February

Sunday 1st February
It’s been a slow and “nothing – much – doing “day today. I had a good lie-in until 11.00 a.m. I slept until that time after waking up at 8.00 a.m. and ordering myself to go back to sleep! I must have been tired. I went down to Pete’s this morning and both of us went down to have a look at the small helicopter that had landed.

Telephone Connection for Port Hope Simpson
It had brought in some Bell Telephone equipment and the Supervisor for the installation of the new telephone system. It should be ready in three weeks time when calls will be made via L’Anse Au Loup with an end to this “Over” business on the phones. Zero will reach the operator. I wonder when it will be ready. It was supposed to have been operational before Christmas but at the rate things happen around here we’ll be lucky if we get the new system before Easter!

Improved Diet
I had a very nice Sunday dinner of pork, beans, turnip and potatoes with fruit and creamed jelly for afters. Of course, it’s “Sunday”, the Special Day here. My food is definitely much better since I complained about it.

My Sealskin
This afternoon I washed my seal skin, an “old dota”, with hot soapy water and I’ve managed to get a good bit of the black, seal grease off it. The skin will look very nice when it’s clean on both sides. I don’t think I’ll bother having a pair of sealskin boots made. I’ve also cancelled my Rexon’s Cove order for a sealskin coat and boots. I told Pete that Ron Knotley had some skins up at his house for sale and Pete said that he would want,” At least one.” Scott said today that he could get at least $20 for the skin I had. I only paid $5 for it! I’ll be off for a weekend hunting trip with Ron in a few weeks time. I’ll be going with a pair of snowshoes on my feet this time. It was very hard – going last time we went because every step we took, put us knee – deep in soft snow. At the moment, 10.50 p.m., it is blowing very hard outside and there should be quite a few deep drifts in the morning. I found it rather unpleasant walking over from Pete’s, where I had lunch, but with my shoulder to the wind I battled home! I was down at Mrs. Ward’s from supper time where Pete and I had one of our many, many chats about anything that takes our fancy. We ended up with “Peter Edwyn Smart, Holiday Centre of the Labrador, Port Hope Simpson, Crapton – Water, Drags Bay”!

Keeping Clean
When I returned home I had a bath from my bowl! A regular spot on a Sunday evening! I give myself a thorough flannelling with hot, soapy water. Oh, I mustn’t forget to say that yesterday afternoon I cut Pete’s hair and he did mine. We managed the whole operation in a much shorter time than previously. The last time Pete had his hair cut was when I did it up in Goose Bay for him. Mine was a good inch over the top of my ears. My last haircut was on November 6th.

My Beaver’s Tail has gone!
In closing for the night at 11.05 p.m. I’d like to say that the beaver tail I nailed high up on the shed behind my lodgings has gone. I don’t know how, why or where it’s gone to and I’m not bothering finding out. Somebody must have taken it because I am almost certain it was too high for any animal to reach.
A government sponsored plane came today and took five or six locals up to Goose for trading purposes. Scott might go out on the next one. Another week ahead. I wonder what it will bring for me?

Enjoying My Job
2nd…I woke up this morning feeling really refreshed after a good night’s sleep. I’m sure that plenty of sleep is a good thing even when Scott said that three hours is enough for anybody – boy, is he stupid. School flew by today as it does every day out here. There just never seems enough time in School. The five hours seem to be very short on the majority of days. I really love teaching. Fancy getting paid for a job you love! I’m certainly lucky. I think I can say that I would be prepared to teach for almost nothing. That is my reason, I suppose for not being bothered about how low the teacher’s pay packet is back home. Maybe I will think differently when I really have to start looking after the pennies although I suppose I’m doing that out here. I’m hoping to come away from here with a good bit of money saved. I know very well that it goes against the volunteer spirit and “all that jazz” but I think I’ve done my bit to help people not as lucky as myself by coming out here. I’m also working hard both in and out of School teaching both youngsters and by my “cruising”, the adults, I believe. I’d be an absolute mug to throw away the chance to save some money before entering Derby College of Education. I feel slightly guilty about saving money but I’ve justified it to myself. I also keep quiet about it.
I had a lunch down at Mrs. Ward’s where I was busy cleaning my sealskin. It’s going to look “some nice” when I’ve finished with it. I’m thinking about buying another one from Ron whom I’ll be going to see tomorrow night. The Mission plane came today with Albert Hiscock. I think “The Grapes of Wrath” is a very good book and my final entry for the night is that it’s been very cold all day today even when the sun was out it’s a fairly safe bet to guess the temperature was minus five degrees Centigrade.

Medical Assistance Arrives for Port Hope Simpson
3rd…The Nurse, Doctor and Secretary came in today after a seven – hour dog trip from Mary’s Harbour. Nurse Margaret Harris is from Weston – Super – Mare, Doctor Miles Franklin from London and Sue Munro is from Sevenoaks, Kent. Very nice people. It’s gone mid – night now and since that was the only piece of news, except for having fixed – up the hunting trip with Ron for a week this Saturday its goodnight.

