About gDonna
The photo is my son and myself. Now days you can get a photo made to look old like this one. This photo was taken when this was the new look.

Harry S Truman was president when I was born and world war II had ended. I grew up in a time when lunch was put in a brown paper bag and a sandwich was wrapped with wax paper. There was no such thing as pantyhose, we wore stockings that attached to the rubbery clippy things that attached to the girdle. Convenience stores were not common and when we took a trip we packed a picnic basket because many places did not have fast food. Highways had places to pull over and stop, some with picnic tables. Read more ....
 

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Diary of Sarah Part 2 February 1932

May 30, 2019

I am continuing the diary of Sarah. This is the most special diary that I have. A true treasure. It takes me quite a bit of time to type so it is coming slow but I will post it each time I get a month typed out. Sarah's diary is a bit larger page so she writes quite a bit on each page.  The first post is here  https://gdonna.com/living-like-the-past/starting-to-make-sense/  If you have not read the month of January. 

Monday, February 1, 1932

Clear, crisp and cold. real winter. Had the usual early morning tasks to see to. Made preparation and did the weeks washing for the two families.  Hung part of mine out and put part on the clothes rack. Dinner. Emptied and rinsed the washer.  Worked at the news items this P.M. but was rather slow on the job. Evening tasks, Supper . After supper work. Copied a few sheets of items and then got too sleepy so went to bed.

Tuesday, February 2

Warmer, sprinkling and drizzling rain - almost to a shower for a while this a.m.  Not quite so heavy this P.M. but raining all the day.  Early morning tasks. Copied items until mail time. Had the daily routine of task to see to. Baked bread and Kuche. boiled a half ham for Jennie, made a big batch of doughnuts and finished them with father's help. Did the weeks ironing since supper. Did some mending and stored a part of the clothes. 

Wednesday Feb 3

Dull, Foggy and gloomy this A. M. Cleared by noon and we had some fine bright sunshine this P.M. Hurried through the usual morning tasks and went with Joseph and Papa on to Henry's as they moved over on a farm between Lebanon and South Lebanon.  We spent the day at the moving, getting back in time for the evening tasks.  Supper and after supper work. Studied Ward's Sale catalogue since supper.  After 10:00

Thursday Feb 4

Cold, cloudy and rainy this am. A stiff blizzardy breeze and spitting snow this P.M. calming down towards evening. Have kept inside all day as father did the outdoor work for me.  Usual morning tasks. Got an order ready to Montgomery Ward and Co, one to David C Cook Publishing Co One to Kirgan for Stove repairs and one to Sears Roebuck and Co. Sending fathers address. Dinner, used my spare time this P.M. and evening in mending. The McNess man called this a.m. Did not get to attend the meeting.

Friday Feb 5

Cold and cloudy and a good breeze astir. I was busy all the day -scrubbed all three of the porches and pavement, opened up the egg mash and put some out for the chickens, baked a white cake and a devil food, fixed up 3 qts of pickles ready for the table, run over the up-stairs bedroom and shaped them up a little, gave our bed-room a special clean -up.. DId some mending. Iced both cakes since supper. Late.

Saturday Feb 6

A fine bright after-noon followed a medium bright forenoon. Usual morning tasks. Baked pies, bread and kuche. Made a bunch of pickled eggs. Stopped to eat dinner. Edison Taylor called this P.M. made tapioca, gave the stairway, living-room and kitchen a special clean up for Sunday.  Earnest, Vera and Jim here for supper. Vera helped me get all my cans opened up for tomorrow and everything washed up.  I cleaned windows for a time.  Shall take a bath and retire. Dressed a couple of big hens t his P.M> and boiled them. 

Sunday Feb 7

Some clouds and some sunshine. Altogether a very good day. Had the usual early morning tasks to see to and then got busy about the noon day meal. Father helped me stretch the table before he left for Sunday services. Violet arrived about 10 and Henry's rounded in about 11 taking in by surprise.  We had 20 guests - in all seemed to enjoy the time greatly.  Earnest, Vera and Jim here this evening for a while.  Sleep and tired. 

Monday Feb 8

A fine bright day but quite cold. about as good winter as we have had.  Saw to the usual morning tasks. Made preparation and did the weeks washing for both families , as Joseph was not here to take their clothes home, I hung our line full and dried the rest on the clothes rack to-night. This P.M. I collected the news items and got a few of them copied. Saw to the usual evening tasks and supper. Copied news items until late and got all but a couple of papers.

