Sunday, March 3, 2013

March 1941, Week 1

Mar. 1
Sat - Went out home & found Putchy. Worked all day. Made two trips to town. Was simply worn out today Joe is Better of the measles, but hasn't any pep.

Mar. 2
Sun - Mrs Brown came home
I went to S.S. this a.m. Joe & I went for a little walk. Helen & Ab came in just as we were eating. Walter & Edna came out & we played euchre. Joe still feels tough from the measles

Mar. 3
Mon - I washed curtains. Got a pitiful letter from Jess, telling about an air raid. Sent me a gift. --- We went up to Helen & Pauls tonite.

Mar. 4
Tues - Went out to Helens & washed this a.m. Came home & cleaned the house up. -- Helen & I saw "The Invisible Woman" tonite with Virginia Bruce, John Howard & John Barrymore Charles Ruggles

Mar. 5
Wed - Ironed this am. Joe here for dinner. Mildred M. was here most of the afternoon - Joe home for supper. Helen asked me to go to White Church tonite but I didn't go.

Mar. 6
THUR - Helen Parks came down & asked Joe & I to a surprise on Joe P. tomorrow nite - Helen & Ab got their new Buick --. Joe came home early & we saw "Northwest Mounted Police" with Gary Cooper & Madelyn Carroll.

Mar. 7
Fri - Cleaned up the house thoroughly. Didn't get thru until afternoon. Went to Joe Parks surprise party tonite & had fun. Helen & Paul, Mildred & Wendy, & Joe & I -- Got home shortly after midnite.

Given the long hours people worked back then, it surprises me how often they stayed up late. Of course, they weren't farmers, but still...

Jess was Jess Redfield, Mamie's penpal near Manchester, England. At the time, Germany was still bombing cities. This is the first mention of World War II in the diaries and I have an undated newspaper clipping from a scrapbook that may be a reprint of this specific letter. It is a grim account and I'll be posting it after this entry.

"The Invisible Woman" was a science fiction comedy. I had never heard of it until now and wonder if it inspired Stan Lee when he created the Fantastic Four over twenty years later.

"Northwest Mounted Police" was a Western despite being set in Canada during the Riel Rebellion of 1895.

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