DIARY 1921

T.B. Barrett Port Dover Ontario

Cnocfierna

From April 16th 1921 to December 31st 1921

{A newspaper clipping is blocking the left side of the page}

April 16th, 1921

...this morning to help Pickford build...it started rain soon after he left and lllall day so they couldn't work at the cellar...stayed over till afternoon visiting. We...thing over here but chores but sat...most of the time. To=night I went...meeting and then down to the train...The train was in at 9.30 and Marj & I...to stay all night as the walking was...turning colder to-night.

{April} 17th

...before Sunday school this morning...I went straight there and to church...Bishop's secretary was preaching in Mr. ...as Marj knew him having made his...last summer at Lake Couchiching, we...him over to Jack Martin's shere he...Jack's mother is sick again so...Frank stayed down at Aunty's to...I spent most of the afternoon doing

{April 17 cont'd...}

Chores. Mark was in for a few minutes on his way downtown and we had quite a heated discussion on prohibition. Tomorrow, Ontario is to decide whether or not she will allow the importation of liquor and we all have our own ideas about it. Mark and I stick up for the rights of the individual on principle while the others are more practical and think the welfare of the state should be considered first. I'm no friend of booze but I feel that prohibition is more of a Prussian ideal than it is British but as most people think the other {way?} don't care. Dad went down to night to see Aunt Ida who has been quite sick. Has been a miserable day, Snowed three or four inces that night and has been raw & rotten today.

Monday April 18th

Frank went down to Pickford's this morning and they finished building the cellar. I took some eggs over to Jack Martin and Dad took kids to school and brought Jack Martin back with him. Jack is canvassing the congregation to increase the revenue of the Church and is doing very well. This afernoon Mary and {unreadable name} drove down town and Mary {unintelligible} down to tell and to the Girl's auxillary to night. I went down to band practice to night and we came home together. Aunt Ida was sitting up to night but looks very sick. {Elgitha?} dropped a {unintelligble} heifer sometime during the night. Dad is going to try to milk her but she is pretty wild I have to stand and scratch her all the time Dad is working at her with great force and no warning. Lovely day, {veery?} mild but windy.

Tuesday, April 19th

We bagged up some oats first thing this morning and Frank took them to the mill. Marj. and I pruned raspberry bushes till noon. This afternoon Frank & I went down and got a load of sawdust to put in the ice house.

frank also got a couple of boards to make a little clset in our room. I saw {Aunty?} down town and she says Aunt Ida is worse again. Dad went down to see her to-night and {illegible name} went over to Uncle Ward's to see Ada who is improving. Dad had a letter from Dick to-day saying that he has been ordered to report at Montreal, but doesn't know what they intend doing with him there. The returns of the polling are not all in yet but so far there is over 100,000 majority for {illegible} importation so I guess the {illegible} have it. Dover went 150 maj for it

Wednesday April 20th

We were all greatly surprised before breakfast this morning to see Dick coming through the field. We didn't think he would be able to pay us a visit on his way to Montreal but he landed in last night late and turned in at {Aunty's?}. He came over early to tell us that Aunt Ida had died about five o'clock this morning. Aunty was alone with her. We were all shocked as we had no idea she was so far gone the doctor was sure she would be around again. Dad went down with Dick right after breakfast and has been down all day. {Enah?} went down this afternoon. Dick didn't come back to-night. I spent the day doing chores and helping Marj house clean our room. I made the closet thing for her but didn't get it put up. Carlie Blake came in at noon to Harrow my {illegible} and his car got stuck in a mud puddle in the lane as he didn't have chains on and we were about an hour getting it out so didn't have dinner till late. Then Karl & Fred {Coleman?} came in and were here quite awhile, they took the two year old ram for 8 cts a lb and I sold them Oliver for {illegible} cts or fifty five dollars. It seems like giving him away as he is actually worth $120.00 for breeding but no one wants him apparently. To night I took a little stroll down to the pond but didn't stay long, very pretty moon & clouds. Warm all day & fine.

Thursday April 21st

Dad drove {Lil?} down to school this morning and went on down town to get his hair cut and make firm all arrangements for Aunt Ida's funeral. He came back about eleven and brought Dick home with him for dinner. They drove down again about three and Dick left on the five car for Montreal. Frank and I spent the day doing chores and ploughing around in the mud. It has rained more or less all day. I finished fixing the clothes closet for Marj. Arthur & Bobbie Pickford came over to-night and bought {Lil's?} pet lamb for a quarter. It was one of a {pull?} whose mother wouldn't {illegible} it. {Maple Hill Nellie?} had a nice roan bull calf arrive to-day, a fine one.

Friday, April 22nd

We all went down early this morning to attend the service at Aunty's before they started for Port Rowan with Aunt Ida. Mr. Ward came down with the Bowlby's from St. John and had a prayer at 9 o'clock. Then Dad, Ruby, Doe & {illegible name} Bowlby went with the {illegible} to Port Rowan. They had Faulkner's team and double

Tuesday May 3rd

I haven't done a great deal of an thing to day except chores and odd jobs. Dad has felt pretty tough all day and had to rest up for "Pin afore" tonight. Mary has felt miserable all day. Frank went down town and got our tickets to "Pin afore" changed from tonight till tommorow as we figured Mary would feel sick going tonight. Dad finished cleaning the brush out of the orchard this afternoon and I helped him a ittle. Tonight {illegible} Mary & me went the concert and we went for a walk down to the pond and saw Jack's deer, and licked Mary's hand. Frank took Irene {Illegible}. Went down to Aunty's from school and was {Illegible} gone to the show from there but he was sick all the afternoon in school and was too sick to go tonight. They brought him home with him and he has quite a fever. Pin afore went off fine. Ralph was in good shape and Dick dead eye's horrible looks were very impressive. The was {distinct?} with the Captain which was that he could make him laugh he accomplished this feat by hesitating in his dialoge with Capt. Corcoran to take an imaginary {cord?} out of his mouth walk to the gangwalk and toss it overboard.

he got started to drill it before dinner and finished soon after and then out the ditches. I " " after the drill spent about most of the day doing chores. " " went by to night.