Monday, March 31, 1969

Slept late—wasn’t up until about 9:30. Had only a small breakfast; talked for several minutes with Alan Federick on the phone. Got to work writing my report on the Late Bronze Age Level at Tell Beit Mirsin (Stratum 6). This took me longer than I thought it would. Wasn’t ready to start typing until supper time. Bonnie still not feeling too well. I fed Debby at noon, cleaned up the kitchen. After supper, watching news (Eisenhower funeral) I finally got to work typing—after consulting with Alan again on the phone about a sentence in Latin in Coppens article (Psalm 110). I didn’t feel rushed in my typing, but I suppose I should have—didn’t finish, and get my briefcase all packed until 1:00 AM! Stopped to bathe. Called in morning, Rev. Bamforth about COCU Sunday; he seemed cool—I have little patience with people who are so confident about how to worship! –off to bed; lights out 1:28.

Tuesday, April 1, 1969

An exhausting day; up at 8:00; shaved; had breakfast, looked at my German lesson briefly, left for Boston by car about 9:40—made very good time. Was on Storrow Drive 45 minutes later. Stopped at a bank drive-in window for $5 worth of quarters. Went to Klugmans. Worked on German until about noon, headed to BU. Had lunch with Walter Aufrecht and Charlie Whitford. Went to do xeroxing, had to do about 20 [?] pages, five times—took quite a while, then I had to arrange, cut, bind; 10 minutes late to class. Archaeology class from about 2:20 til 4:00—presented my paper on Debu [?]. Isaiah class from 4:00 til 6:00. As dull as usual; left class a few minutes early, left for Rockport; home at 6:55. Had supper, relaxed, tried to work, but too exhausted. Bonnie went to Patriquins. I napped; bathed about 10:30. Went to bed 11:00. Bonnie came home; θ+, snack, off to bed again 12:30.

Wednesday, April 2, 1969

Up shortly before 9:30. The first order of business was to get my Easter letter to the congregation done—stencil typed, mimeographed, folded, put in envelopes. Bonnie helped with that. Looked through Newsweek when mailman arrived. Shaved about noon; ate lunch, watched some of the Eisenhower funeral. Caught the 1:15 train to Boston. Was at BU by 3:00. Did some preliminary investigation on messiah paper due next week;  went to class (messiah in Anc. Israel) from 4:00 to 5:45. Left for North station, caught 6:40 train, worked on sermon on train; home by 8:00. Had supper; invited Alan + Pat over to watch Arsenic + Old Lace. Also showed them our slides. Their visit lasted longer than expected; after seeing slides we listened to our Tom Jones record. And then to a little of Tom Lehrer. They didn’t leave til about 1:30! Off to bed then; lights out 1:53.

Debby and the family cat, March 1969

Thursday, April 3, 1969

Didn’t get up until 10:40! A slow start. Prepared news for C.A.M.P. newsletter. My main concern today was to get my sermon done—as I go to bed it is largely done—needs a conclusion—and a page or two remain to be typed. Didn’t drive myself today.  Took a picture of Debby on the floor looking into a small round mirror. Bonnie went shopping in the afternoon, but Debby slept, so I made progress with sermon. Late in the afternoon I turned to preparing for the Bible Study: Obadiah + Jonah—and a few comments on archaeology. Had supper, which I helped fix. Watched CBS news. Bible class from about 8:00 until 9:20. 8 in attendance (not including Bonnie + myself) After the class was over had a snack, worked on the sermon some more. Trying to preach a sermon to inspire a vision of what our church can become; using Ezekiel 37. Stopped about 11:00 to bathe, typed some more; off to bed; lights out 12:00.

Friday, April 4, 1969

A long day; up a[t] 7:00; had breakfast, left about 8:00 for BU—stopped for gas here in town; changed the wayside pulpit—was in the library at the school of theology studying by 9:30. In the morning I did more work on Tell Beit Mirsim. In the afternoon worked on my assignment in the Pseudepigrapha. In the morning chatted briefly with Donovan Roberts—who is back from England; he said they went $4000 into debt to make the trip—18 months. So we are reconsidering our course. Left BU around 4:30. Stopped at Jordon’s on the North Shore to buy shoes. Was home by 6:00. Helped with supper, relaxed, gave Debby her bottle after her bath—Bonnie took a couple of pictures—and I didn’t shave today! In the evening I worked on sermon, wrote Dr. Beck, did the bulletin—Bonnie spent later part of evening with Becky Bussey—miscarriage threatening; bathed and off to bed; lights out c. 1:00.

Saturday, April 5, 1969

Hard to get up—finally out of bed about 8:45. Shaved, had breakfast, went to the post office. Home by 10 o’clock for worship committee meeting: Karen Haskell, Sandra Dawson, Sue Lee. Meeting over about 11:30. Relaxed. We were just getting ready to fix lunch when Bonnie’s grandmother and Emil arrived. We had lunch, visited, took pictures—I napped in the afternoon—later in the afternoon went to the church to practice my sermon—want it to go well. Later I rigged up a board to attach to the pulpit. Fixed supper, while Bonnie visited. After supper—steak by candle light, we showed them our slides, set up our tent, I went back down to the church to rig up the pulpit. Home by 10:00; worked on the service; feeling rather tired—not getting much school work done; off to bathe about 11:10; then off to bed; lights out c. 11:45.

Sunday, April 6, 1969

120 in church

Up about 8:30. Shaved, had breakfast, dressed off to church about 10:00. Worked on the service for a while—had a good Easter morning crowd—over 100. Preached on Ez. 37, “The Valley of the Dry Bones”—tried to suggest that resurrection is possible for our church. Home by 12:45, had a nice big turkey dinner with G’ma + Emil, relaxed afterward, tried to nap. About 2:30 Bonnie + the others went for a walk, then G’ma + Emil left for Avon—I worked at my desk while they were out for the walk. Talked with Jim Bussey on the phone—Becky seems out of danger re: miscarriage. About 3:30 Alan + Pat came over to bring Bonnie an ash tray! (For Alan to use when he visits us) Alan + I surveyed the yard and picked out a spot for a garden. We all walked to the post-office—Debby on my back. Bonnie, Deb + I came back home. I tried to study, but too bushed. We all 3 napped until 7:00! Had supper, got to work c. 8:00 on Debir + Jerusalem. Bathed about 12:30. Off to bed. Lights out 1:05.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by David Madison and Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/05/29/davids-diary-march-31-1969/