Monday, 6 October 1969
Up about 9:15—after breakfast tried to get to work studying—after doing phoning for youth group; hired Steve Winkler from Andover Newton. Placed another ad for our car in the paper. Read some in Wurthwein’s book + in The New Republic when the mail arrived. Finally about 12:00 got around to starting typing of Hebrew—had a late lunch, shaved, then back to Hebrew. Finished about 3:00—then we all went for a walk down to the Mill pond. When I got back to work didn’t get much done—did some work in Aramaic—then got sleepy; napped until 6:30. Had supper. Then about 8:00 went to see Alan—he had phoned me, asking me to come over. He’s drunk—he had recently received word that his mother is dying of cancer. He’s in terrible shape; I returned home to get things—am spending the night at his place.
Tuesday, 7 October 1969
Cleaned up Alan’s kitchen last night—stayed up til past two talking; but even after lights were out didn’t get to sleep. A very restless night—but we were up around 8:00. I went home around 10:00 to get Alan’s laundry, to bathe, shave, eat lunch. Then went shopping for groceries for him. Bonnie + Debby + I arrived back at Alan’s after 12:00. I stayed all afternoon; we talked, played cards, went for a long walk—then his friend Marty came over to work on the house. I went home about 5:00. Relaxed, Bonnie + I napped after Θ. Then had supper. But then by 8:00 returned to Alan’s. He had gone to Marty’s but they were both back—Marty stayed most of the evening working on back door. After he left Alan + I talked more. It looks as if he might ask Pat to marry him. We finally got around to getting to bed; LO, 1:02.
Wednesday, 8 October 1969
Up shortly after 8:00. Alan was much better this morning. Around 9:00 he brought me back to Rockport. Then he went off to do shopping, and to get caught up on business. I tried to nap, but with no luck. So I got up and worked on my letter to Pat Harvey about the experience of the last few days. It turned out to be over 3 pages long—typed, single-spaced. I was finished with this by the time we had lunch. After lunch we got involved in making grape juice from the grapes off Alan’s vine. Made a little over a gallon. After this was over, went to the post office with the letter to Pat. I then got some work done on organizing + putting down thoughts for Sunday sermon. Also spoke with Alan on the phone. Tried to nap again late in afternoon, but again no luck. After supper (+ CBS news) lady came to look at the car; worked on sermon, feeling weary and washed out; read about Rembrandt; bathed OBLO by 11? Θ+
Thursday, 9 October 1969
Didn’t get up til about 9:00—the day was a lethargic one; I’m still having trouble recovering from my stay with Alan. Bonnie left about 9:30 to attend a lecture/demonstration on patterns. I tried to get some work done, but turned to napping instead. When the mail came I spent quite a lot of time with Newsweek; Bonnie got home about 11:30. We had lunch about 12:30. I read in my book on Rembrandt. When Bonnie left to go to work about 2:30 (at the hospital), I went for a short walk with Debbie on my back—to the P.O. and for milk. When I got home made 3 phone calls to Boston—one about Vietnam Day on the 15th. Then I turned to preparing lesson for Bible class; took a break to finish making the grape juice. After finishing Bible lesson, more in Rembrandt. Had supper ready when Bonnie got home. Bible class at 8:00; 5 in attendance; had a snack, back to Rembrandt, then worked on sermon, bathed; worked on sermon, read in Rembrandt; OBLO 12:45.
Friday, 10 October 1969
Up about 9:30. After breakfast turned to working on the sermon—when the mail came took time to read I. F. Stone and to glance thru Newsweek. Also in the mail there was the statement signed by Bishop Mathews and several others, in support of Vietnam Moritorium [sic], Oct 15. This took much of the rest of the day—arranging with other clergy in town to give them mimeod [sic] copies for bulletin inserts. We had a late lunch, when Bonnie went to work, I walked to Ernest Bailey’s house to let him see a copy of the statement. When I got home I worked on the Sunday Bulletin. Also saw to getting supper in the oven. Alan arrived shortly before 6:30. Bonnie got home about 7:15. We had supper. Around 8:30 Mr. Sutton arrived; he’ll buy our car. Alan left about 10:30. Tried to do some mimeographing; bathed; OBLO 12:05.
Saturday, 11 October 1969
Up about 9:40. After breakfast went over to Gloucester, to Wesley Church; Jim Bussey helped me to run off 645 copies of the Statement on the Moratorium—for various churches. Then I distributed them to the various clergy in town. Got home after 12:45. Had lunch. Desk work—got my desk straightened up. Then finally got to work on Aramaic—made some progress, but not enough. Got sleepy probably about 4:30 or later, stretched out to take a nap—Bonnie too. We didn’t wake up until 6:45 We got up and got our supper, then I did phone calling. Then I turned to Aramaic again. Then about 9:00 I worked on getting the service ready for tomorrow morning. This took more time than anticipated. Didn’t finish til 10:30. Then Bonnie and I had a snack, then bathed. Then OBLO, 11:53.
Sunday, 12 October 1969
Up about 8:30. Had breakfast, shaved, then practiced sermon. Then got ready for church—left about 10:30. Preached Part I on the rich young ruler—Mark 10:17 ff. Mrs. Orne told me of Harry Emerson Fosdick’s [1] death. Got home about 12:30. I decided to take Bonnie on an overnight camping-foliage trip. I arranged for the 8:00 meeting this p.m. to be transferred elsewhere. We got ready to go after lunch. Were on the road by about 3:30. Arrived at our campsite in NH.—a few miles off exit 20, rt. 93. When we arrived it was just about sunset. We got set up, fed Debbie, then had something to eat ourselves. Very pleasant camping weather. Not too cold, no rain, and very few insects. Debbie was very tired and seemed perhaps upset with the strange surroundings. But she went to sleep in the back seat in playpen; we are getting to bed shortly after 9:00.
[1] One of the great liberal Protestant preachers of the early 20th century, founder of Riverside Church in NYC.
©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by David Madison and Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/07/03/davids-diary-october-6-1969/
Genealogy Lady 
Alan was such a drain. 😦
“Then finally got to work on Aramaic—made some progress, but not enough.” Heavy sigh. Only a portion of the Book of Daniel was written in Aramaic, yet we had to learn it. Then too, it was the language of Jesus…although only a few glimmers of that show up in the gospels.
Harry Emerson Fosdick… he got so much hassle from fundamentalists.