“I drove the tractor. Finished cutting the piece of oats & did a little barley.“ Monday, August 14, 1944
12 Sat. I washed the kitchen, living room, shed & hall & waxed all but the shed. What a job! Isabelle rode the tractor all day. Dad was to town twice. Brought Ed Hudson home with him. After he fixed the knotter. Then Mom took him back to town at Four. Waited for Aunt Mena & Uncle Tom at 7, and brought them home. I have a head cold coming on. Had to struggle around & get supper. Had to wait until after ten to go to bed. Slept on the Chesterfield.
13 Sun. Dad, Uncle Tom, Isabelle & Mr. Stutt went fishing about 7.30. We were all up by seven except Wilma. I rode the bike down to Stutts & looked at snaps etc. Y.P.U. took church service. Hardly anyone there. Dad & Uncle Tom didn’t. Neil & Dean came down for supper. Mom took folks back to town. We had a nice evening. They left at 9.30
14 Mon. Isabelle was sick all day. I drove the tractor. Finished cutting the piece of oats & did a little barley. Mom & Wilma washed & ironed. I got a barrel of water after supper. Bed as soon as possible.
15 Tues. Wilma, Dad & I stooked oats from 8.30 this morn. Isabelle still didn’t feel well. But the four of us stooked all afternoon. Finished the piece. Mom & Shirley brought lunch out at 3.30. Finished the piece & went to bed. It rained tonight.
16 Wed. All slept in this morn. The men went to town & took the wool to mail for blankets. Mom & Dad went to Bill Loki’s, got some strawberry plants & set them out. We girls took turns clipping the caraganas. I wrote part of a letter. At 4 o’clock Dad, Isabelle & I went out & stooked the barley south of the house. Finished at 5.30. Had supper. Dad took Doris & us all into the show. “Madame Curie” with Greer Garson & Walter Pidgeon. I enjoyed it very much. Had cramps tonight.
17 Thurs. Dad, Isabelle & I went down to Stutts to help them stook. Isabelle got sick ths morn, so came home. We finished 28 acres of oats. Lay down after dinner. Went out again at 1.30 Doris & I really talked. Had lunch at 3.40. We rested for a half hour. Quit a few min. before six. Had a nice supper, then discussed education. Whew! Doris brought us home. Mrs. Freeman, Frances, & Myrna came over for a little while.
18 Fri. Isabelle ran the tractor for cutting. I did odd jobs etc. Had a rest after dinner, then Wilma & I went out and helped Dad stook the rest of this barley field. Through at 5 o’clock. Dad planned to go to Freemans tonight, but Mom didn’t want to, so we didn’t.
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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 …