Monday, March 19, 2007

Della's Journal - Week 12 (March 19-25, 1929)

This is Installment 12 of the Journal of Della (Smith) Carringer, my great-grandmother, who resided at 2115 30th Street in San Diego in 1929.

The "players" and "setting" are described here. Pictures of some of the players are here. Last week's Journal entry is here.

Here is Week 12:

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Tuesday, March 19: Betty sick, did not go to school. We worked in yard before noon & I went down to Mrs. Turner's, got my dress, $5.00. Her father sick, she had to go away. Then Emily took me for a ride out to Murray dam, then we stopped at market, got eggs, came by Gladys school, she came home with us. Stopped for Oranges. Emily got two pail fulls @ 25 cents each. Showers in the Mountains and a little here but we got home before it rained much, rained in the night. We voted on Water bonds.

Wednesday, March 20: We worked outside, Betty went to school, took her lesson. The water bonds did not carry but the harbor 10 cent tax did. Mayor Clark won & Milan for Treas. Letter from Ruth.

Thursday, March 21: We washed. I took day bath. did not do much. Wheezed up. Threatening rain. Mrs. Nolan paid with check $55.00.

Friday, March 22: Rained in night and showered. We did not do any work & I was sick. Ma & I set in kitchen & read.

Saturday, March 23 (rained, cold): Lyle deposited $55.00 in Bank of Italy for me. Rained & hailed twice today. I feel better. Sewed some. Ma took a sponge bath. Jack called this afternoon. Cold & wind.

Sunday, March 24 (cool): Lyle's rode out to country, we did not go any place.

Monday, March 25: I went to town. Paid A[ustin]'s Lodge, Gas & Electric, Water bills. Ed over, cut lawn, finished setting out Plants, $5.00 check. Got Betty Easter eggs 15 cents.

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Della talks about baths and doing their hair throughout the year. It is clear to me that they took a bath only occasionally, and therefore it was noteworthy. Little did Della know that her great-grandson would be worrying about these personal habits 78 years later!

It is also clear to me that "Ed," who is Austin's bachelor older brother, gets support from Austin's family for doing some of the yard work almost each week. He lived in Pacific Beach - about 10 miles away - in a house of his own.

We get a fairly clear understanding of day-to-day household activities throughout this Journal - Della, at 68, goes to town to pay the bills, she or Lyle deposits bank funds, they vote, etc. Austin, at 76, is working while all this goes on. Della shops, cooks, cleans, washes, sews, writes letters, works in the yard, looks after her mother, and finds some time to read when she is sick.

Gladys was Gladys (Nolan) Taylor, who was Emily (Auble) Carringer's best friend. Gladys was a widow in 1930, aged 30, living with her parents Ed and Winnie Nolan, and Gladys' 7 year old daughter, Edwina at 3761 Granada Street in San Diego, near 29th and University Avenue. Gladys wrote a detailed journal in 1916, which her grandson deciphered and published for the family. Emily is a prime player in this journal, which the editor gave to me many years ago (and I have now misplaced in the Genea-Cave). I interviewed Gladys on tape in about 1991, but learned very little new about Emily and my family members. Gladys was my "date" at the SDGS luncheon in about 1993 - Edwina and her husband had an extra ticket and invited me to attend with them.

Weeks like this are filled with information, but I keep hoping that Della will tell me more. We are getting only the highlights of her days.

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