Milliron Monday: The Journals January – March 1969

Abbott "Pete" Smith D.V.M.:  June 16, 1938 - February 22, 2010

Virginia Joyann "Jody" Haley Smith: April 2, 1938 - May 9, 2021

Welcome to Milliron Monday where every Monday we celebrate the legacy of Milliron Farm and Clinic, Dr. Pete and Jody Smith.

The Journals

January – March 1969

 

A stack of Jody’s journals sits on my desk, poised to be boxed and entrusted to Pat for safekeeping. Before I hand them over, I feel it is only fitting to share some highlights with you. Delving into these journals offers a profound glimpse into the life of a country veterinarian’s wife. Her husband, perpetually on call, works long hours, while she manages two children, a menagerie of animals, and the myriad demands of daily life. Her days are filled with cooking, cleaning, naps, motherhood, relatives, neighbors, dear friends, the business of Milliron Clinic, the call of the library and local arts, and horseback riding at least once a day.

I often wonder where these journals were during the creation of Milliron: The Biography. A rhetorical question, indeed—they were in the attic! It seems only appropriate to share them with you now, a quarter-year at a time, with bulleted events from Jody’s daily life. Though they are in chronological order, they lack specific dates, but you will grasp the essence. I am certain Jody would be delighted for you to enjoy her daily logs.

Of particular note, in 1969 Jody rode either Cricket or Starboy almost every day, even in the depths of winter. I did not bullet every day Jody went riding (because it was every day). Also, “J.P.” or “J” or “P” means Jessica and/or Pat.

JANUARY

• Buckeye Trail Ride, Jim Ucker, Logan
• Grace Henderson, East State; Donaldson, born in this house; Harry Love, born in cabin on farm
• Joan, sorted bills, answered phone
• Rode Starboy, Sport killed opossum
• Bob Miller (drug salesman) here for supper, watched “Laugh-In’
• Napped
• Took deposit to Nelsonville bank
• Registration for ice skating lessons, waiting list
• Picked up blender
• Post office
• Had Pat’s glasses repaired, adjusted
• Buckeye Mart, groceries
• Joan worked on income/files
• Rode Cricket up Hooper Ridge; very icy, had to go under tree blown across road
• Basketball game, Federal Hocking/Miller
• 1^st Ice skating lesson, Joan drove
• Gas off, came back on
• Baked pineapple cake
• Church, vet calls at Fairgrounds
• Dr. Karns here for lunch
• J.P. calls with Pete, brought HS calf home
• Rode Starboy fell on knees and slid on ice
• Took calf to stock sale, talked to Sarla
• Pete, leave for Toronto
• Pete called
• Rode Cricket up Dougal, LaFollette, Brown, Concord, Hooper Ridge, Bryson
• Joan worked income tax figures
• Returned dog which followed me
• Equine short course
• Brought “Sassafras” home from Langels
• Pete called, fogged in in Toronto
• Pete finally arrived home
• Janet’s birthday
• Starboy lame, nail in right hind foot, put him and Cricket in hospital
• Soaked Starboy’s foot
• Pat on calls with Pete
• Made applesauce cake
• Ran out of gas, phoned from Phillip’s place, Bill Carr brought gas up
• “Appalachian Happening”

FEBRUARY

·        Rode Starboy up to Hooper Ridge, down the hollow, back up to Brown Road to look for vacant house in field, back down, Keirns Road

·        Took Pete to Scott’s after dump truck

·        Pete sick, 101 fever

·        Joan worked in dining room

·        Ice skating lessons, Joan drove

·        Pete, flu

·        Pete, Cleveland, OVMA

·        Jessica, sick

·        Pete called from Cleveland

·        Kept Jessica home from school

·        Baked Valentine cookies

·        Rode Starboy around pasture; up, down road

·        Bill, Eddy, tried to bring hay up hill, left four bales in yard

·        Rode Starboy down to John L’s, saw white deer, to New England, Starlin Road, took road to 690, back 50A

·        Grapefruit arrived from Jessie

·        Turned mare, ‘Alice Frisac’, out

·        Napped

·        Ran errands

·        Picked up pasteurized cream, milk

·        Groceries

·        Took J, P, Angela to ice skating

·        Sturbois, dinner; other couples, Ed, Kay, Richard

·        Church

·        Rode Starboy, J rode Silver, P rode TT [Tinker Toy]

·        Mrs. Whalen here after medicine

·        Received spray bottle from Jessie

·        Made spoon bread

·        Wormed, immunized horses

·        Pete, Oak Hill, Lecture

·        Hope’s birthday

·        Rode Starboy up H.R., Tom Keirns Road, Fleming, Brawley Roads, down lane by Eddy’s back 50A

