January 1959 - A New Year

1959

We left my grandmother in Van Buren helping take care of Grandma Comstock.  She skipped several days of writing in her diary this month.

January 1

Thurs.  Spent New Years Day with Ira and Minnie

January 2

Friday.  Lunch with Nora

January 3

Sat  Turned very cold.  Getting things ready for Sunday.

January  5

Mon.  I came home.

January 10

Sat.  Staying at JoEllen’s while Jo and Joe attend butane convention in Little Rock

L-P Gas Association - Dad was president one year, so was Don Haden.

January 11

Sun.  Minnie, Ira, Paul and Neva came.  Had dinner with me at JoEllen’s

January 12

Mon.  Our anniversary at JoEllen’s.

Now that I am widowed I understand this - you still have an anniversary date even though there is no one to celebrate with you.

January 15

Thurs.  Went to V.B. with K.M.  We stopped at cemetery.  Spent night with Ira & Minnie.

January 18

Sun.  Mine & Nora’s birthday party at Ira and Minnie’s.  Letty and Cy brought me home.

January 20

Tues.  CWF luncheon and program.  I have worship service & taking Mrs. Elmore as guest.

January 24

Sat.  Wash Day

January 26

Mon.  My birthday.  Got city & driver’s license.

Mammaw learned to drive after my granddad had his stroke.  Scary.  Eventually we wouldn't let her drive outside of town, then we wouldn't let her cross the highways.  She would come to my house - I would load up three kids and drive her car across the highway to get her prescriptions, then come home and unload and she would continue home.

January 28

Wed.  At JoEllen’s

January 31

Sat.  Becky & Ike painted furniture.  I cooked dinner for 14.

Becky & Ike always found projects  

December 1958

December 1

Mon.  Came home from Tahlequah

She had been visiting her sister Mattie King.  There must have been a lot to catch up on, probably getting ready for Christmas - because there's nothing for almost a week.

December 7

Sunday.  Sang in Choir and prayer at Women’s Day service.  Mrs. Rainwater speaker.

December 10

Wed.  Went to Mary Jane’s birthday party.  Gave her manicure set.

Mary Jane was only seven this year - maybe she was still sucking her thumb...

December 11

Thurs.  Went to Club Meeting at Bruce Crider home in Greenland.  Mrs. Dritt hostess.  Became a member again and we drew names for secret friends.

I'm sure this would have the CWF - Christian Women's Fellowship at the Christian Chruch.

December 12

Friday.  Went to JoEllen's and worked on drapes.  Not feeling so good.  Ordered bladder medicine.

December 13

Sat.  Got shampoo and set.  P.M. practiced on Christmas Cantata.

December 14

Sunday.  Gave Cantata at A.M. service.

Mom would have been directing.  I likely had a solo.  Other members of the family - K.M. & LaVonne, if possible, would have been recruited.  I wonder how many of these cantatas we did - one every Christmas and one every Easter.

December 15

Kept Laurie and worked on drapes.

December 16

Tues.  Went to CWF Meeting & luncheon and Christmas program

December 17

Wed.  Went on holiday tour.  Choir practice at JoEllen’s at night.

December 18

Thurs.  Rode bus to Van Buren.  Had chicken dinner with Minnie at Café.  Also spent night with her.

December 19

Friday.  Went to dentist and town – lunch with Nora.  Spent night with Grandma and Maude.

December 20

Sat.    Got food for Party.  Scalloped potatoes and biscuits.

December 21.  Grandma’s Christmas party at Nora’s.  What a feed!  Back home with Letty and Cy.

December 24

Wed.  Supper & Christmas tree at K.M.’s.  To JoEllen’s for their tree and to spend the night.  Christmas Eve.

December 25

Christmas dinner at McKims.  Ira and Minnie were there.

December 26

Friday.  Went to Tulsa with McKims.  Spent day with Clare & children.  Home that night.

December 27

Sat.  Dinner at my home for Graydon’s folk & McKims.  Graydon & Don spent night with me.

December 28

Sun. 28^th.  Took Don and Graydon to Fayetteville.  Then I drove on to Van Buren to spend a week with Grandma while Maude visits with her family.  Had good night.

December 29

Mon.  With Grandma thro week.

Mammaw seldom had much time for her diary when staying with Grandma.  Grandma had eight living children, but only Aunt Maude had the responsibility for staying with her and caring for her.  Everyone contributed $10 per month toward Grandma's upkeep.  I'm sure that didn't go far - I wonder if they also received some Social Security.  Grandma was my grandmother's mother-in-law, not her mother - but after my Granddad died she continued to not only give her share in money, but she was the only one who would go and stay with Grandma and let Aunt Maude visit her daughter and grandchildren.  This always seemed a bit unfair to me.  I knew that there was much disparity in the financial situation of Grandma's children - that there were some of them that could have contributed so much more.  I can only hope that they did indeed provide needed items that I knew nothing about.

November 1958

November 1

Sat.  Kept JoEllen’s kids and got ready for party.

November 2

Sunday.  Had Minnie’s and Paul’s birthday party here.  10 of us.

Aunt Minnie was born 4 Nov 1889 - she was 69; Paul Comstock's birthday was the same day - he was born in 1906 and was 52.

November 3

Mon.  Mr. Best started work back room foundation.

She added a room on the back of her house.

November 4

Tues.  Lots of paper work and pay utilities.

November 5

Wed.  Graydon’s birthday.  Stayed with Laurie – she was real sick.

Graydon was born 1908 - so he was 50 this year.

