July 1957

July found my grandparents still in San Francisco visiting Jay and Scotty.

July 1

Monday

July 2

Tuesday.  Took Scotty to work.  Went to Fort Mason, Wells Fargo bank A.M.

July 3

Wednesday.  Jay and I grocery shopped P.M.  Kenney and I rode bus to town for hair cut and to get some birthday presents for Dave and Joyce.  Worked on Jay’s quilt.

My cousin Dave would be 10 on July 11th.  Joyce was my great-aunt Maude's grandchild - so a second cousin.

July 4

Thursday.  Drove to Sonoma.  Visited winery, Sonoma Mission and Santa Rosa.

July 5

Friday.  Drove down peninsula to Palo Alto.  Lunch there at Ricky’s.  beautiful place.  Went to San Jose and Alum Rock Park

July 6

Saturday.  Took in Ice follies went with Jay, Scotty, and Kay Woody.

July 7

Sunday.  Went to Lafayette and visited Bill & Ruby Banks and the boys, Michael & Gary.

July 8

Monday

July 9

Tuesday.  Jay took us to buy our plane tickets to Kansas City.  Went to Macy’s and Woolworth’s.

We purchase our airline tickets slightly differently these days!  These were for the next week.

July 10

Wednesday.  Baked a cake to serve tonight.  Expecting Bill and Ruby.

July 11

Thursday

  

July 12

Friday.  Got some clothes ready for the trip home.

July 13

Saturday.  Kenney’s Birthday.  Mrs. Burleson called from Hotel.  We went to Cliff House and saw her there on a bus.  Baked cocoanut (yes, that's her spelling) crumble pie for Sat. dinner.  Beef strogonoff day.  Also baked confetti Angel Food for Sunday birthday dinner.

My granddad was 70 this day.  Mrs. Burleson was probably Clare's mother.

July 14

Sunday.  Didn’t got to church.  Jay not feeling well.  While dinner was cooking, the boys opened pkgs.  After dinner we drove to Belvedere Island and to Mr. Tamalpais.  Took Kay to Presidio and then home.

This Kay wasn't me - it was a friend of Jay's.

July 15

Monday.  Did some packing and baked angel food for Mr. & Mrs. Borges.  P.M. Rested – packed some more.  Took cake to Borges and told them good by.

July 16

Tuesday.  Overslept and almost missed our plane.  Took off for L.Angeles on time.  1 ½ hour flight at 1200 ft.  Breakfast served about eight.  Left L.A. at 9:30.  5 hr. flight at 19,000 ft.  Flew over Las Vagas and in site of Yosemite.  Arrived in K. C. 3:30 P.M.

July 17

Wednesday.  Made dust ruffle – valances and covered chair by working at it all week.

Sounds as thought she went right to work after arriving at Ikey & Becky's in Kansas City.  She was very busy the next few days... 

July 18 – 19 – 20

July 21

Sunday.  Late breakfast.  Went for drive to Silver Spur Club and had a flat.  Nearly roasted.  After resting and cooling off we went to Holiday Inn for dinner.

July 22

Monday.  Ikey took us to catch 9 o’clock bus.  Arrived in Springdale at 3:30.  Supper with McKims.  K.M’s folk came over and we had a picture show.  Then spent night at K.M.’s.

Long way home from California - several days in Kansas City, a bus to Springdale to spend one night and then a bus ride home to Van Buren.

July 23

Tuesday.  Lunch at JoEllen’s and then rode a bus home.  Arrived at 6:46.  Ira and Minnie met us and we had supper with them.

July 24

Wednesday.  We went to work on the yard.  My what a mess!!

July 25

Thursday.  Yard work.  K.M. came by.

July 26

Friday.  Letty’s birthday.  Jimmy Fine mowed lawn.

Aunt Let was 56.

July 27

Saturday

July 28

Sunday.  Church.  Birthday party at Ira & Minnie’s for Kenney, Letty and Joyce.  Lester, Pauline & Aura came.

Had to have a catch-up birthday party for the July birthdays.  Uncle Lester Delzell would have come from Miami, Oklahoma - Pauline and her husband Aura from North Little Rock.

July 29

Monday

July 30

Tuesday.  Voted for Mayor.  Lost our vote.  Burton Langford was beaten.  K.M. & family came and spent the night with us.

