December 1981

Tuesday, December 1, 1981: Up at 9:00. Snowed a little last night. Washed & dressed, made bed. Paid MW bill. Ordered calendars, etc., from Sunset House. Got Dad’s lunch, did dishes & ran dishwasher. Talked to Linda & Paula. Cooked soupbones & made soup. Did misc. jobs. Got Susie’s Xmas card ready & wrote her a letter. Got supper, did dishes, played solitaire & beat all 4 ways. Read paper, watched TV. To bed at 1:30.

Wednesday, December 2, 1981: Up at 9:00. Cloudy, not too cold. Dressed, emptied my suitcase, put up hair, ate breakfast, made bed. Got lunch, did dishes, ran dishwasher. Went out & put up Xmas lights since it wasn’t so cold. Wind started to blow and sprinkled a little but coming from N.E. so I finished anyway. Kind of cold by the time I got done. Also, planted my tulip bulbs from Mike in A.M. Really nice out then. Got supper, did dishes. Linda came over & brought Megan’s boot & I fixed it; also pockets on my blue coat. Made up deposit. Read paper, watched TV. To bed at 1:15.

Thursday, December 3, 1981: Up at 8:15. Light sun, frosty. Washed & dressed. Had coffee & toast. Made bed. Got rest of stuff ready to go downtown. Left about noon. Went to banks (3). Took shoes in to shoe shop. Got copies of Ins. made at bookkeeper. Got pen at Summers. Ate lunch at Coffee Cup. Got groc. Paid bills, etc., at P.W. Drug. Got groc.,also orders at Sears & MW. Picked up Meg & took her to dancing. Got gas. Home about 4:30. Got supper. Kids came about 6:00. Put away groc. (Meg helped), cleared table. Played Password with kids. After they left, I read papers, did dishes, watched TV. Wrote letter to Leona. To bed about 1:10.

Friday, December 4, 1981: Up at 8:30. Cloudy. Dressed, made bed. Had breakfast. Cleaned livingroom, vacuumed kitchen. Got lunch, rinsed dishes. Started in cleaning dining room, didn’t get quite finished with it. Got supper, did dishes. Cleaned off last work table. Worked on small el. burner, cleaning it up. Read paper, watched TV. Made coffee, put Sam to bed. To bed at 1:15. (Having Paul for supper tomorrow night). 

Saturday, December 5, 1981: Up at 8:45. Cloudy, not too cold. Dressed, made bed, had breakfast. Cleaned family room, small bath, finished dining room, vacuumed utility. Cleaned old bath & hall. Took shower & changed clothes, fixed face & hair. Put roast on. Baked brownies, fixed carrots & potatoes. Linda & kids came for a little bit. Fixed salad (mixed greens), set table. Had fruit & brownies for dessert. All turned out real good. Sat around table & watched TV after we ate. Paul left about 9:00 (going up to Spokane tomorrow). I did dishes, Dad not feeling very good so went to bed. Played a little solitaire – beat him all 4 ways. Read paper a little, watched TV. To bed at 1:00.

Sunday, December 6, 1981: Cloudy, not very cold. Up at 8:45. Got breakfast. Cleared dishes. Washed & dressed, washed & put up hair. Got in chicken from freezer. Dried hair & worked X-word. Made bed, made salad for dinner. Washed load of work clothes. Mended my N. blue coat. Dried clothes. Washed load of colored & dried. Carla came about 5:00. I had supper ready so we ate. Carla wrapped her pkgs. & I wrapped Matt’s birthday gift. She left about 7:00. Took our presents over to Lindas. I did dishes, watched TV, wrote letter to Jean & Derrick. Put white clothes to soak. To bed at 1:15.

Monday, December 7, 1981: Up at 9:15. Cloudy, not very cold. Dressed, had breakfast. Tried to call UPS, talked to Linda. Made bed. Washed white clothes. Dried also. Looked for apron pattern. Got lunch, did dishes. Sent Jean & Derrick’s card. Took out garbage & got mail. Started addressing Xmas cards. Got supper, did dishes. Read paper, watched TV. To bed at 12:40.

Tuesday, December 8, 1981: Up at 9:00. Foggy, not very cold. Watered rest of flowers. Washed & dressed. Had breakfast. Made bed. Finished paying bills and taxes. Got lunch, did dishes, ran dishwasher. Put up some more decorations. Had very sharp pain in my head on right side in back. Would shoot up into my right ear and sometimes behind the right eye. Got supper, did dishes. Made batch of marshmallow fudge. Read paper, watched TV. To bed at 1:00. Called UPS & Dr’s office about bill from St. Lukes. Wrote to them as it must have been a mistake.

