Diary of Alfred E. Potter December, 1940

01.  Sunday: Attended 7³⁰ Hi Mass this morning.          Com. Honor St. Joseph H.H.D.

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03.  Tuesday: A cold wave hits us over night 15° below zero this morning, but it does moderate during the day, and more snow tonite.

04.  Wednesday: 12-3 Ladies Auxiliary So. Side Business Mens Club entertain the men at a Christmas Party. Albert Genark was Santa Claus.  Herb Riemer won a Christmas Tree.

05.  Thursday: Mama Potter plays Bingo at the Eagles tonite and wins 4.70.

06.  Friday: First Friday, to Church at 7 A.M.  Temperature rises considerably it is          Com.  Matt Baier

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08.  Sunday: Attended 7³⁰ Mass this morning and then to work.

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13.  Friday: Thres attends services at Sacred Heart Church this morning.  Requiem is offered for her deceased brother John Drexler.

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15.  Sunday: To six oclock mass this morning, then to work.  We are quite busy, much parcel post is coming in.  In the afternoon mother bought a Christmas Tree.  Joe and Anna Heip stop in for a short time.  Joe Helped to move Donald's bed upstairs.  I helped the ladies move Mary Ann's bed to the back bedroom.  Thres goes to view the remains of Karl Dietzo and then to St. Peters bingo.  She wins 3 dollars.  A heavy sleet storm hits us in the evening.  I was called out to take Thres, Anna Heip,  Mary Schneider, Jennie Miller, and Thres Fretchel home, no taxies available.

16.  Monday: Our furnace fire was nearly out this morning.  Electricity in our section of the city was out from 2.45 to 6.15.  It is snowing out and the scenery is very nice.  It turns out to be a bad blizzard.  I stayed home from work but spent most of the time shoveling snow.

17.  Tuesday: Christmas Greetings are already beginning to arrive.  A beautiful bedroom suite arrives for Dad and Mother from Sitters Furniture Store.  This is our joint Christmas Present.

18.  Wednesday: We have had no street lights for 3 nights.

19.  Thursday: norm Brown is over to our house for lunch, which turns out to be out dinner, dumplings etc.

20.  Friday: We are very busy at our South Side Postal Station

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22.  Sunday: A very busy day at the store.  Foresters have their Childrens Christmas Party tonite at St. Vincents.  Donald and Mary Ann take part in the program.

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24.  Tuesday: The weather has been mild for over a week and the snow is going fast.  Children are busy with their presents.  Mother receives a new round card table and chairs to match.  Anna and Leona Drexler go to Milwaukee this afternoon to spend the holidays with Karl and Margaret Radomsky.  Had a lovely letter from Geo Beck today.  Poor fellow has been down with rheumatism for many years.  Harold and Eva Mueller get the Christmas present.  Its a little girl.

25.  Wednesday: Attended Midnight Mass at St. Johns.  Had to sit on a chair in the center aisle.  Had lunch home after mass and awoke to find myself to sleep in the kitchen at 4.30 A.M.  Well I did get to bed in a hurry.  Worked in the morning, took a couple of hours rest in the afternoon and worked again in the evening.  The folks visit at Baiers and the Weisheipls in the afternoon.  Anna Weisheipl is laid up with a game right leg.  Thres and I visited at the Heips from 9 P.M. to 2.30 AM.  Eddie came home when we left.

26.  Thursday: Homer Pipkorn is over to see me about Joe Drexler.

27.  Friday: Aunt Mary and Lena Baier take care of the washing for the Joe Weisheipl family.  They are obliged to wash by hand, no wash machine - no wringer - no washboard.  Aunt Mary complains of a backache, she is not accustomed to washing without modern conveniences.

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29.  Sunday: To six oclock mass, Bob Weber doesn’t like the way I kidded him last night.  Had company this afternoon.  Joe – Matt Drexler – Al Mugerauer – Celia – Marion – Joan –Caroline – Mary – Baby Lucy Drexler

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31.  Tuesday: The last day of the year is a fairly busy one.  Mr. F.W. Mueller has a birthday.  He is 67.  We have company tonite to help see out the old year and welcome in the new.  Joe and Anna Weisheipl, Ed and Thres Fretchel are with us.  This is the first time out for Anna since she's been laid up with a game leg over a week ago. Laurence and Dolores Kinateder stay overnite with Donald and Mary Ann.