Gee, sounds like many of my votes through the years!

July 31

Wednesday.  Ken’s birthday.  Had cake and ice cream for lunch.

My cousin Kenney was age nine.

June 1957

While my grandparents were on the extended trip across the country and in California, she didn't keep up really well with her diary - several days only writing down the day of the week, or skipping altogether.

Jun 1

Saturday.  On our way to Kings Canyon.  Breakfast at Wilsonia Village.  Beautiful drive thro Kings Canyon.  Crossed Bay Bridge 7 P.M.

Jun 2

Sunday.  A day of rest.  We really did it.  Ate dinner in apartment.

They had driven from Van Buren, Arkansas to San Francisco, California - about 2000 miles.

June 3

Monday.  The boys went back to work.  [The boys were in their late 30's....]

June 4

Tuesday.  Putting in the week resting.  Making only short drives.

You can tell they were tired after the cross-country drive.

June 5 – 6 – 7 – 8

June 9

Sunday.  Too foggy and rainy to go to church.  P.M. Drove down coast to Half Moon Bay.  Crossed Peninsula to San Mateo. Back by Airport & Cow Palace.

June 10 -11 -12

June 13

Thursday.  Went to see First Fleet come in.

June 14

Friday.  We rode bus to Market Street.

June 15

Saturday.  Cleaned and baked.

  

June 16

Sunday.  Went to church & heard Joe R. Kennedy preach.  Then went thro Navy ship.  After dinner in the apt – we drove to Westlake to see houses damaged by earthquake.

June 17

Monday.  To Gets.  [I think GETS was a department store]

June 18

Tuesday.  Mr. & Mrs. Borges took us to City of Paris for lunch and sight seeing.

The Borgeses were friends of Jay's for all the years he lived in San Francisco.

June 19

Wednesday.  Maude’s Birthday.  We had chicken dinner in apartment – all white meat.

Aunt Maude was 63 in 1957.

June 20

Thursday

June 21

Friday.  After dinner went to Gets with Jay.  Bought sheets & pillow cases – single beds, and a gift for Letty.  Had shortcake for dinner.

Aunt Let's birthday was coming up in July - she would be 56.

June 22

Saturday.  Baked angel food cake.  Scotty came with dress & coat from him and Jay.  Wore it to dinner at the Bow & Bell café in Oakland.  Some place.

June 23

Sunday.  Toured the three bridges.  At one point we could see all the bridges at once.

June 24

Monday.  Scotty’s nephew was with us nearly all day.  Being transferred to Presidio.

June 25

Tuesday.  Graydon & Clare’s Anniversary.  I vomited all after part of night.  Better today.

Graydon & Clare would have been married 19 years.

June 26

Wednesday

June 27

Thursday.  Mr. & Mrs. Borges took us to Delores Missions – Two beautiful churches.  Hot house in Golden State Park, Stonestown, and Safeway.

June 28

Friday 

June 29

Saturday.  Scotty cooked dinner.  We drove to Presidio and got Kay (Roundy) for week-end.

I believe this was Kay Woody – a friend of Jay’s.

June 30

Sunday.  Slept late.  Then went thro Fleishacr? Zoo, Westlake & down the crooked little street on Lombard.  Back to Apt. and cooked dinner.

She had trouble with the spelling of the name of the Zoo -  Thanks to Google I discovered that the San Francisco Zoo was originally named the Fleishhacker Zoo.

May 1957

This month started off with my Mammaw not feeling at all well.

May 1

Thursday  Wednesday.  Feeling pretty punk.  Missed garden club.

May 2

Friday  Thursday.  Feeling better.  But missed garden club.

May 3

Friday.  Bought plants from Laws shop and put them out.

May 4

Saturday.  Painters finished up the bedroom.  Can’t move in till next week.

May 5

Sunday.  Sunday School and church.  Then to Letty’s for Cy and Maude’s birthday party.  We went on to Springdale and spent the night.  Picked Nora, Grandma & Maude up Mon. A.M. and came on home.

May 6

Monday.  Came home from Springdale and cleaned bedrooms.

May 7

Tuesday.   More cleaning and washing A.M.  Went to Nora’s to Group 1 meeting in afternoon.  Maude co-hostess.

