5 Our family 50 years ago

Excerpts from the December 1962 diary of Dorothy Batt Cleverly (1915–1982). The full text of her diary can be found online at Dorothy's Idaho Diaries and is updated daily, exactly 50 years to the day after it was originally written. The family at the time lived on Colorado Avenue in Nampa, Idaho.

Sat, Dec 1.  Jerry had an appointment with lawyer about his car. I didn't do anything all day, played Scrabble, watched T.V. & washed a batch of cloths. Jerry went to Boise Xmas shopping. Ivard took Dale & Jackie up town to see Santa come on helicopter. My nite off.

Sun, Dec 2.  Jerry took Ray to work at D.Q at 9:30 to 6: Ivard, Jerry, & Dean went to Priesthood & sunday school & Fast meeting. Ivard came home at 11:45 & got Jackie & Dale. They got home from church at 2:40 & I had dinner all on table. I wrote letter to Kay & Gene.

Mon, Dec 3.  Ivard took car up to Dobbs for Motor tune-up & few things fixed. Ivard went to work at 3:30. Ray went to foot Dr. after school. Jerry made a beef stew & I made biscuits & put on top. Jerry took Kids to Mutual & went up town Xmas shopping.

Tues, Dec 4.  Took Jackie to her dancing class. Joe Metcalf brought our pick-up home from Lyles & our Xmas presents from them. Ivards day off, he went up this morning & made a loan at Bank to pay Dobbs for fixing cars. We ate & Ivard & Ray went to Middleton to ball games, wouldn't take Sis after he promised her, she was heart broken.

Wed, Dec 5.  I came home from work & went to bed at 9:30. I woke up at 2: & Ivard was asleep & Jackie was out burning garbage. I cooked a pork loin roast & made dressing & gravy & Ivard cooked mashed potatoes. Dale went to Cub Scouts & when he got home we ate.

Thurs, Dec 6.  Jerry went selling Xmas cards all day. Jerry took Ray to Dr to have bandage on feet changed & took Jackie to Primary. I bought a genealogy book for Lyle for Xmas & Dean typed some things & put in it.

Fri, Dec 7.  I came home from work a half hr. late, made the riders waite out in cold & fog while I borrowed $350. from Simplot Credit Union. Jerry wrapped presents & tended Jackie while Ivard & I went to bank, pd. bills then we went to S&H & Gold Strike Center & got some Xmas Presents. We went to Bullocks in Nampa & bought Ray a gold watch & band for Xmas & Gene a new watch band. got Dean a Elgin watch with Stamps.

Sat, Dec 8.  Drive shaft broke on pick-up so he had Dobbs tow him in & they fixed it. I iorned all afternoon & Jerry took Dale Xmas shopping. Dean scrubbed & cleaned house & changed furniture around. Ray worked at D.Q. 10: to 6: At 2: we all went up & had our 2nd Oral Polio but Ray & he's going tomorrow. Jerry went to work at 6: till close.

Sun, Dec 9.  Gene got picked on Junior College All Star team. was in Paper today. Jerry had to speak in 3rd Ward with High Council. I wrote to Kay & Gene.

Mon, Dec 10.  Ray didn't get up in time to go to school so he stayed home today & decorated the mantle & made a decoration for T.V. & made 2 to sell. I got up at 3: & went up town with Jerry & Ray. We bought a Xmas tree & Ray got a little one & told Kids that was all we were going to have. We hid big one till Xmas eve.

Tues, Dec 11.  Took Jackie to dancing class. We stoped at D.Q. & had a Sundee got home at 6: & Jerry had supper ready. Dale went to cub scouts after school.

Wed, Dec 12.  Never did get to sleep (today.) I got my Xmas cards all done up

Thurs, Dec 13.  Got letter from Kay. I came home from work & watched T.V., messed around until 11: then took Jerry to work at D.Q. & we went on over to Nyssa to see Gail but they weren't home. Got home at 3:30 & I went to bed until time to go to work. Dean fixed supper. Jerry & Ray went ward teaching then Ray went to ball practice.

