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>

Monday, October 26, 1936

rained all night
changing to snow flurries this afternoon and windy-
Roasted plate piece of beef Harry brought and cooked swiss chard-
Sent letter to Iliff and also one  to Chester with a dollar bill for his birthday-
Mother good all day but terribly flighty tonight and won't go to bed at 10-30

Sunday, May 31, 1936

plesant all day-
Clara left 12-30 noon today
George, Bertha, Chester, & Christine came about  two hours this p.m.
Harry took us for a ride after they left and Aunty & I called on the Hamiltons and Ed Emmons
Iliff called this eve-
Mother very restless and unhappy since Clara left us-
 

               Would You?*

If I thought a word of mine,

    Perhaps unkind and untrue,

Would leave its trace on a loved one's face,

    I'd never speak it--

              Would you?

If I thought that a smile of mine

    Might linger the whole day through

And lighten some heart with a heavier part,

    I'd not withhold it--

               Would you?

                                                         --Anon.

*The above poem was found in Irene's diary. It was cut out of a newspaper, & I thought I would include it here. Nice sentiment.

Thursday, January 23, 1936

Clara's birthday
Christine's birthday*
Stormy and windy and cold wave-
Rec'd letter from Clara telling about a storm in Newburg-
Done all the chores today and hemed Aunty's dress and finished an apron for Mother
Mother has been pretty good all day-

List of birthdays found in Irene's diary

*Christine refers to Christine Smith. I never met her, but I did meet her brother Chester Smith & his wife Laura when I was in high school. They grew orchids for Cornell University. You can see Chester & Christine's birthdays listed on the paper above.