Monday, September 30, 1968

A very slow day—fighting a head cold—blowing my nose every few minutes. Up after 9 o’clock. No breakfast. Intended to study, but got involved in sending the book on race back to Cokesbury—should have been done long ago. After that was done, shaved, got lunch, wrote to David Watson. Around 2 o’clock went to the Post office, then changed the Wayside Pulpit at the church. Came home—my map for the Bible study had arrived.  Bonnie left on errands—Debby and I stayed home together. Feeling lousy, tried to study in bed—dozed. Bonnie home about 4. I slept from 4 to 6. Got up, watched CBS news. Wallace gaining, HHH loosing. Fixed supper; ate; still feeling washed out. Made phone calls: Mrs. Cooney re: communion next Sunday; Grace Harris re: taking communion to her on Sat; Mrs. Leary, her trip to Boston on Wed. Bonnie typed official Board post-cards. Read in Skinner book on Jeremiah, studied German, too tired to bathe—off to bed at 12:00.

Tuesday, October 1, 1968

My goal to get to bed and asleep last night was not immediately attained…[omitted]…We finally turned lights out after 2 am. Up around 6 (fed cat to keep her quiet) and then up again around 10. Began working in earnest on Skinner’s book on Jeremiah. Lunch at noon. Shaved—went to post office. Continued reading. My energy was quickly drained—had to nap for a short while in afternoon. Read further in Skinner; supper at 6:30 watched CBS news. Back to reading at 7:30. George Gabin called—wanted me to run off 600 copies of the letter for concerned citizens. He brought paper + stencils over around 8 pm. Read further, talked with Jim + Becky Bussey on the phone—we have supper with them on Friday evening. Jim remarked on two AWOL soldiers seeking sanctuary in Marsh Chapel. Went for a drive around Rockport—very fatigued;…[omitted]…lights out 11:45.

Wednesday, October 2, 1968

Up about 10. orange juice instead of breakfast. Til about 11:15 was occupied running off on the mimeograph the 600 letters for George Gabin. Then worked on typing the stencil for Bible Class. I made a one page chronology of the period of Jeremiah’s ministry. Lunch at 12—watched news. Finished with the chronology stencil—ran off the copies. Continued to read in Skinner’s book on Jeremiah. Called BU to leave messages with Richardson + Kim that I won’t be there tomorrow. Continued with Skinner; left Babysitting with Debby while Bonnie is off shopping. Debby slept. Left Skinner to work in Bright’s Jeremiah in preparation for Bible Class. Supper early, around 5:30. After six tried to deliver letters to George Gabin—not at home. Continued reading in Bright until Bible Class arrived. 9 in attendance. Covered chapters 3+4 (Spent 30 minutes on historical background. 9:30 sprayed cat for fleas, spoke with Lloyd Starrett on phone; studied German, Bonnie helped me drill on vocabulary; off to read in bed at 12:00.

Thursday, October 3, 1968

Up about 10. No breakfast (glass of OJ), and right to work, reading Johannes Munch’s Paul + the Salvation of Mankind. Read Newsweek briefly after mail man arrived. Lunch at noon; Bonnie + Debby + Hazel Lord went shopping. Home alone, I studied further in Munch. 4 o’clock switched to studying German. Bonnie home about 4:20, started supper about 4:45—put chicken in broiler. Continued on German. Supper about 5:45 until 6:30—off to Gordon for class. Home early, by 9:30. Back again to working with Munch—up to page 100 by 12:40. Took one break to help Bonnie take arms off couch—she’s beginning the process of re-upholstering it. Bathed, returned to reading in Munch, in bed. Munch is very technical, hard to plow through. My cold and fatigue of earlier in the week have set me back. This weekend will be a grueling one. Idiots—we’ve stayed up too late; off to bed at 1:50!

Friday, October 4, 1968

Up about 9:30; big breakfast; studied downstairs for a while to keep Debby company while Bonnie got extra sleep. Main preoccupation of the day: reading in Munch’s book. Read in bed last night up to page 106—by 1:30 this afternoon had read to p. 134. Interrupted by mail man around noon (Bonnie off shopping). Pictures of the baby arrived, letter from Jerry Harris, New Republic. Lunch between 1:30 and 2 o’clock. New Republic article notes Wallace strength in Ohio—HHH very weak. Back to Munch a little after 2 o’clock; with breaks  to shave and to pay the paper boy, read through until about 6:15. We (all 3) went over to Jim + Becky Busseys for supper. We had a very congenial meal together. Debby slept most of the time, but was in a friendly mood when she woke up. We were home by 10. Sprayed the cat for fleas—back to reading in Munch; bathed; continued reading in Munch—reached page 200. Read book of Ruth—in preparation for Sunday.  Off to bed at 1 AM.

Saturday, October 5, 1968

Up about 9. Big breakfast. Kept Debby company while Bonnie got some more sleep—she was up at 4 and at 8. Worked on sermon til around noon. Bonnie got up at 11. Caught the noon news, had lunch. A few errands. To post office, to the church, to get grape juice, to drop of(f) transfer of membership certificate to Ed Nutting.[1] Took communion to Rip + Mrs. Hannibal, then to Mrs. Harris + Mrs. Rich. Home by 4 o’clock. Typed up bulletins—2 phone calls to Homer. Bonnie still working on reupholstering the couch.  Supper around 6 o’clock. 7 began reading again in Munch. Took breaks to help Bonnie with the couch. By 11 o’clock was up to page 246 in Munch. Bonnie found the cat on top of the refrigerator!  We took a picture. After 11, hit by overpowering wave of fatigue—almost nauseated. Went and bathed, but was not revived—had to give up on Munch, 20 pp short of today’s goal. Off to bed shortly before 12.

Sunday, October 6, 1968

Up at 8; prepared explanation for Responsive Reading, practiced sermon; big breakfast. At the church by 9:20 for opening of church school. Worked on the service; service at 11, 28 present; Worldwide Communion Sunday—Mr. Scobe visiting. Home by 12:30. After 1 tried to nap a while—interrupted by short visit from Hazel + Barbara Lord. Resumed nap. 3 o’clock received visit by Dr. Frederick—til 5. We conversed on religion and his problems with faith—he has rejected traditional idea of God, but cannot find a credible or understandable substitute. I tried to express my similar feelings—lent him my communion service for Xn agnostic. We are to have tea with him next Sunday. By 6 we had had supper. 6 – 7:30 meeting to plan Fall canvas. 7:30 – 9:40 – C.A.M.P. meeting here at parsonage too. Got a cup of coffee and shortly after 10 began in Munch at p. 246. By 12:15, with a break to bathe, had reached 281. Off to bed at 12:15.

[1] Pastor of the Congregational Church.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by David Madison and Deborah Sweeney
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