Monday, 16 February 1970

Up at 9:00, after Θ. As soon as we had breakfast, I went on errands—walked to the P.O.—mailed Methodist men letters, returned Bible Atlas + IB Deuteronomy to Cokesbury. Went to the church to change the wayside pulpit and set up poster for benevolences. When I got home I took pictures. Took several slides to use in my Dead Sea Scroll[s] lecture. Also took some of Debbie (took some of her at breakfast—with cereal in her hair); she’s 1½ years old today. Late in the morning Cameron, Bill + Ezra came over—we wanted to get some photos of Ezra + Debbie playing together. Finished the color roll—went through half a black + white roll. We had lunch about noon, then Bonnie left for work. My afternoon was spent preparing for my lecture tomorrow night. For the most part this took the afternoon. I worked until 6:30. Then helped Bonnie with supper. Watched CBS news. In the early evening I played with Debbie. Then back to work on the lecture. We called Carters in Boston to find out [about?] the Webers. They were uncertain about coming out. By ten I had finished the lecture. Very weary. Took a snack break; then got back to my desk—but didn’t accomplish much. Stopped at 11:00 to watch the news; Lee Weber called that they aren’t coming; watched TV, i.e., Johnny Carson; Bonnie + I bathed together; OBLO 12:40.

Tuesday, 17 February 1970

Watched TV too late last night—got up at 9:30, but I was feeling pretty droopy. Had breakfast, then tried to review the first half of Lindblom’s book Prophecy in Ancient Israel—i.e., my underlining. Didn’t really have my heart in it—I didn’t start this til late in the morning; earlier did some phoning, to Uhlinger, Jack Roberts, Gladys Haskell. Late in the morning, the Sesto’s left for Concord—the baby is due soon, and they won’t be coming back until the birth. After we had lunch, Bonnie left for work I shaved, then got to work on my afternoon’s main concern: polishing and practicing my lecture for tonight. It was just before noon that I put Debbie down for a nap. She was so sleepy she was almost hysterical. She didn’t wake up til almost 4:00. I gave her a snack in her room—didn’t want to spoil her supper. Took a picture of her—which finished the b + w roll. I got it ready to go; ironed my trousers. When Bonnie got home we got supper, watched CBS news. About 7:00—Bonnie took Debbie to Drue’s—about 7:15 I left for St. Mary’s. Lecture program started at 7:30—was over by 9:00—a good experience; we went to Drue + Sully’s—came home about 10:30. Relaxed, read, bathed , —together; OBLO before 12. Θ

Wednesday, 18 February 1970

Up about 9:00; had breakfast, shaved—felt rather lethargic—puttered around at my desk, got my briefcase ready to go. Time slipped away, and I didn’t get to Aramaic as I had intended. I took the 11:15 train to Boston. Read Finkelstein’s on The Pharisees on the way in. At N. Station bought the March issue of Playboy. I got off the MTA at Copley Square, went to Cokesbury—as usually they didn’t have what I wanted: TEV of the NT. So I headed in the general direction of MASS. Bible society—a good day for walking. In the Paperback Booksmith the fellow at the cash register turned out to be a student who’d taken a course with Dr. Beck—we recognized one another. He inscribed a copy of In the Name of America to take to Beck. I got 2 copies of TEV at Mass Bible, got back on MTA at Park St. Went to BU—just about 2:00—had my lunch (glanced through Playboy), went to Beck’s class late. From 3:00–4:00 did errands + made tea with Beck. We got the news that the “Chicago 7” had been acquitted of conspiracy changes—I found out later that they’d (5 of 7) been convicted of riot charges. Seminar 4:00–6:00; rode home on the train with Brother Jerome from St. Peters. Got home after 8:00; had supper. Finally got round (called Wally Aufrecht) to working on Aramaic after playing with Debbie—took time to watch 11:00 o’clock news; bathed; back to Aramaic, OBLO, 12:40.

Thursday, 19 February 1970

Up about 9:00; had a bowl of hot oatmeal at my desk—went right to work on translating Aramaic—Genesis Apocryphon. I called the Gloucester camera shop—my slides were in, so Bonnie went over to get them; I shaved, prepared sandwiches—I hadn’t noticed the ones Bonnie had made! She arrived home with the slides shortly before I had to leave. I took them with me on the train—along with Richardson’s originals. Caught the 11:15 train; Read Finkelstein’s The Pharisees on the way in. took the trolley to Kenmore—walked to BU from there. Had my lunch; did some studying before 2:00—from 2:00–3:00 OT Theology. Then from 3:00-4:00 I did some more studying—not too vigorously though. Went to Aramaic at 4:00. But we didn’t get much work done! Instead Richardson explained many of the slides to me. Then he called it quits at 4:50. I was able to catch the 5:50 train. Read Finkelstein on the way home. Got home at 7:00. Helped Bonnie with supper. Then in the evening I put some time in on the sermon—made some progress. Also had a long phone chat with Jim Bussey. Watched the 11 o’clock news; Bonnie + I bathed together; watched some of Johnny Carson; OBLO 12:15.

Friday, 20 February 1970

Took several B + W snapshots of Debbie in afternoon. Awake around 8:00; Θ before getting up about 8:30. Had breakfast—Bonnie went back to bed; I stayed with Debbie til she finished eating, then put her in her room. I then turned to working on my sermon. Continued with this until the mail man arrived; he brought slides from Mail-A-Way—including ones which I had taken for my Dead Sea Scrolls lecture. After viewing the slides with the projector, I went to Gloucester. Bought B + W film, and went to Wades [?] to get a loose-leaf notebook for my Qumran lecture. Got home a few minutes after 12:00. Had lunch. Bonnie left for work—Debbie was hard at play—and I continued (dated the slides) to work on my sermon. I stopped at one point to start the new roll of film on Debbie. About mid-afternoon she went down for her nap. I finished the sermon about 4:00, then worked on the bulletins—finished them after 5:00. Then I turned to work on the Dead Sea Scrolls lecture—reorganizing the slides. I stopped to help Bonnie with supper about 6:30. Watched CBS news. At 7:30 got back to work—spent the evening on my slide program; typing sheets for the loose-leaf notebook. Paul called from NY (Schenectady) about 10:00—he is ill—so they won’t be out this weekend as they’d planned; bathed about 11:30. Watched some of Johnny Carson; OBLO, 12:35.

Debbie with Ezra, February 1970

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by David Madison and Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/08/01/davids-diary-february-16-1970/