THE END

Dear Readers,

Well, the circle is closed - you can find October 26 in the archive, my first post on this blog. It has been an interesting project. I feel so close to my grandmother now, at least to her in the years of her diary, when she was 20-26 years old.

I'll continue to fiddle with "Five Year Diary" so don't stop checking in! And thanks to all who've taken the time to read.

Best,

Anna

p.s. - Check out Make Magazine's article about this blog in their latest issue! http://makemag.com/issues/

OCTOBER 25

1939 Started revising “Slipping Beauty” at 6:30 – had to read it in cr. Writing to-night. – went over okay. – We had to wait for Ray to bring the car back. – All Carp can talk about is the brainchild… “Picampus”

1940 2:00 OH GOOD, GOOD… BED, HOME, AND STUFF – ALMOST HATED TO LEAVE – KIDS LIKE BRICK MAKE ME WANT TO STAY – (GEE, HE IS PRACTICALLY AS OLD AS LEONARD) BOB, EMIL + L. CAME OVER AFTER THE GAME TONIGHT, STAYED LATE… I LOVE THEM… ALL I GET FROM LEONARD IS INNUENDOS… HE TOUCHED MY HAND FOR A MOMENT… WILL HE EVER RELENT?

1941 Sat Low-ebb – then Jo called… We went out to school + confided in the Art Room over cokes + potato chips. Lovely afternoon spent on the Civic Theater’s “sets” –foo

1942

1943

OCTOBER 24

1939 12:00 – Heard Buck Whittmore + Jack Loew’s piano concert. – Rosalind introduced us afterwards. – It was really a thrill – Marg + Sari + I ate down town together – I find my “lesson plans” are not complete enough.

1940 11:30 THANK GOD IT’S FRIDAY TOMORROW! – AND DADDY’LL BE AFTER ME AT 4:00 – GEE, I HOPE WE GET HOME EARLY! – I WISH I WERE SPENDING THE WEEK-END AT HOME, NOT GOING UP TO STATE. BUT MAYBE I’LL HAVE SOME FUN ANYHOW – TODAY WAS PRETTY BAD – IF ONLY I’D FIGURE OUT WHAT I’M GOING TO TEACH FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT! – OHH, I HAD A DATE TONIGHT – BUT HE DOESN’T DANCE!

1941 11:00 Well, I better start in on the agony haven’t written for weeks… Dusted this morning… could barely get to school… Peggy B + I had a wild time getting out this aft too! – D.J. went down to Civic Theater – Got enlisted

1942 1:20 [JUST ONE MORE NIGHT ON THE DAVENPORT, THANK HEAVEN!] GEE, I LOVE JUST BEING WITH Leonard… WE WENT TO “Tales of MANHATTAN”… SAT DOWN AT THE Chocolate Shop UNTIL 11:00, WALKED HOME IN THE COLD, MOONLIT NIGHT… THE FOLKS WERE STILL UP, SO WE WERE SLIGHTLY frustrated… BUT NOT SERIOUSLY… I STEPPED neatly OFF MY SHIFT scaffolding – SPILLED PAINT ALL OVER. MY STYLE-SHOW FRIEND STOPPED IN AT THE Tip Top. TOO HIGH-PRE.

1943

OCTOBER 23

1939 12:00 First day is over, thank heaven – My back is broken in two, otherwise, not so bad. – Bob + I went to the lecture (Graham Cary) tonight. – Afterwards, Bob, Leonard + Bill + I talked over the whole thing at the Choc. Shop. – I saw Max Baer!

1940 Gee, I never thought, then; I’d be really in this racket! – sometimes now I can’t quite feature it. – Rather a depressing day on the whole – Except, tonight we heard Richard Crooks and got his autograph after the program. –

1941 Thurs Bob was over for Dinner – Bill + Olga – Phil. – We played bridge with Mother + Daddy.

1942 FRI DIDN’T PAINT TODAY; ENLARGED SKETCHES (VILLAIN and HEROINE, BRED IN OL’ KENTUCKY) ALL DAY + TONIGHT, too… OFFERED TO HELP Leonard SCREEN POSTERS, BUT BOARDS DIDN’T COME – PAYOFF: SERGEANT Neely – MARINE RECRUITING OFFICER TRIED TO GET AHOLD OF ME THIS AFTERNOON… M’FRIEND MISTER GROSS CALLED TONIGHT… I’M TO MEET HIM tomorrow.

