Moving Days: A Soprano’s Aria Chapter 10

April 1 Fools day. Celebrated by going down to the Em. [Emporium] and buying a sewing machine for $35.00. 2 down and 1 per week forever after. Sent Jessie 3 songs Aloha dream days and Sing me the vesper.

Apr 2 Sewing machine came today. Made Lolita a little chemise out of a sugar sack the first garment. Think Ill like it much. Helped Edith with her pattern. Just got letter from Leo. All well at home.

Apr 3, 4 Finished the coat for Milo. Fair weather. Usual duties.

Apr 5 Uncle to dinner. Fine day all day Sunday.

Apr 6 Monday. Cut out Mabel Isenbrook’s tango colored serge suit. Spent the remainder of the week making it and attending to my ordinary household duties. Sat the 11^th cleaned house. Bought Lolita a pair new Mary Jane pumps for 3.50, hose 25. Albert arrived in afternoon.

Sunday Apr 12 Easter Day Spent entire day cooking a good dinner for family. Uncle and Albert guests. All seemed to enjoy it—but me. My enjoyment seems to be in giving others joy. Delivered Mable’s suit. Received in payment $5.00.

Mon Apr 13 Albert paid the rent. Visited the Polly, had a cup of coffee, and left for Stockton to resume his work in the shops. Unrivaled spring day.

Tuesday 14 Made outing flannel kimono for myself. Mrs. Ross gave the goods [fabric] to Lolita Christmas and she gave it to me.

Wed 15 Sold Mrs R a loaf of bread for ¢10. Ripped up old white skirt and made Lolita 1 plain and one pleated skirt of it. Cut out Lolitas plaid.

Thu 16 Worked on plaid dress. Mrs Ross gave me some blue serge to combine with it. Easter cards from children.

Fri 17 Got letter from Grandma M. [Mosier] Finished plaid dress + pleated white skirt. No letter from Albert. Beaut weather. Lonesome days.

April 18 Sat Washed cloths, cleaned house and pantry bins. Baked 6 large loaves of bread. Went upstairs and played on the piano in evening.

Sunday Put up lunch and all went to G.G.P. [Golden Gate Park] to eat it. Spent day wandering about grounds and museum. Delightful weather. Very Enjoyable day. Lolita went to Presbyterian church with Mrs Ross

Mon 20 Papers anticipate war with Mexico. Cool weather. Recd a letter from Mother containing a Hardanger doily—the first she ever worked. Tuesday, Wed, Thu, Friday, sat lovely spring weather. All well. Took in 8.50 worth dress making. Worked at it some. Went down town twice. Made 2 payments on machine. Received letters from Emma P., Goldie M., and the children. Went to look at flat. Washed and baked and wrote to Albert and Leo.

Sun 26 Lolita and Uncle went to San Mateo for a street car ride and brought home some lovely roses.

Mon 27 Wrote to Grandma Mosier, Emma, Goldie

Tuesday, Wed, thu, fri, sat Usual household duties of washing, ironing, baking, cleaning, cooking and sewing. Nothing of event transpired to enliven the dull days. No letters received.

Fri May 1st Vacation. Milo and Don went hiking out to Parkside. Lolita lonesome. Myself busy.

Sat May 2 Nervous and restless. Busy day. Shopped in evening. Walked down to Divisidero St to register. Not in state long enough. Albert came home at 12. Mending.

Sun Uncle came up. All unpacked house. Dull day.

Mon Albert and I went to the real estate agents office on Haight st and paid $5 down on flat. 1824 Fell St at $20 per mo. Going to be a hard pull all right to make expenses on $2.25 per day. Blue prospect. Went with Albert to Ferry to see him off. Walked back to Emporium. Paid $2.00 sewing machine. Got letter from Mother with pictures of herself and Uncle Aaron, Albert Paden and Gertrude Flanders and daughter Dorothy.

Tue + Wed Same as two peas or samer. Nothing but work and worry. Got a card from a lone agency saying don’t worry. Did home ironing and sewing.

Thu May 7 Cool and cloudy. Pleasant. Potted some slips. Recd letter from Underwood Co stating that type writing teacher was dead. Writing this at 1.30 a.m.

Sat 9 Cleaned and mended cloths. Went down town with Frank in evening in the Sterling, Leo’s auto, and ordered $200.00 worth of furniture consisting of 2 rugs, davenport, bed, sleepy hollow chair [ Upholstered wing chair], stove, cooking utensils, table chairs and dishes, Iron bed springs and mattress and chiffonier. Got letter from grandma Mosier and a card from Albert.

