“We had a lovely Christmas Eve. Something I have dreamed of for years. Keith at my side.” (1946)
1944 Sunday. Put in the day. More typing. Mom & Wilma went to church With Bowditches tonight in town. Jean & the girls were in here for a minute.
1945 Monday. Tried hard to get my work caught up. Nearly did, anyway, I’m happy all the staff were in the office. Gave Ivy a going away gift. Mr Powers gave us all our xmas gifts. $5.00 to each of the staff. Mom & girls waited for me. Did up odds & ends tonight. Wilma set my hair. I finished tying parcels. Have a sore throat & cold.
1946 Tuesday. We got to work about 8.20. Got caught up O.K. Mr. Powers gave us our xmas bonus this morn. It was 9.50 for me. Really swell, we had ice cream, coffee, apple pie & shortbread (which we took in) in the Coffee Bar this aft. Keith was in, then went back home & did chores, as his folks have gone to Regina. Mom & Dad brought us home. We picked Shirley up at Kyles. Neil came for supper about 7.30. We had a lovely Christmas Eve. Something I have dreamed of for years. Keith at my side. We opened our presents about 9.30. He gave me the most wonderful compact, like I have been wanting for so long. Powder in one side, rouge in the other, lipstick in the handle. I was thrilled to death. Other gifts were all lovely, we kids played with Isabelle’s Ping Pong awhile. Keith left about 12.30.
1947 Wednesday. We got off at noon & Dad brought us home. Got out at 2.15. Keith chanced a ride and arrived about 3.30 or so. Opened our gifts tonight. Received lovely things. I got a “Sweetheart” Cushion top from Keith. He stayed overnight.
1948 Thursday. Keith, Marg & I took the team to Colgate then went up home in car for dinner. Really was swell. First time in three weeks. Went to Weyburn. Home at 7. Opened our parcels tonight. Keith gave me an atomizer. Received many lovely gifts. Didn’t get to bed til midnight.
Click here for a video of Mom playing Christmas Carols in 2016, age 90.
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 …
For more information on BCATP see a blog site dedicated to “Paying homage to those who stayed behind to train those who fought overseas.”