May 8

Wednesday.  Ira & Minnie, Grace (Farmer), Ruby Harshbarger and I went to Hot Springs to Disciples of Christ Church State Convention.  Started out at 6:30 and arrived home around twelve midnight.  Had fine time.

May 9

Thursday.  Minnie and I defrosted home freezer A.M.  Went to chiropodist 3:30 P.M.  My! How good my feet feel.

May 10

Friday

May 11

Saturday

May 12

Sunday.  Mother’s Day.  Heard from all the children.  Grandma got her television.

May 13

Monday.  A.M. Baked cocktail puddings for Dart Leaque.  Night helped serve.  Cleared $108.00 Got permanent 8:30 A.M.

May 14

My last CWF meeting as President at church 2 P.M.  Margaret Howell gave a book review “The Promise”

Of course she never mentioned she had been President of the Christian Women's Fellowship at her church until the job was over.

May 15

Wednesday.  Washing and house cleaning.

May 16

Thursday.  More washing and house cleaning.  Oh – My aching back.  Evening – Committee Meeting at the Browns.

May 17

Friday.  House cleaning.  Played pitch at Grace’s.

May 18

Saturday.  Nearly thro cleaning.  Kenney and I took over baby bed to church nursery.  Feel a little sad.

No more grandchildren would be needing the baby bed they had kept on hand.

May 19

Sunday.  Saved specimen.  24 hrs.  Sunday S. & church.  Nora, Kenney and I had supper with Grandma and Maude.

May 20

Went to Clinic.  All had fine reports.

May 21

Tuesday.  Group meetings.  Stayed home looking for Jay and Scotty.  They came about four o’clock.

They would have come from San Francisco.

May 22

Wednesday.  Bought groceries with Nora and Maude and brought Grandma to see Jay.

May 23

Thursday.  Jay drove up on Mt. Vista to see the river and Lee Creek.  Also to Clear Creek on 71.  Went antique shopping. Came back and went thro the church.

May 24

Friday.  Went to Springdale for the week end.

May 25

Saturday.  All had lunch at Chicken House.  Sat. evening – broiled hamburgers on Jo & Joe’s patio.

A. Q. Chicken House - it's still there in Springdale.

May 26

Sunday.  Another big get together for dinner Sunday.  Everyone went to church.  Made a lot of pictures.  Family all together again.  Came home and packed for trip to California.

They traveled back with Jay and Scotty.

May 27

Monday.  Left for California six A.M.  Had breakfast in Eufala.  Drove into Amarillo 6 P.M.  Spent night there.

May 28

Tuesday.  Left Amarillo 6:10 A.M.  Breakfast in Tucumcari.  Visited with A. W. & Grace in Albuquerque.  Crossed Continental Divide.  Spent night in Gallup N. Mex.  Hotel Rancho.

Uncle Arthur and Aunt Grace - her youngest brother and wife.

May 29

Wednesday.  Drove around rim of painted dessert [sic] and thro petrified Forest.  Lunch in Holbrook.  On to Grand Canyon for night.  I had these pictures made at the Petrified Forest....

May 30.

Thursday.  From our cabin window we watched sun rise over Grand Canyon.  Bright Angel Lodge.  Crossing dessert – lunch at Kingman.  Spent night El Rancho Hotel in Barstow, Calif.

May 31

Friday.  Left Barstow for Sequoyah National Park.  Breakfast at Holiday Inn in Bakersfield.  Loyd George place.  Cold in Sequoyah.  Ate supper in our room with fire in King heater.

More about the trip to follow in June!

April 1957

April 1

Monday.  Went to Nora’s with Maude to do her washing.  Then to Maude’s for lunch.

April 2

Tuesday.  Attended Group 1 meeting at Wilma Brown’s.  Had memorial service for Mrs. Overby.  Rained all night.

April 3

Wednesday.  Grandma’s birthday.  My! What a rain.  P.M. ironed.

April 4

Thurs.  Garden Club meeting at Margaret Howell's – Minnie was co hostess.

April 5

Grace and I planned for meat and rolls for Optimist Club banquet.

April 6

Saturday.  We bought and cooked beef roasts.  Also made rolls for banquet.  Served 82 plates.  Cleared about $95.00

April 7

Sunday.  Took Maude to Ft. Smith to catch bus to Bristow.  Brought Grandma home with us.

