An Iversen sighting

January 27, 1933 - My cold isn't much better today.  I could hardly talk tonite.  Ray came after me after school.  We went to Schermers and got 1/2 gallon of honey.  Left some drawing work at Mayme's school.  Stopped at Boyen's for Alma.  She had supper with us.  We went to Rebekah Lodge.  Not many there.  Irene Iversen had a program at her school tonite. 
January 28, 1933 - Mom, Ray and I went to Norfolk this morning.  Got back about 1:00.  We went to Wayne this p.m.  Ray got the car license.  I went to Miss Sewell.  We went to Aunt Mildred's but she was down town.  Ray got some library books tonite.  Mom greased me good tonite before I went to bed.
January 29, 1933 - Feel somewhat better today.  Had to get my clothes lined up today.  Annie, Ola and kids were here for dinner today.  Mamie was here about an hour while Lloyd was seeing some man in town. Ray and I went to the dance at Hoskins tonite.  I had a good time.  Ervin and LeRoy are still here.

Not Howard Iversen, but an Iversen nevertheless.  I guess we will be able to tell when Grandma and Grandpa are an item when Grandma just uses first names in her diary.

I wonder if the honey was for anything special.  I don't remember Grandma having it around as a staple when I was growing up.

Rollerskating

January 24, 1933 - Nice again.  I guess the kids thought I was hungry today.  I got an apple, banana and piece of cake.  We went rollerskating at Norfolk tonite with Gilbert, Hazel and Raymond Jochens.  We got Harry H. and Bud Maas, they're visiting in Norfolk.  We had a good time, which includes falls.  I fell on Harry's lap once.  There weren't so many there tonite.  The girls were just learning.
January 25, 1933 - I didn't wear my hat last nite, and today I've got a cold.  I felt pretty punk in school today.  Went to church with the folks.  Got my check tonite.  After church I talked with Fred Jochens.  He says I can have the school again next year.  Greased up with mentholatum just before I went to bed.  Mr. Walker came back today.
January 26, 1933 - Somewhat colder today.  Doris Johnson visited school with Ronald today.  We listened to the radio this evening.  Evie made some fudge.  I made some crazy remarks and blushed, of course.  Greased up good again tonite.

Well, let's see, we have Grandma falling on a boy's lap and making crazy remarks to make her blush.  Crazy times!

Here's some info about rollerskating in Nebraska, back in the day:

Roller Skating Once a Popular Adult Pastime

A wave of popular enthusiasm followed the invention of the modern roller skate in 1863 by James L. Plimpton of Massachusetts. Within twenty years roller skating had become a favorite pastime for men and women as American industry, always ready to invest in a new fad, began producing roller skates by the thousands.

The 1880s saw the crest of several roller skating booms. The opening of a new skating rink in Omaha in 1883 was noted by the McCook Weekly Tribune on December 6: "The [Omaha] Republican [newspaper] says there are at least 700 expert skaters in the city, although roller skating was first introduced only last year." The Tribune noted that roller skating had appeared in McCook only the month before. The new sport proved so popular that on December 27, 1883, the McCook newspaper noted that the local roller skating rink was the "all absorbing attraction on Christmas day."

Enthusiasm for roller skating ebbed for a time after its tremendous popularity in the 1880s. By December 4, 1892, the Omaha Daily Bee published an article that credited the "fickle temperament of the American people" for the decline of several sports, including "the roller skating craze, when every hamlet had its rink and the investor became rich in a day as it were. But the very craze added to wear off its novelty, and garrets and cellars now hold the discarded rollers."

However, the "craze" was far from dead, and a revival occurred about 1900. The editor of the Falls City Tribune on February 5, 1904, hailed with delight "the revival of the roller skating fad. We long for the exciting exhilaration of the rink. We cannot dance; we cannot play golf, but we feel that without doubt we can roller skate. Long years ago there was a skating rink in this town and as a boy we watched the whirling devotees of the sport glide round and round. . . . In those days we learned to roller skate, but just as we had mastered the art and reached a degree of skill that enabled us to glide over the polished floor with the grace of a swan and the charming sang froid of a well bred automobile, the bottom dropped out of the fad and the doors of the rink were closed."


Several years later, on February 8, 1908, the Norfolk Weekly News-Journal noted: "Roller skating is swinging into popularity in Norfolk in a way that suggests the roller skating of the eighties. Only it is limited to the boys and girls just now and the presence of miles of smooth cement walks has given it a new turn." The News-Journal noted that at Wayne "the fad had become so popular that it was counted a public calamity when someone stole the town's supply of skates."

