Jane's Diary - 1975

I mentioned a few days ago that my grandma Jane was the writer of a diary for many years. These are not emotional out-pourings, but rather the details of her days with my grampa, Chet. After her death, my dad let me borrow a couple of them to read through, and I thought I might share an entry here and there - there are a few of you who knew them and I think those of you who didn't might still enjoy reading a few notes about her days! I'll start with November 1975. I was six, and I think she was almost 58, living on Crandall Street, in Madison, Wisconsin.

November 7, 1975
Partly sunny - rain early - rain after supper
Washed my hair - made chili and put it in basement oven at 225 all day - Good
Made 4 apple dumplings - finished the cleaning
Wrote to Mike (note: my dad - we were living in Russia) - mailed it
Chet home at 5:30 - ate in front of the fireplace.
Watched TV - took a short walk at 11.

November 8, 1975

Partly cloudy - Chet worked on eavestroughs - measured the yard for building permit - Letters from both boys!! I ironed - washed - weeded some of the plants - Drove to Orfordville for Lutefisk supper - Lutheran Church - $4.50 - Very very good! Home at 8 - Took a long hot bath - Called Mom.

As an extra bonus (!!), I'll also include a few one-line entries from a 1937 diary she compiled in 1971 to share with family. She was nineteen and living at home in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

Nov. 1...Well, now I am laid off --went to the dentist - had one filling $1.00
Nov. 3...Applied at Dorflingers again
Nov. 4...Went to the employment office
Nov. 5...Mom went to Madison with Aunt Marie. I took care of the house--made cupcakes.
Nov. 12...Alice Jean and I went around to all the stores but they wouldn't even take applications.

My family has always joked about Jane and her details - especially about the food - but I love reading these little entries, written in Insurance Agency daybooks and riddled with paperclips holding church bulletins, birth announcements, newspaper clippings, death announcements...It's all there.