I have never
kept a diary and I don’t believe I have any ancestors who did but I do have a
copy of the desk diary that my mother kept in 1974. Mom was widowed in 1959
with nine children under 18. In 1971 she moved from Elmhurst, Illinois to
Pompano Beach, Florida to be close to her sister Kathleen and brothers Tom and
Jack who had retired to Ft Lauderdale. At the time there were three children
still living with her, Peggy, Alice and Donald. Mom lived in Florida until her
death in 1977 at the age of sixty. Shortly after moving to Florida, mom
developed cancer and by 1974 was no longer able to teach full time.
These are
the entries from her desk calendar for January 1974
Tuesday,
January 1
Alice’s bday – 19 years old
We are having dinner at Peg & Mike’s; SMC [her sister
Sister Marie Camilla], A.K., Mary, Al, Don and me. Tris (Mike’s brother) of
course. The apt is very nice they have beautiful bedroom furniture.
Saturday,
January 5
Budget for 2/75
(other than checks)
4.25 gas and milk
100 gro.
150 mail
135 church
1099 gro
[decimal points omitted but I believe these amounts represent
dollars and cents]
Monday,
January 14
Rain fell all day today – 4” or so
in vacant fields flooded and many streets
Didn’t drain off. So it was with Mc ab Rd when I tried to
get to St Coleman’s for CCD. I had a terrible time and was lucky a good angel
pulled me out.
Tuesday,
January 15
Not feeling strong I hesitated about H.C.H. [Holy Cross
Hospital] work but am glad I tried it.
It was not too tiring. Dr. George took me off Alkare for 2
more weeks.
Wednesday,
January 16
Alice joined the choir by her own request.
It will be good for her, I think. She is also thinking about Confirmation.
Thursday,
January 17
Don took the car today so I am grounded. Hilda had us (Kay
and I) for waffles. Tomorrow Don buys Mike Wilde’s car a “67 Cutlass for cash.
Pretty good at saving!
Friday,
January 18
Alice took me to Diane’s for lunch after grocery shopping. Sitting
in front of T.V. at 11:00 when T.B.K. S. [my brother Tom, his wife Beate, their
son Kurt, and Beate’s mother Susi]come! Don moves to liv fl [living room floor]
to make room. He admires Tom and enjoys Beate. Alice makes banana bread which
we forget to serve. Tom has no beard Kurt is v. friendly!
Saturday,
January 19
M V [my sister Mary Virginia] and I shop at Fields but she
doesn’t like what they have.
Sunday,
January 20
Mass at 11:00 – Ir is a good experience to attend a “straight”
Mass with choir. The kids went swimming at Boca bridge. Susi and Mary and I
spent a quiet afternoon. The swimmers were back early.
Monday,
January 21
CCD was a staff meeting. We are going to have 3 classes and 2
teachers for each class. Relaxed atmosphere, more free range rap[?]. In the AM
Suzy & I went to the shore for shells We took Kurt.
Wednesday,
January 23
T&R[my uncle Tom and his wife Ruth] took us T.B.K.S. to lunch
at 2100 then we walked or sat on the beach till I left to do tutoring. The
young ones went out to mini golf.
Thursday,
January 24
Suzi and I took Kurt to the beach “shelling”. He is so sweet
and trusting – his eyes say so much. At noon we went to HCH to have lunch with
Ingabor and Mary. Susi and Beate enjoyed. At 3:00 we all drove up to WPB [West Palm Beach] for a
Rst Bf [roast beef] dinner at St Raymond with SMC.
Friday,
January 25
Tom and Beate left for Orlando We decided not to go – I am
too tired and it’s quite expensive. So Susi and I went to Creighton’s . She
liked v. much.
Saturday,
January 26
The travelers get back form Orlando about 8:00. Had a grand
time. We took things easy.
Sunday,
January 27
Went to A.K.[her sister Kathy] for a nice dinner – she really
can cook up a good meal.
Monday,
January 28
Tom, Beate, Kurt, Susi Mary left and it was a lonely morning.
Alice tried to cheer me up. We went to Inveraray for lunch with Isabel. The phone
was ringing when we got in – a tutoring job 3rd gr Louise. T.G. and
Dorothy Hajjar.
Tuesday,
January 29
Call from the Learning Tree – tutoring. Will look into it. I’m
so thankful to have these jobs pop up. Hospital made me lonely for my sweet
Mary. Peg came in the AM so cheerful – so is Alice.
Wednesday,
January 30
Louise is a very sweet dark-eyed child. She is rather slow in
reading but definitely able. We both have rapport.
Thus, ends
the month of January 1974.