Bessie Carter Ranney's 1929 Diary - Week 5, February 3-9

(To read entries from my maternal great-grandmother's 1929 diary, please click on the tab "Posts by Topic" and then go to the topic "California." All posts are listed there.)
  
The Players:

The writer is Bessie Carter Ranney, my great-grandmother.  She was 45 at the time of this writing.

Her husband:

Luther Boardman Ranney, my great-grandfather.  He was 59 at the time of this writing.

 Her children:

Kenneth.  He was 20 at the time of this writing.

Alice.  She was 18 at the time of this writing.

Ethel, my grandmother.  She was 16 at the time of this writing.

  Extras:

Viella Crites Hesser, wife of Luther's first cousin, Otho Hesser

Jonathan Elisha "Uncle Jon't" Hesser & his wife, Sarah Catherine "Aunt Kate" Hall Hesser, Luther's uncle and aunt and Otho's parents.

Sunday, February 3, 1929:  "The girls & I went to Sun. School.  Luther went to the ranch & found a pyramid someone had erected as a claim to pruning.  Laura Dodson & husband were here for dinner.  Went to Vespers & Church in the evening."

Monday, February 4, 1929:  "Rained again so Luther didn't work & he trimmed the rose vine on the porch.  We went to a nursery & got some pansy plants & shrubs.  Stayed at Woessner's awhile in the afternoon.  Alice & I went to town.  Harlan McMillan was here for supper.  Lucille & Freda White here in the evening & Lucille stayed all night."

Tuesday, February 5, 1929:  "Ironed and worked in the forenoon.  Went to Section meeting at Miss Moyle's in the afternoon.  Lucille Pence was here for supper & she & Ethel went to the show."

Wednesday, February 6, 1929:  "A rainy day.  Stayed home and fixed clothes & worked on Ethel's green checked dress.  Went up and got Alice's shoes."

Thursday, February 7, 1929:  "Went up town when L. took the children.  Viella was here for dinner.  Told us of the Northcott trial she had attended.*  Went home about 1 and I went to Miss Moyle's & worked on the quilt.  Came home at 5 and Alice & I went to the Mission Study supper.  Heard Prof. Cummings talk on the origin of the Bible.  Luther & Kenneth went to Bruce's & smudged.  Was coldest night of the winter.  Went before 12 & home at 6:30."

*  Gordon Stewart Northcott was convicted of three murders on February 8, 1929, just one day after Viella attended the trial.  The Wineville Chicken Coop Murders was a series of kidnappings and murders of young boys occurring in Los Angeles and Riverside County, California in 1928.  The case received national attention and events related to it exposed corruption in the Los Angeles Police Department.  The 2008 film Changeling, starring Angelina Jolie, is based upon events related to this case.  Please see this site for a full description of the case and events surrounding it. 

Friday, February 8, 1929:  "Snowed some & very cold.  Luther & I went to town in the forenoon & got $36 from Elsie bank.  Paid Gaume's bill.  Had dinner & ironed some.  L. picked oranges in the P.M.  I stayed at Woessner's.  Alice & I went to town & Ethel went to San B. with Pence's.  Stayed at Woessner's from 7 to 11:30 in the evening.  Luther & K. were called to smudge at 10 o'clock.  Was 25 1/2 degrees at 9:30."

Saturday, February 9, 1929:  "My 46th birthday.  Men home from smudging at 5:30 then went back to fill smudge posts.  Girls went up town.  A very cold day.  Finished Ethel's green checked silk dress.  The girls & I walked to the Matinee & home.  Went to Hanson's at 6 o'clock & got home at 11:30.  Luther and Kenneth had gone to Bruce's to smudge.  Ethel stayed all night with Lucille.  Got dandy birthday letters from Rosie & Maggie.  Nora gave me a box of candy." 

Happy Birthday, Bessie!