1943

OCTOBER 22

1939 11:30 Sun. Tomorrow, and I start my P. Teaching. I’ve been trying frantically to “be prepared” – I hope I am… I hope I’m not a flutter brain… If there’s anything I admire in a person it is serenity!

1940 GEE, I’M A SLUGGARD… LOOKS LIKE I’LL BE TEACHING BY DIVINE INSPIRATION AGAIN – WENT TO LOUSY (FORGIVE ME) TEACHERS BRIDGE CLUB. I AIN’T A FITTIN IN – WHEN I WAS DYING TO GO TO THE HIGH SCHOOL DANCE… YIMMINY I FELT GOOD – IT SOON WORE OFF AFTER ABOUT 20 HANDS OF BRIDGE… BOB + BRICK CAME IN AND TALKED TO ME AFTER SCHOOL. I’VE GOT TO WATCH OUT!

1941 Wed “Sophomore Soiree” – Chils + I enjoyed ourselves immensely – Dorm Dinner – I was late + slipped off the diet! – tsk tsk

1942 THURSDAY TOOK ELEANOR + NETTE TO LUNCH… WILMER and OLGA WERE OVER FOR PHEASANT… THE ADMIRER of TUES. NIGHT TURNED OUT TO BE A PUBLICITY DIRECTOR of MIAMI BILTMORE – HE THINKS I SHOULD BE A MODEL! – hm… OF COURSE, HE WANTED A DATE… I WROTE TO STAN TONIGHT… TOO BAD I DIDN’T MAKE IT TO NEW YORK SOONER… DID “DOWN WENT McClosky”

1943

OCTOBER 21

1939 Sat Is it possible this is another Sat already? – I completed my frescoe panel for techniques – (a red-headed native girl! ) – And Sary + I went to a Mickey Rooney – “Babes in Arms’ – I wish I’d have a date tomorrow – a real date (phooey on platonics!)

1940 THANK GOD, MONDAY’S OVER… LOUSY SKIT… HAP-HAZARD TEACHING… INSTEAD OF WORKING, WROTE LETTERS TONIGHT.. OH WELL, WHAT THE HELL! – I ALMOST GOT SICK TO MY STOMACH PUTTING UP THAT REVOLTING EXHIBIT… GEE, AND THE KIDS WILL BE TOLD THAT IS “ART”

– OH – H – H!

1941 Tues Claustrophobia – should have written letters instead of knitting tonight –

1942 WED WAS OVER TO ALL SAINTS for DINNER… MET A VERY MARVELOUS Scotch GAL… ONLY 3 MONTHS OVER FROM England* … MADE THE War VERY CLOSE FOR ME… RHODA IS TO BE MARRIED 31st… LEAVES FRIDAY… WE HAD AN ALMOST OPPRESSIVELY ARISTOCRATIC EVENING - * SHE’S MARRIED TO A Dutch NAVAL LIEUTENANT.

1943

OCTOBER 20

1939 Fri I really studied all aft. – getting started on teaching materials – If I can get things lined up smoothly It hadn’t ought to be so difficult. – Eleanor is job-hunting, she says. –

1940 SUNDAY – Gee, meant to do something tonight BUT BOB + HARLEY CAME AND TOOK ME FOR A RIDE… THEY ARE CRAZY, SWEET KIDS – BUT MIGOSH – SUCH EXPERIENCE. I THINK ITS AWFUL I FELT SO NICE ALL DAY… WENT TO CHURCH WITH MRS. REEVES – SHE IS V. SWEET – ASKED ME TO DINNER – TOOK HER TO “HOWARDS OF VA.” – FINALLY WROTE TO MOTHER + ELEANOR!

