Monday, November 30, 1936

Blizzard & cold 5 [degrees]
I washed out four pair of stockings and mended them and button holed Mothers slippers-
Milk bottles frozen hard*-
We have all been tired today
Mother has been good-
but a little difficult toward Aunty about the kitchen-
this evening-
Sent letters to Chester and Hattie Morey-

Frozen milk bottles and kitten- Chicago, 1947*

*Image from the Chicago Tribune. < http://galleries.apps.chicagotribune.com/chi-140207-classic-cold-chicago-pictures/ >

Sunday, November 29, 1936

Sunday-
plesant
Harry took Clara to Auburn to meet the 3-20 bus to Syracuse this afternoon-
I made banana cream pie for dinner-
Mother has been very quiet and drousy all day
Dr ordered her to sit with her feet up in a chair-
and takes four kinds of medicine-
Strange to eat supper just us 3-

Saturday, November 28, 1936

Harry took Clara, Mother & Aunty to Dr. Price and had their feet treated and to Dr. Moore and had a thorough examination-
Aunty is better but Mothers heart is very bad and her limbs are swelling-
I stayed home and done the work and had 2 o'clock dinner-
Mother nervous & excited all day-

Friday, November 27, 1936

plesant & cold 12 [degrees] above zero this eve-
Made Duck puff with a cup of chopped duck meat*- very good
Fried Brazil nut meats in a little butter and salt very good-
and had dates to serve this evening-
Had fire in Auntys' living room-
Clara washed and hung the curtains in Auntys' north room
Harry russeled wood-
Mother good

Roasted Duck in Puff Pastry from The Toasted Sprinkle blog*

*Most of the duck puff pastry recipes I came across seemed too fussy for Irene, so I chose this one. It specifically talks about using leftovers. Rosted Duck in Puff Pastry.

Thursday, November 26, 1936

Thanksgiving day
Clara came this morning by train from N.Y. City 7-15 -
Harry met her at the depot 6 o'clock
mistake in change of timetables
Stormy day with snow squalls
Duck dinner with dressing*
wonderfull dinner that all enjoyed-
Clara gave Mother a bath

Stuffing recipes from 1936 as they appeared in the LA Times*

*Stuffing (or dressing) recipes from 1936 < image from the LA Times blog- http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedailymirror/2008/11/thanksgiving--2.html >

Wednesday, November 25, 1936

plesant & thawed
I made a pumpkin pie & a shell and a layer cake with lemon filling
Harry came for dinner & Mother & I went to Ithaca with him for supplies-
I got me some stockings-
I rec'd a nice letter from Iliff today-

Tuesday, November 24, 1936

plesant day & warmer
Thawed a little today-
about 4 inches of snow this morning-
Made oatflake cookies and stewed pumpkin this forenoon
sent letter to Iliff-
Combed Mothers hair and swept & dusted upstairs this afternoon-
Mother tired but good all day-
She prowled all night last night so was very tired-
gave her a pill-

Monday, November 23, 1936

plesant day & cold
Rec'd letter from Iliff and also Clara with check for $20.00 paid to Dec- 2-
I got parsnips from gardens for dinner-
I erupted ashes in south room stove and laid kindling for fire in both stoves and swept up etc.getting ready for Thanks giving- Mother good

Letter from Clara to Irene dated Nov. 21, 1936

Pages 2 & 3 of the Nov. 21 letter to Irene

Page 4 of Clara's letter to Irene

Envelope showing Nov. 21, 1936 Newburgh, NY postmark

Sunday, November 22, 1936

Snowy but warm
colder after sun set and windy
combed Mothers hair and washed her neck & ears-
Made tapioca custard and cooked onions for dinner* and took butter jar to Mrs. Evans-
Mother has been a real companion & good all day-



*I really hope that Irene is only relating part of what she cooked, & had more than tapioca & onions for dinner.

Saturday, November 21, 1936

Cloudy but plesant & warm all day-
I made a plain cake and stewed apples-
Can not arrouse much pep and vigor today-
washed my hair this afternoon-
helped Aunty hang her curtains in dining room-
Mother did not go to bed all night-
but good today-

Friday, November 20, 1936

plesant & warmer
Helped Aunty clean paint in her dining room-
Subscribed for the magazine "Sucessfull [sic] Farming" and "Better Homes & Gardens" $3.50
Mother was good today-
but does not want to go to bed-
Sent a letter to Iliff-

Better Homes & Gardens December 1936 issue

Thursday, November 19, 1936

plesant & cold
Made a rice pudding and finished cleaning the kitchen paint to day-
Rec'd a nice long letter from Alice also one from Iliff.
Aunty sent a letter to Clara
Mother has been good today.

