Sunday, November 11, 1956
Loafed around all day. Read the Papers. Watched Purcell’s television in the evening.
Monday, November 12
Joe’s birthday- He has been everything a boy could be- to parents- in fact all 4 are just as fine and good-
got so sick during the night. got to thinking its the last round up which is a foolish way to think. I preach positive thinking- (she’s still recovering from what may have been Asian flu)
Roger came over and put my storm sash. He’s a grand good guy.
Tuesday, November 13
Receiv’d Otto Green $30
Rent from November 9-November 23
Mrs. Purcell’s friend gave her a permanent yesterday.
Warm and so windy.
Watched television in the evening.
The Garden Club was to meet and I am on the committee. No chance of getting down. Buses still on strike.
November 14, Wednesday
Worked around-
talked to (somebody whose name I cannot read- looks like Freudenreichs)
they came thru (the town where the cottage/Rattery is) Tuesday- too bad I didn’t know about it. later learned that Mr. and Mrs Woods drove to (another nearby town, so she could have gotten a ride to her garden club meeting had she known).
November 15, Thursday
Worked around- read- did some washing and ironing.
Watched television
ate a good supper with Purcells
Friday November 16
Same job- a little work here and there
Lois wanted me to come out with Roger Sat. am. but it makes me stay too long- watched television
November 17, Saturday
Changed my bed, washed. will go to Rogers Sunday a.m. when he gets off his 12-8 shift
Watched Purcells television.
November 18, Sunday
Spent Sunday with Rogers. children went to S. S.
had such a good roast beef supper. Watched television.
I could find nothing about a bus strike in Chicago, East Chicago, Northern Indiana in 1956, but down in Alabama the year long bus boycott in Montgomery was nearly at an end. I don’t think this had anything to do with my great grandmother’s inability to attend her garden club meeting, but it is interesting to see what big things were going on in the country at the time, things which she rarely mentions in her journals.
For those who don’t know, the S.S. the children attended here is Sunday School, not some secret nazi club.
I’ve always found her method of referring to people and families interesting. If somebody is named Charla Brown and she is going to visit Charla Brown’s family at their home, she doesn’t say ‘the Browns’,’ or ‘the Browns’ house,’ she says ‘Charlas’- Charla’s family provided me with a lovely dinner would be Charlas provided me with a lovely dinner. At least in her references, whether she refers to a family by the first name of the husband or wife largely seems to depend on which of them is her progeny. If Charla is her daughter, it’s Charlas. Otherwise, she seems to default to the male.
I came across a similar language quirk in something I read by either Amish or old order Mennonites, and my great-grandmother was of German ancestry, so I wonder if that’s why.