The final month of 1928. This tells about my Grandma, Grace Pierce, visiting my parents in their home in Isle, MN on the shore of the huge Milles Lacs Lake. Isle is about 95mins north of Minneapolis by today's standards, but considerably longer by 1928 standards.
I love her simile but I don't want to give it away. Watch for: Nervous as ...
Dec. 1, Saturday
We got up early & poked around in the dark & got started finally at 20 to 8. We got to Minneapolis at noon & started from there at 1-30 & went all right until after we left Anoka & had a puncture & at Elk River we had the tire fixed so didn’t get to Isle until after dark & the house was very cold. Margarette & I slept down stairs on the day bed. I was very tired and had a stiff neck.
Dec. 2, Sunday – Isle, MN
Very snowy & kept it up all night & all day. We all felt tired and got up late. We wrote letters & sat around all day and went to bed about 11. It certainly looks like winter and we were lucky to come up yesterday instead of today.
Dec. 3, Monday – Isle, MN
Very snowy. The sun shone a little while. I ironed until middle of afternoon. Doris cleaned up the house & went up town a little while. We saw many sleighs go by today and so many trucks loaded with Christmas trees. Emil hauled water with a sled in eve. & we worked on fancy work.
Dec. 4, Tuesday – Isle, MN
Nice and bright but very cold. Doris washed & mopped all the floors. I made some canned plums into preserves. I went up town to mail a letter right after dinner. In eve Emil went to basket ball practice until 9-30. Doris & I both worked on fancy work.
An example of fancy work by Grace Pierce
Dec. 5, Wednesday – Isle, MN
Another bright day but colder than yesterday. I went to post office after mail just after dinner & got a letter from Anita & a card from Eda Wade. I washed three storm windows to have ready to put on.
Dec. 6, Thursday – Isle, MN
Very nice and warmer. Our clothes weren’t dry so we didn’t iron yet. I went up to post office after mail and got a letter from Anita and poor little Marilyn isn’t much better. In eve Emil went to basket ball practice & got home a little after nine & then went down to restaurant and got some ice cream.
Dec. 7, Friday – Isle, MN
A beautiful day. Marion is a year old today. I went to post office again but didn’t get any thing for me. I ironed all forenoon & part of afternoon. Emil went to basket ball game at Ogilvie & got home about 12.
Dec. 8, Saturday – Isle, MN
A lovely day, very blustery in morning but got nice & warm before noon. We just did the work and worked on fancy work. I got a letter from Anita & one from Luella & one from Addie Cole & a card from Mrs. Price. I have my fancy work nearly done.
Dec. 9, Sunday – Isle, MN
Oh such a beautiful day. We got up late. Doris gave both kids a bath & took one herself. I washed my feet but that was as far as I got. I cut a chicken up & put it on to cook & Doris made date cakes. We had chicken noodles for dinner. After noon we went for a ride and saw a wolf in a wire cage that had been caught while they were deer hunting.
Dec. 10, Monday – Isle, MN
More beautiful than yesterday. We did a big washing and I mopped the porch & kitchen & Doris mopped dining room and pantry. I got letters from Anita & Hazel. After supper Doris and Emil went down to the store and I stayed here with the kids.
Dec. 11, Tuesday – Isle, MN
A cloudy frosty morning & sun shone for a while and then clouded over and was damp & rainy all day. I ironed and Doris went down town about 2 o’clock. I made an apple pie for dinner & Doris made a cake. Margarette went down to the store with Emil after school.
A few of Grandma Pierce's Pie Recipes
Dec. 12, Wednesday – Isle, MN
Very dark and dreary. I finished the ironing & Doris made a pie & I got fish ready for dinner. I got a letter from Anita with a $2.00 check in it & a letter from Add. Margarette & I went down town in afternoon and made some purchases.
I made a cape & hood for Margarette’s doll.
Dec. 13, Thursday – Isle, MN
Just as dark and cloudy as the other days this week. I made Margarette’s blue dress longer & put new pieces in her crazy quilt. I got a package from Sears and a letter from Luella. Doris went up to post office in afternoon but didn’t get her package she has been looking for since last Saturday.
Dec. 14, Friday – Isle, MN
Just as dark as yesterday and rained a little. Emil called Minneapolis this morning to see if the winter top to the car was done, but it won’t be done for a week so they won’t go down tonight. Margarette & I went to post office & store and went in Anheusers so she could see the toys. Marion cried hard about 4 o-clock in morning on account of having so much gas on her stomach.
Dec. 15, Saturday
Very nasty morning. I got up a little after six & fixed my lunch and after breakfast Emil carried my suit case to bus station & I left Isle at 7-30 & got to Minneapolis at 11-15. I had dinner & went to a Woolworth Store near there & waited until I was as nervous as an oyster & left at 2. The roads were very bad part of the way & the big bus was loaded, about 25 in & we got to Rochester at 25 to 7 & left right away, but could only get as far as Canton as he doesn’t go any farther on account of bad roads. I stayed at Franks. Parnell Kimball carried my suitcase for me. I called home & Elmer is quite sick with flu. LuVerne & Anita are doing chores. This is the last day the bus runs from Rochester down until it freezes.
Dec. 16, Sunday
Got up about 7 at Franks & Raymond came after me with a team. Dr. Emmons stopped in about 5 o’clock to see Elmer. He is not in as much pain as yesterday. Clifford Pierce came after a horse Johnny Reinsvold bought. Louie Underbakke came up & threw down ensilage so LuVerne didn’t have to. Anita is about worn out tonight & she & LuVerne went to bed about 7-30 but I’m not as tired as I was last night.
