“Dust was terrible today.“ Tuesday, April 30, 1946
note: the summer break is over and the weather is a bit more conducive to publishing, so welcome back to the serial publication of my Mom’s five year diary from 1944 to 1948
28 Sun. An absolutely beautiful day. All but Dad and Shirley went to Church in town. Terrific Service. Warm and peaceful this aft. Dad went to Sterlings & Shirley has gone to Damn (sic) With Kyles. We girls rode the bike, and played softball, tennis, lay and read, and I really had a wonderful time. Dad batted out flies for us when he came home.
29 Mon. Ross is home till tomorrow. Mom brought us to town. Another lovely day. Hot. Isabelle went with me tonight & helped me clean the office. Boy, did we ever slick things up. Ross & a salesman were at work too. We were then for 2.5 hours.
30 Tues. I am still stiff from Sunday and last night. Dust was terrible today. Bowlers banquet in the hostess Club tonight. I took Isabelle as my guest. Bill Robertson got beside me so kept me in fits of laughter. Grand dinner. Presentations after. Then the dance in the Oddfellows. We danced about 2 with each other and then came home.
May 1 Wed. I got a balance this morn, went back to work this afternoon & got out all the statements. Wilf was at work too. Is. & I went to the first show. “Leave Her to Heaven.” Very good. Scenery & color was beautiful. Home shortly after nine.
2 Thurs. Cold and windy. I had quite a job to get my work caught up. Did pretty well. Bob May was up to the Office & talked to me for about 10 minutes. I stayed in this evening.
3 Fri. Rained off & on all day. Ivy was at work this aft. Mrs. S., Raes & Arthurs got home this aft. Doris was out tonight. Is & I were here. We sang & talked to the boys.
4 Sat. Rained most of the morn & on & off in the afternoon. Sun finally came out. Is. went to Regina with Bob May, Alice, Genevieve & Doris. I washed my head out home tonight & Wilma did it all in pin curls. Took about 1 1/2 hrs. Stores were closed.
Click Here to view a scan of the handwritten original
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.