Wednesday, November 18, 1936

blizzard & cold windy north east-
I stewed apples and also onions and made oat flake cookies-
Sent a paper & card to Iliff this forenoon-
Mother has kept in Auntys kitchen and slipped off to bed upstairs this eve about 8-30 and has not came down at 9-30 so am going to bed myself-

Tuesday, November 17, 1936

plesant & warmer south wind-
snow melted away this afternoon-
I washed paint in kitchen this forenoon and after dinner
Mother stayed with us so I combed her hair then washed 8 windows on south side of house-
treated Mothers foot this eve and put on new corn plaster^-
*Rec'd note from Iliff of safe arrival 1-30 a.m.

1937 ad for corn plasters^

^Image courtesy of Modern Mechanix blog.

*This is written up the left hand, inside margin of the diary entry.

Monday, November 16, 1936

regular blizzard all day-
windy & cold 20 [degrees] above zero this eve-
snow covers everything
I made tapioca custard for dinner and washed off the porch furniture and carried it up stairs this forenoon-
mended two dresses this afternoon-
Mother is difficult this eve and hugs the stove and wont go to bed-

Sunday, November 15, 1936

Sunday rainy & windy changing to snow this eve-
Iliff came for me to go to Searles' for dinner and the afternoon-
Had baked ham and a big dinner-
Leon Apgar & wife and Wm Apgar* & wife and Donald & Francis & Donnie called-
Iliff brought me back 7 o'clock and went on to Buffalo-
Stormy night for him to drive-



*Mildred's mother Florence's maiden name was Apgar.

Saturday, November 14, 1936

Cloudy with Misty rain this afternoon-
Finished the ironing
Combed Mothers hair etc-
Mother very difficult this afternoon-
did not like the ironing and would not come to eat her supper-
Iliff and Mildred called this eve-

Friday, November 13, 2014

Cloudy & misty rain
Harry worked some in door yard and it got too wet-
I made banana cream pie and roasted pork loin and stewed apples for dinner-
Harry left us about 4 o'clock this afternoon for Auburn-
Aunty rec'd a nice letter from Clara today-
I washed and ironed my blue dress and fastened on new collar-

Thursday, November 12, 1936

plesant all day-
I made a lemon pie and ginger bread this forenoon-
Harry raked leaves from south lawn & burned them in driveway
Harry took me to town this afternoon
I bought 3 house dresses and underwear a kid gloves and collar-
Harry treated me to Lemon soda and bought ice cream for supper-
Ella Miller called-
*Mother difficult-

Advertisement for kid gloves in the 1930s^

*This is written up the left hand, inside margin of the diary entry.

^Found on Pinterest, by way of tumblr, via flickr...
  

Wednesday, November 11, 1936

Armistice Day-
plesant all day south wind
Combed Mothers hair-
Carried in the onions-
and ironed some this afternoon-
Harry came about 4 o'clock
Had a plesant evening-
He told me about his trip to New Jersey and the Delaware water gap-
Had views to show me-
Rec'd letters from Iliff & Chester & Bertha-

Delaware Water Gap postcard*

*The Delaware Water Gap is a 70,000 acre area along the Delaware River in Pennsylvania & New Jersey. < image from Philadelphia Trolley Tracks website courtesy of Lew Hoy>

Tuesday, November 10, 1936

plesant and windy
freezing a little-
Made Butterscotch custard and done the washing-
Clothes froze on the line-
Carried in Auntys' 20 gal crock and brass kettle-
Mother was not bad about the washing-
made her only a little nervous and could not understand how we had so large a wash-

Monday, November 9, 1936

Cloudy and cool but not freezing-
pumped a pail of water from the well this morning*-
Sent a letter to Clara telling her the good news also a letter to Iliff.
Made oat flake cookies and stewed apples-
and raked leaves and finished banking the north side of house-
Mother good all day but difficult this eve-
not bad-


*So glad to hear there is water in the well. You can tell the importance of this news because she specifically sent word to Clara & Iliff!

Sunday, November 8, 1936

Cloudy & thaws
Charles brought over groceries and took 20 qt can back and brought it full of water to drink-
I dusted through both living rooms this forenoon-
Took my bath this afternoon-

Saturday, November 7, 1936

Cloudy & hazy & thaws
Made apple pie and two extra shells-
cooked and canned Aunty's green tomato and cabbage chow chow*-
Mopped the kitchen, swept my bedroom
fixed the electric light over well-
Rec'd nice letter from Iliff-
Chas. stopped for our grocery kist
Loaned Aunty $5.00 bill-
Mother good all day-



*& didn't a bunch of recipes practically jump off the Google page? LOL. Here is one to try. Granny's Chow-Chow by Joyce Bacon & found on the Southern Plate website.

