My first years… from Eileen's Diary - Highlights of January, 1940

My first years…  from Eileen's Diary

Highlights of January, 1940

These are highlights from the diary of my mother, twenty-one year old Eileen KINNICK SMITH, 75 Years Ago. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.

[Rather than posting each mundane entry, I've chosen items of interest to me, as I knew my family (or didn't). Also, significant events Mom noted, as seen by me, looking back. Comments at the end.]

Month of January highlights (I was six months old on Jan. 1):

Wed. Jan 3 - Had w.c. shot for Billy. Got our corn money.
Sat. Jan 6 - Took folks a load of cobs & bro’t home a load of coal.

Wed. Jan 10 - Ate dinner at Carroll… Mom had her glasses changed. Billy had his last whooping cough shot.
Thurs. Jan 11 - Chored early & went to Ruth and Glenn’s for oyster supper. Moylan’s kept Billy.
Sat. Jan 13 - It really is snowing. Real deep. … Billy - 2 more teeth.
Sun. Jan 14 - Quit snowing but blowing terribly.
Tues. Jan 16 - Pete in to lumber yard. … Pete started play pen.
Wed. Jan 17 - Pete working on Billy’s play pen.
Thurs. Jan 18 - Really was cold. About 20 degrees below.
Sun. Jan 21 - Showed Pete a little about the piano…
Mon. Jan 22 - Pete worked on Billy’s play pen.
Tues. Jan 23 - Pete played piano awhile…
Thurs. Jan 25 - Pete took me & Billy to club at Mrs. Wheeler’. He slept all the time. …
… went to Gymer’s to S.S. party…Polly kept Billy.
Sat. Jan 27 - Pete went up home & helped butcher a beef. … Pete played the piano awhile…
Sun. Jan 28 - Pete played piano a little…
Mon. Jan 29 - Pete worked on Billy’s play pen.

My comments: Didn’t know Dad ever had interest in playing the piano…
Sure put a lot of effort into “Billy’s play pen”…
Interesting to note the people who cared for me when they ‘went out.’ More than I realized.
It was a really hard winter. Snowed in a lot, but rarely more than a day…


Families are Forever!  ;-)