Mark S., age 57, Arizona
January 29, 2011
Woke up at 7. “Dozed” in bed til ~8:00 => up. Talked to Sarah and Whitman in kitchen; breakfast (S and W cooked pancakes, taters, eggs), talk with everyone; diary; looked at pics SS1 took yesterday at courthouse, etc. To Enterprise with Whitman to rent Suburban => walked across street to grocery story; “home.” *To East Saguaro National Park in foothills of Rincon Mountains (I drove Suburban) => drove incredibly beautiful 8-mi. loop through largest saguaro cactus forest in Arizona. Stopped at Havalina Rocks and climbed up on 'em. Drove back to downtown Tucson => lunch (pizza and beer) at No Anchovies in cool neighborhood near University of Arizona; TV b-ball (UNC vs. NCSU). => Drove up into Catalina Mountains with everyone; Mark Miller with diarrhea crisis; stopped at Seven Cascades Overlook and Windy Point Vista (hiked out on rocks for spectacular views of Thimble Peak, gorge, Catalinas, etc.) => to ski village near top (>8,000 ft.) => turned around => rode back to Tucson (spectacular vistas!); stopped at Trader Joe’s for bread; stopped for gas => “home” ~4:45; coffee; phone from Janet, returning my call. Walked with everyone to “dog park” => Birdie played with other dogs; frisbee with Mark. “Home”; Spades x 3 hands with SS1. Dinner with everyone (Sarah’s delicious kale soup, salad). Mao-Mao, wine with Emily and Mark, Sarah and Whitman (Mark won). To bed ~9:45.
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
January 29, 1998
Saw Chris a lot today. It was great! Leslie said he looked back at me and smiled. I want him. Went to Ashley’s after school ’cause Eddie came right away. We went to the Y again but I didn’t beat him — I played okay, though. Went back to Eddie’s and ate good dinner. Did homework and TV. Dessert. Came home.
Laura M., age 14, North Carolina
January 29, 1997
School same-old-same-old. Sean pretty nice, but only a little. Dad picked me up from school. Practiced guitar. Did homework. Went to Dad’s and ate dinner. Practiced more. Talked to Karen a lot. Talked to Sean. :) Got in shower, blowdried, read, went to bed.
Laura M., age 13, North Carolina
January 29, 1996
Today was O.K. School was normal enough. Sean’s grounded. Came home after school and did my homework by myself. It was a lot easier. Went over to Shannon’s to watch “Friends.” It was so funny! Then I came home & worked on my writing assignment & ate spaghetti. Showered.
Marcy S., age 48, North Carolina
January 29, 1973
I’m so tired of blowing my nose! Due to post-nasal drip, due to neurotic something or other. I ever I’m cured, I could write a book entitled No More Kleenex!
Letting someone be himself — not being allowed to be myself as a child. No I often feel that Harold is manipulating me — coloring my hair is just one example. At the Taylors’ barbecue Sat. night some of the men were playing their guitars — Grace Edwards, who has a beautiful voice, was standing in front of us. Harold, in a demanding parent-to-child voice urged, “Sing, Grace!” She turned around glared at him, without saying a word. Which is what I’ve wanted to do — and more — many times.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
January 29, 1960
Up as usual and hadn’t left breakfast table when Bob walked in. Sure lucky Harry got to see him. Made coffee and more coffee. Didn’t do things for Harry that I had planned to do. A little upset. Hugh brot oil so he had coffee too. Lo picked Harry up for train. It was on time. It was surely a lonesome P.M. Lo and I to see Ole in eve.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
January 29, 1944
Bright and cold. Good breakfast. Wrote to Family. To practice at 8:15 - got fingers working beautifully without tight feeling in arm. I was so thrilled!! To P.O. - got cornbread from home. Back to hall and Betty and I studied philosophy and ate cornbread. Got all confused but still weren’t worried!! Went for test at 11 only to discover that Mr. Berry was sick and we wouldn’t have class!!! Wrote letter before lunch. Real good lunch - only 5 at table. Stuffed ourselves. Mary and I danced some afterwards. Betty did big wash in bathtub. Mary and I went to town - took my laundry. Back at 2 - studied Eng. Lit. til 5:45. Acted so silly and had great fun. Betty said she bet she wouldn’t have such fun next year and begged me to go to U. Of Wash. with her. Good dinner at 6. Letter from Mum. Studied shorthand and then wasted time. Hall party at 11. Mary Washburn sang. Played game. Chocolate eclairs - yum! To bed about 12:30. Gave Betty’s back a “facial.”