5th… School went OK yesterday. We showed Doctor Miles Franklin around at dinnertime and we went up to Ron Notley’s after supper. I’m going to buy a beaver skin from him. He went down the Post Office to get them stamped today. Last night was spent very nicely doing some baby – sitting for Lloyd and Lizzie Hicks. The lime – juice was very nice amongst other things.

Eyesight Affected
Some children are getting their eyes tested at 2.00 p.m. at the other (Pentecostal) School. I’ll be sending some of my kids down there. It’s now gone midnight and I did send Hedley, Sharon and Charles down to see the Doctor. Two of them, Hedley and Sharon have to see the eye specialist. The Doctor, Nurse and Secretary will be off tomorrow on dogs by the looks of things. Uncle Len, Bob and Graham Russell hauled them in on three teams.
I’ve paid $10 for my beaver skin and I’ll be off after porcupine a week on Saturday with Ron. His home brew was pretty strong. I left half of mine. Spring is coming very early! A great deal of snow and ice has melted. A storm will be coming pretty soon – I’m off to bed. I’ll just jot down where I’ve been since School finished: Mrs. Ward’s, Scott’s, Mrs. Ward’s, Billy Parr’s, Ron Notley’s, El’s, Sam’s, Billy’s and then home. Goodnight.

6th…Well, I’m going to have quite an early night at about 10.30 p.m. The mail plane came today with letters from home with seeds and a cheque. I’ve had to send off my order again to “Quality” because I had mistakenly ordered from an old catalogue. Pete and I still want the walkie – talkies and I’ve also re- ordered a watch strap.

Some Forward Planning
I also wrote regarding “Immigrations” and about the length of my stay. I want to stay until 31.8.70 as entered on my form. I also wrote to the bank at Goose about withdrawing funds. School went well today although I had to keep ten of my kids behind because they hadn’t done well enough in one of my periodic tests. I’ve also got my slides back with my class on them. They were expensive, about $10. Claude knocked off School today at 3.00 p.m. but only for his class so that he could go up to Mary’s Harbour with Rev Lewis whose in from Charlottetown. By the looks of things tonight they failed to make it having had to turn back because they couldn’t cross Beaver’s Brook. Maybe they’ll try again tomorrow. It’s very difficult to stay on your feet when you’re walking about the place now. All the surface snow has melted leaving sheet – ice all over the road. Even some of the ice has melted away exposing the gravel on the road. I think that before too long there’s going to be one heck of a storm because I haven’t seen much “dirty weather” since I’ve been here.

Grow Your Own Food Crop
I’m hoping to plant some of the seeds Mum sent me tomorrow. It should be quite interesting to see if they’ll grow. The only problem will be to keep them warm right through the night. Maybe putting them over at the School will be the answer?
Mrs. Mary Ward went out on the Mission plane today down to St. Anthony. She might have breast cancer. That wouldn’t be very nice because she is a really warm – hearted, kind, sympathetic, and generous old lady, about middle sixties I should say. I hope she’ll be OK. I was over there this evening and Harry, Charlie and Pete had their lunch (late, late supper) brought to them by Evelyn and Greta, two of my pupils. The place seemed empty without Mrs. Ward’s ebullient personality. She went out at 1.45 p.m. Nurse Harris went out this afternoon after the Doctor and Secretary left for Charlottetown.

The Amazing Husky Dogs
They went on dogs so they are just about guaranteed a safe ride. The dogs are quite amazing creatures. Their sixth sense of danger is invaluable on The Labrador. They will not cross thin ice and their drivers only have to guide them. They will pull their hearts out for their masters. Well, no more news except it’s Saturday tomorrow, a rest day, whoopee!

7th…Got up at about 10.00 a.m. which was quite early considering its Saturday. I went up to Stephen and Sandra’s where I chopped up their pile of wood for them. I had already promised to do it some day because I get quite a few feeds up there. I also visited Margaret and Rube Burden’s for a short while.

Trying to Prepare a Seed - Bed
I partially prepared the earth for my seed – bed. I had to chop the earth out from the frozen ground with an axe which didn’t do the axe any good. It was like chopping through rock – hard ice cream! The beds will need a good bit of preparation before I plant some of the seeds because the “soil” is just un - decomposed plant matter. I think I will grow my plants over at the School where the furnaces are kept alight all the time.
After dinner I passed my time doing nothing of importance. I was down at El’s quite a few times and I took some photographs of the mail plane that didn’t bring any mail, worst luck, only a Jesse Green from the Nursing Station at Mary’s Harbour. Oh, I cleared some wood for Dick who has a broken ligament in his right shoulder. Nothing more worth recording except that the weather is still mild, although it was frosty tonight.

Enjoying the Place
Sunday 8th…I was up at 10.00 a.m. and out for a walk after a breakfast of cornflakes, toast and coffee. The weather is very fine with a beautiful clear sky. It was the same yesterday. This place is very attractive to me now! I returned to the house for a nice dinner of chicken leg, turnip, potato and gravy with fruit for afters. I was out again soon after dinner because the weather is very nice. I also managed to drag Pete out also. He says he prefers to be doing something or nothing with “nothing” meaning just lying on his bed! He doesn’t go out enough. Clive came in from Mary’s Harbour on his way back to Rexon’s Cove. He collected the mail.I had “smelts” for supper and they were very nice, something like trout in flavour. Scott had caught nine of them up the lake. Don’t feel like writing much tonight. I mustn’t forget Mum’s birthday on 22nd I believe.

