5 Our family 50 years ago

What our family was up to during the early months of 1959, based on entries in Dorothy's Oregon Diaries during the last week of January and the first day of February. The full text of her diary can be found online and is updated daily, exactly 50 years to the day after it was originally written. The family at the time lived on an 80-acre farm in the Big Bend area of eastern Oregon but was getting ready to move to a farm in the Deer Flat area south of Nampa, Idaho.


Mon, Jan 26. I came home from work & we went to Caldwell and sent Jerrys Xmas pkg back to him. got groc. & eggs & Genes birthday presents. Came home at noon & I went to bed & Ray woke me up at 5:, he got supper & we ate when Kay came. Gene milked & him & Kay went over to church to dance practice for Gold & Green ball. I went back to bed until time to go to work. Ward teachers came after I was in bed.

Tues, Jan 27. I came home from work & went to bed at 9:30. I got up at 12: & had a bath & went to relief society. It was my lesson today, on delinquency & we got so engrossed they had to call a halt everyone said they really enjoyed it.

Wed, Jan 28. Gene is 15 years old today. We came home from work & I took Ray over to Prune Orchard to catch bus & Ivard went to bed. Came home and made jello, carrot & pineapple salad & Gene a choclate birthday cake. I went to bed at 11: & Ivard got up & put spare ribs on & peeled potatoes to put under them. Ray cooked lima beans & we ate after Gene milked.

Thurs, Jan 29. We came home from work and I went to bed & Ivard tended Jackie, did dishes & cleaned up house. When Kay came home from practice we fixed toasted tuna sandwiches & had supper.

Fri, Jan 30. At 10: we went to Caldwell to bank & Ivard went up to see if deed was back from Vale & he hadn't even sent it. We went over to Nampa & saw our place & the lady said she'd sell us the drapes & carpet for $150. We ate when Kids got home from school. Kay & Gene went to Adrian to catch the bus for Fruitland. J.V's got beat. Varsity won.

Sat, Jan 31. We took Kay & Gene over to church & left them at dance practice and we went to Nyssa & got a bunch of groc. on sale & picked up Kids at 4: and came home and Ray was just finishing up floors. I hurried & made spagetti and we ate. Kay & Gene went to Adrian to play ball. Ivard & I went at 6:45. J.V's got beat & Varsity beat Marshing about 30 points.

Sun, Feb 1. We all got ready and went to priesthood, sunday school & fast meeting. Ivard, Ray, Dean & Dale bore their testimony. Came home & cooked dinner & we ate & Kay went over to Claudias all afternoon. I went to bed I had such a head ache.