Fri, Dec 14.  I came home from work & Ivard went up & got his check biggest hes got for years. $346. I figured out what to do with it then Ivard and I Jerry & Jackie went to bank & paid some bills then we went to Caldwell & put $20. in Kays Savings account for his birthday & Xmas & got Dale a watch at Gold Strike Center then we went to Boise & had dinner at "Louies," chow mein, then we went Xmas shopping all afternoon. it was 6: when we got back to Nampa & I was dead so we stoped at Dairy Q. & had supper & Ivard went down & brought Dean & Dale too. Ray was working - till close.

Sat, Dec 15.  Jerry & I took Dale up town & bought him basketball shoes, sock & shorts for little legue ball & a pr. new sunday shoes. Got Mother's Xmas present & a few other things. Ray worked at D.Q. all day & Jerry worked 6: to close.

Sun, Dec 16.  Jerry & Dean went to Priesthood & sunday school. I cooked dinner & spent all afternoon wrapping Xmas presents, until my back killed me, got them all done. It was 7: time I got done & I went to bed until time to go to work, me & Sis. Jerry - Ray- Dean & Dale went to church.

Mon, Dec 17.  My 28th wedding anniversary & Ivard never said a word, didnt even tell me goodbye before he went to work then for supper Kids gave me a present he left for me - a Westinghouse Hair dryer. I left him a card on pillow with $10. in. We mailed Lyle, Mother & Donna's Xmas pkgs. Kids did some shopping. Ray & Dean went to Mutual.

Tues, Dec 18.  Took Jackie to dance class & Xmas party. Ray stayed home from school today sick, cold, then went to work tonite 6: to close. Went a half hr. early to go tell his girl goodbye before she went back east. Ivard - Jerry & Ray got the big Xmas tree in & got it decorated.

Wed, Dec 19.  Dale came home & got money & went to Cub Scouts, Dean went to cub S. from school, hes new den chief. Ivard got off work at 9:00 P.M. & I took his cloths up & we headed for Rexburg to get Kids it was foggy nearly all the way - I laid off.

Thurs, Dec 20.  We got to Rexburg at 3: A.M & woke Kids up & headed back home & it was real foggy all the way. We got home at 9:30 & got Jackie & headed for Nyssa. never even stoped for anything to eat. We went on to Gail & took their Xmas presents then Gene took Marvin home. We went to store & got a bunch of groc., a ham & turkey, for holidays. When we got back Lynda had dinner ready & we ate & left for home. Got here at 3: & I went to bed until time to go to work.

Fri, Dec 21.  Mother was supposed to get here today but had an attack of gallstones & couldn't come, had note from Berniece. We got laid off today for holidays & when they go back Jan. 7 there will only be about 50 men. I doubt if I work again this season. We got Gail & Lynda a 6 place setting of Melmar at Safeway for extra Xmas present. Got 16 volume set of Natural Science books for Dean. When we got home Gene had left for Nyssa. Kids got out of school for holidays.

Sat, Dec 22.  When we woke  up Jerry was gone to "Pine Top" to spend the day. Dean moved all the furn. different & scrubbed & waxed the floors, Ivard helped him move stuff. I washed cloths & went up town & got a few things. Jerry came home & fixed supper & made a cake. Ray worked at Dairy Q. all day then they closed for holiday week. Gene got home from Nyssa at 5: he stayed home alone & Dean, Dale, Me & Jackie went up to ward Xmas Party.

Sun, Dec 23.  Ivard, Jerry - Gene, Ray & Dean went to Priesthood & sunday school. Jackie, Dale & I went to sunday school. We all came home & Jerry - Ray & Dean went to Stake House to meeting for hr. I fixed dinner & we ate & Ivard went to work. Jerry - Gene, Ray - Dean Dale & Jackie went to church I didn't feel very good so I stayed home alone.