April 8

Monday.  Visited Neva in hospital.  She is in traction – not very comfortable.

April 9

Tuesday.  CWF Meeting at Church.  Mrs. York speaker – 3 guests from Rena.  Served a tea.  Older ladies on program.  Theme:  Golden Anniversary

April 10

Wed.

April 11

Thurs.

April 12

Friday

April 13

Saturday.

April 14

Sunday.  Went to S.S. and church then to Rudy for Mrs. Carney’s birthday.  Had Grandma all week.

Now we know why the diary had only the days written in - Mammaw was taken care of Grandma Comstock that whole week while Aunt Maude was visiting her daughter.

April 15

Monday.  Nora came home from Muskogee.

April 16

Tuesday.  We took Grandma to Nora’s and went on to Springdale – Spent night at JoEllen’s.

Now Aunt Nora Rainwater gets a turn at taking care of her mother!

April 17

Wednesday.  Went to choir practice to hear cantata.  Then spent night at K.M.’s after mending all day.

April 18

Thursday.  Drove out by farm and on home.  Got word Arthur had a heart attack in Albequerque.

Mammaw's brother - Arthur Hays.  He survived - he died in May of 1961.

April 19

Friday.  Minnie and I called Grace in hospital.  Arthur very critical.

April 20

Saturday.  Made a few plans for Easter.  Becky and Ike came at noon.  Called on Grandma at Nora’s after noon.  Then to see Paul and Neva’s home.

April 21

Sunday.  Easter.  Becky and Ike attended church with us.  Ira and Minnie came for dinner.

April 22

Monday.  Kenney took Grace and me to Ft. Smith to shop for food for CMF District meeting next Thursday night.

April 23

Wednesday [she skipped a day and didn't catch her mistake until the next week]  Mr. Boatright finished the kitchen woodwork.    P.M. I went to Grace’s and made desserts for Mens’ Fellowship.  More rain.

April 24

Thursday.  Shopped all morning for groceries.  Three P.M. Grace, Emma Mae & myself went to church to cook for CMF.

April 25

Friday.  Drove up on the hill and picked up quilt Jackie Swearingen quilted for Becky.  Then shopped uptown.

April 26

General routine

April 27 

Sunday.  [actually the 28th]  Took Grandma, Maude and Nora for a drive.  Kenney drove upon Mt. Vista where we could see water, water everywhere.  River and Lee’s Creek raging.

Lee's Creek ran past Tom Comstock's homestead in Crawford County, and divided his place from Oklahoma - he was my great, great grandpa, the first of our family to move to Arkansas.  There are lots of stories about Tom - he was evidently quite a character.  One story goes like this.  In a much earlier time, the spring rains had Lee Creek raging and Tom stood on his levee, shook his fist at the heavens and ordered "God, don't you dare flood my fields".  And the flood didn't happen that year.

April 28 

Helped cook and serve Chamber of Commerce banquet at church.  160 plate guarantee.

The Banquet was on Monday the 29th.  

April 29

Tuesday    Monday.  Three men went to work re-decorating front bedroom. 

Bill, Loy and preacher called on us in evening.  Gave $100.00 for central heat and air conditioning.  Banquet.

I wonder if they could really afford that $100 gift...  I suspect it was a sacrifice. 

April 30

Tuesday.  Another bladder flare up.

Mammaw had a busy month, keeping Grandma, meals at the church, a trip to Springdale, Easter with company.  So now she's ill again.

March 1957

March 1

Friday.  Sewed on dress for Laurie Lee’s birthday.

Laurie's birthday is March 11th.  She would be two.

March 2

Saturday.  Joe’s birthday.  Finished Laurie’s and Mary Alice’s birthday dresses.  The Carneys and Comstocks came in from Florida

Joe's birthday - he was 39.  Mary Alice's birthday is March 16th - she was three that year.  Aunt Let and Uncle Cy Carney had been to Florida, but I'm not sure which Comstocks had gone with them, but probably Aunt Minnie & Uncle Ira.

March 3

Sunday.  One dozen of us had dinner together at Nora’s before Letty & Cy took off for Fayetteville.

 And I'm sure a great time was had by all!

March 4

Monday.  Went to Ft. Smith with Kenney, Maude & Nora.  Got shirt for Gary’s birthday.  K.M. had lunch with us.

