August 1960
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 1, 1960
A good day. Did a big wash. All dried except my rugs. Lo took Carrie’s money to her and we out to feed the cats. Suky came home. Came home Lo to bathe. Geo came so came downstairs for a bit. Ironed too thot Tuesday would be hot and was. Over to Mrs. B.’s for coffee.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 2, 1960
Called for hair appointment. Couldn’t get it until Wednesday. Cleaned up stairs and got my rugs down etc. Had a little nap. Think heat upset me. Bess came stayed real late. We took her home and out to eat a bit and fed cats. Mrs. B. on porch when we came. Lo picked Carrie up and took us to Era’s. Hottest place I’d been. Came home quite early.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 3, 1960
Wednesday A.M. in the tub when Scorel called. Uncle Walker had died real early 12:40 A.M. Had hair appointment 10:45. Became very dark and began to blow and rain glad to be home to close windows etc. Didn’t last too long. Later cleared off and became very warm. In late P.M. drove to Elgin. Didn’t expect to go to funeral home but did. Katherine and Maggie at Zella’s.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 4, 1960
Quite cool this A.M. Thot it was going to rain but didn’t. Cleared off and got warmer. Went to Mrs. B. as she expected the kids and didn’t want to leave the house. Lo home at noon in hurry to have hair done. We went to see Denny. She was happy wanted us to come again. Turned warm but not like yesterday. Carrie had litter from Mary.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 5, 1960
Hurrying to get everything set when Lo comes, 11:30. Folks came at same time. Set things out for lunch all hurried, quite warm. Funeral home air conditioned. Went back to Zella’s had punch and cake. Stayed a while then left for home. Stopped at cabin. Cooked corn and wieners etc. Stayed there for some time. K.J. would liked to have stayed but no clothes and Lo couldn’t take her home since too much driving.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 6, 1960
Made pie, asked Mrs. B. to eat lunch with me as Lo ate down town. Washed quite a bit, got things ready for eve. meal. Lo cooked steaks, Jim and the cooks ate with us. So hot there we stayed until 9:00.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 7, 1960
Woke up at six, raining thunder and lightning. Later cleared off. Carrie came after church. Lo painted chair. After taking Carrie home went to cabin and worked quite late, so hot. Porch had gotten so wet had things to dry. Fortunately it was very windy.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 8, 1960
Cleaned den thoroly so much to sort and move. Almost all day at it except for some cooking. Thot Charlotte’s kitten was gone but had moved it to the wood pile again. Brenda moved hers to the window wall outside bath.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 9, 1960
Rained early A.M. so not too enthused about cleaning. Picked over crackers etc. in stove drawer. Up stairs went over some things. Marvel called to say she was leaving for Fla in the morning. In P.M. Mae called. Both lengthy. Mrs. B. called so went for coffee.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 10, 1960
Very dark cloudy and cool. Much like fall. Cleaned stove. Mrs. B. came over. Had a letter from her brother, I read it. After morn washed kitchen windows and glass blocks. Almost thru when Bess came. Late for her. Lo came at 5:00 took her home. Went to feed cats etc. Ate and came home to mow and clean up west side awful! Dark before Lo finished.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 11, 1960
Washed, at noon Lo thot we should go to Meadowdale and Elgin. She came home at 4:00. Out to cabin and on our way. Over to pick up Maggie and to Zella’s. Came home around 10:00. Edna A. came in P.M. while I was doing beds.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 12, 1960
Did a little of everything and a lot of others in the dining room. Mrs. B. came over after I called her. Later she was to go to Russel’s and would stay at Ruths for weekend. Worked all day in living and dining rooms and some up stairs. Out to cabin. Jim had mowed looked fine. Cats and kittens O.K. Picked up rubbish for garbage men. Always here early.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 13, 1960
Up and at ’em early. Cleaned up basement so dusty. Washed basement windows outside. Cleaned upper porch and wiped up floors vacuumed hall and stairs. Made rice pudding [?] cookies and cooked meat for nite. [?] and Doc eating with us. Came home about 9:30.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 14, 1960