Marcy S., age 16, Tennessee
January 29, 1941
Nice, sorta cloudy. (I love Mary so much!) Got up hope, hope, hoping that Mary could spend night with me. After lots of teasing “yeses” and “nos” in typing she said she could! Made arrangements. Practiced -- could hardly wait for 7:00. Dentist at 5:00. Doctored up my wisdom teeth gums. Typed at Dad’s office till time to go home. Mom and Dad left about 7:00. Mary arrived about 7:10. George ’phoned and we had fun teasing him. After Mom and Dad left Mary and I did an Indian war dance in the kitchen. Mother Lane came -- she thought we were George and we thought she was George! Studied till 9:30. Mom and Dad home at 10:00. Mary and I talked till 11:30! More important than sleep. We kissed each other goodnight about 10 times and exchanged “I love you”s equally as often. She’s precious and I will be great -- I will! Dreamed about falling off bridges. I let Mary read the first sentence for today -- that’s what started us off. We read the love chapter in the Bible.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
January 29, 1888
We had to be up a great deal with the baby last night. We both got somewhat scared about her. I did not go to church today, stayed at home to help Kate take care of Una. Fred Neill and Mrs. Morrow both called this afternoon. I got some onions at Morrow’s to make syrup for the baby. Wrote a letter to Willie and to ma. Was reading about senator Ingalls and his recently burned house. I was impressed with his manner of reading books and making marginal notes as he read. A person would be apt to remember the principle things by doing so. Una pretty bad tonight.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
January 29, 1887
It has been quite a clear nice day. The wind blew pretty hard this afternoon and tonight. I wrote up a synopsis of the work that students will do in the Bookkeeping for publication in the College catalogue, which took about all my forenoon. I held and examination in my class in Bookkeeping this afternoon. Students who are not shallow minded show their superiority on such occasions. After school I called on Mr. Waters folks. When I came home I brought a bag of a grain flour. I discover while coming down the hill that the chimney in the Bailey house was on fire, but it soon went down. We look for Fred and here he comes.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
January 29, 1862
A dull cloudy day. Uncle Sam & Peter making krout, made one barrel yesterday for Martha Arthur & today for ourselves. I cut out pants for Charlie, Lonzo & Hanes. Finished the two little ones. My head pained me so this evening. I had Atheline to make me a cup of coffee. It feels better since. Willie is a good deal better but wants to stay out in the yard all the time. Is very cross. Mr. Henry started this morning. The hands have finished the road. It is now near 9 o’clock & bed time. Mrs. Fanning is here tonight, also Tom Tidwell. Pinck is sleeping with him. Zona wants to but the candle was out & she would not stay in the dark. I must call Atheline & go to bed. She sleeps in here tonight. John Branton has moved back from Cherokee, wanted to get a house of Mr. Henry, but Mr. Henry thinks he is too drinking. My little ones are all asleep & I must go too.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Samuel P., age 35, London
January 29, 1668
Up betimes, and by coach to Sir W. Coventry, whom I found in his chamber, and there stayed an hour and talked with him about several things of the Navy, and our want of money, which they indeed do supply us with a little, but in no degree likely to enable us to go on with the King’s service. He is at a stand where to have more, and is in mighty pain for it, declaring that he believes there never was a kingdom so governed as this was in the time of the late Chancellor and the Treasurer, nobody minding or understanding any thing how things went or what the King had in his Treasury, or was to have, nothing in the world of it minded. He tells me that there are still people desirous to overthrow him; he resolving to stick at nothing nor no person that stands in his way against bringing the King out of debt, be it to retrench any man’s place or profit, and that he cares not, for rather than be employed under the King, and have the King continue in this condition of indigence, he desires to be put out from among them, thinking it no honour to be a minister in such a government. He tells me he hath no friends in the whole Court but my Lord Keeper and Sir John Duncomb. He tells me they have reduced the charges of Ireland above 70,000l. a-year, and thereby cut off good profits from my Lord Lieutenant; which will make a new enemy, but he cares not. He tells me that Townsend, of the Wardrobe, is the eeriest knave and bufflehead that ever he saw in his life, and wonders how my Lord Sandwich come to trust such a fellow, and that now Reames and ———— are put in to be overseers there, and do great things, and have already saved a great deal of money in the King’s liverys, and buy linnen so cheap, that he will have them buy the next cloth he hath, for shirts. But then this is with ready money, which answers all. He do not approve of my letter I drew and the office signed yesterday to the Commissioners of Accounts, saying that it is a little too submissive, and grants a little too much and too soon our bad managements, though we lay on want of money, yet that it will be time enough to plead it when they object it. Which was the opinion of my Lord Anglesey also; so I was ready to alter it, and did so presently, going from him home, and there transcribed it fresh as he would have it, and got it signed, and to White Hall presently and shewed it him, and so home, and there to dinner, and after dinner all the afternoon and till 12 o’clock at night with Mr. Gibson at home upon my Tangier accounts, and did end them fit to be given the last of them to the Auditor to-morrow, to my great content. This evening come Betty Turner and the two Mercers, and W. Batelier, and they had fiddlers, and danced, and kept a quarter, which pleased me, though it disturbed me; but I could not be with them at all. Mr. Gibson lay at my house all night, it was so late.
*(The Diary of Samuel Pepys M.A. F.R.S., edited by Henry B. Wheatley F.S.A., London, George Bell & Sons York St. Covent Garden, Cambridge Deighton Bell & Co., 1893.)