Was down at the office at 10:00 and by 12:00 the mess on my desk was put away and I (?) in my (?) with a cup of coffee. Took the mirror down to be cut but found no store open. Dropped bye to see Mrs Marshall on the third floor. Doing slightly better. At 4:15 was back at the apartment. Gave the car a brushing off of mud, dressed and we were finally off to a cocktail party at Tom Wilson’s, where I met Dr Park, professor of OB at GW, Dr M. Thomas, Peterson, Dr Avery, Jim Walsh. A patient wanted to see me from Southeast but I shunted her to another doctor. We eat supper at Chevy Chase (?) – nothing special, then to a romantic Technicolor of the Foreign Legion. At home was toasted the New Year with sherry as the clock struck (on the half hour). To bed.

New Year’s remembrance come tomorrow. Tonight there has descended a curtain of fog to (?) (?) (?).

Editors Note: On Jan 1st Papa wrote, “Only resolution so far relates to cigarettes. My second is to never give up on what is to begin this year. For this time things are going to progress slowly and surely with God’s help. If not then I shall see it clearly by what is written here.” It was certainly a pivotal year in his life – and in all of ours!

After 9:00 Mass (we couldn’t get up to the 8:00 ) we had breakfast. I was feeling a bit achy so after reading the news, stretched out on the bed and nap for about a half an hour until interrupted by a phone call. Then lunch and I drove downtown to see a patient of Corniers in a filthy apartment house on N Street. Then Mrs Marshall with some fever and a sore belly and diarrhea.

Went to pick up Anna and to Libs for a small gathering. Met Margie Scarborough’s sister but did not recognize her. I left early to see a patient of Hartman’s in Riverdale and back to talk a while at Libs with her and Virginia McCormick munching on her caviar. Thence to Lt. Vitola’s family where four children and wife all had fever and sore throats. Penicillin in the buttocks for all. What a lively happy family they are. Rengie’s patients. Stopped at the Hot Shoppe for something to eat and drink and home, to bed at 12:30. People that Libs party where the Millers, Lithicans, Philbins,

A very busy day. Left the apartment at 9:30 and saw Mrs Kemp, then to downtown for an auction at Sloan’s. Bought some photo paper, picked up a (?) at Sloan’s for $6.00, had lunch and leaving Anna in town, went to the Chest Clinic. No business there.

Picked her up and to Peck and Peck to buy a hat and to the office where we worked from 4:00 to 8:00 with time out for sandwich, enlarging pictures. Some were pretty good. Picked up John and Carol Hanson and drove them out to our apartment, where we talked and munched on cherry pie, cookies and eggnog. To bed at 12:15

Made a trip out to S.E. to see a tabes dorsales of Dr. Counier’s. {Tabes dorsalis is a slow degeneration of the nerve cells and nerve fibers that carry sensory information to the brain.} Back again to Chest Clinic and then to the office where between time I saw one to two patients.

Down to Chest Clinic at 9:30 till 11:00. Back at the office I developed my first roll of Christmas pictures. Then went out to see a patient in N.E. Back to witness Mrs Mitchell’s vaccination – a real (?). Developed the second role of film. (?) were not bad except for some unexplained blanks. There was something wrong with the camera mechanism.

Back home for supper and another small discussion regarding English – very unpleasant always. While I was writing letters to Mama and to Mrs Hanssen, Anna was napping on the sofa for about 2 hours. I put her to bed and read all Newsweek and retired myself at 11:30.

Perhaps, fatigue and absence of initiative are symptoms of early pregnancy. Otherwise, I would be somewhat concerned with Anneke who is not too contributive domestic-wise recently. Nor would I change her for anyone in this world for it all.

We left 1000 Harvey Street in (?) darkness and rain. Mama gave us breakfast. Anna snoozed in my lap. As usual following departure from Christmas and home, as I drive away, the thoughts of home and my own inadequacy to reveal my appreciation for the long hard years that made me this way – these worry my soul. The rain lit up halfway. We got home at 1:00, Anna vomiting off and on en route. A brief lunch and I was down to the office to see Miri Lobo, Jones girl and then Mrs Perkins at the K-W. Home. Anna felt pokey all evening – and rather lackadaisical. I returned at 11:00 a bit weary myself. Fixed up the Japanese doll, but it seems a little out of place.

8:00 mass, and breakfast and then the multiple unwrappings. I took several pictures before settling down in the loveseat with Anna to work on our (?) presents. It was a long morning. Then dinner.

This was a regal experience in food preceded by a few toasts – from Mama to “the grandest father I know”, but I was feeling unexpressive at the time. Two turkeys, and for dessert – plum pudding, ice cream, black and strawberry sauce, meringues, cake, (?) (?) arising from coffee. I took Lessie home and then went upstairs to comfort and read to Anna who was feeling a bit homesick for a Braschaat. After a sandwich, we all went to see, “Too Young to King”! Then an egg nog and conversation in the kitchen and over to the Babs.

Over for breakfast on a groaning six leaf table. Bill and I went downtown for a buying tour. Picked up a book for (?), one for Bill and a pretty little pin for Anneke After lunch, Anna and I went out to the country club for a round of golf, then back again. Picked up some more photography lights at Siddell’s and brought them back home. After supper, all the presents descended in house boxes and I snapped a few pictures of them. What a job! After a visit to a party at the wolf’s, Anna wearing her new pin, we retired.

Mass at 9:00, Anna having to leave because of stomach cramps. Breakfast at a large table with 13 people. Then much work in the attic, picking out things to take along, and (?) a doll (japanese). Dinner and then walked to the drug store to pick up the New York Times. Anna, I, Bill – Gloria took in the Bethlehem story at the Moorhead Planetarium at Chapel Hill and returned. We stayed across the street at the Bab’s.

Gave out three prescriptions in the office – $6 and wound up my business turning interim prohibition over to (?).

Received a letter in the mail at the office from the American Board of Internal Medicine that I knew contained some crucial news. I hesitated to open it but Anna did for me and she jumped to her feet with joy. I passed the orals. We picked up Sadiko and had lunch together at the house. Then over to Walter Reed to visit Colonel Forbes who is in for a last visit it seems. Finally we were headed for the South and Christmas at home. 5:00 to 11:00 it took us, without mishaps.