Now what??

Sun., March 21, 1937 - Left for Pete's at 9:00.  Had a blow-out 3 miles east on the highway.  Met the folks at the South school & went with them.  Went over to Rews for supper.  Jensens, Iversens & we were the guests.  Had a very delicious meal.
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Wed., March 24, 1937 - Howard over to Holtgrews his a.m.  To Wayne this p.m. with Lettman.  Started to snow about 2:30 -- a regular blizzard by evening.
Thurs., March 25, 1937 - Clear and thawing.  Howard went over to Holtgrews to finish working on the tractor this p.m.

I wonder how, in the days before cell phones, that Grandma and Grandpa managed to meet up with Grandpa's parents (I'm guessing) after having a blow-out.  All sorts of ways how it could have worked out, but I'm curious nonetheless.  Problem is, I'll never know.

I titled this "Now what??" because I believe I am at the end of Grandma's diaries from the 1930's.  I know there's nothing more for 1937 in this particular diary because I paged through to the very end.  So, it is up to me to figure out where I left off when I diverged from when she was living in Lincoln to back when she was a young, unmarried lady.  Who knows how long it will take me to find the spot I need and then find the right journal to pick up there I left off.  I vow to try to make it sooner rather than later.

In the meantime, and I do hope it's a short break, here is a photo of Grandma's door tag from the Pioneer House.  As some will recall, she voluntarily took part in a little scheme to check on some of the residents living there.  In the morning, those with tags were to put them on the outside doorknob of their unit.  Then, a volunteer would check all the participating doorknobs to look for tags.  A tag showing would mean the resident was up and about and okay.  If one was not visible, the resident would be called or a knock made on the door just to be sure all was well.  The tag was to be brought back inside each evening.

When we were cleaning out Grandma's unit after she died, I decided to take her tag.  When I see it, I am reminded that everything is okay.  And I rather like that.

Capper's Weekly

Thurs., March 18, 1937 - Howard & Raymond finished hauling wood this morning.  They took the tractor over to Holtgrews this afternoon.  I subscribed for Capper's Weekly.
Fri., March 19, 1937 - Howard at Holtgrews working on tractor.  Started to snow at noon.  Howard went to town this p.m. to get corn for chickens.  Quite a blizzard by evening -- not very cold though.
Sat., March 20, 1937 - Received an apron from Irene today.  We went to town this afternoon.  Clear & thawing today.  Mom has my sweater just about done.  Over to Howard's folks this evening.  Had to walk down the east hill because of the snow that drifted in there yesterday.

I have some fond memories of Capper's Weekly.  I remember looking at it, specifically the recipes and the patterns that you could order.  I had a subscription back in the day, but no new subscription for me now.  It ended publication in 1986.  You can find single edition copies and patterns and cookbooks on eBay, however.  There is a current publication called Capper's Farmer which is under the umbrella of "Grit", as was Capper's Weekly.

I have quite a few of the patterns that Grandma and Mom used to have.  I've made things from them, too, but even if I hadn't or didn't have future plans to do so, I'd probably hold on to them anyway.  It's what I do.

The boys

Mon., March 15, 1937 - Howard cutting wood today.  Tonite we went to Wayne with Raymond & Helen.  The Wayne IOOF had a play & program.
Tues., March 16, 1937 - Baked 2 pies & a cake.  We went to town tonite with Raymond.  The boys had to see about getting a truck to haul wood -- they loaded the wagon too heavy & broke a wheel on the way home.
Wed., March 17, 1937 - Bill Loebsack hauled the wood today.  The boys have to go back tomorrow because his truck wouldn't hold all of it.

I'm guessing Grandma is referring to Grandpa and Uncle Raymond as "the boys".  I've not heard them called that before.

I didn't know before that the Odd Fellows started across the pond, but now I do.  From wikipedia:

"The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) is a non-political and non-sectarian international secret society and fraternal order of Odd Fellowship. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Wildey in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Evolving from the Order of Odd Fellows founded in England during the 1700s, the IOOF was originally chartered by the Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity in England but has operated as an independent organization since 1842, although it maintains an inter-fraternal relationship with the English Order. The order is also known as the Triple Link Fraternity, referring to the order's "Triple Links" symbol, alluding to its motto "Friendship, Love and Truth".

While several unofficial Odd Fellows lodges had existed in New York City circa 1806-1818, because of its charter relationship, the American Odd Fellows is regarded as being founded with Washington Lodge No 1 in Baltimore at the Seven Stars Tavern on April 26, 1819, by Thomas Wildey along with some associates who assembled in response to an advertisement in the New Republic. The following year, the lodge affiliated with the Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity and was granted the authority to institute new lodges. Previously, Wildey had joined the Grand United Order of Oddfellows (1798-) in 1804 but followed through with the split of Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity (1810-) before immigrating to the United States in 1817.

In 1842, after an elementary dispute on authority, the American Lodges formed a governing system separate from the English Order, and in 1843 assumed the name Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows became the first fraternity in the United States to include both men and women when it adopted the "Beautiful Rebekah Degree" on September 20, 1851, by initiative of Schuyler Colfax, later Vice-President of the United States.

Beyond fraternal and recreational activities, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows promotes the ethic of reciprocity and charity, by implied inspiration of Judeo-Christian ethics. The largest Sovereign Grand Lodge of all fraternal orders of Odd Fellows since the 19th century, it enrolls some 600,000 members divided in approximately 10,000 lodges in 26 countries, inter-fraternally recognised by the second largest, the British-seated Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity."

Photo from cheatsheet.com

More woodcutting and more cards

Fri., March 12, 1937 - Howard cutting wood all day.  Elmer & Myrtle came about 10:30.  Elmer went to town & Myrtle stayed here.  Snowed off & on about all day.  To lodge tonite.
Sat., March 13, 1937 - Cleaned the house this a.m.  We went to town about 1:30.  I got a new pair of everyday slippers.  Went to Mrs. Wolff's with lodge work & then up home.  We received a rose bedspread, a wedding present, from Trena & Mildred in the mail.
Sun., March 14, 1937 - Nobody here all day.  Howard and I played Pinochle this afternoon and evening.  We were over home a few minutes this p.m.  Helen got a gift for me to give Gertie in Norfolk yesterday.

I am not sure who Mildred is, but Trena would be the wife of Andrew Andersen, first cousin to William Andersen.  I really like the idea of getting a gift the March after a June wedding.  Busy people put in extra time to make something for the new couple.  Would loved to have seen the bedspread.  (I just plucked a photo off the internet to add here; photo from Pinterest.com)

I don't know who Gertie is.

Visiting and chopping wood

Tues., March 9, 1937 - I baked bread and cinnamon rolls.  Howard was gone this afternoon cutting wood at Hendricksons.  Howard wanted to go to Holtgrews but I didn't because I didn't have a clean dress.
Wed., March 10, 1937 - Howard gone all day cutting wood.  We went to Holtgrews tonite -- they weren't home so we went to Carl Troutmans.  Played Pinochle -- home about 12:00.
Thus., March 11, 1937 - Howard cutting wood again today.  I ironed most of the day.  Crocheted while the irons were heating.  The gas iron wouldn't work.

I find it fascinating that in these days, people just up and went visiting in the hopes that whoever they planned to see was home.  I guess it meant you always had to have your house ready for company and perhaps always had something on hand for a little treat or snack.  And coffee, maybe?

I'm glad Grandpa got to cut lots of wood.  I hoped he enjoyed doing it in 1937 as he did much later in life.