Tuesday, Feb 9

Another clear, cold, crisp day.  Some warmer this evening. Hurried through the breakfast and finished up my news all ready for the mail - box.  After breakfast work. Then went with the rest of the folks up to Dan Linger's where we were in the butchering business all day.  Home again about 5 o'clock. Saw to the evening tasks, then prepared supper.  After supper work, cleaned up the casings which Joseph brought me from the countryman's yesterday. After 10

Wednesday Feb 10

Rainy and cloudy a good part of this a.m. but finally cleared about 10 o'clock and we had a fine bright and very warm afternoon.  I thought it too warm to butcher but the men went right on.  Usual morning tasks, Dampened down the clothes, started the plants and ironed for a while. Dinner, this P.M. Jennie and Henry arrived about 10 this a.m. finished the ironing and I baked five pies. Prepared some pickles for tomorrow. Evening tasks. Supper. Very warm.

Thursday Feb 11

Quite warm and rainy and threatening for a time this a.m. then bright and clear and sunny.  Arose soon after 5 and was in the kitchen earlier than usual.  Prepared breakfast and put on the sweet potatoes and beans for dinner. Set sponge for bread before breakfast. Busy in the kitchen all this a.m. as I had no help except Jennie who arrived in good time.  Ruth got down soon after 10 with Frederick. Baked 64 buns for dinner besides two bread. Dish washing and butchering business all the afternoon and evening.  Tired out.

Friday Feb 12

A fine, bright, beautiful day and somewhat colder. Usual tasks. Busy with the meat all day.  Father and I stuffed and hung the sausages. I finished up the liver pudding and we stuffed that.  Dinner.  This P.M. we made preparations for canning meat. Stopped to make the pickled pork and put the bacon down into brins. Then went down to the strip room where father, Frederick and I wrapped and sacked the hams and shoulders.  I hunted the eggs and finally got started at canning. Sealed up 4 quarts of spare ribs and 7 qts of tenderloin. Prepared for beds after cleaning up in the kitchen. Very tired.

Saturday Feb 13

A fine, bright, day but still cold.  Had the usual morning tasks and made preparations for the town trip.  Baked a few pies, stored the canned meat. Set sponge for bread. Served dinner. Boiled a kettle of pigs feet and made two milk crocks of pigs -foot-souse.  Gave the living room, bed room and kitchen an especial clean up for Sunday.  Earnest, Vera and Jim here for supper and the evening.  Did a little reading since supper and must take a bath.  10:40

Sunday Feb 14

Clear, crisp cold day.  Usual morning tasks.  Made preparation and attended church and S.S. services at Red Lion where the Communion Service was administered today.  Home for dinner. This P.M., Papa and I Joseph, Julie, Frances and Edward all motored to James and visited with James and family. Home for evening tasks and supper. Earnest and Vera, Louella and Charles all here this evening. Late. 

Monday Feb 15

Clear and cold with a good breeze astir. Had the usual morning tasks to see to. Then, made preparations and got at the washing.  Was hindered so much and stopped the machine for this, that and the other until it was quite late before I finished. Collected items of news for the paper. Supper and after supper work. Copied a few pages of News items. 

Tuesday Feb 16

Dull and cloudy this a.m. drizzling rain all this P.M. and raining this evening.  Hurried through the breakfast and then got sight to copying news. Finished at 10 o'clock and father mailed it for me.  This P.M. I baked bread, washed up the big lard press and the sausage grinder.  Cleaned up the communion set and re sealed the wine. Usual evening tasks. Have felt dull and drowsy all evening.  10 P.M.

Wednesday Feb 17

Early this a.m. the sun shone out and the air was balmy and warm as a May day. A little later the clouds gathered and the wind arose and grew colder fast until by noon it was real winter and it is quite blizzardy this evening. Had the usual morning tasks to see to. Mended a jacket for father and then cut out two shirts for Earnest. Henry's here for late dinner. Did the weeks ironing. Supper and after supper work. Did a little mending and then some writing 10:20.

Thursday Feb 18

A fine bright beautiful day but quite cold for this winter. Hurried thru the usual early morning tasks, set the house in order, finished oiling the sewing machine and spent all of my spare time sewing.  Made one shirt complete except the buttons and button holes and got a good start on another.  Stopped to see to the evening tasks and supper.  So late when I got settled for the evening that I just read a little and looked up our bill to the oil company.

