Sat, Dec 31, 1960

61°/79°  7.09/5.37

Up at 6.20.  Foggy out.  Had orange juice and coffee ready.  Watched T.V. till 7.30 when Tillie left.  The paper didn’t come till 8.30.  I watched T.V. till then.  Read paper, then painted front step.  Swept patio.  Then wrote.

Had coffee and banana bread at 10.50.  Electricity was off from 10.15 to 10.30.

Wrote to Dick.

Had a beer at Dixies.  Tillie came home then and sat talking for a while.  Then went home and changed into bathing suits and went for a swim.  It was a little rougher than yesterday but water was 72°.  Were down for half an hour.  Water not clear.  Home and Tillie heated up some meat and some toast and coffee.  We left about 5.30 and Tillie dropped me off by the Post Office and she continued on while I stopped at 10 cent store and bought some tips (?) for the table.  Home at 6.20.  101 cars passed me from Broadway to my home.  Beautiful night for walking. 

I’ve only felt the pain in my face a few times today, so it’s easing up.

Tillie came home at 8.40 so she irrigated and then at 10.45 we went to Nyropi (?) for a party.  The Strakers came over and so did the Malkemus and Jackson and their daughter and her husband and daughter Christine, also Irene and Charlie Plenkharp.  Also Toby’s boss and his wife.  I had two martinis.  At midnight we sang “Old Lang Syne”.

They had snacks of different kinds and I kept sampling them, so we had a very good time.

We left about 2.15 and went home and straight to bed.

Fri, Dec 30, 1960

60°/78°  7.08/5.37

Up at 6.15 and got oranges and coffee ready.  Sunny and a little fog in morning.  I read paper.  Painted back steps.

Then walked downtown and put some money in the bank.  Walked up to 258 W. 15^th St. to see Joyce Eggert but nobody home.

So walked home again and got home at 12.25.

Had lunch and watered plants.  Tillie came home at 3.00.

We went for a swim at 4.00 and the beach was crowded.

Water 70° but not clean.  West wind, so water calm.

Tillie left at 5.30 and then I watched T.V. and had supper buttermilk and sandwich and coffee.

Tillie came home about 9.30.  A beautiful night with a full moon.  Had a drink before going to bed.

Thurs, Dec 29, 1960

69°/79°  7.08/5.36

Up at 6.15 and got breakfast.  Then I finished painting patio.  Then I painted carport floor and finished it about 10.10.  Then had cup of coffee and a doughnut.

At 11.00 I began putting in the bricks in front of DiCiccos place.  Their Boliaia grass is beginning to come up.  I finished the bricks about 1.30.

Tillie came home about 3.00 and we hung out the laundry.

Tillie backed banana bread this afternoon.  Gave 2/3 to Jun DiCicco.

My head has been hurting all day.  It’s been about the nicest day we have had for a couple of weeks.

I took in laundry and had supper.  Watched T.V. till Tillie came home.  I was tired and my head ached, so I went to bed at 10.00.  Tillie at 11.00.

Wed, Dec 28, 1960

66°/76°  7.08/5.36

Up at 6.15 and got breakfast ready.  Tillie left at 7.30 and I painted patio floor except a small place to walk.

Then I built a brick wall for Dixie beside their drive way.

After lunch I laid bricks flat alongside the side walk.  I finished at 3.30.  Tillie came home then we had coffee and tea in Dixies house and sat talking for an hour or so.  Ed was watching me while I worked.  Tillie left at 5.00 and I had supper and watched T.V. till she came home at 9.00.

To bed at 10.30.

Tues, Dec 27, 1960

58°/75°  7.08/5.35

Cloudy most of day.

I took Tillie to work and then went home and read paper.  Then went down town and bought paint at Ingrams.

Bought doughnuts on Clematis St. and cheese and prunes in A&P.

Home by noon and had lunch.  Watered yard.  Then washed patio floor with soap and hot water first then clear water.  Washed car.

Ed came over for a while and we sat talking till 6.00.

I went after Tillie at 7.50 and waited in living room for her till 8.45.  We rode along Flagler Drive and saw the Herzel Bros. Xmas Pageant.  Then drove over to Palm Beach Shores and saw some of the lighting displays.

Home at 9.45 and had a cup of coffee.  To bed at 11.00.

I’ve had those shooting pains up my left side of the face.  I can never tell just when it’s going to start.

