Thursday, February 8, 1962

"Dear Diary,

Cleaned the upstairs & the back room today. Wrote to Sue. Heard from Ruth Ann. Poor kid has her school troubles."

Wednesday, February 7, 1962

"Dear Diary,

Had the ironing done 'til 10:30 this morning. Read a whole book today & washed diapers tonite."

Tuesday, February 6, 1962

"Dear Diary,

Washed today & finished reading "Papa's Wife." Good story! Wrote to Ruth Ann tonite. Also wrote to Marvin."

Monday, February 5, 1962

"Dear Diary,

Come back over to Grabers about 1:30. Washed dinner dishes, made some beds, washed diapers & got supper. Baby's cute - but not as cute as Devona."

Sunday, February 4, 1962

"Dear Diary,

Went to church this morning. Iva was baptized. Church let out at 2! Went back to Marv's & fried eggs for Harvey, Leroy, Marv & myself. Then we went to Pete's again. Was there 'til 9. Come home talked with Mom & Dad a while then went upstairs. He was sorta quiet all week-end."

Saturday, February 3, 1962

"Dear Diary,

Come home about 9 this morning. Est went to help Ev. Fair was here this aft again. Marv came about 8 & showed the boys how to skate. Alma & Nap. kids picked Est up & told us to come over for Pizza - we did. Then went up to his place. R.A. told me her wedding plans."

Friday, February 2, 1962

"Dear Diary,

Six more weeks of winter. Sun shone today. No school today. Kids were here all day - went faster. I ironed & cleaned house. Filled a lemon pie. Pretty good luck all day.

Thursday, February 1, 1962

"Dear Diary,

Pretty good day - "considering" I washed & ironed a few pieces. Read & listened to radio all afternoon. Called Barb & Judy tonite & am gonna try & write to Mary Lou yet."

Wednesday, January 31, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Went to Dan's this morning to see their baby. Ironed this aft 'til Floyd Graber came to get me. Am here now at Graber's. She isn't gone yet but figures she'll go during the nite. Fell sort of alone. Miss Marv when I feel like this. Would write him & also Vern & Melly a letter if I'd have the paper & envelopes."

Tuesday, January 30, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Mom washed. I washed eggs & washed my head. Made ice cream tonite."

Monday, January 29, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Lazy day. Didn't get up 'til 9:00. Didn't do anything worth mentioning all day 'cept write to Ruth Ann."

Sunday, January 28, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Went to Ed's to church. Saw Mary Jane (Eicher) Hilty. When we got home Nancy & Linda were here. Giggled the afternoon away. Took them & Jim W. home on the cutter this afternoon. Played slap tonite. Elsie & Marvin came 'fore Marv left. After he left I talked with them 'til 1. They stayed 'til 2:30.
(Est was to L.....'s(?) all afternoon.)"

Saturday, January 27, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Fair was here all day. Deannie Vogl was here awhile. I mopped kitchen floor today. Annie came this afternoon. Marv came about 8:30 & we played Rook with Annie & Est. Then him, Est & I played Dirty 2. I won both games. He stayed."

Friday, January 26, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Busy day - went to Sam Eicher's with Bill this forenoon. Dad, Fred & Est too. Come back for dinner & Bill stayed. Fair came down this aft. Mom, Dad & little boys went to Grandma's for supper. Rosy Pen...? stayed here & drove Fair & us gals nuts. Wrote to Melly Lou."

Thursday, January 25, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Made new white cape this forenoon. Ironed all aft. Fixed baby gown & old green dress this P.M. Jake's gals stopped in awhile this aft."

Wednesday, January 24, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Made baby's cap & black apron. Linda F. came down awhile this eve. Had letters from cuz Sue & R.A."

Tuesday, January 23, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Didn't feel good again today! Wrote to Katie Schwartz. Cut caps for Devona, Annie, Mom & us girls. Baked cookies this aft too."

Monday, January 22, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Didn't feel good all day. Sewed over buttons on coat & sweaters. Wrote to Ruth Ann tonite."

Sunday, January 21, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Mom, Dad, & kids went to Sam E's today. Marv & I sat here alone all day. Played cards then rested on the couch. This eve we set home AGAIN. He left about 10 or 10:30."

