Monday, November 4, 1968

Up about 9:30; small breakfast; read in Bultmann until noon. Didn’t spend too much time with the mail. Fixed lunch at 12. Watched news—got lunch for Bonnie, she’s still in bed. Back to reading Bultmann. Took nap in the afternoon, but read until 6:30. My thoughts wander to the election—it’s hard to study. Most signs still point to a Nixon victory—by a narrow margin, but CBS news tonight carried the Harris poll showing HHH 3 pts ahead of Nixon—and indicated that California might not be so solidly for Nixon. 7:30, back to studying—Bultmann. 9:30 took coffee break, watched final campaign programs, Nixon + HHH—both shows were well done, impressive. It will be a close election—might be thrown into the House. Was back to work by 10. Read until 11; did some writing on the paper; listened to 11 o’clock news, bathed; back to writing—then did typing; off to bed at 2 AM.

Tuesday, November 5, 1968

Up at 8:30; took train to Boston. Greek class 11:00 – 12:00. Lunch with Bob Peek. My main preoccupation today at school was to find out what I could [do] about the possibility of study in England next year. As far as I can tell, everything can be arranged—so we shall start planning to move in June. Talked with Rowlingson, Schilling, Richardson, Jones—no objection whatever to my proposal. Had directed study in Paul, 3:00 to 4:00. Caught 4:55 train home. Arrived home about 6 o’clock. Bonnie was nursing Debby in the living room—watching the beginning of the election coverage. I told her we could start packing. We had supper—in the evening we took TV upstairs to bedroom to watch election returns. All evening observed a very close Nixon-HHH race. I write this at 1:40, and the presidential race is still very much undecided. At 2:30, it looks like Nixon might pull through; off to bed at 5 AM—Nixon is probably the next president. If he loses California, The House must decide.

Wednesday, November 6, 1968

Woke up at 10 AM. Rushed downstairs to see the outcome of the election. Bonnie was already up. Nixon has been given California while I was asleep, but Illinois was still in doubt. But around 11 o’clock, CBS declared Nixon the winner in Illinois. I phoned Rip Hannibal + Virginia Bate. Called Home Orne; I needed a check for postage. Shaved, went + picked the check up. Just at noon I got home in time to see HHH conceding; ate lunch; at 12:30 Nixon had short victory speech. I went to post office—also bought envelopes. Got the mailing ready, took it to Mrs. Cooney. We took Debby to her doctor’s appointment 2:30. Dr. was on emergency. I came home to get Bright’s Jeremiah; had cup of coffee because I was so weary. Went back to dr.’s office. At 4 we went to Grants to have our picture taken. Home shortly after 5. Worked more in Bright, got supper. 7:30 Virginia Bate + Ann Jewell arrived, 8:00—Bible class til shortly after 9. Relaxed, bathed; 10:15 – 11, watched CBS summary of the election; off to bed ISN, light out 11:30.

Thursday, November 7, 1968

Slept til 10:30—still recovering from my loss of sleep Tuesday night—Wed. morning. Desk work til noon. Had lunch, watched news. We got a letter from a woman in Maine; we had met her + her husband—a minister—on our New Hampshire trip with the Peeks. We met them at the lodge at [?] Notch at the foot of Mt. Washington. After lunch worked on German.—actually didn’t have lunch at noon. At about 11:30, I decided to have Alan Frederick over for lunch; couldn’t get him by phone (information didn’t have his number) I walked to his apartment; he wasn’t there, but I found him on the street; he came up for lunch about 12:30. He went home about 1:45.—then I got to the German. Wrote a letter home with news about moving to England. Went to the Post Office; late in afternoon really buckled down to German. Supper about 6; 7 – 10 German class. Home by 10. Talked on phone with Bussey. Watched news; desk work; bathed; looked at camping equipment in catalogue—off to bed for ISN at 1:15.

Friday, November 8, 1968

Up about 10:15. Spent what was left of the morning at my desk, straightening up. Had lunch at noon, watched the news. Wrote letters in the afternoon, to Harrell Beck, to Kent Fellowship Program, sent for camping equipment catalogue. About 2 we set out on errands—had to push the car down the hill to get it started. Bonnie left me off at Hannibals with Debby, she went grocery shopping. 3:30 she came back, we went home, had cup of coffee, went out to the end of Bearskin neck to watch the water—its been a windy day. Came home, I wrote to Paul + Marty about our move to England next year. Tried to get sermon idea. Supper between 6:30 – 7:30. Watched CBS news. Back to working on a sermon idea. Finally decided to use one of T. P Ferris’ sermons. I’m too tired to write one myself. Ordered camping equipment; worked on sermon; bathed; looked over work to be done in German, Paul DS, Jeremiah DS; off to bed at 12.

Saturday, November 9, 1968

Up about 10:15. Desk work, worked on sermon, read in Newsweek about the election after the mail man had arrived. Went to the church to change the way-side pulpit. Wrote letter to Jerry + Pam Harris in Boston. Lunch shortly after noon; watched noon news. Shaved. 1:00 – 2:00 worked more on sermon. Debby sneezed a mouthful of beets all over Bonnie. At two o’clock headed for Addison Gilbert Hospital. Saw Gazella Dodd. Went to Cape Ann Nursing Home to see Ellie Martin, then to Daisy Jodrey’s home to see her. Home by 4. Jim Bussey was here to get the big piece of furniture in our garage. I helped him put it on his car. Then studied until 5:30. Bottle fed Debby—her first time. More work on sermon til 6. Helped with turkey supper. At about 6:30 the Bussey’s arrived for supper with us. They left about 8:15. Back to work on the sermon. Watched movie on TV (To Kill a Mockingbird) off + on with Bonnie; finished preparing the service. Bathed at 11:30. Snack, a few minutes with German. Off to bed at 12:50.

Sunday, November 10, 1968

Up about 9:30. went through sermon, shaved, dressed—off to church about 10:40. A wet day—raining heavily + steadily. Only 24 in church. Preached on “At the End of Your Rope.” Home by 12:30. Had lunch, left-overs from yesterday’s turkey. Began work on German, had to fight to keep awake, but succeeded. Took one break to go out to the end of Bearskin Neck again. High wind + rain, a spectacular view of the sea. Came home, ISN. Studied further. 6:20 went down to St. Mary’s Church to talk with Karen Haskell, but she wasn’t at the meeting; she’s ill. Came home, we had supper late, around 7:30. Back to German, worked on it all evening; Das Rheingold on radio. After 11, turned on news, played with Debby. She laughed for the first time. In the past we’ve had big smiles and pleasant noises—but tonight a full-fledged laugh! Worked on “Quiet Corner.” Bathed; worked on QC some more. I am making it quite a strong statement; off to read in bed at 1 A.M.

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