t to feel that way I know, but I would think she would see I have to quit work to hear her talk. But I suppose that’s what she got me for to talk to. I feel if I ever got caught up it wouldn’t matter, but I’ve been behind ever since Marjorie came. When I was done with my work Dick came in from having a fight with Richard Miller. Through no fault of Dick’s they got into it and Richard got Dick by the throat and I really believe would have killed Dick if Dale had not knocked him off. His prints were on Dick’s neck for hours. Then I had to bathe Dick & Ned, etc.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "I'm sure the Miller's were mean kids. The Smith boys occasionally had personal jealousies within the family but got along well with most of the neighborhood kids."

Of course, no mother believes her children are at fault, especially if the other kids are known to be mean!)

Tuesday, February 16, 1926

Tuesday, February 16, 1926

Papa came this morning and bound my foot for me. Made it feel lots better. Some of the soreness is gone but still I don’t want to bear any weight on it. However there were baby’s things to be washed so I was all afternoon doing it. All the time I can spare I rub my foot and I did hope to get a lot of sewing done this week! What time I do take a needle in my hand it is to patch or darn and I can’t get caught up on that! Oh well, when these kiddies are grown I may wish I had them trouping around my feet to patch for! I hope there will be no regrets. I am giving them all my time and trying to make good men of them.

(Remember that "Papa" was a physician, so he would know what to do for the toe (even though his specialty was gynecology.) Aunt Marjorie wrote, "Mother always told me how fortunate I was to have my children and that the best years of her life was with her children."

And Grandma had many grandchildren. Dale had a son and two daughers, Dick did not have any children, Albert became a priest and did not have children, Ned had a daugher and a son, Marjorie had two sons and two daughers, and Eleanor (my mother) had four daughters and one son. I also counted 25 great grandchildren, not including step-great grandchildren, give or take, I might be off one or two. She did live long enough to see at least her first great-grandson.

I certainly appreciate her last two sentences, and I don't think she had any regrets at how her children ended up as adults.)

Monday, February 15, 1926

Monday, February 15, 1926

I’m afraid I have injured my foot seriously. It is swollen. The big joint is red, the veins purple and so sore I can scarcely bear my weight on it. Going up and down stairs is next to impossible. I have done little but soak it in hot water and put balm on. My toe’s not broke I guess. I can wiggle it but it is painful. Mama came over and sympathized. I am a cripple – temporarily at least. They say keep off of my feet, but there is no one else to do the work and plenty that has to be done. So matter how injurious or painful, I have to do it. This evening I sat with it in hot water, with a board on my lap and wrote credit union receipts for Gilbert.

(It sounds like something is seriously wrong with Grandma's toe, and maybe it is broken. But life must go on, and if she doesn't do the work, who will?)

Sunday, February 14, 1926

Sunday, February 14, 1926
Rainy

The folks had prepared a chicken dinner expecting Winifred and she went back on them so they wanted us to come but I was too tired and it looked rainy besides so they didn’t insist. I got pretty well rested although it seemed I would never get done my work and dinner over. Well in the evening Dale and I started to church. As we were waiting for the car, Collin’s passed going down and stopped across the street and called to us to get in. I don’t know how it happened, it was so quick, but I ran to get in and just before I reached the car, I felt I had broken my big toe of my left foot. I must have stepped for the curb, missed and bent it back. At any rate it hurt my toe. We went to church however and they visited afterward so it didn’t get much attention.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "that toe hurt her the rest of her life."

It is interesting how one little step, or one little mis-step, can make such a difference. Grandma always had problems with her feet, and now this happened. )

Saturday, February 13, 1926

Saturday, February 13, 1926

Saturday is a hard day for me. I always feel as if I must bake and fix extras for Sunday, clean up the house, etc. and generally go down town after Gilbert comes home to keep the babies. Such was the case today and it tired me out. I spent quite a bit of time looking at curtain goods and didn’t get done all I wanted to. Besides I didn’t have any money to spend. With a family this size, one could go down town every week with $10 and not have too much money to spend. It sure would seem heavenly.



(Grandma is back with her diary. I don't know what she did for the five days or so when she didn't write in her diary, I'm just glad she starting writing again. I was running out of other ideas on what to post to "cover" for her.

Aunt Marjorie wrote "Mother was short of money until all her children were raised. I don't know if she felt she had enough money after that. She rarely discussed her private affairs, just as she never allowed us to look in her purse or in the desk drawer where she kept her bank book and bills. After Daddy (Gilbert) died, however, Dale and Dick had regular discussions with Mother about family finances as they helped raise us for several years. On the other hand, she never questioned us about our personal finances, at least me personally."

My impression is that Grandma never had material wealth, and she made use of everything she had, not throwing away any scraps of fabric, glass jars, etc. She also used bread wrappers as stuffing for pillows. When we visited on Sundays, we often had Chef-Boy-Ar-Dee spaghetti until my Dad decided to take a hibachi grill and steaks to cook, along with salad, and all she had to provide was baked potatoes. I think he was tired of spaghetti!)

Friday, Feburary 12, 1926

Grandma starts up writing in her diary again tomorrow, I promise!

In the meantime, this is the one year anniversary of this blog. For those who have read from the beginning, you've come through a whole year one day at a time. Thanks for staying with this. We'll continue until the diary entries run out... two more years!