Saturday, January 20, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Est went to town today & bought a new coat. Alma came over for the week-end. I baked pies this aft. Meade girls were here again. Marv & I went to Nottawa this P.M. Then came & sat here. Marion, Elsie, Est & Alma went goofin off. Made pizza here."

Friday, January 19, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Mopped kitchen & cleaned upstairs. Est came home tonite. I finished ironing & baked a cake. Flopped."

Thursday, January 18, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Ironed this afternoon. Sent letters to R.A. & Est. Wrote to Marv but burned the letter. Sure wish he'd write to me! Mrs. Graber was here for a babysitter. Big Josie was here this eve."

Wednesday, January 17, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Mom & Dad went to Joe H's to butcher. Alma Marie came over for the day. Wrote to Est & Ruth Ann."

Tuesday, January 16, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Slept late this morning. Letter from Alma. Went to town this noon with Hank. Went to Jake's this aft. Bought skirt pattern. Called Est."

Monday,January 15, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Washed for Mom. She's got bursitis. Melly & Vern & Lulu stopped in this aft. Est went to Harmon's again."

Sunday, January 14, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Marv & Harvey picked me up for church. Wasn't ready when they came. After church we went to Si's on cutter. Came home, had supper, he played cards with the kids 'til 9. I was disgusted at him. Finally spent time with me and he was wonderful again. Left about 12."

Saturday, January 13, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Done Saturday work. Est come home this morn. Hemmed yellow dress for church. Melly, Lulu, Levi, Rudy & Ruthie stopped on way to town. Left Arlene here. Ruthie stayed here for the nite. Got ready for Marv but he never showed up. Very beat out & disgusted."

Friday, January 12, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Mom & Dad went to Pete's to butcher. Baby & I stayed here. Mopped & waxed kitchen & cleaned upstairs."

Thursday, January 11, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Letter from Ruth A. Mom went to Amos Willy's to get ready for church. I ironed all aft."

Wednesday, January 10, 1962

"Dear Diary,
S'posed to butcher at Pete's. Too cold. Boys didn't get to school. Linda spent her day here."

Tuesday, January 9, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Washed eggs all forenoon. Read the rest of the day. Devona fell with Mern & Don down 1 step & got 1st goose egg."

Monday, January 8, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Est went to Ed Harmon's to work all week. Got a letter from Alma Marie. She's in Hicksville. Wrote to her & RA this aft."

Sunday, January 7, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Sat home all day & played cards & Marv & I played dot games. He acted more like himself this week-end. Left around 10."

Saturday, January 6, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Sat around mostly today. Old Christmas, Est went to Sarah's. Marv & I just sat home."

Friday, January 5, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Mopped kitchen & ironed a washed eggs. Wrote to Sue tonite."

Thursday, January 4, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Went to Grandma's with Hank. Sent R. A. a letter."

Wednesday, January 3, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Sewed a little, washed eggs. Made ice cream for supper. Letter from Ruth Ann."

Tuesday, January 2, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Kids back to school. Me back to dishes & baby. Est quit school today. Washed my head."

Monday, January 1, 1962

"Dear Diary,
Got up about 9:30 this morn. Set home all day. Mom mopped & waxed. Aim & Mary & Pearl Louise & Mandy were here this aft awhile. Annie went home on 10:30 bus."

Mom listed special dates for the year at the end of her 1961 diary. The dates were:
February 19
April 29
May 21
July 16
August 6
August 19
November 19
November 21

Sunday, December 31, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Had church & singin. Pretty big crowd. Marv went home about 1. He makes me so disgusted & blue I don't know what to do with myself. Hope he straightens out soon. I'm losing my patience."

Saturday, December 30, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Finished up tonite about 11. Finally! Marv didn't come 'cause I told him to stay home on account of church."

Friday, December 29, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Just worked & worked some more today. Finished black dresses - 'cept hemming."

Thursday, December 28, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Mandy, Pearl Louise & Ruth Ann came to help today. Ruth Ann stayed."

Wednesday, December 27, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Washed woodwork in kitchen today. Finished dress tonite & started Est's. Maxine Barenell was here to see Devona today. Meade clan was here all aft."