Wednesday, December 9, 1981: Up at 8:30. Cloudy & windy. Sun came out later on but kind of windy all day. Dressed, had breakfast. Made bed. Washed load of yellow clothes. Made another batch of fudge w/nuts. Got box in & packed gifts. Wrapped Mike’s present. Put in stocking stuffers. Also greetings for Jay & Shaws. Got lunch, did dishes, ran dishwasher. Put tablecloths back on dining room table. Got supper, did dishes, Linda came over & made out checks. I wrapped Carla’s gift. We put Linda’s gifts in box & finished packing it. After she left I finished dishes, made up deposit. Looked at paper, watched TV. To bed at 1:15.

Thursday, December 10, 1981: Up at 8:30. Light sun, not very cold. Washed & dressed, got ready to go downtown. Had coffee & toast. Finished getting deposits ready & box to mail. Left about 11:00 (made bed). Mailed Xmas box & bought tree. Went to banks, Kings, got shoes. Got groc., picked up Matt, went to P.W. Drug. Picked up Meg & took her to dancing (4:00). Paid shop water bill, etc., at City Hall. Got Meg at dancing. Kids came home with me for supper. Was kind of late. Linda & Ted came before we finished eating, about 6:40, stayed for a while, til about 8:00. They brought my tree. After they left I got in groceries & put them away. Did dishes, watched TV, read paper. To bed at 1:00.

Friday, December 11, 1981: Up at 9:00. Sunny & frosty. Got colder last nite. Dressed, made bed. Had breakfast. Washed load of dark colored clothes. Got lunch. Did dishes. Dried clothes, washed another load. Worked on Xmas greetings again. Have all addressed now. Got supper, did dishes. Read paper, watched TV. Dried clothes. To bed at 1:00.

Saturday, December 12, 1981: Up at 9:00. Light sun, frosty. Dressed, made bed. Had breakfast. Got cards ready to mail, those that I didn’t have to write letters in. After I mailed them, wrote more letters. Got darker & started snowing in afternoon. Snowed until about dark. Got supper, did dishes, read old papers, watched TV. To bed at 12:30.

Sunday, December 13, 1981: Up at 8:30. – Cloudy, not very cold. Snow still on ground but started melting, nearly gone by night. Got breakfast. Cleared up & did dishes. Worked X-word. Took shower, dressed. Made bed. Got down tree decorations. Put stand on tree. Brought card table in and vacuumed it, also floor where it stands. Set up tree & put on lights. Carla came so I made cherry pie & got supper. She worked on tree. After we ate we finished decorating the tree. Then she left. Was raining when she left. Linda brought over Paula’s wreath so Carla could take it back with her. After that, I did dishes, watched TV, played solitaire, read paper. Wrote letter to Rosie. To bed about 1:10.

Monday, December 14, 1981: Up at 8:30. Foggy, snow all gone. Dressed, had breakfast, made bed. Took out garbage, mailed letters. Wrote more letters, got lunch, did dishes & ran dishwasher. Wrote more letters. Got supper, did dishes. Worked on books – totals were off but had missed one charge & that was the amount. I was really glad. Watched TV, read papers, fixed Nancy’s knife block (glued pad on bottom). To bed at 1:15.  

Tuesday, December 15, 1981: Up at 9:15. Cloudy, raining, not too cold. Cleared up middle of morning, no more rain. Washed & dressed, got ready to go downtown. Wrapped Nancy’s gift & got ready to send by UPS. Mailed more greetings. Got lunch, tried to let Sandy & Tom out but they wouldn’t go. Brought garbage pails back to house. Finished getting ready to go downtown. Stopped & got gas & had air put in tire. Paid oil bill, went to Beauty College & got my hair shampooed, cut & set. Really looked nice. Mailed pkg., got groc. Home about 4:45. Got supper, did dishes. Finished up books, read papers. To bed at 1:10. (Put away groc.)  Diary getting thin – year about gone.

Wednesday, December 16, 1981: Up at 8:45. Sunny, not too cold. Dressed, made bed. Wrote letters, had breakfast, more letters. Got lunch, cleared up. Wrote more letters. Got supper, did dishes, Linda came to make out checks, helped me make my Xmas decorations from the greens I got from Matt. Looks real pretty. Read paper a little, watched TV. Dad going fishing tomorrow. To bed at 1:15. Sorted checks for deposit.

