A "Blog" from 1933

I have been wanting to post about my maternal grandmother's diary for a while now. Whenever I get ready to blog about some part of our day that might sound trivial and boring, I think of the diary I inherited from Mom. It was her mother's diary, and it is only four months' worth of entries from early 1933. It mentions mundane, trivial things but, oh! I do love it.

I have read it a few times, and it always makes me think of a simpler time. I love having a peek at Grandmother's life, and how she filled her days. Here's one entry from February 16, 1933: "Well I have had a busy day before me to-day. We gave Irene a shower to-night and there were 25 guests (women) there. Irene and I went to the show this afternoon. Saw Constant Bennett in 'Rockabye,' it was real good. Irene got lots of real pretty things I think. It was about 12:30 before we got home."

February 17: "I haven't been anywhere much to-day. Went to take my music about 4:30. When I got home John had already come home. I then cooked supper, so we ate and then got dressed for we were invited out to play some cards. We went down to Tranbargers to play. It was 12:30 when we got home."

February 18: "I have been home most of the day to-day. Geo and John didn't come home to lunch so I didn't have to prepare any. I have been in the cleaning business. Have got my house cleaned up good. Mr. and Mrs. Ran and children came over for awhile to-night. It is now 1:30 so guess I had better retire."

February 19: "We got up this morning about 8:30. To-day is Geo. Birthday so I had Mary to come up and eat a Birthday dinner with us. We sure did have a good time this afternoon. We rode over to Bristol. Didn't leave home until around 6 got back about 8 and about 9:30 we retired."

I was named after my mom's mom, and it's always been intriguing to me to think of what I might have inherited from her. Her creativity? Her looks? Her smile? Am I compelled to chronicle my life in diaries and blogs because it's something she did too?

Turns out she was pretty crafty. My mom wasn't, so I think maybe I got that from Grandmother. She writes a lot about different sewing, tatting and quilting projects she did. Here are the last entries in her diary.

April 25: "Well Mother and I have been piecing quilts all day. We are piecing 2. One for me and one for Mr. McGuire and believe me it is some job. I have been cutting out pieces until my fingers are so sore. Well it is now after 10 so as we have been working all day I think we will retire."

April 26: "Ran called and wanted us to go to Aid with her this afternoon but we didn't go. Irene came out and spent the afternoon with us. Mrs. Larkins came over to [sic] and after Aid was over Ran and Jimmie came out for awhile. To-night Geo, John, Mother and I went to the show. Saw a real good picture."

April 27: "Mother and I have still been piecing together quilts to-day. We went over to Ran's this afternoon and stayed a while. We then came home, fixed supper for the menfolks as they were going to Johnson City for a meeting. Mr. Ran went with them so Mary came over here and we pieced quilts. It is now 1 o'clock so guess we will retire."

April 28: "Another day has slipped by and we have still been piecing quilts."
I have two quilts I inherited from her, and I wonder if these are the ones they were piecing together in 1933? I love that she mentions "Mother," who must be one of my great-grandmothers. I love that her husband came home for lunch each day. I love imagining that maybe she sat in her bed each night and jotted a few thoughts before turning off the light and curling up to her husband. I love thinking of these ancestors as more than a name and date on a page, and thinking of the minutiae of their lives: love and duties and hobbies and birthdays and friends.

I love the link it gives me to the past, especially since I didn't know her well before she died. I hope that one day, this blog (and all the diaries I've kept in my life) will provide that same link to my children and their children.