February 14
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
February 14, 1998
Up at 7:00. Ate. We all (skiers) went 2 Beech Mtn. & skied until 4:00. Saw Dylan Karaus! :) Me & Audrey never fell & got some good jumps. Showered. Had dinner & session.
Laura M., age 14, Colorado
February 14, 1997
This was one of the best/worst days. Sean’s real nice, found out he likes me. Skip 5th with him, Mike, and Karen. Dad comes to pick me up early, I’m not there. I’m BUSTED. Catch a flight to Denver at 5:00. Get to bed at 1:30. Parents are so MAD. I’ll be grounded for a while.
Mark M., age 43, North Carolina
February 14, 1997
Woke up ~ 7:00. Talk in bed with Sandra. Rebecca got in bed with us => we watched “Scooby Doo” together. Drank mimosas with Sandra. Took Reb. to school with Sandra => Sandra suddenly depressed/angry. To Paradigm with Sandra for coffee, checkers; saw Judy Beck there with her friend, Jane. To Victoria Secret @ Cary Towne Center with Sandra => bought her pajamas for her Valentine’s Day gift. To office to get med. journal => home with Sandra. Helped Sandra get security clip off her PJ’s. Selected CD’s for trip. Office mail. Phone from Karen Rogers as we preparing to leave for lunch @ McGregor Downs to say our flite had been cancelled, but that we could fly out at 2:00 (< 90 min. warning). Phone to SS-I re flite change => she to airport with Laura’s bag. To CHS to get Laura, but she’d cut class & couldn’t be found. Home (very angry!). Hurriedly packed Mazda; Rogers came over ~ 1:00 => Wayne & I put skis on top of car. To airport with S & R, Karen & Wayne & Ashley. SS-I met us there => I told her “Laura’s not going” => she left to go look for Laura @ CHS; “bye” to Sandra. To gate to catch plane with Reb. & Rogers; got Laura booked on a 5:21 flite. Flew to Dallas-Ft. Worth (3-handed spades with K & W (Karen won); phone to Laura from plane; diary). Got message when we arrived @ Dallas that my flite to Denver had been changed to same flite Laura would be on => phone to SS-I & Sandra; walked to gate with Reb. & Rogers for their flite to Denver; Tetris; played with Reb. “Bye” to Reb. & Rogers as they boarded their flite => walked to gate Laura coming in on; had beer while writing in diary; med. journal. Met Laura getting off plane from RDU => “ran” to gate for flite to Denver. Stern talk with Laura on plane re her cutting class today & all the problems it caused => she cried; talked to guy from K.C. on flite re B-ball (he went to Kansas), etc.; journal. Arrived in Denver ~ 10:45 => Karen met us at gate => met up with Wayne, Ashley, & Reb. @ baggage carousel => waited outside for ~ 30 mins. for shuttle to Embassy Suites => shuttled to hotel & checked in ~ 12:30 => slept with Laura after phone to Sandra.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
February 14, 1960
A beautiful day, but ice and snow underneath. Lo and G.B. to feed ponies and back to take Carrie to Sunday school in G.B.’s car. She was going home from church. After errands and ’phone calls Lo started on drive way and chopping ice on walk. Found a package in door from Secret Pal, soap and B.B. Had such a headache all bones in my head sore.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
February 14, 1944
Snowed again last night. Ground covered. Cleared at noon. Not so cold. Good voice lesson at 10. Had to drink coffee for breakfast. At 10:30 went over to ballroom and stood in one line or another until 12 when nurse told us we’d have to come back at 2. Some corny men were there taking movies and they held up everything! After all we just wanted to give our blood! Good lunch. Kath didn’t go. Tiny gift valentine from Earl – “in all sincerity.” Wonder if that means he’s sending something?! Studied during siesta. Mary and Betty went to gym at 2. I went to ballroom and was soon in line for a bed. Read Adam Bede. Just before I went in the girl in the bed nearest the door passed out cold and scared me to death. However, all went well and the girl in the bed next to mine watched and reported on my blood and I did the same for her. Said mine looked like wine! Felt a little shaky afterwards and nurse aide helped me to canteen where we had chicken sandwiches, milk and cookies. One girl asked me if I felt okay – said I looked peaked. Nobody home at hall – I picked my way carefully (!) to bank and thense to library where I read Pollard for history. Back about 4:45 with intentions of studying shorthand and taking bath before going to show. But at 5 Mary, Betty and Kath came and were going to town before show. Obvious that Mary was not on speaking terms with Kath. Betty’s idea that forcing them together might help matters. Betty was very solicitous of my health. Still felt a little weak. Two letters from Mum. So we went to town. Shopped around with Mary. Not so cold. Then to Peck’s and had soup. Mary began to thaw out and by the time we got to Bing’s for a hamburger she was on joking terms with Kath. At 7 went to Hall and sat in balcony. Saw Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon in “Madame Curie.” Gee, it was wonderful. Kath and Mary laughed when Betty and I cried and made Betty mad. Back about 9:30. Bath and to bed.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
February 14, 1888
It turned cold today at noon it was 4 degrees above, 42 degrees colder than at noon yesterday, the wind blew strongly from the north. Una seems to keep better. There was an election today in this congressional district to fill a vacancy. It is being watched with much interest all over the country. I let out my classes early and went to vote. The thermometer was at 0 when I last looked.
