18-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Friday, January 9, 1914: Nothing much doing here this afternoon. Started to read a book this afternoon. Ruth and I expect to go to a dance this evening.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Grandma—
Nothing??? It sounds like the most exciting day in weeks.
What do you plan to wear to the dance? Are you going to do anything special with your hair? Who are you hoping to dance with? Where is the dance? . . . .
Very creative. You could build a short story with this. Good luck. Hugs, Barbara
Thanks for the kind note.
Quite! She leaves a lot to the imagination, your gtrandma…. 😉
I suppose Grandma’s brief diary entries seemed to her like they provided an adequate reminder of what was was happening on a given day, but she definitely wasn’t into providing a lot of detail
Wonder if she finished the book, probably put it on one side for another nothing much doing afternoon.
I bet you’re right–that as evening approached that she set it aside for another “nothing much” day.
Perhaps Grandma will dance with her future husband…????
Maybe. . . though she won’t get married for another 7 years. And, her future husband was 3 1/2 years younger. So when she wrote this diary entry she was 18 (almost 19) years old–and he’d just turned 15.
In one short sentence, she left us all anticipating… 🙂
How true. . . 🙂
I am with you! Grandma says it all so casually and I am sure we all remember going to parties at that age and preparations and anxieties would start already at least one day ahead!
BTW sorry to have stayed away from your lovely blog for a while. I am going back to school and I was busy getting started and all. I read up again and I enjoyed it all aian!!! hugs from Ohio
I also remember lots of planning and preparation when I went to a party when I was a teen.
You’re doing some interesting things. School sounds like fun.
I’m with idealisticrebel…I think this could be a great short story in future. Sheryl do you get the sense we are all cheering you on for more?
Thank you for the kind words. I appreciate the support.
It probably WAS held at the community hall.
I just realized why I’m so often “off” a day. I was thinking all morning that today is Friday. The top of your post says, “Friday, January 9th–and my eyes blur over that 19 (because it’s so familiar to me). 1914 feels so much more real and present to me.
2014 sounds like star-trek or space odyssey.
Sometimes I feel the same way. 🙂
A dance would have been a wonderful thing to look forward to. I hope Helena and Ruth had fun and even more I hope Helena writes about it tomorrow!
You’ll find out in a few hours. 🙂
🙂 !
And all this time I thought she was writing in her diary at bedtime!
I also have the sense that she generally wrote her diary entries at bedtime. I wonder if she wrote this entry earlier than usual since she knew that she’d be out late (and probably would be too tired to write in the diary).
Leaves a lot to imagine, what kind of music, what did they wear, what dances were popular, I am sure they will have a good time.
There are so many questions. . . so few answers. 🙂
A dance! Now your grandma really has something to look forward to and we do too. I can’t wait to read her entries after the dance.
She hadn’t had much of a social life for the past few months–it’s good that she finally did something fun. 🙂
She sounds like one of those girls who doesn’t want to talk about her feelings, afraid she’ll say something and then be disappointed. I hope she’ll tell us more soon!
I can understand that feeling.
Oh–me, too. Me, too.
I love your “imaginings” Sheryl. I choose to believe that Miss Muffly had a rather special night… 🙂
I hope it was fun and she danced and laughed a lot. I never had much fun at dances.
I never liked dances either. At school dances, I always tried to be on the committee that worked at the refreshment stand. 🙂
Remember the song…I think it is called Sisters? The chorus goes.. Lord, help the the Mister who comes between me and my Sister and Lord, help the Sister who comes between me and my man? You reminded me of that! Funny! I can imagine they both had a grand time.
Thanks for reminding me of the song.
I hoped she enjoyed herself!
Nothing much doing–one would certainly think attending a dance would register a little higher on Helena’s doings.