July 31
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
July 31, 1997
Damn! :) Went to work at 11:00. Chris came to see me about 3:00. We chilled some in the back, then he left. Kristen Rudy stopped by, too! Then she left, then Chris (and Gerard) came back. When they left me and Chris had a real big hug. Closed with Ann. Came home. Showered. Went over to Pat’s and paged Chris. We all went on a walk and Chris drove up with Gerard and Ryan. We all chilled on his car. Him with his head in my stomach and arms around me. All my friends left and his friends got in the car. He started kissing my neck and then we made out for about 30 minutes! He kissed me on the neck and left. God.
Mark S., age 40, North Carolina
July 31, 1993
Up ~8:00 A.M. To office with Sarah to drop off beeper & to check Lauren Santori. To Brueggers with Sarah for bagel, coffee, newspaper, talk. Home ~9:30. Diary. Checked check-book with Sandra. Tennis (doubles) with Sandra vs. Bob & Donna Lee @ MacGregor Downs (6-4,2-6,1-6); singles with Bob (7-5). Home ~1:15. To Raleigh Little Theater with Sandra, Rebecca, Sarah, & Lillie for “The Hobbit” (play); walked in Rose Garden; supper @ Brother’s on Hillsborough St.; played in church playground near Brother’s => played HORSE on ~7.5 ft. goal with Sandra & Sarah (I won); ice cream @ Doug’s Ice Cream. To Kenny & Druscie’s to drop off Rebecca to spend nite with Lillie; talked to K & D, Robert Wilson (he told me re his recent diagnosis with rheumatic fever), & Tommy Pope (Kenny’s neighbor); I bought beer. Home with Sandra & Sarah. 3-handed spades with Sandra & Sarah (I won). Phone from Emily from Seattle => she did not place in Scottish dancing nationals). Stern talk on phone with Colleen b/o she not calling Sarah tonite (she was to spend nite). To movie with Sarah @ Waverly Place (“Free Willy”) => home. Read from “The Two Towers” with Sarah. Hurt talk with Sandra re me having coffee with Lisa Cole => Sandra tried to leave => I talked her out of it => we slept in Em’s bed b/o Sandra’s hurt back.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
July 31, 1960
Woke up early to bathe and get breakfast. At nine picked Carrie up for S.S. Up to cemetery and home. Lo to mow did the the front, later the back and painted chairs and as usual ran out of pain so still isn’t finished. K.J. called up to talk to her mother. They leave at 4:30 to pick her up. We ate and sat around for awhile. P. and M. washed dishes. Later had coffee. They took Carrie home. Called Zella had tried all day. She had been at [???].
Marcy S., age 20, Tennessee
July 31, 1944
Rained in morning. Lovely. Pretty busy. We take deposition tomorrow! I’m scared to death! Met George up by Rockwells’ at noon and walked home with him. No rain in afternoon but cloudy. Felt very good. Day-dreamed and had wonderful time. Bad habit, though. Didn’t mind its being cloudy today. Ironed dress after work. Pop home for supper. About 7:30 went down to Kimmie’s. Sat in porch swing and waited for her. Kay came down and she and Mrs. Young went to the show. Mrs. Young reminds me of Auntie Edith. I had the most wonderful feeling of loving everybody! Kim. issued forth and we walked down to Red Cross. Pan and Betsy came, too, the former going upstairs to band practice. The Rockwells were there and some other ladies. Later Nancy Wallace, Wilda Mc. and another girl came. Betsy was in a giggling mood. The skating rink music nearly drove us crazy. Made 2x4’s tonight. I made 101. Pan came down after band practice. We all walked up to Rockwells’ corner with Betsy and then Pan and Kim. went on up to Tarwater’s with me. Lovely night. Hope it doesn’t rain for the hay ride tomorrow. Much as we need it.
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
July 31, 1887
Slept rather late this morning trying to make up for lost rest on the pine plains. Went to church myself today. Took a good nap after dinner. Kate and I took a walk up on the hill to look at things; they seem to be feeling the dry weather very badly. Fred Neill called and brought us some nice eating apples. I looked for some red raspberries but they are gone. It has been a warm day, but is cooling off tonight. I have been thinking of the thousands of white water lilies we saw on the ponds on the plains, and wondering if they could not be made to give up their perfume to be bottled. I must study on the scheme.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
July 31, 1862
Willie bad off all day. Rained all day. Jinnie sewed some on her dress. I finished Fannie’s dress. I don’t work half the time as I have to nurse Willie so much & attend him other ways. Mr. Henry was in the house all day. I am giving Willie white oak steeped in water & a strong tea of red & white oak to bath his bowels in. He has fallen off a great deal.
*(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 34, London
July 31, 1667
Up, and at my office all the morning. About noon with Mr. Ashburnham to the new Excise Office, and there discoursed about our business, and I made him admire my drawing a thing presently in shorthand: but, God knows! I have paid dear for it, in my eyes. Home and to dinner, and then my wife and Deb. and I, with Sir J. Minnes, to White Hall, she going hence to the New Exchange, and the Duke of York not being in the way, Sir J. Minnes and I to her and took them two to the King’s house, to see the first day of Lacy’s “Monsieur Ragou,” now new acted. The King and Court all there, and mighty merry — a farce. Thence Sir J. Minnes giving us, like a gentleman, his coach, hearing we had some business, we to the Park, and so home. Little pleasure there, there being little company, but mightily taken with a little chariot that we saw in the street, and which we are resolved to have ours like it. So home to walk in the garden a little, and then to bed. The month ends mighty sadly with me, my eyes being now past all use almost; and I am mighty hot upon trying the late printed experiment of paper tubes.
*(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.)