It began a week before Xmas with just a slight pain and it would be gone in a few seconds.  Sometimes I feel it when I chew, sometimes any time I touch any part of the left side, especially around the Eye.  It hurts when I wash my face.  It shoots up to my forehead at the parting of the hair.  It’s a good thing it doesn’t hurt when I sleep.

Mon, Dec 26, 1960

52°/75°  7.07/5.34

Up at 6.15 and turned heat on.  Got oranges and coffee ready.  Tillie took laundry with her and left at 7.35.  Then I went in and read paper.  Cloudy in morning.  Watered lawn and yard.  Spread the manure along hibiscus.

Had buttermilk and turkey sandwich for lunch.  When Tillie came home she hung out the laundry.

Ed came over at 3.30 and stayed till 6.00.  Beautiful sunset.

Had buttermilk and cheese sandwich.

About 8.30 we went over to Collangis and stayed there till 10.00.

Nice moonlight night 1^st quarter.

Sun, Dec 25, 1960

60°/76°  7.07/5.34

Up at 5.45 and got breakfast, then we opened our presents.

Took Tillie to work and then back to read paper.  Stopped at Collangis.  Had egg nog then.

Watered lawn.

Went to Lees about noon and stayed there till dinner.  Had turkey, mashed potatoes, onions, turnips, squash, cranberry squash pie and coffee.

Tillie called up about 2.30 and I went to Wrightsmans and picked her up and brought her over to Lees and we stayed there till 6.00, when we went back to Wrightsmans, Tillie went to work and I sat and watched T.V. till Tillie was through at 8.10.

Home and watched T.V. and looked over presents.  To bed at 10.30.

Sat, Dec 24, 1960

58°/73°  7.07/5.33

I was up at 6.00 and shaved.  For the last week I’ve had sharp shooting pains in my left eye and cheek, in case I press on them.  Sometimes in the forehead.

Had tangalos for breakfast and cheese and an apple and coffee. 

I took Tillie to work and then I went home for a crap and read paper.

Then went to Henrys and brought some Bourbon & Beer.  Home and lunch.

Went after Tillie and we went to Hildas and stayed there an hour.

Then to Lees for a while.

Then I took her back to Wrightsmans to work.

Pogo Christmas Eve 1960

I went home and checked off cards we received today.  Had supper.  Ed came in for a while.

Tillie called up and asked me to come over as soon as I could.

When we came back, we took Martha to her home and then home.

We went in to DeCiccos for a while and had two drinks.  Peg and Leornard came in and we sat talking till Darryl and Jain came in.  At 10.45 we went home and tied up packages and read letters and cards.  Darryl sleeps at Jim’s place as there is some trouble between Nancy and Darryl.  Tillie to bed at 1.00.

Rained .05 inch of rain in Eve.

Fri, Dec 23, 1960

44°/66°  7.06/5.33

Up at 4.15 and turned heat on.  Then back to bed.  Up at 6.30 and got breakfast and saw Tillie off at 7.30.  Sunny this morning.  Wrote some xmas cards.  Watered lawn.  Carried over the pile of grass and weeds from Dixies.

Brought down small xmas tree from attic.  Got a lot of mail.

Read paper.

Tillie made meringues this afternoon.  We put lights on the crotons too.

We had them lit last night.  I got to bed at 10.30 and Tillie at 11.00 after a cup of warm milk.

Thurs, Dec 22, 1960

36°/58°  7.05/5.32

Up at 6.30.  Just a faint light in the East.  Cold, so turned heater and oven on.  Got breakfast ready and Tillie left at 7.30.  Sun was shining.  I went in and wrote and read paper and watered lawn.  Had pumpernickel and ham and milk and a banana for dinner.  Cleaned house.  Wrote three letters.

Only 56° this noon.

Tillie came home at 3.00 and mixed molasses crinkles and put the dough in refrigerator.  She left at 5.00 for work.

I read and watched T.V. during Evening.  Had steak, peas, buttermilk and cookies and coffee for supper.

Tillie came home at 10.30 and she made molasses crinkles.

She had a couple of daiquiris at Weightmans and was pretty sleepy.  She irrigated and went to sleep at 12.00.

Cold

Wed, Dec 21, 1960

58°/76°  7.05/5.32

Up at 6.30 and got orange juice and coffee.  Tillie left at 7.32.

Had heat on this morning.

Spread winter rye seed on lawn and watered it.

Two colored men cut down our slanting pine tree.  Wheeled Dixies white sand in to drive way and spread rest of sand in my yeard.  Kira helped me.