Tuesday, December 26, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Didn't do more than dishes & eggs today. Sewed tonite. Est went with Elsie, Mary Louise & Marion to Christy's this P.M."

Monday, December 25, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Got up early & went with Marv & Vern's to Marge & Leroy's out in Ohio. Had fun but was dead tired tonite. Hit the sack at 6:30 PM."

Sunday, December 24, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Got up 10:30 & went to Dave Y's for dinner. Went for cutter ride with Sam & Bessie in AM & with Dennis & Irene this PM. Had exchange tonite. Got 6 glasses, 2 place mats, stationery & Pen from Katie Bontrager. Gave Marv his billfold & cigarettes & he gave me big bouquet of plastic flowers in vase & candy dish with candy."

Saturday, December 23, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Worked the usual Saturday work today. Got a Christmas greeting from Marv. Said he wasn't coming. Later him & Dennis came for cutter & he said he was coming after all. Went bobsledding & caroling. Started at Dave Yoder's. Went up to Christ B's. & Virgil's. Picked up gals on the way. Gone 4 hours. I stayed at Marv's for the nite."

Friday, December 22, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Washed woodwork upstairs (our room). Est come home from school this noon & ironed this aft. Was s'posed to go to Ruth Ann's Christmas program but Amos couldn't take us so we stayed home."

Thursday, December 21, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Finished washing off kitchen. Went to Christmas program tonite."

Wednesday, December 20, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Washed half of kitchen off this forenoon. Went to Colon with Dad & Jake this aft. Wrapped presents & washed eggs tonite."

Tuesday, December 19, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Cut black Christmas dresses & ironed. Sewed on dresses tonite."

Monday, December 18, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Cleaned upstairs & eggs. Got letter from Connie. Ma and Pa went shopping. Fred went caroling."

Sunday, December 17, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Still icy - went to church. Marv wasn't there. Talked to Ruth Ann. Come home just before Marv come. He seemed so good tonite. Much better than he has been all fall. Went home though before very late 'cause of ice. No shoes on horse. Didn't go to Pete's singin'."

Saturday, December 16, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Worked - worked - worked! Est went to Jake's all nite. Icy again tonite. No Marv!"

Friday, December 15, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Big Josie came this morn & helped paint."

Thursday, December 14, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Went to Pete's to help get ready for church. Sat around all day - gossip!"

Wednesday, December 13, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Mom painted again."

Tuesday, December 12, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Marv stayed home again. Felt good enough to help me with housework."

Monday, December 11, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Est stayed home from school & Marv was sick too. Mom painted. I caught up the eggs."

Sunday, December 10, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Ma, Dad, & boys went to Joe Hochstettler's for dinner. Devona and I sat home alone. She slept all day. Was looking for Marv but he never showed up 'til 3:30. The boys were with him. Went & got Est, ate supper, then sat upstairs 'til 10:00 or so. Est & Alma went to singin' with Vern & Jr. Wickey."

Saturday, December 9, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Est went to Alma's. I sat home alone again. The roads were icy."

Friday, December 8, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Mopped, etc."

Thursday, December 7, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Ironed again!"

Wednesday, December 6, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Cooked for shredders again. Finally finished. Ironed tonite."

Tuesday, December 5, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Didn't do much of anything. Josie was here a while. I baked pie crusts."

Monday, December 4, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Cooked for shredders but it rained. Couple guys were here anyway. Went to Si's this aft. a few min."

Sunday, December 3, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Sat home by myself while the rest went to church. Got dinner for Melly, Vern, Est, Ruthie & Alma. Marv didn't come 'til 6:15. Had that goofy, crazy Dennis Y. along. Went to Pete Stauffer's to the singing. Lousy time. Drew names and got Martha Borkholder."

Saturday, December 2, 1961

"Dear Diary,
The usual Saturday. Mom canned beef. Marv come 'bout 8:15. I didn't comb 'til he came. Went to Nottawa a few min. Est left with Howard Miller from Nappanee. Marv stayed 'til 12:30."

Friday, December 1, 1961

"Dear Diary,
Had shredders today. Alma & Mandy were here for dinner to help."