Ruth's Grandbaby, Lynn Meredith, in Dec., 1966

Lynn Meredith Pellettiere enjoying the little yellow tub, sitting on a counter in the upper level bath of our first house in Mt. Prospect.  She's 7 months old and smiling at Daddy, the camera man, while Mom gives her a bath.  Ruth's diary entries follow, starting with the 3rd day of their drive from FL to IL.  She is 60 and John 67.

December 13, 1966 - "Up and out by 6:45 A.M.  Good day again.  Best yet when we hit Chicago we got sun - only traces of snow in parts of Indiana & Illinois on ground.  Arrived at Diane's at 2:30 & surprised her at early hour.  Roger also here.  Beth & Philip came later & talked to Ken after supper.  Phoned Mom & got Jim so told him we'd see them Thurs.  Lynn is studying us!"

December 14, 1966 - "We took Diane grocery shopping & J. paid bill.  Lynn peevish - lack of sleep I guess.  We went out a 2nd time to the big Niles shopping area & Diane bought herself dress material & pattern for shift.  Tired tonite.  Baby missed good naps so had to go to bed early as she was unhappy.  Diane made Sukiyaki for the 3 of us as Dan flew to Memphis today."

December 15, 1966 - "Diane had a bad night and got up this A.M. to vomit so I took care baby and food.  Called Mom to say we'd not be there today, of course.  Tonite I gave Diane tea and toast, but she lost it.  She must have intestinal flu, but has no doctor yet, except new gynecologist she has first date with on Sat."

Roger and Philip Kellogg are our 3- and 6 -year old nephews.  They are the children of Diane's brother, Ken, and his wife, Beth.  Grandpa John Kellogg had the flu in Florida, starting on Dec. 7, which may be
where Diane got it.  She was going to the OB-Gyne because she was expecting another child in July.  Ruth's mother and brother, Lottie (80) and Jimmie (55) Meredith, lived about a mile away from the Pellettieres, also in Mt. Prospect.  They had moved out of the west side Austin area of Chicago where they had had a 2-flat on Iowa St. since 1922.

Ruth & John Help Ken & Family Move to Florida - 1971

The picture shows Lynn, Kate and Cindy Pellettiere at Kate's 2nd birthday in April, 1972.  They're in the balloon-clad dining room of the Palatine house with beach pails and shovels on the table in front of them, favors for the kids about to come to the party. The painting is one of Dan's.

Ruth's diary talks about how she and John stayed at Ken's home for a few weeks.  They helped show the house, clean the house, make meals, take care of the boys, do laundry etc. while the Des Plaines house was on the market.  Ken's family would move to one in Clearwater FL that summer, joining Ruth and John as well as Ruth's mother and brother in Largo FL.

June 1, 1971 - 42nd Anniversary!
"I made 2 phone calls to pick up furniture & clothing, etc. before Diane phoned for help.  Out I went to Palatine to stay with ailing Cindy and the baby so she could go register  L & C for summer school.  She or they returned about 11:10 and I had to hurry right back here for boys' lunch, then took them to school and went to beauty shop (Tiffany's - Joann) where had hair done.  

Back here to put roast in oven, clean up lunch dishes  & make a few more beds before Philip got here to go to the store with me.  Roger went right to a birthday party from school.

Anniversary card in the mail from D & D.  She & girls phoned & sang over wire the 'Birthday' song - and substituting Anniversary.  Had good meal for 5 of us at 6:10 - only I and boys didn't like the taste of the sweet potatoes."

The "summer school" was an arts/crafts class at the Palatine Park District facility over on the east side of town.  It was one or two hours each time, met twice a week and ran several weeks.  Lynn & Cindy seemed
enjoy it.  Ken's first wife is mentioned periodically in Ruth's diary.  She must have been living separately, perhaps in a hospital.   Neither the diary quote nor the picture are in Pieces of a Life.  The 5 people who ate Ruth's dinner would have been all Kelloggs - Ruth, John, Ken (39), Philip (10) and Roger (7).