The challenge of fountain pens...
Dec. 17, Monday
Not a very nice day, but we washed the white clothes & didn’t get through until after noon. Elmer is some better. I made a pie & scaled three fish. Ervin Leistikow came down and did nearly all the chores but milking & Anita & LuVerne did that. She sent to Canton with Louie U. for some things.
Dec. 18, Tuesday
A queer day. The sun shone by spells & it would be a regular blizzard. In afternoon I washed the colored clothes. Ervin was here all day & cleaned barns & hen house. Elmer went out door a little while. Luella & Roger walked over and Raymond came after them. In eve I wrapped Christmas packages & got Leslie’s ready to send. It thawed a lot today so it was very slippery.
Dec. 19, Wednesday
Sun shone all day but it was cold. I ironed in afternoon. Elmer went out and helped with chores & LuVerne went home after school, the first he has since a week ago last night. Anita is busy with fancy work. I sent Leslie & Hazel and Thomas’ things today.
Dec. 20, Thursday - 2 below zero
Pretty cold and the wind blows a gale. Anita & Elmer went to Canton about 9-30 and got back a little after 11. I kept Marilyn. They had quite a time to start the car. Mrs. Peacock passed away about midnight.
Dec. 21, Friday
Much nicer than yesterday. Anita & Elmer went to Decorah and I went to Elsie’s and kept Marilyn. She was very good. They got back about 1-30. Elsie had club today so we didn’t get home until between 4 and 5. We had a flat tire coming home.
Dec. 22, Saturday
Quite cold & blustery. Elmer took a grist to Burr Oak with a team. We washed & I baked a fruit cake for Ladies’ Aid Food sale. I walked down to Louie’s with a package that Anita was to send to Margarette. He went to Decorah & took it there. Gladys Peacock called and told us when Mrs. Peacock’s funeral would be.
Dec. 23, Sunday
Much warmer. We went over to Stevie’s. Gene Headingtons were there too. In afternoon I went to Mrs. Peacock’s funeral. Alva, Clifford & Victor took me. Luella stopped here when they went home from Iona’s and I sent their presents over with her.
Dec. 24, Monday
Quite warm but cloudy. I ironed and made an apple pie. Raymond came over and helped Elmer butcher a hog and was here to dinner. Elmer went to Burr Oak with him and rode home with Leistikows. I got a lot of Christmas cards & Gerald and Margaret Moran’s pictures, also a letter from Doris and they won’t be down. Elmer went to tree at M.E. Church with Louis Underbakke.
Dec. 25, Tuesday
A lovely warm day. The most beautiful Christmas day I ever saw. I got very nice presents. A diary, silk bloomers & a box of candy from Anita, a pair of silk stockings, lovely box of stationery & silk bloomers from Luella, pillow cases & dresser scarf from Doris, a lovely portfolio of writing paper, box of candy & silk combination suit from Hazel & Leslie. We went over to Luella’s & were the only ones there except Willard Barth. Had a lovely dinner goose, chicken, & everything. About 5 o-clock Doris, Emil & kids came. Raymonds came over in eve & stayed until 11 o’clock.
Dec. 26, Wednesday
Nice in forenoon but clouded over at noon. Emil went to Spring Grove. I washed & made a fruit cake. In afternoon, Luella & kids came over while Raymond went on cream route. We were all so tired tonight so went to bed early. Margarette played out door in afternoon it seemed like October.
Dec. 27, Thursday
A beautiful day. We ironed and did a few odd jobs. Elmer was feeling bum but went down to Louie’s and helped stack stalks but came home early. Emil came down about 3 and Burnell was with him so Doris & kids went up with him & came back to Luella’s to supper about 7-30. Elmer was too sick to go over so I walked over about 5-30 so it was dark before I got there. We got home about 10-30.
Emil gave me a nice box of stationery so I am pretty well supplied.
Dec. 28, Friday
Not as nice as yesterday. Emil went to Spring Grove as soon as he had breakfast. Elmer is sick and Anita feels bum. Raymonds were all here to dinner & LuVerne stayed all night. I had to go down to Violet’s to get macaroni. Emil came about 6 o’clock. The wind is much colder tonight. Margarette played out door with Roger & LuVerne. We weighed Marilyn today and she weighed 20 lbs. She will be 9 months old tomorrow.
Dec. 29, Saturday
Much colder and quite a wind. I got up a little after five and Doris, Emil & kids got started about 20 to 8 and am afraid they will have a cold ride. Elmer doesn’t feel well at all and Anita isn’t very good. LuVerne went home for a while and came back just before dark. Raymond took feed to B.O. to get ground and brought groceries home.
Dec. 30, Sunday
Much warmer. Elmer feels about the same & Anita is worse. She has a cold. I made ice-cream. LuVerne went home about 11-30 and came back about 2-30. Nobody here all day. It was a very nice day. Marilyn didn’t feel very good either.
Dec. 31, Monday
Very dark and cloudy and a few snow flakes fell. Elmer’s head is a little better, and Anita feels some better and I have a backache and my head is stuffed up a little worse than usual. Elsie, Merle & Dean came over about 4-30 and brought some medicine for Elmer. It is much colder tonight. This is the last day of 1928.