Had ham on pumpernickel.  Also a can of beer.  Read a little and then a little nap.

Very windy from south coast and dark clouds in the sky.

Tillie came home at 3.00.

Began raining about 3.00 and rained till 5.00.  Only .05 of an inch.

Ed came in about 5.00 and brought some shredded wheat for Tillie.

He and I sat here talking till 7.00.  I had baked potato and a chop and some chicken and coffee.  Ed had a beer.

Tillie came home at 9.00 and we watched T.V. till 10.00 then Tillie irrigated till 11.00 when she went to bed and read paper.  Put up Christmas candles.

Tues, Dec 20, 1960

50°/73°  7.05/5.31

Up at 6.25 and got breakfast ready.  Orange juice and coffee.  Clear and cool.  Tillie left at 7.30, then I read paper.

She took Laundry with her.

I had chicken sandwiches for lunch with buttermilk.

At 1.00 I took a walk downtown in 35 min.  Stopped for grass seed.  Then for Electric win, then for bread.

Waited ½ hour for Tillie at the Laundry helped her with the Laundry and then hung it up.  Partly cloudy.

Read out Christmas cards.

Dot and Ray Lee stopped in just before Tillie had to leave and invited me for Christmas dinner.

Had a chop, a piece of steak, a baked potatoe and peas and coffee.

Tillie came home at 8.45.

She ironed the wash and her uniform.

Irrigated and to bed at 12.00.

Mon, Dec 19, 1960

50°/70°  7.04/5.30

Up at 6.30 and shaved and got breakfast ready.  Clear cool morning.  I took Tillie to work in morning.  ON the way back I filled up with gas in Leaks, then went to Gulf Sta. and had car greased and oil changed and new air filter put on.  Had clams for dinner.  Trimmed Dixies Royal Poinciana and carried all trimmings across the street.  Wrote cards.

Went downtown in afternoon for oranges.  Had chicken for supper. 

Constellation Fire

Watched T.V. in Eve. Till 8.00, when I left and went downtown to see the decorations and then to Wrightsmans. 

I waited in the room watching T.V.  At 9.00 Tillie was ready and we went home and looked over the cards that cards that came during day.  Two deliveries today.

To bed in north west bedroom at 10.45.  The aircraft carrier “Constellation” burned in Brooklyn Navy Yard.  49 dead and hundreds injured.

Sun, Dec 18, 1960

52°/69°  7.04/5.30

Up at 6.30 and got oranges and coffee ready.  Tillie dressed and left at 7.25 for Wrightsmans, where she is going to work.

I watered the plants and cut the grass then read the paper.

Cloudy all forenoon.  I had heat on.  For lunch I had cranberries and chicken sandwiches & coffee.

Spread manure.  Picked a papaya.  Watched T.V. and wrote Christmas Cards.

Tillie came home about 3.00 and left at 5.00.  I had a lamb chop, bread & butter and yogurt & coffee.

Watched T.V. then read.

To bed at 10.00.  Tillie irrigated.

A plane hit a street car in Munich, Germany and killed quite a few people.

Sat, Dec 17, 1960

44°/67°  7.02/5.30

Crawled into bed with Tillie Early this morning as it was chilly.

Got up at 7.45 and turned the oven on as it was 62° in the kitchen.  Outside it was 44°.  Wrote cards in forenoon.  Sunny and nice.

Had steamed clams for lunch.  Shopped in Food Fair.  Met Swenson and talked with him.

Sunny all day.

After supper we went over to Larkens.  We talked and Harold showed his new slides.  Clear cool night sky full of stars.  55° at 10.00 P.M.

Tillie irrigated.  To sleep at 11.00.  2 planes collided over N.Y. and killed about 135 persons.

New York Air Disaster

Fri, Dec 16, 1960

50°/65°  7.02/5.30

Woke up at 3.30 and couldn’t go to sleep, so got up about 4.00 and wrote to Dick Mansfield and read till 6.00.  Turned heat on and went to bed.

Rained .09” during night.

Up at 8.40 and Tillie was already up.  Sunny, but very windy.

Tillie made jello and cookies.

In Eve Collangis came over and we played two games of canasta.

We sent out quite a few cards today.  A negro cut down DeCiccos pine tree.  They finished a marbleized patio in their front yard, and covered their lawn with black mulch and seeded with Babaia grass seed.

