DECEMBER 31

1939 9:15 The last day of 1939 - It's really been a swell year - crazy jumbled - but exciting I have so much to be thankful for -
1940 12:05 - IF I'D KNOWN HOW DEMORALIZING SPENDING NEW YEARS EVE CORRECTING J.S. AUTOBIOGRAPHIES WOULD BE, BELIEVE ME I'D HAVE DONE SOMETHING ABOUT IT... I PRAY TO GOD WE ARE NOT IN THIS LOUSY WAR BY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR - I HOPE I AM MORE OF A PERSON THAN I AM NOW - HOPE I HAVE THE GUTS TO MAKE SOMETHING OF MYSELF.
1941 10:45 Spent the day down knitting with Jean. She has to go back - God, the guts she'll have to have -We'll all have to have. - I can let myself think no further than tomorrow - Maybe the day after. I don't think Leonard can last through another year. - I can't take it.
1942 6:00! [I DON'T THINK THEY HEARD ME GET IN, EITHER!] BUT I WAS WRONG, THANK GOODNESS; I WONDER IF NEXT YEAR WON'T FIND US A COUPLE THOUSAND MILES APART? OR TOGETHER? (I SUPPOSE THAT IS TOO MUCH TO HOPE FOR...) THIS IS THE happiest NEW YEAR'S EVE I'VE ever HAD... 20 OF US (18 DIDN'T COUNT!) WENT FOR A SLEIGH RIDE... BIG FIRE OUT BY THE RIVER... BACK TO VITTURMS FOR LYING BY THE FIRE AND LATER, BREAKFAST - GRAPEFRUIT, PANCAKES, SAUSAGES, COFFEE!... WE CAME HOME IN A LOVELY WHITE MIST. 
1943

DECEMBER 30

1939 I am numb. - I ate over there twice - They were perfectly swell to me. - I hope I get to "do" the real job this summer - My mind whirls with Stars - Petty Gals + hell (They asked me to the party)
1940 No - even Bill called (as last night) to give me an excuse to put off reading those damned autobiographies. So I got started! All ready the time is dwindling pitifully away - Hope the rest of the school year tears by like hell - Dear God, I hope I'm not teaching next yr. but that I am earning some money-
1941 12- Rather desultory day (just because you didn't' see Leonard?) - Didn't get up till 11:00 - tsk - went out to school. Jo didn't show up - No story written! - Went over to D.J.'s - ate too much.
1942 12- I FEEL BETTER, muchly... TALKED WITH MOTHER ABOUT MY GOING; SHE'LL BACK ME UP IF EVEN I WANT TO GO TO NEW YORK... WE HAD BEEN OVER TO HANSONS, AND WHEN WE CAME HOME, discussed IT IN WHISPERED TONES... I TOOK MOTHER + Dad TO THE Palm Beach Story THIS AFTERNOON. MOTHER + Leonard ARE THE TWO I REALLY HATE TO LEAVE *
1943

DECEMBER 29

1939 - We got the stuff already to take down to the Engraver's + Ivr. said "next week" - got started on Fantle deal... Sort of fun. - But they are certainly messing it up! (I'll keep the pressure on!)
1940 11- VERY STUPID OF ME - AFTER TAKING ABOUT 3 HRS. TO WRITE A LETTER TO F., I LAY LISTENING TO THE RADIO - + BANG, I WAS THINKING ABOUT LEONARD. IT WAS FUTILE TO RATIONALIZE HIM OUT OF MY THOUGHTS - CRIED. FELT LIKE HELL - ALL OF WHICH MADE TODAY V. BAD... FINALLY SNAPPED OUT OF IT WENT TO SHOW W/ D.J. + SARA - FEEL OKAY - MUST WORK.
1941 1:00 (I hope Leonard wiped off that lipstick before he went back to the car!) Hung an exhibit - Jo came out. Stayed for dinner. We have a story outlined. Leonard, Bill, Harold + I talked about insight and intuition! - vicious circle.
1942 12- MY MIND IS IN A constant TURMOIL... "WHERE DO I GO FROM here?" AFTER TALKING TO DONNA I GUESS MAYBE New York... I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE THE GUTS OR NOT... I DIDN'T GET UP TILL LATE TODAY; TOOK VIRGINIA + SHIRLEY TO LUNCH AT THE Town Club... DAMN... I'D SHORE LIKE MY monee
1943