Friday Feb 19

Another beautiful day but still cold and getting colder towards evening.  Usual morning tasks. Set sponge for bread and later stiffened it up.  Settled down and finished the second shirt.  Baked bread and kuche.  This P.M.  I sealed up a quart of pigs foot souse and fried down two small shoulders making 4 half gal, bucket full. Got a pumpkin at the barn and put it on to cook.  Supper worked the button  holes and sewed the buttons on the two shirts. 11:30

Saturday Feb 20

A most beautiful day, clear, bright and quiet. quite a keen air this a.m. warmer towards evening. Usual morning tasks. Mixed up the pumpkin and baked seven pumpkin pies and one plum pie.  Set sponge for doughnuts and this afternoon with help from Frances, Edward and father, fried two dishpans full of doughnuts.  Gave the bed room, living room and kitchen an especial clean -up. Evening tasks and supper. Earnest called, but was quite ill with grippe.  Baked a white cake just after dinner and iced it this evening. 10:40

Sunday Feb 21

Cloudy and threatening this a.m. and by 10 o'clock it was drizzling and very disagreeable. It kept a sprinkling rain all the P.M. and for a while we had a regular rain. Had the usual early morning tasks to see to and made as much preparation for dinner as I could. Have to be late to church as Frederick was serving for janitor and attended S.S.  Home again to find that no one had arrived. They came soon after Uncle Paul, Henry's and Royer, some later eve all enjoyed dinner together and the afternoon I collected news this evening as the Georges are to visit us tomorrow. 

Monday Feb 22

Somewhat dull early this a.m.but it was still quite early when the sun came out and we had a fine bright day with a cold wind. Had the usual early morning tasks to perform and made preparations for dinner. Geo, Sara, Carl, Mac and Lewis arrived before I had finished my dish washing and we spent a happy day together. They left about 4:20 and I got busy on the News work. Earnest, Vera and Jim here this evening for a while. I wrote until almost 11:00

Tuesday Feb 23

Another clear, cold, crisp day. Got the breakfast over and then finished copying the news items and sent the church insurance $26.00 to Mr. Constines. Washed the breakfast dishes and then did the weeks washing for the two families. Dinner. Hung out the clothes, emptied and stored the washer. Made a batch of caramels and one of ice cream candy. Usual evening tasks. Set two hens and took in the clothes. Supper. Tried to pull the ice cream candy but formed it too soft. Will have to boil again 10:10

Wednesday Feb 24

A fine, bright, beautiful day. Still very cold early this a.m. but warmed up a lot during the day. Usual morning tasks. Did the sweeping and then the weeks ironing. Re-heated the ice cream candy and later pulled it. cut it and wrapped it.  Dinner and after dinner work, Dressed and went first to Earl Fuller for eggs and then on to the Howard Hatchery. Did some trading in Franklin and then home for evening tasks and supper. This evening Father and I attended an entertainment at the church of God Middletown.

Thursday Feb 25

A fine day tho not quite so bright as yesterday. Usual morning tasks. Made preparations to can the remainder of the sausage. Put on beef for mince meat and some bones for soup.  Fried some steak and served dinner. This P.M. I canned three qts of sausage. Helped father carry the beef to the house and pack all for dried beef in the brine and part of the wash meat. Evening tasks. Oscar here this evening. 11o'clock

Friday Feb 26

A most beautiful day. Fine bright and warm the whole day through. Hurried through the early morning tasks, after putting on a big kettle of soup meat and waster full of wash meat in the oven. Aunt Amelia and Eveline arrived early with the cold pack cooker and we worked with the meat all day.  Sealed up 37 cans of beef and made five gallons of minced meat and we were really busy. Had the usual evening tasks to see to. Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Montgomery called this evening.  After 10.

Saturday Feb 27

A wonderful day- bright and warm all day-getting quite cool this evening. Had the usual morning tasks to see to. Spent quite a while cleaning up the range.  Set sponge for bread and baked 3 pies and a pan of cinnamon rolls. Had dinner. This P.M. I baked the bread, coffee- Kuche. Gave the hall way, living room and kitchen and bedroom an especial clean up.  Canned the mince meat, 10 pints and 4 qts. Supper and work following. Got Papas mending, a bath. Late. 

Sunday Feb 28

Some clouds but more sunshine. Had the usual early morning tasks to see to. Made Preparation and attended church and Sunday school services. Late to church as Joseph is having a turn at being janitor. Dinner at home. Got some beef and a few cans ready and went with Joseph and family over to Margaret's for a visit. Home again about 4 o'clock. Usual evening tasks. Earnest, Vera and Jim here for a while. Late.

Monday Feb 29 1932

Cloudy real early this a.m. but soon cleared and was a most beautiful day though somewhat breezy.  Early morning tasks. Late at the washing as father had to solder the wash boiler and as a result, was late finishing. Dinner about 1 o'clock. Hung out the clothes since dinner. Collected the news items. Emptied and stored the washer.  Took down the clothes and saw to the evening tasks. Supper, Worked at the news items since supper. Late. 

I hope you are enjoying this very special diary, we should not complain about housework or cooking after reading this diary. Grandma Donna

 

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