“Got up on fast time, & Weyburn has gone back to slow.“ Sunday, September 29, 1946
29 Sun. Got up on fast time, & Weyburn has gone back to slow. I had oodles of time this morn. Got work all done then Dad & the rest of us went to Church. Picked up Isabelle & Wilma at the House. Wilma & I finished putting the snaps in my album this aft. Bill Pierces came down & were here for supper. We had a very nice time Mrs. S. & Doris were in for a few minutes. I wrote a letter after everyone left.
30 Mon. Mom & David brought us to town. Warmed up real nice by noon. Was very busy all day. Is & I walked over to see Mrs. Rempel tonight but she was sick. They live at Biggs so we saw Ivy, Jack & Mr. Biggs. Talked a few minutes. Beautiful evening, so went and had pumpkin pie at Commercial. Good. I set all my hair.
Oct 1 Tues. Beautiful day. I just hated to be in. Grace started back to work in the Office this aft. I really got some work done at home tonight. Doris was out for a walk with Billy. I was awake when she got home.
2 Wed. Collected $500 in the office this morn. Grace & I were just hopping steady all morn. Took my lesson this aft, had a magazine and sort of snoozed for an hour. Stewarts went to McTaggart Fall Supper, so Is & I made supper & had it ready when Doris came home. Isabelle, Edna B & I went to the show “I Love A Band Leader,” with Phil Harris, not particularly good.
3 Thurs. Very cold today. I took about twenty letters. Got a lot of them typed. Ross called for me at 7 and I went & did his filing until nine. He brought me back home. I washed & set my hair until 10.45.
4 Fri. A most beautiful day. I just wished I could go car riding. Bowled at 7.15. Isabelle & Jack Blamaerts subbed for Irene & Alf. We all bowled terrible first two games, but got three points. Isabelle & I went out to Riverview Dance with Mays. Novella Dance & noise was terrific. I had a rotten time, Keith wasn’t there & we kids went home with Dad about 1.30 slow time. Just droops to dance with.
5 Sat. Isabelle & I came to town with Mom & Dad this morn. They went home with Stutts & we kept the car. Isabelle worked all day. We got off work at six and went right home. Had leftovers for supper. Keith came up after nine. We spent the evening here, then after he got his tire fixed, I went down home with him. It was snowing & wet snow like everything when we got there about 1 o’clock.
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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.