DIY History | Transcribe | Iowa Women’s Lives: Letters and Diaries | Clara Steen Skott diary, 1942-1946

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Clara Steen Skott diary, 1942-1946

December 24

1942  Slept 9 hours straight! Baked bread, cloverleaf rolls, applekuchen, angel food, choc chip cookies. Dan Hallock, home on furlough, spent 2 hrs. here in P.M. Helped trim tree and cut juniper greens. Signe and Millie [Wehrwein?] here for supper and tree. Lots of gifts. K and I attended midnight mass at Catholic church.

1943.  Frank had the day off and slept till noon. Kathryn came out on 9 o'clock bus as she hasn't worked for 2 days - flu. Made Christmas cookies. Got car fixed at Larry's and shopped in Middleton. Waxed bathroom and kitchen. Frank was at Zeigler's till 9 then we unwrapped our many gifts. Mrs. [Mictl?] and grandchildren here - they go to S. Am.

1944  13 deg - 29 deg.  Walked to church - took mincemeat in for Hilda to bake pie, got turkey of her and hers and Ellen's gifts to bring out. We and grandma saw the miniature scenes in Kann's [illegible] windows and the poinsetta show in Botanical Gardens. Hilda and 9 others came out from caroling for cocoa, cookies, [illegible] Ellen and ["Lucky?"] opened our many gifts about midnight.

1945  16 deg - 26 deg.  I baked bread and pumpkin pies, made veg. lemo jello for Christmas salad. We sent Kathryn's gifts to her - then got telegram she is coming on Liberty Limited! Hilda and Marie caroled in Wash. then went to midnight mass. Hans and I walked to our Alex. church for 11:00 P.M. Christmas service. Weather nice.

1946 39 deg - 47.  Promises to be our quietest Christmas ever. Hans officially off at noon, but Yellow River group worked in P.M. I walked over to see dredge near mouth of Soochow Creek. Anne Weaver called in eve, brought me nice tiny "pillbox". Opened - 3 ply - crossword puzzle book from girls, diary and film negative album. Hans only got 5 cards!

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1942 Slept 9 hours straight! Baked bread, cloverleaf rolls, applekuchen, angel food, choc chip cookies. Dan Hallock, home on furlough, spent 2 hrs. here in P.M. Helped trim tree and cut juniper greens. Signe and Millie [Wehrwein?] here for supper and tree. Lots of gifts. K and I attended midnight mass at Catholic church. 1943. Frank had the day off and slept till noon. Kathryn came out on 9 o'clock bus as she hasn't worked for 2 days - flu. Made Christmas cookies. Got car fixed at Larry's and shopped in Middleton. Waxed bathroom and kitchen. Frank was at Zeigler's till 9 then we unwrapped our many gifts. Mrs. [Mictl?] and grandchildren here - they go to S. Am. 1944 13 deg - 29 deg. Walked to church - took mincemeat in for Hilda to bake pie, got turkey of her and hers and Ellen's gifts to bring out. We and grandma saw the miniature scenes in Kann's [illegible] windows and the poinsetta show in Botanical Gardens. Hilda and 9 others came out from caroling for cocoa, cookies, [illegible] Ellen and ["Lucky?"] opened our many gifts about midnight. 1945 16 deg - 26 deg. I baked bread and pumpkin pies, made veg. lemo jello for Christmas salad. We sent Kathryn's gifts to her - then got telegram she is coming on Liberty Limited! Hilda and Marie caroled in Wash. then went to midnight mass. Hans and I walked to our Alex. church for 11:00 P.M. Christmas service. Weather nice. 1946 39 deg - 47. Promises to be our quietest Christmas ever. Hans officially off at noon, but Yellow River group worked in P.M. I walked over to see dredge near mouth of Soochow Creek. Anne Weaver called in eve, brought me nice tiny "pillbox". Opened - 3 ply - crossword puzzle book from girls, diary and film negative album. Hans only got 5 cards!