Thursday, December 17, 1981: Up at 8:20. Sunny, frosty. Washed & dressed for downtown. Had toast & coffee. Finished deposit, hung wreaths, made bed, got everything ready to go downtown. Hunted for IDS check & can’t find it. What a worry! Watered part of flowers. Dad gone fishing. Tire on car low again so took Linda’s. Went to banks, ate lunch, got groc., went to Sears, MW, 88¢ store, tel. co., got Matt. Then to P.W. Drug. Forgot my list so didn’t get everything there. Darn! Picked Megan up from Brownies & took her to dancing, then went home, unloaded & put away groc. Matt stayed with me. Linda came back & we picked up Meg. Ate sandwiches at Jacks, then went to Meg’s dance program. She is very good. Afterwards came home & Dad was here. Says he couldn’t see well enough to fish. Has eye Dr. appt. Monday after Christmas so hope he can help him. Linda & Matt stayed a while. After they left Dad soon went to bed. I read papers, watched TV, put away more stuff. Finished letter & went to bed – 12:00.

Friday, December 18, 1981: Up at 9:00. – Cloudy, not too cold. Dressed, made bed, had breakfast. Talked to Paula & Linda. Wrote letters. Got lunch. Did dishes, ran dishwasher. Wrote more letters. Got supper, did dishes, read paper. Decorated Norfolk Island Pine. To bed at 12:45. Watched TV.

Saturday, December 19, 1981: Up at 8:45. Cloudy, raining. Rained all day. Ate brunch. Dressed, made bed, worked on letters – finished them!! Vacuumed kitchen, washed colored rayons, vacuumed hall & bath. Cleaned small bath. Got supper. Did dishes. Read old papers, watched TV. To bed at 12:45.

Sunday, December 20, 1981: Up at 9:00. Still cloudy – alternated sun & rain today. Got breakfast, cleared table & did dishes. Took shower, worked X-word, made bed, got in roast for supper – thought Paula & Jim might come but didn’t. Carla & Bill went to Jackpot this weekend so she won’t be over. Hung up clothes on pink bed, etc. Washed Carla’s old blanket, dried rayons. Started to wrap pkgs. when Matt & Meg came over. They stayed until about 4:30. I finished up supper. Did dishes, strung holly berries, marked sox, made another batch of fudge, read papers, watched TV. To bed at 1:15.

Monday, December 21, 1981: Up at 9:15. Raining again. Stopped, alt. sunny & cloudy, little colder. Dressed, had breakfast, made bed. Started wrapping pkgs. Talked to Linda, got lunch, did dishes. Took out garbage pails. Finished wrapping pkgs., did stockings. Got supper, did dishes, read paper, watched TV. Put Sam to bed, made coffee – usual routine. Worked a little on Meg’s boot. To bed at 1:00.

Tuesday, December 22, 1981: Up at 8:40. Clear, sunny & frosty. Little colder. Dressed, had breakfast, folded clothes downstairs, washed white rayons, talked to Paula, Linda & Carla. Got lunch, made bed. Cleaned in family room. Got supper, did dishes, read papers, watched TV. Put Sam to bed, made coffee, turned down heat, turned off lights. To bed at 12:45.

Wednesday, December 23, 1981: Up at 8:30. Sunny, cold & frosty. Washed & dressed for town. Linda came & brought Megan – Matt had to go to Dr. for tet. shot so came soon. Had breakfast. Made bed. Came back for kids. I got lunch, then got ready & went downtown to Blood Drawing – got my 4-gal. pin. Got work at bookkeeper, med. at P.W. Drug, few items at 88¢ store, groc. & went to see Mrs. M. She’s looking good but is so sad – thinks she still has her little house. Got to feeling weak & shaky while there, had to sit down. Got home about 4:30. Put away groc. Got supper, Did dishes, read paper, watched TV, etc. To bed at 12:45.

Thursday, December 24, 1981: Up at 8:40. Snowing! Washed & dressed. Washed & put up hair. Hung up Coke decor. Vacuumed rest of house. Got lunch. Finished getting ready for Christmas. Snowed off & on all day – about 3-4 inches. Looks like we’ll have a white Christmas for once. Got supper. Got ready to go to church program with Linda, Ted & kids. Enjoyed it. When I got home, I did dishes, read paper, (also, cleaned turkey, cut up celery & onions, & got bread ready for dressing) watched TV. Paula & Jim came about 10:30. Soon all went to bed. I finished getting stockings ready, wrapped Matt’s eagle, etc. To bed at 1:00.

