15-year-old Helena wrote a hundred years ago today:
Friday, February 3, 1911. I got out of school early this afternoon. They all went skating except me. Helen Wesner was here and is going to stay all night. I’ll have to retire to another sleeping corner but I don’t care. It is only for one night, so what’s the diff? I may have some peace.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Sounds like Grandma’s sister Ruth invited a friend over for a sleep-over. This is the third time in the diary that Grandma mentions ice skating—but indicates that she didn’t go (see January 17 and 26). And, no diary entries indicated that Grandma went skating. It seems odd that she never goes since the skating area apparently is on the creek right next to the Muffly home. Why? . . Was Grandma a poor skater?. . . Didn’t enjoy the company? . . . Skates didn’t fit and hurt her feet? . . . Didn’t like the cold?. . .