Source:  http://www.nebraskahistory.org/publish/publicat/timeline/roller_skating.htm

Job security

January 21, 1933 - Washed and fingerwaved my hair.  Annie, Ola, Annabelle, Leeroy, Aunt Emma, Uncle Max and Hilda were here for dinner for Grandma's 80th birthday.  Heavy fog tonite.  Ray, Willie and I went up to a party at Uncle Hans' tonite.  Ervin R. and LeRoy Frost were here from Omaha.  I went home with LeRoy.  Ray played "follow the leader" I guess, anyway he was always just behind us.  In bed at 4:00!!
January 22, 1933 - To S.S. and church this morning.  Uncle Hans, Aunt Lena, Meta and baby were here for dinner.  Martha and Lily came later.  We went upstairs and slept.  Ray, Lily and I went to Hoskins tonite.  I didn't have a very good time.  Hardly anybody there I knew.  After the dance Ray was to take Lily out to Ola's.
January 23, 1933 - Warm and clear.  Rather tired.  I walked over to Behmers right after school tonite.  I had my monthly report signed and got my order.  Mr. Behmer said I could have the school again next year if I wanted and I do.  Mr. Walker went to Omaha today.  All the kids are home again.  Mote and Evie have been telling about their fun of last week.  Listened to the radio.

Grandma doesn't say either way, so I don't know if she was holding her breath about having her school again the next school year or if it was expected.

Hmm.  Was Uncle Ray being the watchful brother by following Grandma and her ride?  No wonder, if Grandma wasn't home earlier than 4:00!

The photo of Grussmother is from 1925, so not too far off.

Baron Munchausen

January 18, 1933 - Sleet fell last nite.  Most of it thawed this afternoon.  Minnie and George are taking their examinations today.  Only 4 of us at the table tonite.  It seemed so funny.  Mike has been at Paul Scheurich's since Monday.  Read my new Grade Teacher this evening.  To bed at 8:45.  The wind's blowing pretty hard.
January 19, 1933 - Clear and warm.  Minnie and George finished their exams and I have all corrected except 5 & 6 Geography.  Alfred stayed until after 4:00 telling me about his pets (pigs, rabbits, dogs, cats, etc.) and toys.  He seems to have a regular menegarie [sp].  Traced and inked some things for Valentines tonite, also hektographed.  Listened to Capt. Henry's Showboat and the Baron Munchausen with "Vas you dere, Charlie?"  Surely good.
January 20, 1933 - Clear and warm.  Mom went to Norfolk with Annie and Ola this p.m.  They came back at about 5:30.  I went home with them.  Willie B. has been at our house since Tuesday nite.  He, Ray and Grandad have been cutting down trees in the chicken yard over home.  We played Michigan tonite after supper.

I recall Grandma saying something about "Vas you dere, Charlie?" but I have not context whatsoever.  I will have to ponder.

I mentioned wanting to play Bunco a few posts back.  Come to find out, Micki is part of a Bunco group and this month was her month to host.  I told her I was interested in the game, and she thought maybe we could pull it off at our next family reunion.  I told her that sounded like a plan.

Given my current circumstances regarding animals, I think Alfred and I would have gotten along famously.

I hope they didn't encounter any trees this big in the chicken yard.  If so and if Dale were around, he would have had a grand time.

Lots of goings on, some that I can't decipher

January 15, 1933 - To S.S. and church this a.m.  Harry H. came home with us and had dinner.  We played Rook and Pitch this p.m.  Harry kept us laughing most of the time.  Some of the neighbor boys were over awhile, they didn't stay long.  We had fried bananas for supper, they were very good.  To League and church this evening.  The fernery was blocking my door when I got home tonite.
January 16, 1933 - Much colder.  Nurnbergs back to school.  Bud surely felt ornery today.  Scared me twice.  Came up to the school house and knocked so hard I thought a giant was there.  When I came down stairs before supper, he made a funny noise that caused me to wilt.  Listened to minstrels, embroidered, and helped Mote hunt Bible questions.  Mayme left me a Xmas present at the school house last nite, a blue silk bag for soiled hankies, etc.
January 17, 1933 - Still cold this morning.  Walkers had company for supper tonite, Fred Jochens, Albert Meierhenrys, and Clarence Schroeders.  After supper the girls went with the Wittler kids to Madison.  Lydia, Evie, and Mote are staying until next Sunday.  The men played Rook this evening and the ladies talked.  To bed at 12:00.

I would try a bit more to make sense of or find a deep meaning in Grandma's words, but I am a bit brain-weary.  Long story short, last night I found a freezing cold baby goat in the goat shed (thank goodness we finally got it inside the pen -- another long story).  Was not certain his momma had been bred, let alone that any birth was near.  She wasn't too interested in him.  So, I spent a long night thawing out goat milk I had planned to make cheese of (sorry, Mom), looking online for advice, trying to figure out how best to handle the whole situation, and cuddling a little bundle that didn't sleep the best but did manage to pee buckets on me.  Having a blast!  (Check out the little bit of white at the end of his tail!)