Losing that “Monday Morning Feeling”
9th…School was OK today except for that Monday – Morning feeling which went away quite quickly. I stayed behind after School for a good hour putting up a map of the U.S.S.R. and some other odds and ends. The Soviet Union isn’t on the syllabus but there isn’t any harm in putting the map up.

More Sealskin Scraping
After supper this evening of macaroni cheese and tinned tomato I went over to Pete’s where I was scraping my sealskin all evening. There’s a lot of work to remove all the mildew. It should look smashing when I’ve finished with it. I used boiling water on it on Saturday and found that the water was so hot that it had caused the skin to shrink –up a bit.
I’ve spent the whole evening over at Mrs. Ward’s after I’d cruised down to Aunt Maude Burden’s where Nathan, Ambrose Burden, John Burden, Hayward Burden and Muriel Burden were home. I was “tormented” by them, meaning to have “your leg pulled” about anything.

Naturally Inspired Thoughts
The weather is still very clear and the sun was shining down all day making it hot in my classroom. I wonder how long this beautiful weather will last, not more than a week I should say. When the weather’s fine it’s really fine. The sky is crystal clear. This is especially so at night when, like tonight, you can see all the stars very clearly. Without a cloud in the sky it’s surprisingly light at nighttime out here. It’s very, very beautiful. The sort of beauty, an immense beauty, that I can’t see myself ever experiencing again unless I come out to The Labrador. On Sunday, when I was out for a walk, I was thinking, mulling over in my mind, the fact that there is absolutely nothing for over a hundred miles except trees, trees and more trees as well as game. Life out here is much freer than back in England. A man can just build a house where he wants to and it’s wonderfully easy just to go off for a day’s trouting, smelting or hunting. The people are very, very friendly once you get to know them and very easy to get on with. Out here everybody just accepts people’s faults and lives with them. I suppose that’s what you have to do in any walk of life. Anyway, enough philosophy for the night. I’m off to bed. It’s 11.00 p.m. and I have School in the morning. I need plenty of sleep to enable me to “keep on my toes” with the kids. Boy, you do certainly have to be on your toes all the time when there’s a bunch of kids around!

“The Daughters of Mercy” and Jim Penney’s Wound
10th…School went OK today. I made some Maths’ models. We’ve had an electric duplicator donated to the School by “The Daughters of Mercy” which is a charity organization in – charge of helping out, “part – time schools” such as the one where I am teaching. The Mission plane came in to take Jim Penney out, who’s given himself a four inch long, one inch deep wound whilst he was in today cutting firewood with a buddy. It’s very easy to give yourself a nasty cut with an axe or a power – saw out here. I’m sticking to cleaving wood with Scott for the house and cleaving for a few friends.

More and More Sealskin Scraping
I’ve been over at Pete’s since supper, scraping and washing my sealskin. I’m going to use bread soda on it tomorrow. It’s hard work especially when the piece of mirrored glass I’m using keeps on breaking off in my hands. I’ve only had one small sliver of glass in my hand that I managed to extract with a sticky plaster.

Dance on Over at the School
There’s a dance on over at the School now, at mid-night. It’s the last one for a good time because tomorrow is the first Day of Lent. I wonder what sort of state my classroom will be in - in the morning. Chaotic I’m sure.
The weather has been very sunny all day although it might not be so good tomorrow because the sky isn’t completely free of cloud. Maybe we are going to see some snow which will be very welcome to the people here because it enables them to haul their firewood by skidoo. With no snow down, ”It’s wonderful hard on the skidoo!” They are robust little machines and deservedly very popular because they are efficient and great fun to drive.

11th…Well, what’s happened today? Nothing out of the ordinary like most days!

In School
School went OK. I kept four kids (Roy, Wallace, Douglas and Austin) behind because they hadn’t learnt their spelling homework. I have to keep on giving them tests because they tend to forget that they have to work, In School it’s a case of the teacher trying his best to educate the child against a non – academic background of life. Will’s maps of the U.S.S.R. look good, adding colour to the classroom and the “Mathematics Corner” I’ve started has solid geometric figures hanging – up in the corner. My stamp album is at the front of the class as well as my map of the U.S.A. I hope that the maps and aerial photographs I’ve ordered of this area come through soon.

Many a Slip
On the way to School this morning I slipped up on the ice. It must have looked comical if anybody was watching because I went down with both of my feet in the air. I slipped four yards from where I’d just said to Pete, “I’ll have to see if I can do better!” After he’d almost slipped. The road and everything around is just one sheet of ice which is now melting quite rapidly exposing the gravel in a number of places. People around here are saying this is very untypical weather for February. Apparently, it’s quite common to see three or four feet of snow on the ground at this time of year. Maybe I’ve brought some of my own weather with me.

