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Ramona's Ramblings

Grandma’s diary, September 1913

Ramona Jan
Posted 9/13/22

From my grandmother’s diary when she was sixteen and working in the family bakery. All names mentioned are those of her siblings except for her friend Daisy.

 

Sept 3rd

Fred and …

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Ramona's Ramblings

Grandma’s diary, September 1913

Posted

From my grandmother’s diary when she was sixteen and working in the family bakery. All names mentioned are those of her siblings except for her friend Daisy.

Sept 3rd

Fred and Helen got ready for school today and Helen started off ahead to see if there was any school, for the building was being repaired, and it said the paper that the school would remain closed for a few more weeks. Fred couldn’t see into this and he plagued Mama all day long, so she sent him to the German-English private school. Fee $1 per month.

Sept 5th

Nasty warm day, and to pack bread and cake when it comes up hot is no sinch [sic], believe me! That’s our Friday luck.

Sept 6th

Took in $54.66 today. That’s much better than usual. In fact, it is our best Saturday yet.

Sept 7th

Miserable weather! Rain from one end of the week to the other. It’s drizzling along all day today, and it’s so warm besides! I wonder if Daisy will ever answer my postal. I wrote and asked her if it would be alright if Hattie and I would come up on next Sunday off. And she didn’t answer.

Sept 10th

Went to Newark to pay the Building and Loan and on my way, I stopped in Bamberger’s to see Daisy. She is just as wild as ever and looks much better. She weighs 107 lbs! Just imagine! She used to weigh 132 and from all Quinsy sore throats and abscesses she lost 25 lbs.! 

Sept 11th

We’ve had very cold weather today, yesterday and the day before. This morning at five o’clock the temperature was 53 degrees above zero. That isn’t so very low, but the quickness of the change makes it felt more. 

Sept 12th

Got up at 4:30. I’m going to another concert today. This might not be right to go to concerts while in mourning [from her sister Em who died of TB], but you have to go somewhere! And besides, you see so many in mourning also. I’m going to take an afternoon nap so that I won’t lose so much sleep. Took my nap and was awakened by Hattie who told me it was pouring and so we couldn’t go. I slept through though.

Sept 13th

Very busy day in spite of the weather. Mary and Joe bought six small gold fish. They paid five cents apiece for them. They bought a tower for the water and some seaweed. In all, they spent 55 cents including fish food, too.

Sept 14th

Tillie is going to the crematory with Lucy Gauetner. Went to Daisy’s, had a great time, only they gave us so much to eat that I could hardly walk home. They gave us a big box of peaches and a box of grapes to take home. I wish I was in bed already. I’m so tired. 

Sept 15th

A little fellow sent to the drug store for some borated talcum powder got it a little twisted and asked for some “bowlegged talking powder”.

Sept 16th

We’ve been coaxing Pa for a girl’s wheel [bicycle] for the longest while, so yesterday Pa and Mary went and priced a second hand one. It will be $8 when fixed up. It’s a coaster brake, painted black. We will have it tomorrow or Thursday.

Sept 17th

Things didn’t go right with me today and I longed so for Em. Somehow, I imagine things would go better with her alive. She used to always help me with my work when hers was done. Now we each do our own work. I often help Ma.

Poor Mama, she longs so for Em, too. She said to me one day that she don’t know what would happen if she’d get sick now. Em used to do all the work as usual when Ma was sick.

To be continued…

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