Thursday, October 8, 1936

Edwina brings Edna a homemade cough syrup.

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Cool, cloudy

Henry husking corn.

I made my eight-day

pickles have 14 qts.

Edwina sent me some

cough syrup (1 honey + few drops

[I can't make out the two words she wrote here]

Hank stayed all night with Walter last night.

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This cough is surely getting to Edna and the cool and cloudy days are likely not helping her health or her mood.

I can't quite decipher what it is that Edwina has added to the cough syrup in addition to honey. I imagine, especially because Edna is careful to note "just a few drops" that it is perhaps some sort of alcohol. In 1936, prohibition has just recently ended and surely it still isn't all that proper for a lady to have a drink.

I asked my dad about his grandmother's proclivity to drink and he shared a story he remembered when Morse, Edna's son, was encouraging Edna to try beer. It was Christmastime and Edna gave in, taking a sip of beer. She quickly responded with a side to side shaking of the face and a verbal blah.

I found an "old fashioned" cough syrup recipe to share with all of you and will admit that I recall, as a child, being given a dose of whiskey, honey, and lemon juice to help cure a cough.

GRANDADDY'S WHISKEY COUGH SYRUP

1 cup brown sugar 1 cup vinegar 1 cup honey 1 pint of "Rock & Rye" Whiskey

Boil brown sugar, vinegar and honey until a little thick, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Add Rock & Rye, refrigerate and use as needed.For a sore throat, at bedtime, very slowly, take 2 tablespoons, just taking a little at a time from spoon. Your sore throat will be gone by next day.