Sun went strawberring. Lost hat pin and jar of strawberries. Came home in evening. F.S. [Frank] worked for Dolan in Oakland. Came home with face red by lumber and what made Milwaukee famous. [beer]

Monday 11 Cleaning house and washing some. Sorting cloths. Wrote to Jessie, Albert, and Typewriter Co.

Tue 12 Did a big wash and returned Mrs. Ross’s towels, table cloths, sheets, pillow slips and bedspreads.

Wed 13 Ironed, saw real estate agent. Went down to store to see about stove.

Thu 14 Cleaning out drawers and writing letters at 10.30

Fri 15 Packing and getting ready to moove. Probably our last night at Rosses. Returned Princilla crochet book. Mending. Cold and rainy.

Sat 16 Mooved into flat 1824 Fell st. Albert came at noon and assisted in substantial ways. Cold and cheerless weather.

Sun 17 Unpacking, baking and getting dinner. Albert and Uncle for guests.

Mon May 18 Unpacking and cleaning. Hard work. Cold and cloudy weather.

Tue May 19 Continuation of above.

Wed 20 Did first wash, tubs pretty low. Wrote to children.

Thu 21 Wrote to portrait man and sent in change of address to P.O.

Fri 22 Got letter from Albert saying he would be home on the following Wed. Also letters from Leo and Jessie.

Sat 23 Housework and so forth. Still more rain. Cold and dreary. Uncle came up for dinner.

Sun 24 Frank got load of wood and went back to work. Quiet day of rest. Early dinner at 4 for 4.

Mon May 25 Very quiet uneventful day. Sun came out but still cold in house. Got bill of goods from Sterling store saying our things came to $211.75 Quite enough. Potted some plants. Mended F’s shirt. 8.15 p.m. writing these lines

Tuesday May 26 Nothing of importance. Same old grind.

Wed 27 Washed in forenoon. Albert came home. Looking fine.

Wed Thu 28 Washed in forenoon. Got letter from Goldie sending postage for Song Book. Still cold and damp most of the time. Considerable wind though we don’t feel it much here.

Fri May 29 Washed in forenoon. Nearly cleaned up by now. Albert visited Poly Tech. Got letter from Leo stating financial condition of branch which discouraged us all temporarily. Man called to get board and room for his Aunt.

Sat 30 Decoration day. [Decoration Day was set aside to honor those who died “in defense of their country during the late rebellion” which was the Civil War. Lulu had an uncle Sylvester G. COATS who died on the battlefield of Championhill, MS at the tender age of 21.] Lulu’s uncle Stayed at house all day and worked. Wanted to go to Presidio. Uncle came up to bid Albert good bye. Allies trunk came. Man came and arranged to send his Aunt on Tuesday next.

Sun May 31 Last day of May. Cold and cloudy, foggy and misty all day. Albert left early with friend on motor cycle for Sacramento on his way to Minneapolis. Hard to say Good Bye. F.S. nailing all day on side porch.

June 1 Mr. Hickey and Uncle came to see about Aunt’s board. Didn’t like the uncle. Hard to deal with.

June 2 Fearful troublesome day nearly came to a smashup on account of my agreeing to board Mrs. Dolan for 25 per. F.S. furious. Uncle or Brother arrives and is told nothing doing. I go for walk in Park and return. F.S. packs suit case. Nephew arrives and offers to pay the $5 extra. The bone of contention being picked clean, the agreement is made and nephew departs. Brings Aunt a few hours later. Very busy day. Bought a little gas stove, little oil heater and numberless other trifles to make the old lady comfortable. Says she thinks she’ll like me real well. I think that she will have a humanizing affect on all of us.

It appears the flat that Allie rented for Frank & Lulu at 1712 1/2 Fell Street was furnished. 1824 Fell is one block west and one block closer to Golden Gate Park, it appears this was unfurnished. The cost to furnish the flat was a very precious $211.75. In order to make ends meet Lulu orders a sewing machine (to sew clothes for paying customers), bakes bread and takes on a boarder, which upsets Frank. When she says the boarder will have a humanizing effect, I wonder if Lulu is thinking having an outsider, will help keep Frank in line. I note a wry sense of humor in Lulu’s writing like her “Fools day. Celebrated by going down to the Em[porium] and buying a sewing machine.“

Kelly Wheaton Copyright 2021. All RIghts Reserved.