Smelting
Many people now go up the lake “smelting” or, in other words, fishing through holes cut in the ice for fish called smelts. Scott and Rita were up today and they got four smelts, one trout and one rock cod. Henry “Hen” Rumbolt caught thirty- eight smelts up there the other day and three days ago, Claude Kippenhuck caught about one hundred and twenty. I’m going to go fishing before too long. The ice is at least three feet thick on The Bay.
I’ve been over at Pete’s cleaning my skin ever since my spaghetti supper and I have to take a letter down to El’s tomorrow morning to catch the mail plane that should be in here. Around here you never expect things to happen. You just wait until things do happen and then get in on whatever’s going on! I’ve finished “Grapes of Wrath” and my verdict is – an excellent book with a great deal of food for thought. My rough quote of what Casy the Preacher said to Tom Joad: “We’re all part of one great big soul.” I reckon that’s just about right.

Fed – up with Sealskin Scraping
12th…It’s now dinner time and the good weather has finished. It’s been very mild all day, most of the snow and ice on the road has disappeared and the wind is onshore. I was down at Pete’s after supper where I did as much as I’m going to do with my sealskin. I then went up to Ron’s where I bought a beaver skin and then on to Bill Butt’s and Hayward Russell’s. After short visits I spent the rest of the evening at Stephen and Sandra’s where I had a lunch before sliding back home. I whacked down once.

Sandra’s Expectant
Sandra’s expectant, possibly twins and she’s going to St. Anthony’s for a scan soon. Stephen’s sick and hasn’t been in School for the past two days. School went well today with no upsets. That’s just how I like it. But the weather wasn’t clear today so there wasn’t the mail plane. I hope we’ll see one tomorrow. I’m off to bed now at 11.30 p.m. because I dislike writing by my oil lamp that only gives off a dull yellow light that is definitely not good for the eyes.

13th…It’s snowing and the wind is offshore this morning. When it snows the temperature is rather milder. Mild weather is apparently a good forecaster of snow out here. It’s now 11.00 p. m. and nothing unlucky has happened. The mail plane came in and brought in four newspapers. School went OK with Austin Penney giving me “Alice in Wonderland” that I’ll give to the School. I haven’t been outside since I came back from School because I’ve been wading through the newspapers here. It’s a clear, starry night tonight and there has only been a light snowfall all day, leaving a film of snow on the ground. There isn’t any news except that Scott went to Church with Royden Kippenhuck and that Graham Kippenhuck called in. I might be off hunting with Ron tomorrow.

My Smelting Trip
It’s now 12.05 p.m. and I’ve just returned from my smelting trip up the lake. I left the house with Scott and Chip. Scott was going up the lake to look for some sticks (trees) from which clapboard will be cut (clapboard are planks of wood that cover the exterior of the house.) I had a fabulous cold ride up to a spot where George Penney, his two sons and Father were smelting. Scott went on up the lake whilst I returned to try my luck.I chopped a hole in the ice (actually I chopped through the covering ice over some old holes) and dropped one and a half fathoms of line into the freezing water. I’d baited the hooks with some pork, that is pork fat. To show how cold it was a ribbon of ice was forming on my fishing line that I had to jerk up and down to attract the smelts.

Freezing Cold
I didn’t have any luck and my fingers were very, very cold. Then a strong wind blew – up across the ice and I’ve never been so cold in all my life. The other people weren’t going to stay so I had a lift back with George. Very pleased I might add to be on my way home.

Trying to Warm – Up Again
Just before I was about to go to Tom Penney’s (George’s father), showed me how to get my hands warm. I “pounded” them like he said until they “scalded.” And what Tom did next flabbergasted me. To show me how to get my hands really warm he took off his gloves and shoved both hands through the eight inch diameter fishing hole! He then proceeded to rub them vigorously in the snow whilst my fingers were just about dropping off! On the way back, my feet felt cold sitting behind Tom on the komatik. I wasn’t so cold as on the way up because the wind was behind us and my parka and over – trousers kept me lovely and warm except for my hands and feet. When I went up with Scott I pulled my bobble hat right down over my face because I could feel my nose starting to freeze. Out here the time to get worried about the cold is when you feel your extremities going numb.

What Not to Do…
George invited me to warm – up in his house which I gratefully accepted. However, I made the mistake of putting my hands too close to the stove and the pain was excruciating. Anyhow I survived and got back to the house warmed – up. But even as I write now my feet are cold on the stone cold floor. That’s something I just can’t do, is keep my hands and feet warm all the time. I’ll just describe what I was wearing on my fishing trip: vest, shirt, jumper, Parka, pants, jeans, over – trousers, two pairs of thin socks, one pair of thick socks, my moccasins, over them my long pair of thick socks and finally my over-boots over that lot. On my hands I wore the woolen gloves that Rita knitted for me. Finally, I had my bobble hat on. Even with all that stuff on I still think I nearly had frost-burn. It’s very easy to become frozen sitting on a komatik behind the skidoo. On the trip up I sat with my back against some ropes strung between two of the four posts on the komatik. These posts were driven into two junks of wood secured across the komatik and so positioned as to prevent any sticks of wood from falling off when the laden komatik was being hauled. Scott gave me a fast ride up the lake with Chip running along with us. The lack of any snow on the ground caused the komatik to slide and slew along behind. It was great fun thudding along behind the skidoo. I hung on to the ropes. The only real problem was that my fingers became so cold because they were exposed to the blisteringly cold wind that rushed past as we were travelling at about twenty – five miles per hour. It’s all too easy to exaggerate the speed of the skidoo because it’s very close to the ground and you therefore always seem to be going so much faster than you really are. I feel sure we were doing about twenty – five miles per hour on The Bay although it was much slower along the trail from Mill Cove up to the graveyard and onto the ice. There the trail was very hummocky because it had been worn by so many skidoos. The time is 10.55 p.m. and I’m not going to write much because I’m off to bed.

