and to see if he could borrow a pick somewhere in case the sand was frozen but he couldn't get one and I guess didn't need it. He couldn't find any gravel on the beach except some piles which Mr. Porter told him Ivey's men had raked up yesterday, so Huby said quoting some Greek Scripture "First come first served" and they took what they wanted of that. Dad said it would have washed away soon any way as the lake was pretty high. They came around by town and got the storm windows and picked Frank up somewhere.

I did chores all the afternoon and got three eggs which is the most yet. Mrs. McBride has been here all day and half the night, cleaning the kitchen, picking ducks and a chicken and ironing. To-night I printed pictures and had good luck. Dad. found out this morning that instead of the cistern pump being out of order as we thought yesterday the cistern was dry, so will have to be cleaned out as this is the first time since we have been here that it went dry. Lovely day, froze last night but mild.

Saturday December 20th

I cleaned all the straw out of the hen house this morning and put fresh in. I had to cut a slice off the stack for straw. Dad. started to put on the storm window but found that Mr. Jones had bored the holes to close to the in side of the sash so the screws wouldnt catch the casing. He then cleaned out the cistern and it took about an hour, we pumped out what little water was in it and then Dad shovelled up quite a few pails full of black muck and pieces of cement. It is a brick cistern with a coat of cement all over the brick and some of the cement was off which caused a leak, so this afternoon Dad went down and got a load of sand and some cement and saw Frank Slocomb who is coming over on Monday morning to fix it up.

I did chores all the afternoon. Frank went down town with Dad. and cut wood this morning, he and Lila and Bluch went back to the gully to-night. Charlie Shand was in to-night to see if he could trade off a turkey hen but I said he couldn't as his was a mongrel. but Dad. said he could have had Huby's turkey. This was Tiddums first birthday anniversary. I suppose he will have to be Jim now. Lila was over all day and brought him a great line of toys. Uncle Hal also sent him a pair of overalls and a toy whip. We had a rooster for dinner which Mrs. McBride cleaned and got a pretty fair crop of corn out of it. Beautiful day sunny and fine but cloudy to-night.

Sunday December 21st

I drove Enah down to church this morning, she had to play the organ. Elva had to stay home to look after her mother who broke her ankle the other day. Frank went down to Sunday School and Church, Dad. stayed home to look after Tiddums and Dick was in bed all morning. This afternoon I went for a ride, I went out to the Shand's first to tell them they could trade turkeys, all but Mr & Mrs Shand had gone to Sunday school. Mr. Shand said he would be in tomorrow afternoon with the turkey and Mrs. Shand gave me some peanuts that her brother had grown in Virginia. I did stay long but went up to the corner and rode west to the next corner which is where the blue line crosses the fourth concession, and down that road to where the new rail road comes out on Tige Anderson's place. I rode down it as far as I could go but as there was a sudden drop and a fence at the end of it I had to come back and go down Ham Thompson's lane to his woods, then had to unwire a piece of fencing to get into his wheat field and a cross his wheat to the gate opening on to the radical road, and home through town, and on the whole spent a very enjoyable afternoon. Dick spent the afternoon down town and Frank prowling around the upper pond. Dad. did the chores. Very mild this morning but turned colder and is freezing hard to-night.

Monday December 22nd

Frank Slocomb came over this morning to plaster the cistern, he went over the whole thing as so much of it was loose and he thought he could make a better job, he will have to come back again in the morning as there are two or three places where the cement is put on thick that it doesn't stick very well to the brick. Dad. had to watch it and keep it plastered up all day, as Slocomb was only here for an hour or so this morning.

Enah went down town this afternoon and Dad. put on another storm window, he is putting them on now with wooden buttons. I did chores, read a good short story and helped him a little. About four o'clock Colin McNeilley came after him to go and see a sick cow so he didn't get back till dark. Mr. & Mrs Shand came in with their turkey to trade and got theres on their way back from town. Mrs

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