“The deaf & dumb man asked me to go to the show.” Saturday, September 29, 1945
23 Sun. Slept in until ten. Took a bath, and lay down after lunch. Wilma invited Miss Dodley over for supper, so woke us up when she saw her coming. Didn’t have a very deep sleep. Miss D. seems very nice. We had a little music after supper, then she left about eight, we went to bed, and I got to sleep in pretty good time.
24 Mon. Find that I’m out a lot more than I thought I was. My cold is pretty bad. I went down and bowled with the League tonight. Our team was against the Cockshutt Plow Co. I didn’t do too badly for scores. 145, 117, and 118. Isabelle came down & watched, then she and I had lunch at the Commercial. Bed at 10.30. Doris was out with Willard.
25 Tues. Clarice is working upstairs now, so I have a little company. I checked bills all day, and am just about crazy. Went back to work tonight & Mr. Powers came down about 9.30. We worked until 10.45, but didn’t find anything. He gave me a ride home. Bed at eleven.
26 Wed. Was just about desperate this morn, but after some cross-checking, got a balance at 12.15. Gee! I was happy. Went back to work, at two, and got home at 4.30, washed my skirt, and some underthings. Wrote in our diaries this evening, and decided not to go to the show until tomorrow night. Pat played the piano awhile, and we were in bed by 10 o’clock.
27 Thurs. Clarice worked in the office on bills today & Mr. Powers helped me work on the Payroll awhile late this aft. Clarice & I ate lunch at Snelgroves after work, then went to the first show, “Nelson Eddie & Janette McDonald in Maytime”. The singing of “Sweetheart” was beautiful. Home about 9.30. Doris & Isabelle had gone together. Read some.
28 Friday. Cold again, this morn. Sadie worked in the office this aft, as Clarice was at the til. I worked on the Payroll all afternoon. Made out the Cheques. Home shortly after 6.30. Mom & Robert were in town. Had lunch with them. Read Socialism tonight, and “The Leighton Story” in the National Magazine, by Doris French.
29 Sat. Finished straightening up the payroll today. Checked my addition in my ledgers this eve. The deaf & dumb man asked me to go to the show with him on Monday night after work at 9.45. Mom, Shirley & Wilma were in. Alex & Myrna came down on the bus, so came home with us. Alice is also out for the week end. I wasn’t yet asleep at 2.15. Aunt Mena didn’t hog all the bed either.
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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.