“Aunt Ellen & Robert saw me off on the bus for Weyburn“ Saturday, July 22, 1944
22 Sat. Mrs Hawton died in hospital. Did a little washing & ironing for myself this morning. Mrs. Stewart did the floors. Got my packing done. Aunt Ellen & Robert saw me off on the bus for Weyburn. I rode with Margaret Gendron. Wilma met me. I had supper & changed my clothes at Aunt Mena’s. Went to the show with Isabelle & Neil. It was Ali Baba & the Forty Thieves in technicolor. Grand. Bed at 1 o’clock.
23 Sun. Mom called me at eight to see if I wanted to go fishing. Dad & we girls went with Mr. Stutt down to the damn (sic). I got two and between the bunch of us we had 21. Went to S.S. & Church, then Mom cleaned fish & the girls made ice cream for supper. Had a maple walnut Sundae. Mae & Monty came down this eve. We each had a cone. I came to work for Mae & Monty. Isabelle rode to Freemans.
24 Mon. Mae got breakfast. Called me a little before seven. I ironed. We did odd jobs & got dinner. This afternoon went to the other place. Mae washed the floor & I did the woodwork, then we both painted woodwork. Came home & got supper then went to Spaffords to look for the pigs. Went to Taits so Monty could get the tractor. Laurie rode the bike out. I and Monty played with Kira. Funny & good. I slept with Mae.
25 Tues. Mae & I went to the other place. Painted until the paint ran out, the came home. Mae went to town for more, while I got dinner ready. This afternoon we went back, & Monty went over on the tractor. Mae was sick, so he had to bring her home. He went back & fixed back step, cleaned yard & finished second coat on woodwork then did some sizing in the front room. I drove the truck home alone. Neil came up this evening. Talked to us until Monty came home. Fooled around with the dog and went to bed at ten.
26 Wed. Mrs Hawton’s funeral. Monty called me this morn, & I got breakfast. Mae didn’t feel very well yet. I did most of the work, then Mae & I went to the other place at about 8.30. I did some more sizing, & she scrubbed part of the other floor. We came home & had dinner. Monty was away but came over this afternoon. We gave the kitchen the required coat of paint. I finished scrubbing the floor. Mae & I went to bed at nine. Monty was away.
27 Thurs. Mae went to town twice this morn before she got the right color paint. We started painting the woodwork in the front room. Were alone for dinner. Had salmon. Finished painting this afternoon & started papering. The three of us went to Moffats tonight in the truck then to the gravel pit. Got some gravel. Met Morley Giroux’s on the way home. Talked awhile. Bed at ten.
28 Fri. Got up at seven. Papered the kitchen all day. Mae & I left at 4.30 & came home on the tractor. Had a coke & rested awhile. We washed our feet after supper. I cleaned up & started out for McGugans. Mr. Woodwork picked me up. He gave me a ride, then we sat & talked awhile & I visited Mrs. McGugan. Men away.
(scroll to the end of this post for a picture of the original diary entries in Mom’s handwriting)
These are the diaries of a seventeen-year-old teenager from a farm near Weyburn, Saskatchewan. Her name is Lorraine. She eventually was a church organist in Colgate. In 1944 she was the piano player for a dance band in Weyburn. In these days before school busses she, and her sisters, each had to move from the farm into town to attend school for Grades 11 & 12. This is the darkest time in World War II. Weyburn hosted an airbase for BCATP (British Commonwealth Air Training Plan). In other words, the town is filled with eligible young airmen from all over the world …
