Sat 18 Feb 1922
Mary's Journal Entry
B & W worked at rocks. J. plowed
Letter Sent Home
[Letter home started 17 Feb, mailed 18 Feb]
Dear Mary & all
we were so glad to get your nice letter, glad you had a nice time at Ide Road school how do like your own school & hope you like to ride your wheels the children around here go in a truck one of the boys that go to school high school drives it I guess about a dozen go it goes by every morning & back at night I am glad Fern has a new cat take good care of Spottie Fern so I can see & pet her when I get home. Wilfred Uncle Will says you are taking good care of Rex. Well Russell you ought to see Grandpa make the stones fly he is out loading one now it keeps Josh with Prince & Phil drawing them away. how about that air rifle can you get the sparrows you practice up good & we will have a shoot when I get back wont that be fun we can go as well as grandpa has lately he had not got one jack out here. well little ones I must close & write to Mother or she will be jealous.
So long. Grandma
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
Fri. P.M. Feb. 17, ‘22
Dear ones all
Well I have just finished the childrens letter so will see what is left to write you. can Mary read writing well enuf to read their letter I expect they would feel slighted if I did not write them once in a while. now to begin with this has been a fine week so warm I can hardly stay in the house & don’t any more than I can help. Mon. morn. Josh & Will left here before seven for “Balboa” to visit the Mrs. & Alice. left pa & I in charge of ranch. as we were early I tho’t I would wash well all I done was rince pa done all the rubbing (honest) he done fine to before we got thru a catch took me under the left shoulder blade then after dinner I lay on hot water bottle for over an hour would have longer but the flies made me creepy don’t know whether it was beca’se pa washed guess so. I felt it till Tues. noon then let up. I ironed in P.M. eve. just dark the men come home pa had drilled rock & set of 3 blasts had pretty good luck with 2 but the big one in a hum dinger. pa is still at it. J. is cultivating grapes uncle W- is making stakes about 15 in. long white washing one end then sticking them by vines so J. can see where they are. he wants to set more when Pa gets the rock out its where he don’t want it. Now I will mention more about the P.P. box we sent home was afraid you would get the letter long before box & would not be a surprise. the pict. of house Dr. Harry Wilson’s its for sale they have it in real estates agents (his fatherinlaws) you must not examine that work too close I just done it to keep busy. the yokes I made for night dresses don’t know how they fit (guessed at it) the dress is my pattern it fits nearly everyone out here (all tha have used it) so tried you the apron pattern is one cousin Jen Kline used to make Nettie aprons Nettie was wishing so she had the pattern so I cut it off & the aprons was the results. Nettie has two just like them. the ties Nettie learned me she crochets & sells them Xmas time for $2.50 (on orders mens ties) well I expect you will say well ma was crazy to send Wilfred one well as far as I am concerned say what you like but I wanted him to know I tho’t of him too. that black nut in bag with walnuts is a live oak acorn eat it & if you want more let us know & we will sned them the most of them are reddish brown. how did the children enjoy the cigaretts (great thing for grandma to do) they come from Venice. Pa says Florence did not mention her big shell that’s yours to put on table in hall for visiting cards. I think I told you I was afraid I was hung up on our portiers it is warmer out here the buds are in blosson (no good then) & b time we get back to Netties it will be warm there & they will be all in blossom there so I am still hanging (on portiers) Nettie got a sewing machine for Xmas first she has ever had (20 years) her mother always made & sent house dresses & aprons once in a while she bo’t ready made (she is green at sewing) when I was in Los A one time I bo’t a remnant for aprons. well Wed. 10 A.M. I cut out 2 round ones & tho’t I would sew by hand. while paring potatoes I got snarled up with my nife & cut my right thumb just where I hull the needle so there I am. maby just as well wed. morn. I felt rather smart so went washing windows had never been washed & new putty so had to use Bon-ami & my arms have been bad enough so have