Port Hope Simpson’s Valentine’s Day Custom
Today was Valentine’s Day and I received three or four. Around here the home – made valentine cord is wrapped around a stick of wood and secured. The stick is then hurled at the door of whoever’s the recipient of the cord. It’s a rather quaint and attractive way of delivering valentines.
Clive came in with Howard and Bob. We’ve been down at Pete’s most of the evening doing nothing in particular. After supper I cruised down to Lloyd Hicks’s where I showed my photographs and gave them some pictures. Then I was at Mrs. Ward’s for the rest of the evening. Oh, before supper I cruised down to Ben and Ursie’s where Rosie was sick. (Last night at 3.30 a.m. I had to take to the woods with a stomach complaint that I’ve almost completely recovered from today.)

A Wonderful Treat from Ursie
Ursie very kindly gave me what she called a “treat” – three pieces of cake and a glass of lemon juice. It was a wonderful treat from a wonderfully warm – hearted person. Well, today’s gone down in a good bit of detail. I’d like to finish for the night by saying that it is still very cold outside. Today’s temperature in Goose Bay was – 30 degrees Centigrade (by kind courtesy of Lizzie Hicks’s uncle.) Clive and Jean (both V.S.O. volunteers) are now engaged after their re – union over Christmas at Goose Bay. I’m seeing Clive as he really is now – childish. Mind you, I’m a fine one to talk like that. I know nothing about anything.

Sunday 15th…I’ve just written to John Conways in Exeter for Vic and also sent a reminder to Capt.Miller of Bowaters regarding my sea passage home.

Drawing a Sketch Map of Port Hope Simpson
I’ve been doing a lot of walking about today because I’ve managed to do a lot on my sketch map of the settlement. Boy, my fingers were cold, even with gloves on, just using my pencil outside. This morning’s temperature was –10 degrees C which I would never have believed unless I had seen it on a thermometer that Rita had recently bought.
The sun has been shining all day and the sky has been very clear. Clive didn’t go out today which means he’ll miss School tomorrow at Russell – inhabited Rexon’s Cove. I haven’t done very much. Only visited Ben and Ursie’s where John is now also sick as well as Rosie. I might as well get my lunch. Rita’s gone to Church, to be saved?

16th…It’s snowing today and The Bay is obscured by cloud. It’s now 12.23 p.m. and since my eyes are stinging due to the poor light I am not going to write very much. It’s been snowing all day and only stopped three hours ago. About five or six inches of snow is being drifted by a strong wind. I’ve been down at the restaurant where I had a very enjoyable chat with Am (Ambrose Burden), Alton (Sampson) and Ron (Notley) and a few others. Am and I are off hunting sometime in the future and I’m going to Mary’s Harbour with Alt at Easter.

How do you get a porcupine from its hole?
Am and Ron were “talking shop” a good bit of the time giving vivid descriptions of a porcupine. Am was saying that once they get in a hole the fire to smoke them out must be behind them or they’ll just cook in the hole! Apparently, porcupines have teeth like a beaver. Frazier and Ellis are fighting tonight (on the radio) and I’m off to bed. School again went OK today and the sketch map in this book is nearing completion. It’s looking OK I suppose.

The ‘Flu
17th…School went quite well today with sixteen kids. The ‘flu is going round now. Half of Pete’s class was out with it. The weather has been clear with sunshine most of the day. I’m going to have to watch my eyes because they were paining today – working under the poor light. I’ve just returned from Pete’s where I was chatting with Charlie and Harry about the Pentecostals. “Educational” to say the least! I’ve finished my sketch map and I’m off to bed.

18th…The day has gone well today with beautiful weather being mainly responsible for good feelings. I only had fourteen kids in my class. The rest were out with ‘flu. I had my first French lesson this afternoon which I think I enjoyed almost as much as the kids. Claude had a radio going on in his class because today was the opening of The House of Assembly in St. John’s. I’ve just finished putting my sealskin up on the roof of the house and Scott returned from his cutting with George up the lake. He is ignorant and will swear “the hind leg off a donkey” like he was doing last night about Bart Penney whose dammed off Humbie’s Brook so that he can have running water in his house. With a bloke like Scott if I feel annoyed I’ve just got to keep quiet about how I feel. He’s certainly hurt my feelings on more than one occasion. I think I must be very sensitive, or easily hurt, or something. Probably more of “the something” than anything else. Lizzie Hicks said that she thought English people were very sensitive. It’s now mid night and I’ve got over that little upset after being down reading at Pete’s and playing “120” with Pete, Harry and Bill (Kippenhuck). I’ve just had a squash - berry lunch here. Boy! Those berries are all pips. Each one is flat. I just ate the lot with some Carnation milk, bread and butter. The only news before I sign off for the night is that the Mission plane has to come twice tomorrow and the mail plane should be in. It depends on the weather because it might be snowing tomorrow because tonight is very mild. Last piece of diary information – Aunt Edith has the ‘flu and I also went up to Harold Russell’s. I must see Stephen or Ed about their kids who were bothering Uncle Bob (pensioner) and Harold’s stuff today.

