Monday, February 10, 1936

WORST STORM IN FORTY YEARS. RED WALKS HOME TO ALTO.

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A terrible terrible blizzard

all day long roads blocked

all over.

Red walked back to Alto. Left

his car here. Morse had a

hard time starting our car the

Dodge.

Washed.

Reports over radio that this

is worst storm in forty years.

Kids didn't go to city for their

music lessons to-night.

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It seems as if the winter of 1936 has been a bit brutal. Below freezing temperatures and frequent accumulation of snow have dominated Edna's weather documentation in her journal since January. While I can find some news stories about the freezing temperatures in 1936, the weather stories that dominate that year are about what is yet to come...a record-breaking heat wave in July.

This particular storm must have been bad because the kids did not go to their music lessons in Grand Rapids. In other journal entries, despite wicked weather, it seems they still venture out in their automobiles.

Red, however, does venture out during this storm ...on foot. He and Helen are spending time together but are not betrothed. He had to spend the previous night because of the storm but two nights in a row may not have been seemly. So, he left his car behind and walked home. It's about a four mile journey from Bowne Center to Alto. On a blizzardy day, it must have take Red the better part of two hours to walk home.