Saturday, August 23, 2014

Diary of Alfred E. Potter August, 1940

01.  Thursday: Joe Baier gets overcome by a spell of dizziness and weakness this afternoon.  It does not last very long and he is able to finish the day working.
02.  Friday: We came to town in a heavy rainstorm for First Friday Church Services at St. Vincents.
03.  Saturday: Road to work in another rain storm this morning.  Took the children out for a long ride around the lake this afternoon.  It was lovely on the lake, somewhat cloudy but the lake is calm.  The “Dramatics Club” have their annual outing at their Club House.  Joe Poklasny took George Beck who has been bedridden for years out to the party.  George wanted to see me, the boys were to the cottage 3 times, to have me come over to see him, we were still out on the lake.  When I got there, I found I missed him by 15 minutes.  We left for home at 745 and got home before a severe electrical storm broke.  It was an unusually bad storm with much rain.
04.  Sunday: To 730 Hi Mass this morning and then to work.  Attended Joint Foresters and Knights Picnic this afternoon at Sacred Heart Grove.  First time I was there, they have a lovely picnic grounds.  Met many acquaintances and friends there.  I hear Ed Fretchel –Bill Heppler –Rudie Mueller got back from their party at the Dramatics this afternoon about 3 Oclock.  After work this evening I slept on the porch until 1.30 A.M.  Harry Kujawa and family are here from Berlin visiting at Anna Drexler’s.  Rose Weisheipl is Leona Drexler’s guest this evening.
05.  Monday: Had another heavy downpour of rain this morning.  Took Leo Jungen to Valders this morning.  He has a new job, manager of a printing business.  I met the druggist Mr. Sindorf.  He is the only druggist there.  His uncle is the maker of Salines Relief and Stick Salve.  Dolores Kinateder are has a birthday, she is 10 years old.
06.  Tuesday: A lovely day today, and cool too.  Signed an ampoule contract with Upjohn this morning.
07.  Wednesday: A lovely day. Gave the children a long boat ride this afternoon nearly back to the city. After the boat ride we enjoyed a swim in the lake. Don and I had quite a time retrieving out Water Ball after the wind blew it out to the middle of the lake. In the evening Bill and Emma Siewert came out. About 915 Father Michael Drexler - Clara - Elizabeth - and Frank Drexler dropped in. Father won 3 games of sheephead - Ma Potter won 4 and the rest of us won nothing. Party breaks up at 115 A.M. Larry Gerdes is in town soliciting Nyal "2 for 1 Sale" order. Injured my left ankle pulling in the boat, a board on the runway broke.
08.  Thursday: Today is Lawrence Kinateder’s birthday, he is 12.  Donald and Mary Ann are invited to the Kinateder birthday party at Menominee Park.  Games are played, the children also enjoy bathing at the beach.  Thres has company at the cottage Mrs. Baranowski –Mrs. Joe Cater Mrs. Al Barsch. Ed Baranowski spends the evening with the ladies.  Incidentally this is our wedding anniversary, we are married 29 years.
09.  Friday: Junior Poklasny is Donald’s Guest for dinner today.  Joe Cater has a birthday, he is 70 years old.
10.  Saturday: More tough luck, another flat tire this morning, this time on the Plymouth.
11.  Sunday: To 7 Oclock Mass at St. Johns, then to work.  Ann and Joe Weisheipl and Ed and Thres Fretchel are out to the cottage tonite.  Its a nice evening and the party broke up at 100 A.M.
12.  Monday: Bob Genal celebrates his birthday of the cottage today.  He is 55.  He and Emma, Joe and Myrtle – Karl and family –Joe and Anna Weisheipl and ourselves make up the party.  We had to have the party in the garage part time as it rained a little, but not enough to dampen our spirits.  We did however wet our whistles quite a bit.  Joe Genal was bent on doing a lot of harmonizing, Donald dressed up as a clown, Mary Ann sang a solo “Alice Blue Gown.” Party broke up at 12.30 A.M.
13.  Tuesday: Took Melvin Karst to the cottage tonite to be Donald’s guest.  It looks as if the war is going to be a fight to the finish between England on one side – Germany and Italy on the other.  The German planes are attacking the English Coast.
14.  Wednesday: We are in the midst of another hot spell.  Took the children to Leonard’s Point to fish, but the water became so rough, I hit for home again.  Score: 2 fish –one perch – and Mary Ann caught a good sized sunfish.  Gave them to Bob Brand.