Just finished my dinner of meat, turnip, potato and bread pudding with tea and biscuits for afters…19th. It’s snowing outside and I don’t think I’ll see any planes because the sky is heavily overcast to a dark grey by the snow clouds. I’ve been down to see Stephen regarding the tormenting boys and paid a visit to see how Pete was, because he didn’t come to School today, because he was sick. I think he has a touch of the ‘flu rampaging the settlement although he didn’t appear to be that bad when I saw him three – quarters of an hour ago. Scott is also complaining that he’s sick. He says he’s always got a headache. He went in this morning and hauled out a load of wood which didn’t do his skidoo any good because there isn’t enough snow down to cover the ice. The ice is very hard on the skidoos and some old stumps poking up through it are likely to damage their nylon tracks.

A Marriage
There is a marriage tomorrow. The bride-to-be is fourteen years of age!
The time is now 12.42 a.m. and I’ve just come back from playing cards over at Uncle Bob’s with Harold and Andrew. I went there after calling in on Mrs. Ward’s to see about Pete. He was still sick. After supper I was talking with Hayward Burden down at his house about the value of education and of other things. No planes came today because it’s still snowing. I hope it stops during the night.

Port Hope Simpson’s Telephone Lines Improving?
Ivan Coish is in from Mary’s Harbour with three Frenchmen who are in to fix-up the new, Bell Telephone two-way automatic system. It would be great to be able to use it because it’s a waste of money trying to phone using the present system because reception is so poor.
School went easily today with only fifteen kids in my classroom. I expect more tomorrow because it’s the marriage in the night which the kids will want to attend. I’m off to bed now after my tepid coffee, bread and jam – all by the light of my oil lamp. “Don’t put any more wood in the stove,” said Scott.

20th…Well, the end of another week. Next week will be the last week in February – the time is certainly flying out here. What’s happened today? I went down to School this morning on the back of Claude’s skidoo, like I’ve done since Pete’s been sick. The Bay was rather slobby in parts but it was OK on the skidoo though.

Teaching Made Easier
With only thirteen kids in my class it’s definitely makes teaching the three Grades a lot easier. It gives me the time to cover all the ground that I want to cover with each Grade. There are many less stoppages due to:
“Please Teacher I can’t do this!” or,
“Please Teacher Sir may I sharpen my pencil?” or,
“Please may I leave the room Sir?” or,
“Please may I pick up my pencil (or pen) Sir?”
Wedding went off today and I went back down to George Parr’s house for a lunch afterwards. Wince was “Bride’s Boy” and he said we’d probably go to Rexon’s Cove a week Saturday which will be great.

The Promise of a Whale’s Tooth
I also put in my request, which was promptly fulfilled I might add, for a whale’s tooth. The Turnbolts down at Charlottetown, (where the groom comes from), said they’d get one for me. That will be great. There is an old whaling factory at Hawke’s Harbour which Sam Turnbolt is especially familiar with. I daresay I should manage to get one before I leave.

Down to the Wedding
I had supper of tinned baked beans and veiners (spongy sausage – like things) at Scott’s and then I went down to Edgar’s where there was quite a big crowd of fellahs: Edgar, Doug, Sam Kippenhuck, Ray Burden, Alton, Charles Sampson, Claude and a couple of others. After chatting with them I moved on down to Pete’s from where I decided to go down to the wedding. Harry Ward asked me to get him a piece of wedding cake which I did by kind courtesy of Ursie who was one of the waitresses down there. I didn’t bother to go into the Church to see the wedding ceremony. Gerald Turnbull and Rosie Parr were married. After the half- an-hour ceremony the couple, with close relatives, goes back to the house where they entertain anybody who feels like going in to meet the happy couple. The place was teeming with children like just about every place around here of course. Everybody was smiling and looking very pleased with themselves.
Ivan is just getting ready to take the Bell telephone men back to Mary’s Harbour. It’s now 11.30 p.m. and outside it’s as bright as daylight with a full moon shining on a very clear night. The temperature is –10 degrees C which makes Ivan’s job of driving by skidoo to Mary’s Harbour an unenviable one. He’s just left as I write this. The weather has been cloudy for most of the day, clearing-up in the late afternoon to a starry night. We haven’t seen a mail plane or any other plane today. It will be nice to see a plane of any description come in.

