I’ve written before about my grandmother’s journals. I’ll be posting excerpts from her 1959 journal from time to time on this blog, starting today.
In these entries, my grandmother, Jessie Lehmer (age 57) is in the hospital with some sort of back trouble. While she’s laid up, her husband, Harry Lehmer (60) assumes the task of family journalist.
Some people mentioned include Harry and Jessie’s daughter, Agnes Grosvenor (36) and her husband Jack Grosvenor (40), who live across the street with their three children – Judy (17), Linda (16) and Jackie (3). Also mentioned are Harry’s brother Ray (58) and Harry and Jessie’s grandson Mike (8), the son of their youngest child, Calvin (29).
March 10, 1959 (Tuesday)
Harry: “Went up to see Mom. She seems to be feeling better. Jackie sent her some candy. We got our new mattress today. Jack Grosvenor helped me put it on the bed and take the old one upstairs. Hope it sleeps good.”
March 11, 1959 (Wednesday)
Harry: “Agnes went to see her foot doctor today. Our new mattress didn’t sleep so good last night. Hard as the floor. I rolled most of the night but I guess I will get used to it in time.”
March 12, 1959 (Thursday)
Harry: “I forgot to set my alarm last night, woke up at 6:25. I sure had to do some rushing around to get off to work. Went to union meeting tonight. Mom called about 6:30. She is having pains in her back. It should be clearing up soon. Had a nice chicken dinner with Agnes tonight. That is about all the news.”
March 13, 1959 (Friday)
Harry: “Judy and I went to the hospital. Then we went to see Mike and took him a birthday gift. When we got home, Ray was waiting for me so I had to take him home. He says he is going to lose his job. Mom looked a lot better tonight.”
March 14, 1959 (Saturday)
Harry: “Had a T-bone steak for supper, tasted more like a fence post, couldn’t eat it. I took a chance and went to see Mom again. When I came home it was really snowing heavy. She seemed to feel better tonight. The storm should be over by morning.”
March 15, 1959 (Sunday)
Harry: “This is a beautiful Sunday morning. The sun is shining bright and three inches of snow all over everything. I think most of it will disappear by night. I got up late so didn’t go to church. Had dinner with the kids. Went up to see Mom. She feels better today. She asked the doctor to let her come home but he says no. 6 p.m. Now I have to change my weather forecast. It is snowing heavy. Mom just called and told me not to try it tonight. It sure came down heavy for a while.”
March 17, 1959 (Tuesday)
Jessie: “I will take over doing this on Wednesday a.m. … Dr. Martini let me come home. I could have stayed on, running up a bill. My back would be the same. Feels better tho. … Daddy was surprised to see me home but seemed glad. He won’t have to run up to the hospital every night now. I have to go see Dr. Martini one week from today. I sure like our mattress. Hard, but feels good to my back. … My hospital bill: $441.35. Outrageous.”
Author Larry Lehmer's book about Dick Clark and American Bandstand -- Bandstandland: How Dancing Teenagers Took Over America and Dick Clark Took Over Rock & Roll --is available from Sunbury Press. His book about the last tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens -- The Day the Music Died: The Last Tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens -- is available at Amazon.
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