November 6

Thurs.  Visited with Hattie, Bessie, and Mrs. Nix.  Shopped at green stamp place.  About finished Christmas shopping.

November 7

Friday – at JoEllen’s

November 8

Sat.  JoEllen & Joe took me to Tulsa.

To Graydon & Clare's

November 9

Sun.  Clare and I cooked dinner while the rest of the family went to church.

November 10

Mon.  Cook & Eat

November 11

Tues.  Went with Clare to group meeting – luncheon.  Rest of week with Clare

November 15

Sat.  Graydon brought me home.  P.M.  Listened to ball game.  Sick with cold.

November 16

Sun. 16^th.  In bed most of rainy day – terrific cold. 

November 17

Mon.  Able to go to JoEllen’s

November 19

Wed.  My first choir practice.

At First Christian Church, Springdale

November 23

Sunday.  Sang in JoEllen’s choir.

Many Sundays I sat in the choir next to my grandmother while my mother directed.

November 27

Thursday.  Thanksgiving.  Went to Kansas City with K.M.’s family and McKims.

Several years we all went to Kansas City to Ikey & Becky's for Thanksgiving - we'd sleep on all the beds, couches, and pallets on the floor. Probably had driven up on Wednesday.

November 28

Friday.  Came home thro snow and ice.

More than we once we had bad weather there on Thanksgiving.  We often stayed over Friday night to see the Christmas lights turned on at the Plaza.  I wonder if they left early because of the weather - or Mom & Dad just needed to be home.

November 29

Sat.  Went to Tahlequah.

To visit her sister Mattie King

November 30

Sun.  Mattie and I went to Muskogee.  Had good visit with Arthur and Grace.

And on to see their brother, Arthur.

October 1958

October 1

Wed.   Got our feet wet in the ocean.  Drove to Knotts Berry Farm lunch.  Then on to Sefari Motel.  Lovely place.  $16.00.

Note:  Mammaw was still in California.  My parents and sisters were there seeing all the sights and she went right along with them.

October 2

Thurs.  Breakfast in the Apt.  Then spent the day at DisneyLand.  Most amazing place I ever saw.  Tickets were $16.00.

October 3

Friday  Back to Knotts berry Farm to have pictures painted.  JoEllen, JoAnn and Laurie.  Noon back to DisneyLand for lunch and to finish rides.  On to Driftwood motel at Redondo Beach.  $23.00  No good.

October 4

Sat.   Car in Garage all morning.  Rode taxi to Marine Land.  Got car at Redondo Beach and drove to Barstow & El Rancho Motel.  $13.00

I believe it bothered her to spend money to sleep....

October 5

Sun. Started out 6 A.M.  Had breakfast at road side table.   Lunch at Highway house in Albuquerque.  Night at Hotel El Rancho – hotel Gallup N. Mex.  Joe was real sick.

She didn't have to fly home this time, but rode home with the McKims.

October 6

Mon.  Left Gallup nine A.M. and drove to Amarillo.  Farrel Manor Motel.  Nicest place yet.

October 7

Tues.   Arrived in Tulsa 5 P.M.  Spent 2 hrs at Graydon's and drove on home.  Arrived 9:30 P.M.  I stayed at K.M.’s that night.

October 8

Wednesday 8^th.  Thurs & Fri spent the time unpacking and getting things organized again.

October 11

Sat.  Grocery shopped and baked.  Getting ready for company.  Saw Razorbacks lose game to Rice.  Graydon and Dave spent night with me.  Then brought Clare and Mary up Sun. A.M.

October 12

Sun.  All of us went to church.  16 ate dinner here.  JoEllen & LaVonne brought food.

October 13

Mon.   Baby sat and cooked dinner at JoEllen’s

October 14

Tuesday.  Left for Van Buren. at 8:30.  Went to CWF luncheon.  Then spent night with Minnie & Ira.

October 15

Wed.  Stayed with Maude and Grandma.

October 16

Thurs.  Nora, Maude and I went shopping in Ft. Smith.  Had lunch at Crains Cafeteria.  Christmas shopped.  P.M.  Visited with Grace.  Then we took flowers to cemetery.

October 17

Friday.  Came home A.M.  had lunch with JoEllen.  Spent my first night alone.

In all the busyness, she had not stayed at night by herself since I had moved out of her house before starting to the University.

October 18

Saturday.  Ate supper at JoEllen’s.

October 19

Sunday.  Went to S.S. & Church.  Fixed chicken dinner at JoEllen’s.  Went to Huntsville with them afternoon.  Went antiquing and bought flower stand.

October 20

Monday.  Stayed at JoEllen’s

October 21

Tues.  Went to CWF luncheon at church.

October 22

Wed.  Mattie came for the day.  Kept Laurie.

October 23

Thurs.  Helped bake pies at church for bazaar.  Had car checked and washed.

October 24

Cooked dinner at JoEllen’s.  P.M.  we went grocery shopping.  Evening Becky and Ike came.

October 25

We drove to Fayetteville.  Went antiquing.  Lunch at A.Q. Chicken house.

October 26

Sunday.  Finished floor in summer house.  Rearranged furniture.

October 28

Tuesday.  Got permanent and flu shot.  Good report on specimen.

October 29

Wed.  At JoEllen’s.  Kept K.M. & LaVonne’s kids over night.

October 30

Thurs.  Kept children again while K.M. & LaVonne attended her aunt’s funeral.

October 31

Friday.  Halloween.  Went to school carnival.  The little girls stayed with me to help trick or treat.