Cool and cloudy. Took Carrie home about 3:00 then to cabin to feed cats. Home a little while. Lo to bathe etc. and the folks around. Cooked corn and made coffee. To bed late.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 15, 1960
Would have been a beautiful wash day but didn’t wash. K.J. came down on 7:30 train. Daniel and Larry came and guess they all went out for a ride. Folks stayed up until they came back.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 16, 1960
The folks decided to go to Freeport in the P.M. and on to Beloit for the nite. Geo. left in P.M. for Elgin to enter the hospital for eye surgery. Went to cabin, Brenda and Charlotte moved their kittens again. Didn’t stay long. Lo called Vernon, unable to come Sun. as going to Springfield Fri. nite back Sun. nite.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 17, 1960
Busy day, up a little late. Had hair appointment, so hurried to do cookies first. Home after 11:00. Lo came at 12:00 and went for her hair a day early. Folks called about 2:00 going to Madison and here late tonight. Mrs. B. called, having company (two women) wanted me to get rolls and cookies at the church sale. Later she called again. Heard from her sister a sister-in-law very sick in Hospital. Came home from church out to cabin and to Elgin. Geo. so restless. Last band concert had ice cream and cake at court house lawn.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 19, 1960
Girls were out with Larry and M.L. had picked up a kitten on road and brot it in. Took it to bed. Don’t know how much they had slept. Went down town and over to Kay’s trying to get rid of kitten but didn’t.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 20, 1960
Really a busy day. Kay and the Cooks coming for dinner and Pinks. Kay came about 11:00 the folks going to C. Lake. Had lunch with Esther and son at club. M.L. too. Kay stayed until 1:30 as it was raining, then I really hurried. K.J. looking after kitten. Slept in bathroom quite a while when K.J. had her bath. Pink and Marian came rather late in P.M. Fell asleep in P.M. Lo of course had to go Hospital. Took Helen along. Dwight and Fran went along and to the Hosp. to see Geo.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 21, 1960
Lo and I up early. After eating Lo made one trip to cabin with some of the food. Marian and Pink slept in my bed so I with Lo. Girls had planned to stay at cabin but was with the boys again, so couldn’t. After taking Carrie to Sunday school, Lo went to Elgin to pick up Zella and Maggie. Scallion and potato corn, salad, blueberry pie coffee. Carrie and I went to Lavern’s golden wedding reception at church. Back to cabin had a lunch and Lo took them back and Pink, Marian, Dwight and Fran went along and to the Hospital to see George.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 22, 1960
I up and did some washing before any one up. Folks went to the city; the girls, too busy entertaining!
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 24, 1960
Felt miserable, talked to K.J. about 9:30 thot she might be going on train but wasn’t. She wanted to wash so I helped. Not too good a day. Very foggy early. However clothes did dry and she ironed most everything. She went down town to see Lo. David came and was going to Rockford so would take her home. Later they went to boat races. Good time I guess.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 25, 1960
Did more washing and cleaning up stairs. Feel some better so must keep after things until I get straightened out.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 27, 1960
Went to Mrs. B.’s not for long. Baked pie for eve. Cooks eating with us. Very hot on cabin porch. Suky came to eat again. Has had her kittens. Took Helen home. Dr. C met us with the news their friend Josie was dying and did pass away.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 28, 1960
Picked Carrie up for S.S. Then Loie mowed back yard, after that went to cemetery then to veg. stand and got dinner. Lo mowed front after dinner. Took Carrie home about 2:30 then to cabin to feed cats. Came home to bathe and get ready for show at Opera House. (“Can’t Take It With You.”) Good.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 29, 1960
Cleaned up in the basement a few corners. Dark and gloomy for a while but cleared off. Mrs. B. came over we had coffee etc. Before going to bed Lo and I fixed slat in back bedroom, had fallen.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 30, 1960
Up quite early. Geo came up, he going to Elgin to the Dr. later. Eve, Jim and Lo to funeral home. Joe W. drove him to the Dr. I washed not too good drying early but everything did later. No ironing too tired so took a rest.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 31, 1960
Very hot. Usual round of work plus ironing. Helen stopped in just before noon with beautiful red roses from funeral.