The Coldest Day Since I Arrived
Saturday 21st…The mail plane came in today at about 2.00 p.m. and I received my mail at 4.00 p.m. The Mission plane also came this morning with Mrs. Ward who was down in St. Anthony having a check- up by Dr. Thomas. It’s nearly mid-night so I’m not going to write very much tonight. I’ve been busy doing nothing all day which I think I found quite enjoyable. I didn’t feel like going all over the place seeing different people, anyways it’s been bitterly cold all day today. The temperature this morning was –23 degrees C over at Bart Penney’s shop, that’s roughly 40 degrees of frost on the Fahrenheit scale. I’m sure today has been the coldest day since I’ve been here. For that reason I didn’t feel like going out much. I was down to the Post Office, Sam’s store, Pete’s and Uncle Bob’s today – that’s all. Oh, by the way, it was –30 degrees C in Goose Bay this morning. Pete, Ivan and Baxter are in and the lighting materials for the School are up at Mary’s Harbour. Claude’s gone up there today.

Still Trying to Get Warm
There’s been a thick frost (eighth of an inch) on the window of the main room of the house all day. Remember dear reader that there are two wood stoves going all the time and the thermometer close to the window has been registering in the middle 40s all day. That gives you an idea of how cold it really is outside today. Scott will stoke up the stove for the night. Also I have my water bottle handy but I don’t think I’ll get the sleeping bag tonight because Pete is in. That means only four or five thin blankets plus my sweaters and over trousers and anything else I fancy flinging on the bed.

Seed Germination
Before I go to bed I’d like to say that a good few of Mum’s seeds have come up. I’ve made some cardboard boxes for them. They must be kept warm!

22nd…Happy Birthday Mum! I expect you’ll have a much warmer one than today out here. It was –23 degrees C today which is cold enough to get frost burn without trying very hard. Well, what have I done on this Day of Rest? I woke up this morning at about 10.00 a.m. and promptly put my jumper because Pete Ackerman was using the sleeping bag on the floor of the main room. I wasn’t very warm last night and it’s been uncomfortably cold today. This morning I stayed in to do some letter writing. My sealskin blew down from the roof of the house because I‘d only put two nails in, I suppose. When a wind blows out here I’m sure the temperature must drop by at least 5 degrees C. Pete, Ivan and Baxter went out today.

In on Friday to Wire the School?
This afternoon, Baxter told me he will be in on Thursday or Friday to wire the School. The necessary materials are up at Mary’s Harbour at last! It will be dandy to have electricity in over there. I wonder if we’ll have it in before the next fortnight is out. Today, I’ve been to Ben’s, Sam Penney’s - where I had supper; El Penney’s where I asked about telephoning home – useless on the present system, Pete’s and Uncle Bob’s. Nothing of importance has happened today. It’s been wonderful cold all day. I suppose it’s been a Day of Rest for me today because I haven’t done anything much. I think I feel just as tired as I do after a day’s cruising all over. Oh well, I have my bath and lunch to have before bed so I’ll close for the night. Another week ahead. I wonder what it will bring for me.

23rd…School went smoothly today. Claude has found that the “March of Dimo” cards have gone from the staffroom! I wonder what’s happened to them. I only had four or five absentees from my class today whereas Pete had the majority of his way today whilst Claude only had one or two. The weather today has been overcast with the scattered snow shower falling. Scott said he was off to Mary’s Harbour today but didn’t go. I expect he’ll be off tomorrow with Rita.

Loan Offer of a Skidoo!
Wallace Ward has said that I can have a loan of his skidoo to go up to Mary’s Harbour on Saturday if I want to. That was very kind of him. It’s the first offer I’ve had made since I’ve been here. Loaning somebody your skidoo in PHS is almost the same as hiring out your wife!
I dropped in on Jim Ward’s on the way back from School. He’s Charlie Ward’s brother and his house is only a stone’s throw from here. I haven’t been out all evening which much be the first whole evening I’ve spent in here for a long time. I stayed in by the fire, keeping it in and reading my newspapers. I’ve also started reading “Anna Karenina” by Tolstoy which promises to be a good book. It’s fun trying to say the Russian names to myself like “Shcherbalsky”.

Sealskin Mat
I’m using my sealskin as a mat in my room and it makes a very good one too.

Frozen Hot Water Bottle
If I leave my full hot water bottle on the floor for any length of time, for example, overnight, it’s a lump of ice in the morning! Mind you, I’ve only used it on a “thruple” of occasions since I’ve been here. “No news is good news!” I’m off to get an early night. It’s now 10.45 p.m. before I go, I’d like to close on rather a morbid note. I was reading an article from “The Listener” from England on Eskimos and it said that burial in the perma-frost makes decomposition difficult. I wonder how Aunt Jesse is getting along up at the graveyard? It would be rather interesting to dig her up and see if she’s perfectly preserved. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if that was the case.

24th…The weather was dirty today and it was a hard job walking the short distance to School. I changed my cheque at Bart’s, posted mail and spent the evening in reading “Anna Karenina”. Rita is making or hooking a “raggy-d-mat”. Scott has just come back form the Pentecostal Church “saved”. I’ll put my Battle Harbour map in the School tomorrow. I’m off to bed now.

25th…School went OK today, on this fine day. I put up the battle Harbour map and covered it with plastic and spent this evening up to 9.00 p.m. playing cards with Scott and Rita. I then went down to Pete’s, then to the restaurant, then to Pete’s, then to Ray’s then back up here. I think I’ll go for a trip up to Mary’s Harbour for the weekend.

