February 9, 1942 Diary

Monday, 40th Day - 325 Days to Follow

Written by Margie Arbuthnot

2 degrees above at 7 A.M.

I washed today.

Dad melted snow first.

Wrote to Lettie and Jessie tonight.

Time turned ahead 1 hour today.

20 degrees above at 8 P.M.

Grandpa must have melted the snow for Grandma to use for her washing water.  Since their drinking water was hauled in and they had to pay for it, this was an economical way to use some good clean and fresh snow.  

Interesting to me that time was changed on a Monday.  I didn't think that Daylight Savings Time began until the early 1960's, but reading on this web site, it was something that has taken place since World War I.  You can read about the history of changing our clocks here.

Now more about...

"The Girls" part two...

Fred and Margie's youngest daughter was quiet and shy.  Una Arletta Arbuthnot born in April of 1908.  Una attended school at the Batchelder school and then at the school in Niwot.  After graduation, she followed her brother Ken to Fort Collins and attended school there.  It was at Fort Collins where she met her husband, Charles "Chuck" Wesley Albert.  He was from Wyoming and was attending collage at the Colorado Aggie College (now Colorado State University).  Una and Chuck were married in 1927 and went to live in Wyoming where Chuck's family ran a store.  Three children were born, Darline, Donnie and Duane.  Due to a highway being put in, the Albert family store had to close and the family moved to San Bernadino, California.  

On a vacation trip when Una had brought the three grandchildren home to the Arbuthnot farm, Una received a telegram from her husband.  He announced her that he was leaving her for another woman.  Una was devastated of course and she did return home to try and work things out with Chuck.  But her efforts didn't work out and they divorced in 1941.  I'm not sure that Una ever recovered the devastation of her husband's actions, it was during a time when much shame was laid upon a divorced, single woman.  Yet, Margie and Fred loved their daughter and grandchildren and they all made the best of it.

Donnie was a big help to his Grandfather and to his Uncle Don on their farms.  Duane grew up to work for may of the neighbors, including the owners of Haystack Mountain - the Paynes.  Darline became the Head Girl of her class at Boulder High School as well as an accomplished musician.  And I'm sure, that for Fred and Margie, it was good to have their girls back home with them again.

Una went on to work as a seamstress for the University of Colorado.  She worked tirelessly making curtains, tablecloths, and other various things for the university.  She never married again, but enjoyed her many grandchildren, nieces and nephews.  

Children of Fred and Margie Arbuthnot.
L to R Ken, Donald, Una, Marjorie

Chalres "Chuck" and Una (Arbuthnot) Albert
1927

Una (Arbuthnot) Albert, with her children.
L to R Donnie, Darline, Una, Duane
April 1951, Boulder, Colorado

The Author of this blog with her family & "The Girls",  her Aunts Una and Marjorie.
L to R Aunt Una Albert,  Sean, Bryson, Steve & Donlyn, Aunt Marjorie Hawn.
November 1991, Boulder, Colorado