April 11 – Wednesday –
A bright sunny day with just enough coolness to make it bracing –
Bertha and I to Buffalo shopping for clothes. Bertha had seen some Egyptian cotton ones advertised by Bergers, but when I called them they were all gone in her size. B – seemed rather downcast and disappointed and it mad me feel bad – However, we went to A.M.&A.’s and at once found some new dresses – that suited her so well she bought three – from there to the hat department where she got a nice one, navy in color – The clerk said that Bertha made a perfect model for showing off the 16 ½ size. To me she looked so sweet as she came out each time.
To lunch on the eight floor – our waitress spoke with a broad Scotch accent – she asked Bertha if she could understand her with such a pronounced accent – When she came again, I said to her that if she was worrying about her ‘accent’ she shouldn’t as we liked it very much.
After lunch to Kleinhan’s where I got a new hat, summer bath robe, a pair of trousers and a light weight sport coat. Then home, - tea and a rest.
Evening to mid-week Lenten Service –
During the Huntley-Brinkley news-cast, they showed Pres. Kennedy giving his scorching denunciation of the steel companies callous and cynical raise in the price of steel. He was fine to watch in his (justifiable) anger.
This morning we received no paper – While we wondering if our ‘trial’ subscription had run out, the phone rang. A boy asked, “Did you receive your morning paper today?” When I said no, he went on that the reason the dog Penny (Rahill’s) prevented him, that he chased him and bit him on the ankles. Without giving it much thought, I called Rahill’s to report it – Mary (Rahill) was gone, so I gave the maid the message.
Afterwards I thought I should probably [have] kept quiet – after all I haven’t much sympathy for a boy that is afraid of a dog – especially one like Penny (an Airedale) She does run out and bark at people – but is all in fun.
Bedtime music – the last half of Haydn’s “Seven Last Word”.
Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, April 11, 1962