In Eve. We talked with Collangis till 11.50.  Cold and still at night.

Ipswich Clams

To bed at 12.30.  Tillie irrigated.

Caught a (viper, adder) in yard but let him go.  Toby gave us quite a few Ipswich clams.

Thurs, Dec 15, 1960

60°/75°  7.02/5.29

Up at 7.00 and turned heat on.  Woke up at 2.00 and couldn’t sleep, so I read from 3.30 to 4.00 then fell asleep and got up at 8.30.

Read papers after breakfast.  Spread manure and watered.

Tillie wrote Christmas cards.  Shaved and wrote.

After lunch went to Edith Bensons and spent afternoon with her talking.  Had coffee toast & cake.  She gave us cheese, flowers and magazines.

Stayed home in Eve.  I made pancake.  Wrote cards in Eve. And watched T.V.

To bed at 10.45

Wed, Dec 14, 1960

58°/70°  7.00/5.29

Up at 8.00.  Turned heat on at 6.00 it was 62° in the house.

Watered front then spread manure in back.  Sunny and calm, no wind.

Tillie wrote Christmas cards.  I read papers for today.  Also Miami Herald.  Wrote letters in afternoon.  Nice day.  Spread cow manure.  Went up to 70° outside.

Watched T.V. in Eve.  To bed at 10.00.

Dec 1960 Nor'easter

A blizzard up in N.E. with a foot of snow and winds up to 60 M.P.H. and near zero temp.

Tues, Dec 13, 1960

42°/62°  7.01/5.28

Up at 8.30.  Orange juice and cheese and coffee.  Watered plants.  Went shopping and cashed checks.  Had tire put on rim by Leaks.  Shopped in Food Fair.

Then, after lunch we wrote.  About 4.30 a colored man brought a load of cow manure and I spread some of it around.

Had a nice supper and then watched T.V.  I went to bed at 10.00 and read.

Tillie came later.

Mon, Dec 12, 1960

52°/73°  7.00/5.28

Up at 7.00 and after breakfast packed up and said goodbye and left at 9.00.

Stopped at Gowards place.  Frank and Edith Russell were there.  Sat talking there till 11.30.  Had pie, ice cream and coffee.  Nice time.

Then we left and arrived home at 3.00.

Stopped in at Tobys and sat talking with her for quite a while.  She gave us our papers and mail.

Had eggs and bacon and toast for supper.  Watched T.V. in Eve. Till 11.00.  Cool at night.

Sun, Dec 11, 1960

68°/82°

Up at 8.00 and it was cloudy, rained a little during night.

Nice breakfast and read paper.  Rained in afternoon.  Played canasta in afternoon.  After dinner showed our slides in Eve till 10.30, then to bed after a beer.

Sat, Dec 10, 1960

Up at 7.30.  Foggy in morning but cleared up by 9.00.

At 9.30 we took Paul and Selma in our car to Melbourne.  Went down 441 to 52.  Went to causeway where we found a table and had our sandwiches and coffee. 

Then went to Gilberts and sat talking with him for a couple of hours, had coffee and skorpoi and cookies.  Nice time.

Tillie drove home.

Played Canasta in Eve.

Fri, Dec 9, 1960

Up at 7.00 and made coffee and on the road we made coffee and had a sandwich.  Nice day, up at 72° during day.

Arrived at Bettenhamms about 2.00 and they were glad to see up.  Played canasta in evening, sitting in the screened patio.  It was 68° but they didn’t mind.  To bed at 10.00 after coffee.

Thurs, Dec 8, 1960

Up at 7.30 and got going about 9.00 after saying goodbye to Larry, Clara and Lawrence.  Charlene was gone before that.

Went up to route 90 to Tallahassee to #27 and followed that to Cross City where we got a motel for $3.60.  It wasn’t very nice.

It’s a beautiful ride up by Pensacola Bay, a bluff overlooking the boy and the road following the shore.  Pecan groves with the trees bare, oak trees, with leaves brown and red.  It looked like the fall up in R.I. except it was warm.  It cools off at night.

Tillie irrigated at 6.30.  I took a walk down the street.

We stopped a few times for a cup of coffee and also stopped in I.G.A. store and bought some bread and cheese.

It was an old Motel and didn’t look too clean but the bed was good and sheets clean.

Wed, Dec 7, 1960

56°/72°  6.33/5.48

Up at 8.15 and had grapefruit for breakfast.  Also oatmeal and coffee.  Sunny and nice.