·        Joan worked on bills

·        Millers here for dinner, brought cow up

·        Kept Pat home, fever, cold

·        Nelsonville, signed bank note

·        Pat, earache

·        Me, cold

·        Jerry Izor’s birthday

·        Took Pat to Dr. Baldwins

·        2:00 House of Glamor, Nellie Green

·        OU Theater (Brown’s didn’t come), Mrs. Connor babysat

·        Mom’s birthday

·        Me, cold earache

·        Ed Sullivan Show

·        Laundry

·        Fruit arrived from Jessie

·        Rode Starboy around motorcycle club trails

·        Made applesauce cake

·        Michelle Womack’s birthday

·        Susie’s birthday

·        Groceries, library

MARCH

·        Last ice-skating lesson

·        Picked up Winning’s trailer

·        Put horses, then ponies in trailer, treat grain

·        Took ponies to Mineral, came back, got Pete, horses, rode Waterloo Wildlife Area

·        Dishon’s brought ponies home

·        Fed Starboy, Cricket in trailer

·        Returned trailer

·        Mailed blood tubes, took bank deposit

·        R. Scott brought load of hay

·        Napped

·        Picked up pasteurized milk

·        Baked angel food cake

·        Picked up map at Waterloo Wildlife Station

·        Pete, not home for dinner

·        1^st calf

·        Washed kitchen, bathroom floors, vacuumed

·        Pete, not home for dinner

·        7:30 Gayle Saul, shower for Ellen Izor, Mrs. Conner babysat

·        2^nd calf

·        Swimming, Bromley Hall

·        Stopped at Sheila’s

·        Pete, not home for dinner

·        Church

·        Rode Starboy, J., P., rode ponies

·        Worked at desk

·        Ran errands, Joan answered phone

·        Rode Starboy bareback, checked calves

·        Bad headache

·        Pete home 12:30 am

·        Mended

·        Went to McArthur’s after pumps, Joan answered phone

·        Went after pump parts in Athens

·        3^rd calf

·        Cleaned Pat’s room

·        Pump finally hooked up

·        Stopped to see Ellen

·        Katrina Margarite Izor born

·        Picked up Chris, took health papers to Pomeroy, saw Sherrie

·        Church, went to Pomeroy after, Pete followed w his truck

·        Jerry, Mrs. Remington, picked up Chris

·        Pete, not home for dinner

·        Mrs. Love, dropped milk off

·        Blickle’s here

·        Pete, home late for dinner

·        Calving case, 12 to 5 am

·        Spring Show

·        Pete, S.A. Nutrition Course, Columbus

·        Watched halter classes all day (took Shane), Arab class “Never Die Rubin”

·        Dinner, Lancaster, Chuckwagon Steakhouse

·        Joan kept J. P.

·        Rode to Dow Lake w Laura, J. Silver Dollar

·        Rode Starboy bareback to look for cow

·        Picked up J at school, went to Spring Show (Col) took Darla, Kathy Stanley, Laura Theiss, Pat stayed with Hansons

·        Slept in, Church, napped, rode around farm

·        2:00 Martha Lipton, Ann Grover, Judy Wheeler

·        Charles Johnson birthday, 10 years old

·        Nailed back barn door shut, finally

·        Rode Starboy in snowstorm, beautiful large flakes

·        Jessie’s 85^th birthday

·        Cleaned house, made Jell-O, baked cake

·        2:00 Uncle George’s funeral

·        Dinner – Aunt Gertrude’s, Uncle Lloyd’s

·        Harvey, Tiffin; Lloyd, Shelby; William, Marion; Dwight, Texas

·        Marshal arrived

·        Sherry Indestadt, Sheryl here – shod Starboy, Gizola in front, took “Frisco” mare, pretty moonlight ride, Sherry jumped logs

·        No School, Eisenhower funeral

·        Marshall and Pat cleaned out horse barn

·        Rode Cricket in field, J. rode Silver

·        Cat’s shots due

Please forgive any typos, name or place misspellings; transcription from

vintage handwriting sometimes requires a magnifying glass and random

interpretation.

Enjoy the journey!

Connect with Gina

Amazon Author Page

Milliron: The Biography

www.gmcknight.com

www.mondaycreekpublishing.com

Through captivating, powerful, and emotional anecdotes, we celebrate the life of Dr. Abbott P. Smith. His biography takes the reader from smiles to laughter to empathy and tears. Dr. Smith gave us compelling lessons learned from animals; the role animals play in the human condition, the joy of loving an animal, and the awe of their spirituality. A tender and profound look into the life of a skilled veterinarian.