5034_4-1-13

3rd January 1905 Tuesday A very cold day. Wind North, windows covered thick with frost. Voltie brought water for Maud to wash and put up the new clothes line then went to P.O. to mail a letter I'm sending to Will, came back and wroked in shop shoeing old Nell. After dinner breakfast I patch V's old pants, wash all the dishes, pots, pans & kettle & get dinner. Maud washing. Sr caulking cellar door. After dinner we set around the coal stove. V & M reads. I write in diary. This is a dismal, dreary cloudy, cold day. Its been a good big washing. Not much snow on the ground any where, growing colder, frost on window like snow 3 pm. V still in black smith shop. Agricultures, Whig, Dispatch, Herald, American Woman, Home magazine, American home. A letter from John, a letter from Grace.

Wednesday 4 January 1905 Cold but very bright day sun shining out clear all day. I finished washing the clothes & Maud hung them out and all the other clothes, a big washing. After dinner Sr and V went to the island for a jag of wood and bushed the road as they went across, ice smooth and good for skaters so Maud put on her skates and away she went to Niles carrying their butter basket. I washed dinner dishes, fixed separator, set the sponge and picked over and put the beans cooking. Maud came home and after supper went out again on the ice but didn't stay long. We sat up till nearly 1/2 past 10 pm reading.

Thursday 5 January 1905 A very fine day but terrible cold. Roderick Jr helps. Voltie draw wood from Lindas island. 4 loads: Maud went skating pm. and helped get supper and then went again. Rod staid a long time after supper at sun set it looks like a storm. V brought in the clothes after dark.

Friday 6 Jan 1905 A stormy day, Wind N.E. Cant draw wood to day skating all spoiled. Maud is sorry, I not sorry but I'm sorry Maud burnt my new apron Belle sent me for Christmas by drying. subscribed to day for Herald Vickerys fire side and sent V.P. Collins 25 cts for Agriculturist. Maud made fruit cake. I made pumkin [sic] pies, churned and worked over butter. We sat up till then to read, only one hen laying each day one egg. Rachels old hen equal to grinnes old hen. So stormy P didn't go for our mail.

Saturday 7 Jun 1905 Rains this morning but earth covered deep with snow, skating ruined. V (after breakfast) went for mail; only Whig & Herald, a disapointment. We expected the Hearthstone.

V brought the sad news that little Samy Woodman had his hand nearly taken off in one of those DeLaval Separators. Charley had to break the separator with the axe before he could get his hand free. They sent for Dr Spankey, he came last night. We sat up late to read; hard work to get water to cook meals; snow is deep between river here area.

Sunday A stormy day, Charley forgot to get V's tobaco alone. All day we ate our meals & read.

Monday 9 January 1905

A cloudy stormy day. Maud cleaned pantry very nicely & cooked and done most all the house work. V and Sr started for the Island for wood but the storm turned them back. Bob Henderson here in the evening brought tobaco for V. Wal had been to the bay in cutter. Miss Maud, L Watson St Lawrence Island Wolfe Island Ont.

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