Mon, Dec 24.  Made cookies & candy & fixed a bowl full & took Kotters. Wrapped last few things. Ray had to work at Dairy Queen all day cleaning up. Gail, Lynda & Kids came for couple of hrs & brought our presents & Gene went home with them to see if he could get on at Sugar factory. Jerry took me up town to get a few things for socks & some groc. he bought, I was broke. At 8:30 Jerry, Ray & Dean got Alice & Pat & Forrest, & Phill & Murry girl & went to Nyssa & got Gene, he didn't get on. They got home about same time as Ivard.

Tues, Dec 25.  No one woke up until 7:45. Ivard made a fire in fireplace & we opened our presents. We all really had a good Xmas. Ivard & I cooked breakfast, bacon eggs, toast, cocoa & grapefruit. We played games & records.

Wed, Dec 26.  Never got up until 9: then I made biscuits & we ate about 10: Jerry didn't get to eat a bunch of Gleaners came & got him & they went to "Pine Top" & spent the day, got home at 6: Ivard went to work at 3: was home by 10: I iorned 36 pieces while Ivard & Kids played games. Ray went with bunch of Kids all afternoon playing basketball & over to Stake House decorating. Dean fixed supper & we ate at 5: & him & Dale did dishes. We watched "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" lasted till 2: A.M. Dean, Dale & Jackie went to bed at 9:

Thurs, Dec 27.  Ray left for Utah. Gail - Lynda & Kids came & they played games & Jerry & I went to Caldwell & got my check from Simplots the went & bought $35. worth of groc. Came home & fixed supper but Gail didn't stay. We ate at 6: They came back about 9: & took Jackie home to stay all nite. Ivard took Ray up to catch the 8:20 train for Salt Lake. Jerry has bad cold.

Fri, Dec 28.  Jerry was sick & laid down most of day. Ivards day off but they called up & wanted him to mark up on brakemans board, They needed men, so he left on Wilder local at 3: We were going to Gail. At 3:30 Gene - Dean & Dale left for Nyssa in Pick-up. At 9: Ivard called & said he was off but had run out of gas. I went & got him & we left his car at work & headed for Nyssa; got there at 9:45 & Lynda had supper ready for us, Kids had eaten. We ate "Anchalatas"? mexican. Jerry stayed home in bed.

Sat, Dec 29.  Got letter from Kay. I got up & took Ivard up to Round House. He got called brakeing to McCall at 9: until Monday. I washed some cloths & played games with Kids. Hales came & fixed dryer tonite. Jerry went to decorate for New Years Eve dance.

Sun, Dec 30.  Jerry & Dean went to go to Priesthood but couldn't start car so Jerry stayed home, he doesn't feel good any way. Mr. Gragerson came & took Dean to Priesthood. Dale walked up to corner & met Perrys & went to Sunday School. Jackie is sick, I kept her in bed all day. Jerry got car started at noon.

Mon, Dec 31.  Played games with Kids. Jerry went to D.Q at 11: until 5: getting ready to open tomorrow. Jerry went to Stake House to M-Men Gleaner dance & Party after at Alices. I wrote Kay, didn't get it finished. I spent New Years Eve alone with Dean & Dale. We watched "Broadway Melody" on T.V. Kids went to bed at 12:30 & I burned 1/3 pkg of tea & waited a hr before it cought on & finally burned, fire place fire was about out. I've made up my mind to stop breaking the Word of Wisdom & recking my health with the awful habit I've had for 10 years of drinking iced tea. Another New Years resolution, I'm goint to try very hard to loose a lot of weight starting in the morning. Jan 1st, I also am going to write my history this year & try very hard to do a lot of genealogy. I'm going to try very hard to be a better wife & mother and go to church more. I pray the lord will help me to keep these resolutions in this brand new year. It is now 2:20 A.M. already that old, I hope it is a good year for our family. I'm going to bed now & will pray that it will be.