been out with men in the warm sunshine. can imagine what the sun must be in July well its better than rain any way hope it don’t rain any more. you had a nice aid glad Mary D- gets out put a flee in Chet’s ear no use for her to stay in & worry wont do her any good thats sure. if I remember May is the mo. I was to help serve (Aid) I think Nellie Dennis is chairman look it up & who ever it is & when ever it is I will buy my share for eats (or you for me) pay for what ever the other two say I don’t want to kick out of my turn. rather pay more than my share as I don’t expect to be there to help serve. did you pay $2.00 on the food sale they did not have (but way out cheap) & $5.00 on the one they did have I think I told you to. I got a letter from Mabel Ramsay (Till Small Walkers girl) saying to be sure to visit them in Kansas on our way home
“Glory to Guiney” we better get going oh yes pa wants you to phone Emma Singer & ask her if Will Hayne is living & get their address & pleas call Dr. Burns & tell him the Cellasin come thru in fine shape. & say I am wondering if they would not be good for Edna or better still they make medicine for the stomache. I hope she gets better. my stomjack is fine eat all kinds of vegetables & was O.K. about 3 weeks ago. Pa said this noon J talked of going to Escondido tomorrow he broke spring on car tues. & wants to get new one maby get chance to mail this. hope you are all well if you can’t read this scribbling lay it to my poor cut thumb the pencile comes right on it (good excuse). had 4 men to get dinner for today & expect will have. J’s day man is back on the job. so long. supper time have eats 6, go to bed 8, arise 5 or 5:30
Ma
Fri. even.
Well Ill be giggered if I didnt forget to tell you what a time we had with a goat tues. P.M. Mr. Evans’s come over with the mail & P.P. Pkt. (cellasin) a hown & a goat followed him well he want home & the god & goat stayed. they were around here till middle of P.M. then the dog went in the brush after rabbits & the goat followed. well they did not go home that night the next morn. they commenced to hunt for the goat went around to all the neighbors but no goat nor dog either they knew the dog would come home but not so sure of the goat. we felt bad to think she was gone because Mr. Evans bro’t our mail & she follwed well about 11:30 Pa come in & got his gun said the Buzzards were hovering on the hill maby it was her carcas they were after maby the Cayott’s had got her way he went. we heard the dog howling on a track about half the A.M. well he went where the Buzzards were & they had a dead skunk & some where around there was the goat trying to follow the dog when he got out of sight she would bleat & pa heard her but could not catch or drive her till he put the rocks in the dog & drove him home then when he quit barking she let him drive her out to the road then an auto come alone & the man got out & caught her & pa put a strap on her & led her to the house she was about to pop so nothing to do with my sore thumb I had to milk her I milked about a qt. then quit & I had goats milk for dinner. Pa took the goat home & he was tickled man to get her back alive pa told him I always wanted to taste g. milk so he had me milk some. he thanked him for milking her & said any time I wanted milk come over they feed the dogs her milk they don’t use it. they keep cows & sell milk. Ma
And more yet did you know your mother was wearing diamonds well how does that sound. I don’t know that she is but I will tell the story any way. maby have told you part of it can’t remember. The day after my birthday Pa & I wnet along the ocean shore for shells (found none tide to high) & in the sand I found a bar pin. I showed it to Pa & he acted as if he tho’t ti come from Knoxe’s & said I could have it for my birthday present (he was down on the shore out of hearing when I found it & my birthday he never tho’t of till that morn. after breakfast now wasn’t he kind to tell me I might have it.) I told him I was glad I found it & didn’t believe it was any kind of Knox’s because it had a patented clasp. well we got to Len’s showed him the pin & declared it was gold with a platinum top set with diamonds & amethist (blue stone) x blue stone o diamond or glass this is a bum picture but it is bent & I can’t draw the lines straight when the pattern is crooked. good night | so long the pin is |
Sat. no Escondido today just finished fried cakes. chance to send mail Ma