I know I said this last year as well, but I am still so, so surprised to see absolutely NO mention of the Ashville 4th of July at Grandpa Archie’s this week in Grandma’s journal. I mean… what?! Bob Hines has been sharing throw back photos of the annual fish fry and the community church service at the park; it’s making me nostalgic for all things 4th of July from my youth. I was digging through my photo files for something entirely different but saw this picture of when my mom entered me in the Little Miss Ashville competition and thought I’d share it instead. I think this is about 1978 or 1979 actually. That’s the post office in the background, and I remember Grandpa would give me a quarter and let me go down and buy him a stamp sometimes. That was so cool, I thought, waiting in line like a “big person.”
NOTE: As always, I left her spelling, capitalization, and punctuation as much as possible.
_____ WEEK 27 _____
July 1, 1978 – Got up 7:45 Slept little later today. Too much work yesterday eve bending and clipping grass. Len went to garage to work on cupboards and I took the picture off the wall by the kitchen & washed and fixed commandment picture, photos, Blue Boy, moved Lisa and Lens newer paintings. Mopped kitchen and got supper. Worked from 10 to 5 with time out for lunch.
Henry and Jerry came after the big black chair before we’d had breakfast – used sickle on bank weeds for half an hour this morning. Stormed this evening – 6:30 to nearly 9:00. Had to turn off tank and pump. No bath tonight.
Low 65° High 83°
68° 11:15 P.M.
July 2, 1978 – Got up 9:00 Len had coffee ready. Rained all yesterday. Couldn’t get out to do anything. Took bath and washed my hair. Len went to garage. Had early lunch and took a nap from 1:30 to 3:30.
Carried water from tub to 5 gal bucket on porch steps to use for washing woolens.
Low 62° High 74°
70° 11:15
July 3, 1978 – Got 7:45 Went back to bed until 8:15 Len woke up with a “yuk” headache – Put on coffee and opened up buildings. Pulled grass from ajuga by greenhouse. Came in 9:45, had breakfast.
Went out and cleaned grass and weeds from creeping phlox in front flower bed. Cut off seeding coreopsis – pulled up loads of old moss and thistles. Weeded fire bush hedges, lilies, big phlox, michaelmas, Daisies, Hawthorns on west bank bed.
Laid a couple big stones in pathway by the greenhouse. Digging up Iris by G house. Hoed around marigolds at maple tree in back.
Raised just a little this morning. Very foggy. Len finished second can cupboard in garage.
Low 68° High 72°
65° 11:15
101° 1968
(Note at top: “Sent B’day card to Carol”)
July 4, 1978 – Got up 8:00 Len already up. After we ate, Len worked on fence for my compost pile – I gathered up all debris from yesterdays grass and weed pulling. Clipped around bank flower beds. Cut off old iris by big phlox bush after hauling leaves to spade into the bed.
After “soaps,” Len and I got out hose and he sprayed big bush, olive and fruit trees and grape vines for the Japanese beetles. Lots of them on everything. Not quite as thick as they were last years.
Low 63° High 74°
104° all time high on this day
July 5, 1978 – Got up 7:30 After breakfast Len and I got out early and sprayed bushes by garden and all the shrubs and flowers on the bank and flowers in front and on around to the breezeway with chlorodane for the dumb beetles. Had to go sit in the garage for a while.
Worked on my new short while watching “soaps” today.
July 6, 1978 – Got up 8:45 After breakfast, fed cats and got ready to go to Circleville with Ralph & Effie to get a dress for myself and to go to bank, Revco and Big Bear.
Just messed around waiting for them – Too hot to do anything. Wanted to be fresh to try on my dress. Was up for a couple hours last night – “Old fashioned” belly ache and diarrhea. Didn’t think I’d make it to town today. Weak!
Ralph and Effie got here after noon – Gave me some time to recup some. Worn out and hot when we got home – Got new shoes, 2 clothes bags, girdle, dress and 3 pr. cotton panties. Ethel brought me big, big fern and some house flowers.
Len sprayed grape vines again.
Low 60° High 85°
76° 11:15
96° last year
(Note at top: “Got prescription of premarin tablets. Len fixed old school seat.”)
July 7, 1978 – Got up 8:30 After breakfast – Len went out and started mowing. Mowed yard and field. Got done 12:45. I cooked the cottage should then made bed – trimmed plum bush so Len could get closer to it.
Watched “soaps” – Rained some so I took a nap. Felt suddenly tired. Awfully hot and humid this afternoon.
After supper, I raked up most of the cut grass from the field. Watered all the hanging baskets. Hoed the four rows of beans, strawberries and tomatoes.
Put elastic in my new shorts while watching T.V. tonight. Len worked on fence to put around compost pile today.
Low 67° High 90°
79° 11:15
(Note at top: “Mailed B’day card to Marion Glick”)
