Krefeld, Germany

Had MIA party last night — Ruth Hansen stepped on a nail and bloodied up the floor. Party broke up early and while we were cleaning up, Rebecca Hansen had Heather on her shoulders and ran through one of the doors in the Relief Society Room and clobbered her head (Heather’s head), splitting it open. We made a trip to the hospital (Stadt Krankenhaus Krefeld) emergency room where she was sewed up. Mervyn and Lynn Wright and Peter Chesterneuf went with us. After the hospital we went over to our house for games and such to celebrate New Years. Mervyn beat me at darts. At midnite we went out to bang pots and pans and found that at least half the city had bought fireworks and set them off at midnite. The entire sky was lit up — sounded like a war! Heard on news today that the Germans spent over $52 million on fireworks for New Years. This will probably be forbidden soon. Hamburg had more than 300 fires from fireworks last nite.

Peter came over this afternoon, and stayed late. Paula (his sister) called tonight to say that she’d arrive in Krefeld on Friday evening at 12:57 p.m.

Transcribed from my journal