March 5

Tuesday.  Gary’s birthday.  A rainy day.

Gary was seven.

March 6

Wednesday.  Wash Day.

March 7

Thursday.  Attended Garden Club at Baptist church recreation room.  Grace and I bought hens and delivered to be cooked.

March 8

Friday.  World Day of Prayer, First Presbyterian Church in Ft. Smith.  Nine from Wood Memorial. 

P.M. & Evening helped cook and serve banquet to FHA group from Alma.  Grace and I had charge of creamed chicken.  Cleared $103.00

March 9

Saturday.  General routine.  Cooking and cleaning.  Sent out church laundry.

March 10

Sunday.  A.M.  S.S. & church.  To Granma’s P.M.  Attended meeting for evangelistic calling.  Evening – Int. study course at church – Bob teaching.  Subject “He taught them Saying”

March 11

Monday.  Made preparation for Tues CWF meeting and washed.  Laurie Lee’s birthday.

March 12

Tuesday.  CWF meeting 2 P.M. at church

March 13

Wednesday.  Executive Dist. Board meeting at church.  Interesting meeting and good luncheon.

March 14

Thursday.  Washing my Martha Washington Spread (bedspread).  Also got new living room curtains.

March 15.

Friday.  Grace & I went calling – Mrs. Matlock, Kate Brown, Mrs. Laws, Edna Cox & Birdie Hays.

March 16

Saturday.

March 17

Sunday.  Dinner for Ira & Minnie.  P.M. Grandma’s and Study Course.  St. Pat’s Day.

March 18

Monday

March 19

Tuesday.  Attended Group 2 Luncheon 12:30 at Dora Stewart’s.  Measure shoe.  Then to Leola’s for Group 1 luncheon.

Nora had a narrow foot - I think she ordered her shoes.

March 20

Wednesday.  Took plants to Wilma and Bob.  Then grocery shopping with Nora and Maude.

March 21

Thursday.  Ira & Minnie better.  Cleaning woman with them today.  Baked custard for them and Cynthia & ourselves.  Hostess at Garden Club daffodil show this P.M. at our church.

March 22

Friday.  Took Becky’s quilt to Jacksie Swearingen to have quilted.  Also called on Margaret Anthony.  Maude sick with flu.

March 23

Saturday.  Ferrell Swearingen passed away.  Store and employees sent flowers to the house.

March 24

The usual Sunday routine.  Maude no better.  We went out and fixed dinner for her and Grandma.  Mr. & Mrs. Posey transferred membership to Wood Memorial.

March 25

Monday.  Put in most of the day calling about O.G. and E. demonstration.

 I think OG & E was Oklahoma Gas and Electric - probably a program on energy savings.

March 26

Tuesday night – attended demonstration at OG & E.  78 present.  Total proceeds $42.50

March 27

Wednesday.  Maude not so well.  Nora & I shopped for our groceries and hers.  Then went out and cooked lunch again.  Card from Becky – not coming to birthday party. (Grandma Comstock's birthday)  Mrs. Overby passed away.

March 28

Thursday.  Grace and I called on Dorothy, Mabel, and Della.  Also called on Emma Mae Rogers.

March 29

Friday.  Nora, Kenney, and I cleaned house for Maude.  She's not feeling so well.  JoEllen’s folk spent the night with us.  Kay won Champion in Voice at Musical Festival in Ft. Smith.

 Oh my!  I remember singing on that stage that night at the annual high school music festival.  Sandra Gaskin also was a Champion with her solo.  I was a Junior, she was a Sophomore - the winners were customarily Seniors.  Our boyfriends - Pat Singletary and Donnie drove down over the mountains to be there for us.  I still have the sheet music for the song I sang.  Not only did I get the Championship Medal and get to perform on stage that night, but both a trio and a quartet I sang in were awarded 1st place ribbons.

March 30

Saturday.  A.M.  Graydon’s folk came to spend the night and to attend Grandma’s birthday party.  

3 P.M. attended Mrs. Overby’s funeral.

March 31

Sunday.  The big day.  About 40 people at the birthday party.  14 great grandchildren present.

Grandma Comstock's annual birthday party and reunion.  Grandma would be 90 on April 3rd. I'm guessing all nine of Mammaw's grandchildren were counted in the 14.  I was the oldest of the great grandchildren.