“I felt like a million dollars when I got up. It wore off through the day.“ Monday, December 11, 1944
9 Sat. Got up at 10. Mom & Isabelle went to town with Stutts. Shirley Bennett came over, so she & Shirley practiced their song for Christmas. The four of us (Wilma, Shirley & I) then went down to skate with Doris. Grand day & good time skating. I tried and hurt my hand & knee, though. Home at five. We wrapped all our parcels ready to mail tonight. I had given the girls their lessons. Couldn’t get to sleep tonight. My hand hurt!
10 Sun I didn’t feel very well all day — so tired. Did my homework, wrote letters and so on. Neil was to come for supper, but Mom finally phoned & found out the Mrs. M. is home til tomorrow morn. Mr. M. isn’t a bit good. I got to bed and asleep before ten tonight.
11 Mon. I felt like a million dollars when I got up. It wore off through the day. Dad brought us to town. We went to Mission Circle at Mrs. Ellisons’. It was a candle lighting service & was very nice. Doris & I had to say a couple of parts. We sang many carols. Had a lovely lunch. Home at 10.35. Couldn’t go to sleep for the rest of the family talking.
12 Tues. We were both sleepy this morning. Went back to school early at noon. Did a lot of shopping after school. Gordon got home today at noon. So excited. I can hardly wait to see him. Louise, Vicky, Doris & I went for a walk at 9.30. Looked in at the skating rink. Had lunch at Snelgroves.
13 Wed. Quite a usual day (for awhile.) Mrs. Coleman phoned tonight to see if it would be O.K. if Gordon came in. Well, we were in a dither till he got here. He finally came, & is just as grand as ever. Looks a little older but not much. Hair is darker. We talked, played, sang, had lunch & talked some more. It was grand seeing him again. The car called back for him at 12.45. We couldn’t sleep.
Aunt Wilma advises that Gordon Coleman lost a leg in World War 2 and was repatriated. Mom knew the Colemans, who lived North of Weyburn, as a result of her involvement in CCYM (more to come on CCYM, stay tuned)
14 Thurs. Our overshoes finally came today. Terrificly windy & dusty. Didn’t feel too bad today. Saw Mom, Dad & Mrs. Stutt down town after school. Wrote a letter tonight & studied shorthand. We were actually in bed before 10.30.
15 Fri. Had school this morn & took our books home at noon. Went to the church parlors this aft. & had a surprise shower for Miss Barnes. I played the piano for some of the contests. Gave the teachers all xmas presents. I had lunch. Doris & I helped clean up. Late meeting the men.
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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 …
For more information on BCATP see a blog site dedicated to “Paying homage to those who stayed behind to train those who fought overseas.”