Friday, December 25, 1981: WHITE CHRISTMAS Up at 8:00 – alternate sunny & cloudy, mostly sunny, really a nice day. Had coffee & rolls. Carla & Bill came. Linda soon called & kids walked over. Then Linda & Ted came so we opened gifts. They soon left to go to church. I got turkey in oven. Washed & dressed, made bed. Then I made cran. jelly, set Jello. Lindas came back, then Paula & Jim went out to Marilyns for a while. We cleared off dining room table & girls set table. Used the red cloth & my new dishes – really looked beautiful. Ate about 4-4:30. Afterwards cleared up, did dishes. Carla & Bill left. Said the roads were pretty clear when she called. Linda, Ted & kids left about 8:30 or so. Paula wanted to play pinochle so we played until about 10:00. Then they left. Watched news & I straightened up a little, Put away silver, dishes, etc. Cleaned up kitchen. Dad went to bed. I read paper a while. To bed at 1:00. Beautiful Christmas. Except Jays weren’t here.

Saturday, December 26, 1981: Up at 9:00. Snowing again! Dressed, made bed. Started straightening up house. Had brunch. Cleaned living room, vacuumed kitchen, hall & bath. Filled & put out bird feeders, gave nuts to squirrels. Got supper, did dishes. Read papers, watched TV. Looked at Sears Sale Cat. Got ready for bed. To bed about 1:00.

Sunday, December 27, 1981: Up at 9:00. Clear & sunny, cold. Sunny all day. Got breakfast, cleared table, worked X-word. Took shower, put up hair. Made bed, washed load of work clo., read paper & took little nap while I dried my hair. Dried clothes. Got supper, did dishes, read paper, watched TV, worked on new embroidery picture. Is going to be very pretty & shouldn’t take very long as not too much work on it. To bed at 1:00.

Monday, December 28, 1981: Up at 8:00. Mrs. J. called & woke me. Cloudy & cold. Washed & dressed, had breakfast, made bed, got ready to go to Boise. Dad let me drive. Had lunch with Paula & Carla. Started to snow over there. Went to Dr. Got home about 3:00. Talked to Linda, finished reading papers, got supper. Matt & Megan came over & stayed all night. I did dishes, read paper, watched TV. Got them to bed about 9:30, asleep by 10:00. I embroidered a while. To bed by 12:15.

Tuesday, December 29, 1981: Up at 8:15. Cloudy,  not too cold. Dressed, fixed breakfast. Started snowing. Kids played around. Kept snowing harder. Got lunch, kids went home & I drove over to see their tree. Really big & pretty. Was going to go downtown but snowed so hard, decided not to. Kids were going to show but came back, too. Made beds, cleared up dishes. Calendar towels came in A.M. so wrote names on them. Got supper, did dishes, entered ROAs & charges in book. Read paper, watched TV. To bed about 1:30.

Wednesday, December 30, 1981: Up at 9:00. Finally stopped snowing – really is piled up – got about 8 inches. Dressed, had breakfast, made bed. Talked to Linda. Got lunch. Shovelled snow – path to mailbox. Knocked snow off shrubs, fed birds. Cleaned & straightened dining room, small bath. Got supper, did dishes. Not feeling very well, bladder trouble. Made out checks & deposit, then wrote statements. To bed at 12:45. Forfot [sic] to make coffee.

Thursday, December 31, 1981: Up at 8:45. Cold last night 8° when I went to bed. Washed & dressed, washed & put up hair. Had breakfast, made bed. Vacuumed floors. Got lunch. Cooked macaroni, made pist. salad, jello salad. Made batch of choc. chip cookies. Talked to Paula & Carla. Paula & Jim going to stay all night. Guess Carla won’t come. Fixed supper, did dishes, sliced ham. Linda, Ted & kids came. I changed clothes & fixed face. Kids worked jig saw puzzle. I played cards with Meg, etc. About 11:30 set out lunch. Got up noisemakers, etc. Watched New Years on TV. After we ate kids went home, Paula & I cleared up, did dishes. Dad went to bed. I read paper, etc. To bed about 3:00.