Thursday, 21 May 1970

Today was a day for going to Boston. We got up about 8:15—ate breakfast, shaved, piled things into the car. We left Rockport shortly before 10:00. We stopped in Beverly to leave off the mimeograph machine to be serviced—went on into Boston—went to the Mass. Bible Society—Bonnie bought 30 copies of the TEV for the Sunday School. Then we went to BU—I tried to get my grades—but they aren’t out yet. Went to my mail box—found my course grade from seminar there: A- —I closed out my mail box. Went to the BU bookstore—bought the June Playboy. Then we went to Albee’s—arrived there about noon. We had lunch, sat around talking—Bryan got home from school, did his homework, then we went to a playground and let Debbie, Mark and Bryan let off steam. Late in the afternoon we went back to the apartment—fixed supper. Ned cooked hamburgers over charcoal. After supper Ned and I took Debbie and Mark to watch about a half hour of Bryan’s little league baseball game. Then we sat talking with Ned and Alice for about two hours—until 10:00—then we loaded up the car and came home—they gave us children’s books, plants, homed cooked foods. We got home about 11:30. Unloaded, watched some of Johnny Carson (Mayor Lindsay) OBLO c. 1:00 AM.

Friday, 22 May 1970

Was up early—shortly after 8:00. Bonnie was dressing when the phone rang—so I had to get out of bed to talk. Then I sat in a dull stupor for a while. Then had breakfast and shaved; I went to the P.O. to mail Walter Aufrecht’s books back to him, changed the wayside pulpit. When I got home Bonnie went to work in the garden. I find it difficult to be creative in the morning, so it was not surprising that I couldn’t push myself to work on my doctrinal statement. I read some articles, puttered at my desk. When Bonnie got home she tended to Debbie’s lunch. I had my lunch after Bonnie had left for work, and Debbie was down for a nap. My main concern for the afternoon was the doctrinal statement. And I was able to make progress on it—with a few breaks in the afternoon, e.g., to water the strawberry patch. Late in the afternoon I put supper in the oven—so that we could eat slightly early. We ate about 6:15 watched CBS news. After 7:00 we went over to see the Bussey’s. They showed us their vacation slides of the South West—we then had dessert. We came home about 10:45. I worked on my doctrinal statement. Bathed after midnight; more work on [arrow pointing to “my doctrinal statement” on the line above]; OBLO, 12:51.

Saturday, 23 May 1970

Up about 9:30. Had breakfast. Bonnie left to go to Beverly to pick up the mimeograph machine. I stayed at home to work on my doctrinal statement. With the morning’s work on it I was nearing the end. I took time in the morning to go through the mail and read the newspaper when it came. Bonnie didn’t get home til late—about 12:30—she’d had other errands to do. As soon as she got home I went up to see the Hannibals. I got back home about 1:30. We ate lunch, then went to the garden. Worked from 2:00–4:30. Bonnie worked in the squash and cucumber patch. I put out the row of Italian green beans, which involved putting in stakes. Debbie was well entertained by the neighborhood kids. When we got home Bonnie was exhausted, and sacked out. I had the energy to work on supper—so I did this. I woke her up about 6:30. We ate, watched NBC news. Then I set about doing the bulletins. It was marvelous to be doing them on a repaired machine that works so well. When I got them done I worked on the service, then practiced the sermon—it’s the one I wrote for ordination and have yet to put in final form and send in. Did Sunday School lesson, bathed about 11:00; OBLO, c. 11:40.  Θ+

Sunday, 24 May 1970

Up about 8:30. Shaved, had breakfast, prepared to meet my class. Both Karen and Billy showed up. We broke up about 10:30. I went to the church; preached the sermon that I wrote for ordination—on the role of the clergyman. Home by 12:30. Had lunch—then in the afternoon did a variety of things. First of all I worked out several different pulpit exchange schedules for Jim, George and myself. I worked the soil in the strawberry patch and watered it, then in the latter part of the afternoon I worked on producing a first draft typed copy of my doctrinal statement. Got about six pages typed, then I left for the church—got there about 5:40. Dr. Beck drove up just about 6:00. The turnout for Methodist men was not spectacular—it’s a good thing we invited the ladies to come—or the crowd would have been very slim. I had a chance to chat with Beck—we walked together down to St. Mary’s and back—talked about theology—he’s to let me know if he can be at my ordination. We had some hymn-singing after the supper—then I introduced Dr. Beck. He spoke very eloquently about the mid-East crisis; by about 9:30 all was over—we went to Patriquins for Drue’s birthday party—came home about 11:00; very weary; OBLO 11:20.

David’s Diary, May 24, 1970

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