Ingredients (For the rest of the recipe, follow the link above.)

• 12 medium onions (4 cups)
• 1 medium head of cabbage (4 cups)
• 10 green tomatoes (4 cups)
• 12 green bell peppers
• 6 sweet red bell peppers
• ½ cup coarse salt
• 6 cups granulated sugar
• 2 T mustard seed
• 1 T celery seed
• 1 ½ tsp. turmeric
• 4 cups white vinegar
• 2 cups water

 
 

Friday, November 6, 1936

plesant day snow melting-
I pumped about a quart of water from the well
canned 3 pints of cauliflower pickle
wrote a letter to Clara-
Sewed a little more on princes slips-
Have one all made-
Snow sliding off the roof broke the bulb to the Electric light over the well-
Mother good all day-
no letter from Iliff yet this week-

Thursday, November 5, 1936

Snow 4 inches deep
wet and heavy hanging to trees
Shoveled paths all around
Made tapioca custard, cottage cheese and cooked cauliflower for dinner-
Sewed on my princess slips this afternoon
Rec'd card from Christine
Mother good all day-
Aunty helped shovel snow-

Cauliflower

Wednesday, November 4, 1936

Rainy day changing to snow this eve-
Roosevelt & Garner elected president & vice president for another 4 years-
Reports are that everything gone Democratic
Rec'd card from Christine-
Sent letter to Iliff also birthday card and dollar bill to Alice-
Mother has been good all day-
Gov. Lehman reelected*-
Tompkins County all Republican-

Herbert H. Lehman, Governor NY (1933-42)*

*For more information of Gov. Lehman check out the Hall of Governors. < image from Biographical Directory of US Congress. >

Tuesday, November 3, 1936

Election day-
Harry took us all down to vote in Ludlowville this forenoon-
and then went home to Half Acre to vote-
I raked leaves and put around the house for banking-
about half done this afternoon-
Rains this evening-
Rec'd such a happy, nice letter from Clara^-
*wrote letter to Iliff this eve-

Envelope showing Newburgh, NY postmark from Nov. 1, 1936

Page one of Clara's letter to Irene of Nov. 1st

Pages 2 and 3 of Clara's Nov. 1 letter to Irene

Page 3 asking Irene to take it easy

^Transcript of the above letter from Clara to Irene Dolton                                                                                          Nov. 1, 1936.
Dear Irene,
          It was, indeed, a real pleasure to talk things over with you. We understand each other now and that goes a long way toward the solving of any problem. And lets always try to talk things over no matter what! It is such a satisfaction! Ours was a real conference- I would have missed something had I gone to New York. My heart actually sang all the way back to Newburgh. Now you know how I feel toward you.
          I started to tell you something about the Income tax (mine, of course) and then there was an interruption. I have asked for a personal interview so you may have a caller. If the tax man comes just tell him that I am the head of the household, pay all the bills and supportMother and Auntie. Don't mention the pension and tell him I come home practically every week end to look after things. If I can save $50 or $60 per year it will help a lot.
          I got here at 5:55 P.M. It was pretty fair time when I got as far as Monticello I was pretty tired.
          Now take it easy, Irene, and try not to worry. A serene, happy, atmosphere is more blessed than a row of of spotless households.
          I've just had my supper. Must run down and post this now- and get to work.
          I've appreciated all you have done for me and mine and I assure you that you will be appreciated in the future.
          My best wishes and love, Clara.


*This is written up the left hand, inside margin of the diary entry.

Monday, November 2, 1936

Rainy Monday-
Went with Harry to S. Lansing garage and to Mrs. Evans' to get water-
got the dinner and made oat flake cookies and a plain cake with chocolate icing this afternoon-
Had a plesant evening visiting-
Harry and I took out the screen sash and put in the glass this P.M.
Harry fitted weather strip to Aunty's North doors-

Sunday, November 1, 1936

Cloudy & cool-
Clara left us about 12-15 this noon for Newburgh-
Had an early dinner for her-
Mother very nervous this forenoon so I gave her quieting tablet-
She was very quiet after Clara left and slept nearly all afternoon-
Harry found his tires all flat and valve stem cores & caps gone-
and wires all disconnected-
Had to get Howland from Square Deal garage to fix him up.
*Halloween pranks all over-


*This is written up the left hand, inside margin of the diary entry.

Saturday, October 31, 1936

plesant & cold-
Clara, Mother, & I went to Ithaca this afternoon-
I withdrew my application for a job from the Ithaca Service Bureau.
Clara tore up my last check and will send me another-
Harry has painted the putty and sills of the windows and put weather strip on west door to south room-
Leroy Bower called this eve-