DIARY.1920-21.

T.B.Barrett

Port Dover, Ontario.

Cnocfierna.

From January 1st to 1920 to April 15th 1921

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Thursday January 1st 1920 The New Year found me leaning over the balcony in the gallery of the town hall with Bub. and Dess watching the noisy crowd of dancers below us with a certain amount of amusement but with no desire to join them. My feet were too sore with chilblains to dance anyway, but Bub's society was just as congenial if not more so than any one else's there, in fact there were very few of my friends there and the great majority didn't even know, and judging from appearances am not at all particular about making their acquaintance. We soon became tired of our show and went home early. It is a long time since I have had a visit with Bub and our conversation had been mainly reminisent of our high school days of ten years ago. It sounds a long time but looks only a matter of a few months when the happenings of the interval are not considered. Certainly, though, those happenings have meant a great deal to the poor old world and I wonder what effect they will have on the history of the decade we are now beginning. Although the war has been over now for more than a year, the spirit of strife is still rampant in all countries and manifests itself in the strikes, riots and general restlessness with which all people have been suffering from up till now conditions don't show much sign of improvement but it must come to an end eventually, and I suppose, when this old world does getting running smoothly again.

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it will be a better place for all classes to live. New Year's day has been cold and blustery and we haven't done anything but the necessary chores and sit around the fire and read. Tonight we all went downt to Aunty's for tea and spent the evening. All from Stuby's were there as well as Cousin Clare & Phoebe. We spent the evening with music and playing guessing games which we always have a lot of fun at.

Friday January 2nd It has been bitterly cold to-day, below zero with a strong west wind and we have done nothing but a few chores keep the fires going and read. Tonight Enah Frank and I went down to a party at Ada's and had a very nice time. We played cards most of the evening. Most of the party were playing bridge but Winnie Lila, Frank & Mr. Moore who is a friend of {Zeitha's?} and a cousin of Mrs. Freeman's, and I played rummy and seven-up, and the phonograph, then {Zeitha} and later{Janet?} joined us and we danced. Frank & Lila lit out further. Rebecca's dance in the hall about twelve o'clock. I stayed at Ada's and came home with Enah and Mrs. Jack Martin about one o'clock.

Saturday, January 3rd

We were very late having breakfast this morning andbefore we got at it Phil Shaver came after Dad to go and dose one of his horses, so Dad was over there till noon. I chored around most of the morning and Frank slept

[Right page] most of the day as he didn't get home from his dance till about four o'clock this morning. Dad and I did up the chores early (and we have quit milking at night) and we both went down to Aunty's for tea. Quint was there and so were the Miss Hardings so Aunty had quite a birthday party. I left right after tea and went down to meet the seven o-clock car, as Marj. came in on it so I spent the rest of the evening with her, she had a nice holiday at home Su

Sunday, January 4th

Frank Ted and I went down to sunday school and church this morning. I stayed down at Aunty's for dinner. This afternoon Marj. and I went over to see Miss McQueen and then went down to Aunty's where we stayed to tea. Aunty Alice Marj. and I went to church to-night. I got home about twelve o'clock and found Frank was not in yet. He was down at the Ward's and got home soon after I did. It has been very cold all day, but very little wind.

Monday, January 5th

Frank and I went down right after breakfast to get our long looked for stove. It was ordered from Eaton's on the 10th of November and just arrived on Saturday. We also got Marj's suitcase which she checked by Grand Trunk and took it up for her and as we had to get some things uptown it was after eleven when we got home but we went down to the mill for some bran & chicken feed before dinner.

We spent most of this afternoon putting this new stove up and had a great fire until to-night. Bob Doughtery was in just before two with some fellow called Slack to tell us he wanted the lambs on Saturday. He would have stayed to tea but Slack wouldn't wait for him and he was driving the car. Frank and I went down town to-night. Frank went to the dance and I went with the band to serenade the new council. Taylor beat poor old Walker badly so we went up to his place first and took him as well as all the rest of them by surprise. We went from there to John Harvey's where we got treated with wine and Lous wedding cake. Then we went over to Perce {Ryan's?} but his wife informed us that he had gone down after some medicine for the baby. We played anyway and I don't know whether we killed the baby or not. Mr. Quinn's was our next stop and then we set out for Capt. P.C. Robinson's. We went to the house but Pauline said he had gone to lodge so we started over there to "get his goat" but some body saw him headed down Main St. and at last tried him in his office at the Fish Shanty so we gave him a couple of selections and then we dispersed. They all promised to give us all this financial assistance that was necessary next year and three of them gave us enough to buy some cigars with. {illegible} the cash down and I don't know what became of it. Altogether we had a very nice time, but had to go in everywhere to haw our horns out as it was a very frosty night & bright.

[Right page] Tuesday, January 6th

Our wind mill which has been the source of great tribulation to us all winter owing to its very unsatisfactory work refused to pump at all this morning so Frank went down and got Felix to come over and he has been over all day. I should have said the pump was wrong instead of the windmill. We took the whole thing up and found that the bottom of the cylinder was a little loose which we supposed let air in and caused the water to shoot out of the top of the pump the way it has been doing. The valves were also worn out so Felix put in new ones. We didn't finish till about give o'clock and then the wind had died down so that we couldn't get any water to-night and the cattle had to go without a drink all day. It was really not very cold to-day but felt raw especially working at the pump. It is a miserable job at any time but especially so at this time of year. Old Felix keeps at it though and he just celebrated his eighieth birthday on Saturday. To-night Enah and Ted went down to the Sunday school Christmas tree. I went down later but didn't to to the tree. I met Marj. after it was over and spent the evening with her.

Wednesday, January 7th

We put the doors on the barn this morning which blew off the night of the big wind. There were then off, the two in the peak and one little one down on the shed. This afternoon