15.  Thursday: To Eight oclock mass this morning.  Father Duerr took just 15 minutes.  I think this is a record.  Mary Ann takes Janet Wolf along to the cottage today.  London is being heavily bombed by German War Planes.
16.  Friday: London is being bombed by the German Planes in a terrific air battle, which if kept up may decide the fate of the English. This is the sixth day of unabaited bombing on the English. The Germans have sent at least 2500 planes in mass air raids on England today.
17.  Saturday: Came to town early this evening.  It rained quite heavily, I believe this is the fourth Saturday we had rain.  Took Anna and Joe Weisheipl along to Harold Bouchelle’s.  Got home at 115 A.M.  Temperature was at 90° this afternoon.
18.  Sunday: To 7 Oclock Mass at St. Johns, then to work.  Temperature is down today about 58° a drop of 32° since yesterday.  New Junior Hi School on Delaware St. is dedicated.  Put in 8 hours of work today.  Joe and Anna Weisheipl spend the evening with us at home.
19.  Monday: Semi Annual Visit to the dentist today, Dr. Norman Kleinschmidt.
20.  Tuesday: Leon Trotzky (Bolshevik Russian Leader and at one time Russian War Minister, but now exiled in Mexico was near death tonight from a critical skull wound, a so called admirer had given him with a pick ax.
21.  Wednesday: Had Company at the Cottage today. Lena - Grandma Baier - Emma (Mrs. Joe) Baier, Ann and Rose Baier, and their children Raymond - Jimmie and Joan - Billy and the baby and Fay. I took the children out for boat rides, and they were delighted. Took a few snapshots, hope they will be good. In the evening Bill and Emma Siewert came out. They left for home at 1 A.M.
22.  Thursday: Visited the remains of Mrs. Rob Beck and Mrs. Louis Reichenberger.  Had Edward and Rose Weisheipl over to the house for dinner.  This is Joe Junior Weisheipls birthday.  I believe he is 33.  Feels to me like a cold coming on.  Thres have lots of company at the cottage; Jenny Mueller – Mary Schneider – Anna Sippl – Anna Drexler –Mary Miller – Anna Weisheipl –Theresa Fretchel. [M.O. Mrs. Rob Beck M.O. Mrs. Louis Reichenberger]
23.  Friday: Am battling my first cold of the season.
24.  Saturday: Delivered a good sized dish of special pick plums to Mrs. Geo. Haverty, when I got there I found no one home. More rain tonite, this is the fifth Saturday in succession we have rain.
25.  Sunday: To 7 Oclock Mass at St. Johns then to work. In the afternoon took the family to the Mode Theatre. “Jack Benny Rides Again” featuring Jack Benny and Rochester, “Radio Stars” and “Granny Get Your Gun” featuring May Robson are the pictures. Rain fell most of the day. The New Wisconsin Ave bridge is dedicated this afternoon. Lewis Magnussen is the speaker. Father Henry Sholten gives the invocation.
26.  Monday: Rain all day today.  Called Mrs. Haverty today, she canned the plums Saturday after I delivered them.  Eddie Weisheipl and Roger Allmers almost played golf today.
27.  Tuesday: Winnebago County Fair opens today. Thres takes Donald - Mary Ann -Annie Weisheipl - Mary Schneider to the fair. It is very wet out to the grounds. Some of the acts were not put on and no races. Thres wins a pretty doll for Mary Ann playing Bingo.
28.  Wednesday: Oshkosh Day at the fair, our store was closed for about 15 minutes.  I stopped at 12.30 waited on one lady and that started the ball a-rolling.  Dr. Joe Kronzer phoned 3 prescriptions and from then on I was very busy, at 1.30 I had to call Joe Baier to help me, and both of us were kept busy all afternoon.  I quit for the day at 530 as it was my afternoon and evening out.  The fair is hard hit by rain, about 15 000 less attendance than last year on Oshkosh Day.
29.  Thursday: Infantile Paralysis is again on the rampage, Schools in Wisconsin Rapids – Marinette – Menominee and other cities will be unable to open after Labor on account of this dread disease.
30.  Friday: Naomi Mueller takes a few days vacation.
31.  Saturday: Donald and I go to the cottage to cut grass and it is very wet and soggy. Managed to get most of it cut and then it rained. I believe this is the 7th or 8th day we had rain. Mary Ann took her test at school today and passes into the fourth grade.

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