1941 Wed Spoke at Philo – Then helped pick a glammer gal with Mr. Spitznagel at a local cow. – talked w/ (Mr. Spitznagel)… good

1942 TUES WE WERE BOTH too TIRED TO GO – BUT WE WENT TO THE DANCE… Leonard STOPPED IN AFTERWARD… I WAS PRETTY SCARED THE FIRST COUPLE TIMES DOWN THAT Ramp – BUT I FELT adequately GLAMOROUS… AND HAD FUN… WAS SORRY Leonard COULDN’T SEE ME IN THOSE SEXY PYJAMAS… OF COURSE, HE GOT THERE too LATE. I BARELY GOT READY IN TIME… MY hair WAS HARDLY dry.

1943

OCTOBER 19

1939 Thurs. – Was up to H.S. to-day. – I adore Lois Cowan… Saw Marg after school. We had cokes in the Huddle + talked about pr. teaching. She has 10 hrs in already. – Marguerite came over to-night, as I didn’t get much done –

1940 12:00 Slaved all day. It was perfectly beautiful out and I begrudged the time I spent inside… Got a box of candy from Eleanor and wedding pictures from Howard… I would give anything to hear from Leonard – I hope I can sleep till about 9:00 it makes me so mad I always wake up about 6:45!

1941 Sun Got home abt 7:00 – Palace, cokes. Went to church w/ Mrs. R. – ate a huge Sunday dinner. – talked w/ Blanche + Allan, Lorraine + Alberta.

1942 MON WE HAD A REHEARSAL tonight AT THE COLISEUM… THOSE BABES RATHER GIVE ME A PAIN; they’re TOO DAMN GOOD LOOKIN’ + CONSEQUENTLY MAKE NO ATTEMPT AT ANYTHING else! V.VOSS BROUGHT ME HOME… Leonard DIDN’T CALL ME…

1943

OCTOBER 18

1939 We didn’t have class to-day night so I didn’t read my “story” – Carp took me to the show + then Bob + Donna J + Leonard + I went on a “picnic” on a vacant lot.

1940 Got to go to the game tonight after all – Unfortunately, it was not the Eilers number but a completely blind number – I’m sure I won’t go out with him again Even if he’s 6’3”, has a Lincoln Zephyr + would take me around plenty. He has a fat, mean face and also a wife whom I’m not even sure is divorced!

1941 Sat Gee, swell… Went to G.W.S. H. rehearsals, talked w/ Eve, saw Landey – who’s swell. – Saw Betty she makes me ill – Sleeping in “front bedroom”

1942 SUN BOB R. + I WENT TO the MAJOR + the MINOR. HE IS HIGHLY INTELLIGENT; AND NICE – CERTAINLY DOESN’T STIMULATE ME OTHERWISE THAN intellectually, THOUGH…

1943

OCTOBER 17

1939 Tues – “Observed” all day course at the high school I start teaching Monday! – I have to start something for Cr. Writing

1940 11:30 Well, I really didn’t dream I’d be “in it”. If I had, I might have been more really “observant” … Dear Heaven, what a day! Don’t think I can stand many more like it… Got mad for the first time!… Larry suddenly infuriated me… Thank goodness I didn’t say or do anything I’d be sorry for… quit teaching – Skit tonight… Bought Bob Rees a round again.

1941 Fri – I’m so glad I came – really a reception. – I was thrilled – (for a change) – parade – coronation – marvelous game – Dance – Blanche is upset again

1942 SAT 1:45 A PICNIC WITH LARRY + DONNA… MORE BEER AND CONVIVIALITY… A HUGE FIRE… WE WENT TO THE ORPHEUM FIRST; WE ENJOY BEING ALONE together… I HAD 3 OTHER CHANCES FOR DATES TONIGHT – BUT NONE COMPARE WITH Leonard.

1943

OCTOBER 16

1939 7:50 – And back to school again! – The week-end seems a million years ago – I did a lay out and put my scratch coat on m' fresco panel to-day. – Want to write to Eleanor + Nessa – But I must start to write something for creative writing Wed.

1940 11:30 Gee, I wanted to make it before this. – But we had a B. party for Janet out to the DelMar – We also had cocktails served to us up at the apartment! I hope my surprise didn’t show all over my face… I felt pretty swell today. Hope Brenda + Cabin go off all right tomorrow!