DECEMBER 28

1939 Thursday Class pictures are finished - still some to do. Went to tea over at Billingsley's - Marg says she may go to Augustana - Oh, and incidentally I won Mlle's suit des. Contest... $25 + the suit - I don't believe it. (I will when I see the suit + the money)
1940 8:00 ANOTHER DAY GONE FOR  NOUGHT - BUT IT'S FUN... (EXCEPT I'VE GOT TO GET GOING PRETTY DAMN QUICK!) MARG + I BREAKFASTED @ 11:00... MET AUGGIE GALS FOR LUNCH - NICE GIRLS - BUT LACK COLOR - SAW JO DOWNTOWN - WE CONSUMED 2 COKES A PIECE + TALKED - GUESS I'LL WR. FRED
1941 Eleanor left today. - She + Philip may be married when she comes back. - Open fireplace, wine, talk.
1942 MON I SHOULD HAVE HAD A BIGGER KICK OUT OF THE Christmas DANCE... LEONARD WORRIED I DIDN'T HAVE A GOOD TIME... I WORE MY NEW BLACK HOSE - SLIGHTLY sensational... WE - AND BILL + Eleanor AND BOB and SHIRLEY - WENT DOWN TO DICKEY'S I ATE BEAN SOUP. I FELT RATHER SHY. Leonard SAID HE DIDN'T SLEEP WELL LAST NIGHT....?
1943

DECEMBER 27

1939 Well, actually we got started pasting today. - Leonard is so swell (I was going to be mean to him for Tues.) - We had a sandwich over at the Hen. - didn't go home - Virginia came out after us. The car radio was tuned in on Duke Ellington
1940 FRIDAY 12- SLEPT TILL 1:30 - LURY TOOK A WALK OUT TO SCHOOL - SAW HOWARD + JAKE - OVER TO NESSA'S TONIGHT - MARG IS SLEEPING HERE TONIGHT. 
1941 I amaze myself continually. I called Leonard + asked him to come over about 7:00! - Over at Nessa's. We played records and danced + drank - tsk. Listened to Bolero -
1942 SUN BARBARA HAD A TOM + JERRY PARTY THIS AFTERNOON... [GEE, THEY WERE GOOD] I HELD THE MANTELPIECE UP + WAS SURROUNDED BY SOLDIERS. Leonard CALLED [AS I DESPERATELY hoped] WHEN I CAME HOME... WE WENT OVER TO his SISTERS' - TO SPITZNAGELS' AND TO JOHNS' - home [WHERE WE BOTH LANDED IN A HEAP WHEN L. LIFTED ME fr. DAVENPORT!] 
1943

DECEMBER 26

1939 Well, - I got to go to the Christmas dance (Bob asked me Christmas Eve) - It was fun. - I really love to dance with Bob - Bought a new black reefer - plain, tailored - Mary's - I like it!
1940 THURS 1:50 DAMN PAYNE ANYHOW... SPOILED IT FOR ME AGAIN THIS YEAR... FREDDIE HELPED SOME - BUT NOT 
ENOUGH... DAMN... DAMN... AND OF COURSE, HE WAS WITH BLOSSOM! ... I AM A STUPID FOOL FOR NOT GETTING BOB TO ASK THEM TO TRADE - BUT - HELL I HAVE SOME PRIDE... ELEANOR LEFT... LONESOME... TIRED... FEET HURT.
1941 Swell, really. Leonard asked for a dance, even. (I didn't even have to provide motivation!) Wore Eleanor's formal - slightly sensational. Smooth dancing w/ Leonard. He can't have any illusions about how I feel about him.
1942 SAT MET CLARA DOWNTOWN... [SHE GAVE ME A PLAID TAFFETA APRON] PROBABLY married IN APRIL OR MAY... THEN SHIRLEY Hanson + I HAD COKES + SHE DRAGGED ME HOME WITH HER FOR DINNER [WHICH WE HELPED get!] THAT HOUSE IS BEDLAM; BUT WONDERFUL - QUEL IMPULSIVE!!!! SHIRLEY WAS GOING TO THE DANCE, SO I WIPED THE DISHES AND WENT home. SARA DIDN'T PUT IN AN APPEARANCE but D.J. DID WE TALKED ENDLESSLY!
1943

DECEMBER 25

1939 We had to get up to finish wrapping packages this morning - I certainly feel like a mess - Eleanor left on the 5:30 train... It was hard to take... And I was going to be so casual + smart! I hope it isn't too long before we see her again.
1940 REALLY SWELL WITH ELEANOR HERE... REALLY MADE CHRISTMAS FOR US... WOULD HAVE BEEN GRIM WITHOUT HER. SHE IS SO WONDERFUL WITH WILMER - I STILL FEEL SORT OF EXTRA WITH THE TWO WHEN THEY'RE TOGETHER... I GUESS I'LL NEVER GET OVER IT... WAS QUITE FLOORED WHEN W. KISSED ME PURELY SPONTANEOUSLY. ATE TILL I'M PRACTICALLY NAUSEATED - B. CALLED
1941 (Under the mistletoe - I blushed!) - The mystery was a toy dog from Hunk - Lovely Christmas, Eleanor + I felt awful for a while as a conseq. of not sleeping. Leonard wanted to ask me to the dance! 
1942 12:45 It was a  fine Christmas - (except it did hurt that Leonard didn't give me anything)... We had our gifts about 10:45 - and dinner about 3:00... We had Tom + Jerrys over at Virginia's - John K, Bob, Leonard + I. She is swell. I stayed later. I hope Leonard was annoyed.
1943