The children were gone when we got up.  I drove Lawrence to work.  Clara done laundry first then went to work at 9.45.

Watched T.V.

Went to the beach about 3.00, after Tillie had irrigated, wrote Larry and Lawrence.  The water was about 66° and nice.  The beach was white sand.

Went back to Andersons and sat talking with Clara & Lawrence. 

Then home and we had a nice supper of some kind of spaghetti and minced meat, then ice cream and strawberries.  Helped Larry with his home work.  Later on showed some of my slides.  To be at 11.00 and slept good.

Tues, Dec 6, 1960

54°/68°

We didn’t get up till 8.45.  Larry and Lawrence were gone and Clara was up.  Charlene didn’t get up till 9.30.  Tillie and I had orange juice and an apple and coffee.  About 10.00 Clara went to work.  I took her in my car.  Then home.  Laurena brought a new battery for their Buick and put it in.  Then I went in and wrote in book.  Nice sunny weather. 

Charlene was up and watching T.V.

Clara came home and we had a light lunch.

Then Larry came home from school we two took a walk.

We played solitaire at the office, Larry, Lawrence and I.  Lawrence won.

Home and had pork chops and mashed potatoes, with salad.

Then Clara, Tillie, Lawrence and I went to Escambia High Schol and listened to speeches and at 7.55 we went around to the different schoolrooms and stayed a few min. in each.

Charlene and her boyfriend and another young couple went by themselves.  Larry stayed home and studied.

At 9.00 Charlene played the organ while refreshments were served.  Cookies punch and sandwiches.

Then home and sat talking till about 10.30 when we went to bed.

Slept fine.

Mon, Dec 5, 1960

34°/70°

Up at 6.00 and shaved.  Tillie up at 6.15.  Heated water for coffee and had a cup.  Frost on the ground.

Drove along 27 to Tallahassee where we stopped at a drive in restaurant and had a pork sandwich and a vanilla shake.  Tillie had a strawberry shake. 

No, it was in Pensacola where we had our lunch, it was beautiful country where we went, Route 20 to 231 to 98 in Panama City.  We followed to shore along the Gulf Coast, stretches of pure white sand and then mile or two of motels and cottages.  Nobody down no, as everything looked disserted.

I stopped and took two pictures of the beach.  Also the temperatures of the water, 62°.  A beautiful day.

Found Anderson Mobile Home, on Navy Blvd.  Clara was there.  Later on Laurence came in.  Stayed there till we went to their home on 2^nd St.

It is a nice brick house.  Larry sleeps in garage.  Went after Clara, Charlene and Larry at the store and their car wouldn’t start.

Had a nice supper, when Laurence came home.

Pensacola is in Central Tinee Zone.  In Eve. Charlene played the organ for us.  To bed at 11.00.

Slept fine.  Only had to get up once.

Sun, Dec 4, 1960

70°  6.55/5.26

UP at 5.00 and shaved and then back to bed.  Up at 7.00 and got oranges ready, then packed car and were off at 8.30.  Followed 710 to 441.  Followed that to 27.  Followed 27 to Perry.  Stopped by road side and had sandwich and coffee.  Near Chiefland, while Tillie was driving, the left rear blew, so pulled over to the side and changed it.  It took 25 min.  Two colored men stopped and helped.

Then continued till 5.30, when we stopped at “Irene Motel,” a couple miles south of Perry.  Nice room, heated, air conditioned hot and cold water, for $4.12 for the two.

Tillie cut my hair. Had a sandwich and coffee and apple for supper. 

Tillie irrigated.

To bed at 9.00.

Slept fairly good.

Sat, Dec 3, 1960

60°/76°

Up at 7.00 and got paper and read it.  Made breakfast and brought it in to Tillie.  Sunny and 66°.

Showers during night.

Tied up banana plants.

Flower is coming out on banana plant.  Also flowers on lemon.

Went to P.O. and mailed packages.  Went to Vachon Groves Office and had then ship oranges & grapefruit to Dick, Til, Carl and Frank.

Then home and watered yard.  Sun came out nicely in forenoon.  Had french toast at noon.  Sent some X-mas cards.

Tillie made molasses crinkles.  Went to store and got oranges and dried beef.

Home and heard Dixie had been in hospital with nervous breakdown.  Looked after Sheila while Nancy went to her home.

Tillie washed her hair.

Had nice supper.

To bed at 9.00.  Tillie irrigated in Eve.