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
February 14, 1887
Got up and built the fires this morning, wrote some more to Kate then got ready and went to Frankfort. It sprinkled while we were going and it rained a good deal while we were on the road coming back this afternoon. I had my hair cut and did a little trading also. We took dinner at the Frankfort House. Lake Michigan seemed clear of ice and looked very black and majestic. We stopped at the Post Office as we came home and got the mail. I received a letter from Effie, The Leader, two copies of “The Office” and the garden seeds I ordered of D.M. Ferry and Co. I finished my letter to Kate tonight. It still storms.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
February 14, 1863
Made two other gowns today. One for Willie & one for Zona besides finishing the one I began yesterday. Laura Gudger was here this morning a short time. She wanted to buy some goblets. Mrs. George Jones spent the day here. She came to see Mr. Henry on business. He went to Asheville this morning & did not return till night so she did not get to see him. Snow nearly all gone, only an occasional speck on the north sides of hills. Betsey went home yesterday evening. She had no more filling. She wove in what Tena had spun of the blue mixed. It makes beautiful cloth, prettier than the black mixed. A traveler staid here last night, an old man named Shipman.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
February 14, 1862
Mail came. I see the yankees are landing in Alabama on the Tennessee River. They are a tricky set of dogs. I wish this unholy war at an end. L. McKinnish came again last night. She is all gab. My dear little ones are well. Pinck sprained his ankle last Wednesday & lay by a day for it. He limps a little yet with it. The others are well. Willie can push a chair all over the room but does not try to walk alone. It has been a cloudy dull day, rained at night.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Samuel P., age 35, London
February 14, 1668
(Valentine’s day). Up, being called up by Mercer, who come to be my Valentine, and so I rose and my wife, and were merry a little, I staying to talk, and did give her a guinny in gold for her Valentine’s gift. There comes also my cozen Roger Pepys betimes, and comes to my wife, for her to be his Valentine, whose Valentine I was also, by agreement to be so to her every year; and this year I find it is likely to cost 4l. or 5l. in a ring for her, which she desires. Cozen Roger did come also to speak with Sir W. Pen, who was quoted, it seems, yesterday by Sir Fr. Hollis to have said that if my Lord Sandwich had done so and so, we might have taken all the Dutch prizes at the time when he staid and let them go. But Sir W. Pen did tell us he should say nothing in it but what would do my Lord honour, and he is a knave I am able to prove if he do otherwise. He gone, I to my Office, to perfect my Narrative about prize-goods; and did carry it to the Commissioners of Accounts, who did receive it with great kindness, and express great value of, and respect to me: and my heart is at rest that it is lodged there, in so full truth and plainness, though it may hereafter prove some loss to me. But here I do see they are entered into many enquiries about prizes, by the great attendance of commanders and others before them, which is a work I am not sorry for. Thence I away, with my head busy, but my heart at pretty good ease, to the Old Exchange, and there met Mr. Houblon. I prayed him to discourse with some of the merchants that are of the Committee for Accounts, to see how they do resent my paper, and in general my particular in the relation to the business of the Navy, which he hath promised to do carefully for me and tell me. Here it was a mighty pretty sight to see old Mr. Houblon, whom I never saw before, and all his sons about him, all good merchants. Thence home to dinner, and had much discourse with W. Hewer about my going to visit Colonel Thomson, one of the Committee of Accounts, who, among the rest, is mighty kind to me, and is likely to mind our business more than any; and I would be glad to have a good understanding with him. Thence after dinner to White Hall, to attend the Duke of York, where I did let him know, too, the troublesome life we lead, and particularly myself, by being obliged to such attendances every day as I am, on one Committee or another. And I do find the Duke of York himself troubled, and willing not to be troubled with occasions of having his name used among the Parliament, though he himself do declare that he did give directions to Lord Brouncker to discharge the men at Chatham by ticket, and will own it, if the House call for it, but not else.
*(The Diary of Samuel Pepys M.A. F.R.S., edited by Henry B. Wheatley F.S.A., London, George Bell & Sons York St. Covent Garden, Cambridge Deighton Bell & Co., 1893.)