“I found out that I can have 3 weeks holiday in July. Yipee!“ Monday, April 28, 1947
27 Sun. Harms & John came up this morn about 9.30. Mom & we girls picked up Mrs. McGugan & all went to town to Church. Lovely service. Three Stewart Ministers all in the pulpit and 3 generations. Baptised the 4th (Sonya). Then Grandpa Stewart took the Sermon. We all went to McGugans this afternoon. Wilma & I looked at magazines. Had s lovely supper. Boys aren’t home from U. yet.
28 Mon. Doris brought Edna & us kids in in the truck. Quite a nice day. I was walking on air, cause I found out that I can have 3 weeks holiday in July. Yipee! Mrs. Kitson phone to say that Keith has mumps as of yesterday morn. Isabelle went to Rotarian Banquet tonight with rest of Grade XII kids, so she & Doris & Ed & Alice came up & talked to me for about 1/2 an hour, as I was staying in embroidering.
29 Tues. Wilf wasn’t there until about 11 this morning so I was alone. (He was at the Oil.) Worked on my pillow slips tonight. Is & I went downtown for a walk & bought cones then called in and said hello to Marg Ledingham & Roda. Just chatted for a few minutes. Had a lovely walk home.
30 Wed. Had a good morning’s work. Had a lesson this aft. Washed & set my hair, bathed & washed stockings. Isabelle went to bowling, so I was in alone this evening. Really went to town on my pillow slips. Phoned Mr. Kitson & found that Keith has mumps on both sides. Miserable day.
May 1 Thurs. Windy & dusty again today. Ross took his grandparents out to McGugans tonight, so Arline & Doris went to her place, & we kids went home. Visited for a couple of hours, talked about our forth coming trip. Margaret called & said that Keith is quite sick, so I wrote him a letter when we came home at 11.30.
2 Fri. Terrible day. Wind & dust was awful. I went to the Oil after dinner & got their Statement ready. When I got back to the store, I had a terrible time. Couldn’t get my head above water. It was awful. Stewarts didn’t get home til late, so we kids had supper. I received a letter from Keith at noon.
3 Sat. Dot & Gladys came out with us for the weekend. We were playing & singing when Russ Garlands & Lillians brother came in. About 9.30. They brought two bricks of ice-cream, so we had lunch. They left about 12.30. Gladys slept with me & Dot with Isabelle.
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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.
Sat 3rd. Ask a young person, perhaps not too young at that, what a “brick of ice cream” might have been.