Thursday, February 11, 1926

Yet another day when Grandma did not write in her "Bookof Remembrance". So, how about what she wrote one year ago in 1925:

Wednesday, February 11, 1925
Snow

Ironed all morning till two and then got ready and went to the mothers’ meeting at school. Dale hurried home and took care of the little ones. They got along fine and I enjoyed the meeting so much. They had cute dances and a little drill of wooden soldiers that was too cunning. Also a fine address on “Lincoln”. I bought some of their salad, talked to some of the ladies and came home, glad I had gone.

The reason I chose this one was because I started posting on February 12th, so this one would not have "seen the light of day" otherwise.

Wednesday, February 10, 1926

Grandma left a gap in her diaries, and I don't know why. She resumed writing after a few days. In the meantime, I've unearthed some other information from some copies of various documents sent to me by my cousin.

Grandma received the following letter from her church on February 3, 1960

Dear Ruth:

You have been elected to a high office in the life of the Church. Having manifested a loyalty to the highest and best, you are now called to join us in building a stronger church in Indianapolis.

The first Official Board meeting will be held on Thursday night, February 11, at 7:15 p.m. We will expect you to be present, to be introduced, and to become informed about the program of the congregation. You will also, from time to time, be contacted by the chairman of the Board of Deaconesses regarding special assignments.

The destiny of the Church rests in the hands of people like you. We covet your cooperation, your thoughts, and prayers, as we work together to help establish the Kingdom of God on earth.

Very sincerely yours,
Myron C. Cole
Ralpb B. Reese

Grandma attended Central Christian Church, I think from the time she moved to Indianapolis as a young girl until she died in 1972.

Tuesday, February 9, 1926

Another day when Grandma did not write a diary entry. Perhaps you would be interested to see who else was born in 1889 besides Gilbert Smith?

Monday, February 8, 1926

Grandma did not write a diary entry for this day. Perhaps you will find this link on Wikipedia of other people born in 1892 to be of interest?

Sunday, February 7, 1926

Sunday, February 7, 1926

Grandpa Smith was here today. We got out our old Kodak pictures and was looking at them – made fudge – read and had a very enjoyable day. Dale and I went to church to hear the new minister. We liked his sermon very much and the man, as much as we saw of him. This was his first Sunday evening service. He was here last Sunday morning but Dr. Smith preached his farewell sermon that evening. Shullenberger was especially cordial to Dale – patted him on the back, etc. He has three boys, the youngest Dale’s age.

(Sounds like a very nice Sunday! Aunt Marjorie wrote, "Dr Shullenberger did my wedding, and Eleanor's? Anyway, he was there many years". Eleanor (Mom) got married in 1950, Marjorie in 1945.)

Saturday, February 6, 1926

Saturday, February 6, 1926

Albert’s birthday. We got him two sets of Lincoln Logs and Mama got him the other. Ours were to be delivered this AM so he nearly deviled me to death till they got here. Dale went over and got the other set so they had a big time building cabins, etc. They are awfully nice toys if they don’t get scattered. Dad came in the evening. My feet tire so they make me sick almost. My new shoes are too high heeled to wear doing house work. They make me so draggy I never get done.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "Ned and I used to play with Lincoln Logs probably the same ones! I never knew Mother to wear very high heels. Her feet always hurt - no matter what! "Dad" is Grandma Smith (Gilbert's father)".

It is interesting that you can still buy Lincoln Logs today. What other toys are like that, withstanding the test of time?)

Friday, February 5, 1926

Friday, February 5, 1926

Albert came home from school looking so pale and tired. I began to feel as if all day school from the start is a little too much for him. Just as soon as he gets home he goes to the couch to lie down and roll. I’m trying to stop his rolling habit but he still tries to keep it up.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "Albert would lie on his back with his hands clasped behind his head and roll from side to side until he would fall asleep. He did that until he went to college. If he had any room mates he must have driven them crazy! Ned always slept with Albert and was used to it. When Albert left home, Ned laughingly said he had trouble going to sleep with nobody there to rock him to sleep. We never knew if Albert ever stopped rolling."

I wonder what we would do today with a child with this habit? What kinds of tests or sleep studies would be conducted?)

Thursday, February 4, 1926

Another day when Grandma did not write anything in her diary. I promise she resumed writing again on February 5th after her two day hiatus.

I have often thought what would Grandma think of life in the 21st century, with all the innovations and changes over the last 100+ years. And I think about words we use every day that she never heard... Internet, blog, even "digital".

I read today about someone who would know what Grandma might have thought. The oldest U.S. citizen, born April 20, 1893, just 5 months after Grandma, is 113 and lives not far from here, in Shelbyville, Indiana. She made the front page of the paper on Saturday, along with all the pre-game hype about the Super Bowl. She would know...

Wednesday, February 3, 1926

An unusual event, Grandma did not post a diary entry for this day. Perhaps she was too sick? She did write a few days ago about not feeling well.

Since we have this brief, rare day without a diary entry, I have nothing to comment on. Why don't you leave a comment and let me know you came by and maybe tell me how you found this blog?

Tuesday, February 2, 1926

Tuesday, February 2, 1926

The ground hog saw his shadow although it was cloudy most of the day.

(Has much changed in all these years? We still wonder if the ground hog saw his shadow on "Groundhog Day".)

Monday, February 1, 1926

Monday, February 1, 1926
Cloudy

I’ve felt miserable all day – sort throat, head ache and roars in my ears, etc. Didn’t wash as I wanted to doctor up. Made Albert another waist out of long cloth and dyed it gray.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "Didn't wash? Monday was always (almost) wash day!)

I'm impressed that even though Grandma did not feel well, she made Albert a shirt (waist) and then even dyed it!