1941 Thurs – I guess maybe I’ll go to LeMars tomorrow – I washed my clothes out. – I told D.J. about everything. I think she likes Leonard, too

1942 FRI 2:00 I WAS PRACTICALLY IN A COMA, I WAS SO TIRED – BUT BOB + VIRGINIA WANTED A PICNIC, SO WE WENT ON ONE – out TO Sherman. I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO skip THE NIGHT CLUBS.

1943

OCTOBER 15

1939 1:30 Inevitably tomorrow brings reality + its immediate problems – Managed to make the Philo-Web alumnae breakfast. Came home + slept till time for tea. – Wore my formal for last time for awhile – I hope. Went out for a picnic – Donna + I talked till 1:30. I like her so much!

1940 11:00 Well, I lasted. Went pretty good… Is this all going to be “clawing up a cliff” like this? – God, I hope not. – I feel like it would be a good deal if they would let me snooker out between semesters if that job works out in Minneapolis – Gee, I wish it would! – Grades recorded tonight – What a mess!

1941 Wed Creative Wr. – Krause got off on a tangent. Wilber + Emil insisted on walking all the home w/ me.

1942 THURS

1943 FRI I WENT TO THE PROM ON THE Prairie State WITH VIC… IT RILLY NICE… GEE, THOSE BOYS LOOKED SO CLEAN, SO YOUNG, SO good. I FEEL POOHED OUR… VIC GOT OUT OF WEEK-END WATCH BY TELLING THE C.O. THAT “HIS GIRL WAS COMING FROM SOUTH DAKOTA!” IMAGINE… AND, WHAT’S MORE, I WAS INTRODUCED TO HIM IN THAT CAPACITY! MY FEET ARE A MESS. HEARD FROM KRIK.

OCTOBER 14

1939 4:00 Tonight I sleep alone – Eleanor is on her way to Chicago – I’ll miss her horribly… To-day Convocation – my luncheon – helped E pack – got ready for banquet – went – (3/4 of an hr late!) (W.W.) – Bob + Donna + Leonard + I were over at D’s house + drank home-made wine + talked till (4:00) I’ll never forget it.

1940 1:45 WELL, UTLEY – I HOPE WE CAN LAST THROUGH TOMORROW! GEE, YOU DID A SLOPPY JOB ON GRADING – BUT AT LEAST THEY’RE FIGURED OUT – HAPHAZARD OR NOT! – THE PRESSURE IS BEING PUT ON – I WISH I WERE READY FOR IT – MIGHT BE FUN – SKIT “ART EXHIBIT” – (UGH) – STAGE SETS – WHAT NEXT! DON’T I EVER GET TO PLAN MY COURSES?

1941 Tues – Lousy Lecture – Leonard again. “Good Night” – I know he has very broad shoulders. I looked at them all during speech

1942 WED LEONARD HAD DALE’S CAR. WE COULDN’T GET IT STARTED IN TIME TO GO AFTER DONNA; SHE WANTS US TO GO ON A PICNIC Satiddy… I ADORE Leonard… HOW CAN THIS EVER end?

1943 THURS THE DAY I GOT THE NASTY CINDER IN MY EYE… GEE, IT WAS EXCRUCIATING… VIC TOOK ME TO THE MIDSHIPMEN’S SHOW IT WAS DARN GOOD… MY FRIENDS WHO WANTED A DATE, WERE THERE. AND WITH GELS. WORKED ON THE COVER.

OCTOBER 13

1939 and so its over – The Coronation – Everything went perfect – Wagner and walking down the aisle with Margaret and our gowns + the stage – all perfect. – Bob + I had so much fun to-gether at the Virginia afterwards with Beer

1940 11:40 (It’s too bad, but I’m just too tired to correct the rest of these papers!) – Gee, what a week-end… Margaret + Kenny are married. This is once she had to do something with out me – seems incredible they are married. It was perfectly beautiful – Everything – I loathed coming back here… But I guess I can hold out awhile – Gee, but I’m swamped.

1941 Mon – Hell… Why does he have to be so Goddamn impersonal if he feels the way he did last night?

1942 TUES

1943 WED