Monday, Feb. 6, 1933

We butchered our hog today. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary & Henry & family all where up had dinner. We finished at 10 ‘ clock. Alois Havey was here & looked at our pigs, he wants to buy fat hogs. Egg man paid 10¢ today all together we had 32½ dozs. for him. Cyril Eichenseer was here selling chances for a fancy quilt & bad spread to be raffled on Feb. 22 at a euchre in the school hall, papa took a chance on it, 10¢. Harold Wagner was around taking orders for flower & garden seeds, we didn’t order none. Pierce Klotz of Belleville stoped [sic] here, wanted to know if he could put his car in Uncle Fred’s shed across the street, Bertille called them up & they said it was alright, as he put his machine over there, he wants to stay by Mr. Laut a couple days, who is very ill. Papa went to Hecker, to the store, to meet Oscar Birkner, he brought a letter along for us, from Uncle Fred’s, it is awful cold, raining & snowing.

Monday, Jan. 30, 1933

We washed, ironed. Beautiful day like spring. Papa went up in the woods, this afternoon. Louis Dehn is butchering his hog here at Renneckers 600 lbs. Robert Laut is also, he got 2 hogs from Christ Buehlers. Edwin Reheis had there little baby bay christened the other Sun at Smithon [sic] by Rev. Hosto, called it Emil Fred, was sponsor. Papa brought 1 gal. milk along for the pigs. We went out to Henry’s this evening. Papa & Henry went up to Joe Mueths, this 12 o’clock, he is pretty bad, the doctor gives him up, he breathes so loud, & some times not at all, girls are all at home.

Tuesday, Jan. 17, 1933

We washed and iron & baked bread today. Papa & Rosalia got a load of oats at Henry’s this afternoon. Cyril & Clarence came down this eve, & got each a bu. oats & sack of hay for 300 for there rabbits. Aunt Mary called up this evening, she was quilting at Henry Birkners today. Ed. Meng was over & paid Uncle Freds int. Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Reheis has a little boy since Dec. 27, they have now a girl & boy. Mrs. Joe Mueth nee Brocs died at 5 o clock this eve. Papa went to town. Miss Martha Boll of St. Louis called out to Geo. Boll’s & congraulated [sic] him on his birthday. Joe Watchel is butchering.

Monday, Jan. 16, 1933

We were all out at Henry butchering had lunch & dinner. they made 57 summer sasauge [sic]. Mrs. Meuth is awful bad sick in St. Louis, MO. We had awr [sic] eggs at Renneckers today and peddler paid 17¢. [ed. note: entry completely in a different handwriting than Bertille’s. Most likely is Rosalia writing].

Monday, Jan. 9, 1933

We butchered 2 hogs today. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary & Henry where helping, had lunch & dinner. Uncle Fred stayed for supper then we played 5 hand pinochle. Mr. Tecklenburg paid 28¢ for eggs we had 7½ doz; he got some from Mrs. Rennecker too. Mrs. Papenberg called up this evening for a patter for a sunburst quilt, we didn’t have none.

Friday, Jan. 6, 1933

Papa pumped the water out of Uncle Fred’s cellar this morning. Mr. Rennecker & Hy Armstutz are butchering 1 hog at Mrs. Arns today. Bertille got the papers. Mr Wm. Laut & Mr. John Hepp are awful bad sick no hopes for recovery. Mr. Laut got a light stroke again. Mr. Hepp here in town has kidney trouble. There is a big free dance tonite at the Odd Fellow Hall at Waterloo. Seen in the paper that Wm. Sensel’s mother, Mrs. Mary Sensel was buried last Sun. afternoon at Waterloo 74 yrs. old; her husband preceded her in death about 2 yrs. ago. Dr. Sennot died, most probably be buried this afternoon, being ill for several months, in former years, he practice as his doctor in Hecker for several yrs. According to Bill Kleyer’s onion, this is supposed to be a very dry year. Sheriff Al Gaven took Wm. Zimmer Jr. to the Vandalia Penal Farm last Friday. Alf. Mueller who was clerk at Connor’s Store is now employed at Gauen’s Store since the first & Joe Johnson is now employed at Connor’s.

Wednesday, Dec. 28, 1932

It is a nice day again. Steve Rennecker went butchering at Al. Heyl’s. Bertille isn’t feeling well today. Aunt Mary called up to see how we all where; there all about the same yet. Clarence Wittenauer had a general call put over the lines that he had lost a dog. This evening he called into Sheriff Al Gauen, what he should do, because he knew the party was has his dog, he wanted to know wether [sic] it should notify him or just go & get it there. Papa & Rosalia shelled corn this afternoon & killed 25 mice.

Monday, Dec. 19, 1932

We butchered 2 hogs, Uncle Fred, Aunt Mary, Henry & Emil helped, they where here for lunch & dinner. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary stayed for supper & then played 5 hand pinochle, 3 games. Henry Meir came here wanted to sell corn, papa bought a wagon load for 17¢ bu. he is going to bring it the first day. There was a lady around selling vanilla’s, & other remedies. Aunt Mary bought a bottle of corn salve, is to take it out in 5 days for 25¢.

Thursday, Dec. 15, 1932

We all went out Henry’s butchering today. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary, Emil & Mr. & Mrs. Gus Geodelle where all there. We couldn’t get the Whippet started to go home, cranked & put hot water on, but it wouldn’t go, so Uncle Fred pulled us till to the hills but, then it wouldn’t go up, his wheels started spinning still, so Adolp [sic – Adoph?] Petri & his wife came along, they both helped to push, but still didn’t go, so we put chains on Uncle Freds machine & then it went up right away, till we got by Kemp’s the Whip started then Uncle Fred turned around & went home, & it worked all right coming home. The people that lived on Hirst’s place where out there trying to to sell apples. Leona bought a peck, $1.00 bus, they where bruised & fallen.

Tuesday, Dec. 13, 1932

Cleaned chicken houses, put clean straw in. Papa & Rosalia went out to Henry’s got wheat & oats. We baked Christmas cookies this afternoon. Klotz’s, Fritsche’s, Boll’s, Buehler’s are all butchering today, Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary had to help Christ. nice day. Fr. Grooten’s is very ill, some said he was out of mind.