12/1-12/7/46

12/1 Sunday Eugene out of bed today. The kids played together all morning ending with the building of a great four room apartment. After lunch I took them down to St. James where we fed polly seeds to the birds. Then the kids went on the sliding ponds. At home, played different games with the kids using the French Spanish lotto game. They were very familiar with the objects on the boards, Eugene being faster at finding them than I was. Both still have running noses, Eugene still getting argyrol packs.

"French Spanish lotto game" sounds somewhat esoteric; I have no memory of that. 

12/2 Played with the anagrams with Sylvia to teach her some letters and she was delighted when I described a "D" as a pot belly. Played Eugene some real anagrams. Later we all played hit the marble. The veto is still the stormy petrel of the U.N. At night to see "State Fair" technicolor musical with Jeanne Crain, Dana Andrews, Dick Haymes and "House on 92nd St." the story of the Nazi espionage system in America uncovered by the F.B.I. with Lloyd Nolan as Chief. 

12/3 We ordered the Book of Knowledge today - total cost $92.40 to be paid in $7. installments. Eugene will go into 2A tomorrow under the new rapid advance system. Sylvia is proud of her new long stockings. The Senate Committee investigating Bilbo heard witnesses tell of beatings and intimidation in connection with the elections. A Polish resolution to break with Franco was countered by an American proposal to request Franco to resign. Labor M.P. Zilliacus is prominent in battling the Labor Gov'ts reactionary foreign policy. U.S. & England merged their German occupation zones for economic purposes.

The Book of Knowledge, a 20 (I think) volume encyclopedia lasted a long time, and I really loved it. The grade change is confusing, as I've spent two terms in first grade, so going on to second seems normal. But this does appear to be a couple of months early. 

12/4 Eugene is in class 2-6 now but has the same teacher and room. He starts 8:30 instead of 9 and returns from lunch 12:45 instead of 1. Sylvia rode the bike this morning and told me a secret that she wanted to swing in the playground which we did. England and the US are shaping uniform military plans. Federal Judge Goldsborough pronounced Lewis and the miners guilty of violating the govt's injunction against a strike. Sadie and the kids over in the afternoon. 

12/5 Our anniversary. Gave Lillian two boxes of candy and she gave me a beautiful tie. Eugene got some new words in school today including "telephone". Sylvia likes to come to my bed in the morning and roll all over me. The Gov't fined the mine union $3,000,000 in an unprecedented move and Lewis $10,000. Oakland has an A.F.L. general strike growing out of dept. store organization. Molotov agreed that the control & inspection including the atom is not subject to the veto. Thorez was 51 votes short of the premiership of France. Housing Expediter W. Wyatt resigned, after failing to get support for veterans housing. Mama over for lunch with sheets for our Anniversary.

12/6 We had to chide Eugene severely for his patronizing and antagonistic attitude towards Sylvia in conversations. Sylvia washes herself and keeps up with Eugene in eating. C.I.O. and A.F.L. will support Lewis and the Miners.

12/7 Sylvia complains about her snow pants, claiming they're too dirty to wear. We have to continually remind her about whining when she has something to say to us. We had to scold Eugene for fighting with Sylvia, crying and carrying on indistinguishably from the younger Sylvia. Murray called for a parley of all labor to meet the attack on labor. Civil war has started in Iran stemming from Tehran's attempt to supervise Azerbaijan elections. Greek Prime Minister Tsaldaris is here to complain to the UN about alleged Balkan intervention in the Greek civil war through sheltering and arming guerrillas driven across the border and even entering Greece to fight with the guerrillas. Sam Shore is dead at 55.