An Outstanding Memory
One of the outstanding memories that I’ll have from here is how quickly the weather changes, It’s a starry night tonight but good weather can change very quickly to a bad snowstorm. The Mission plane came and went and then returned today. Sandra is expecting one baby and not twins and Bruce Hiscock and Aunt Maude Burden have returned. Bruce had a fractured leg. The mail plane brought in passengers and took out El Penney up to Goose bay for a conference about something or other. It’s mail day tomorrow, providing and it’s a very big proviso, the weather permits.

Working my Way Home on a Wood Boat?
I had a phone call message passed on from Corner Brook today, 25th…regarding working home on the wood boats instead of V.S.O. having to pay for my flight out. I hope this will come about OK because it will give me a good chance to have a look around the island. No more news so I’m off to bed.

Wiring-up the School at Long Last
26th…School went OK today. I’ve just returned from there (11.00 p.m.). I was helping Baxter and Claude measure and cut holes for light fittings in the ceiling. It was hard work, balanced rather precariously up on two desks, one on top of the other. The only mishaps were a screw falling out from Claude’s saw and a socket that I dropped - breaking a piece from it. Altogether we cut ten holes. I cut two and they cut the rest. The sweat was pouring off me it was so hot! We managed to cut all the holes needed in the three classrooms.
Today I had “baloney”, bread and butter and tea with no milk or sugar up at Uncle Jack’s because Scott and Rita went up to Mary’s Harbour this morning, returning this evening at 8.00 p.m. Scott collected the skidoo track he was after O.K. The weather for most of the day has been overcast although visibility has been quite good.

No Mail Today
Since today was the scheduled mail day we didn’t see a mail plane of course! Oh well, it’s something to look forward to just like my promised dog team trip up to Rexon’s Cove. I was up at Wince’s and Dorothy’s before I went over to do my electrician’s apprenticeship at the School!
A “White Coat”
Wince is getting on with his boat in fine style and he also showed me a
“white coat”, (baby seal), that he has stuffed, unfortunately he didn’t have any eyes for it but it looked quite good all the same.
27th…The weather is clear and fine today. A mail plane came. I didn’t get much, just papers and magazines. At last, my mail has gotten out. Its mid night and I’ve just had a lunch after returning from the School where I’ve been helping Baxter and later on Claude, wire – up. Actually, we cut seven more ceiling holes. No more news. I was down at Jim Ward’s, Dick’s and Pete’s before supper. I might manage to go to Mary’s Harbour tomorrow.

Seeing-in St. David’s Day
28th…The time is now 1.00 p.m. on Sunday and I’ve just returned from Pete’s where we saw in St. David’s Day in grand style on cheese twists, wine gums, crisps, coke and apples. We’ll finish off all the delicacies we bought tomorrow. That includes a bottle of apple juice and a tin of strawberries. Pete has decorated his room with two balloons and some words in Welsh on his door. It’s the first St. David’s Day I can ever remember celebrating! Well, what’s happened today?

Saga of the Sealskin…
I didn’t get up until 10.00 a.m. and I scraped a bit more off my sealskin with a piece of confiscated mirror glass. Nothing of importance happened this morning. After dinner I went down to the School and helped Bax.

A Game of Football “With the Boys”
Then I left on his skidoo to change my shoes over at the house so that I could have a game of football “with the boys”. The game lasted two to three hours and I was on the same side as Ed whilst Stephen was on the other side. It was very hard to stay upright because we were playing on the snow-covered ice close to the School. Just below the bridge over Humbie’s Brook in fact. I scored a goal and I was in goal for the last few minutes.

A Shout for Help From Guess Who?
At about 6.15 p.m. whilst I was playing football I heard a shout for assistance from a fellow trying to get water from the brook. Who should it be but Scott! I didn’t know it was Scott until after Charlie Russell went up to give him a hand. Scott had been complaining of a bad back earlier in the week and I think he has now strained it badly by trying to lift the water barrel on his own. He was quite pathetic at supper time. A young man, twenty – four years of age, having to have water poured into his glass at the table and having to have Rita take off his shoes for him.

Fixing the House’s Stovepipe
Scott and Rita’s bedroom was lightly-filled with smoke so Scott asked me if I would go up on the ceiling and put the stovepipe back in place. This I did without any trouble, wearing Scott’s leather shucks (over mitts). After supper I did some register work and then I went over to Pete’s for the rest of the evening.
Claude, Jean and Harrison Ward went up to Charlottetown today. It’s been snowing all day and only in the past couple of hours has the snow turned to rain. Today I met Gordon Brown from Fox Harbour who was trying to go to Charlottetown but he had to turn back, I learnt later this evening, due to bad weather. I expect Claude got to Charlottetown O.K.

The Promise of a Whale’s Tooth Souvenir
I hope he manages to get that whale’s tooth for me because he said he would ask. I wonder what the weather will be like tomorrow. I should say that two feet of snow has fallen today. It’s been snowing and blowing quite hard all of the day. I can’t think of anything else to put down in “My Memoirs” so I’m of for a wash and bed. I hope the water in the kettle is still warm because the fire isn’t in. Scott and Rita are in bed.