January

Lots of Cruising
1st…My itinerary of late has been cruise, cruise and yet more cruising. In the past week I’ve only had supper here once at Scott’s. I’ve been to Dick Rumbolt’s for New Year’s Dinner. To Aunt Maude Burden’s, Mrs. Butt, Mrs. Ward, The Strugnalls, Gordon Perry, Rube Burden’s, the Cooks’ and a few other places. I call it great fun and educational visiting the people in their homes. I am always welcome wherever I go.
I’ve been off my food here over the past week because I became “vexed” with Rita about not filling up my lamp. It took three days for it to be filled and take it from me reader; it could have been done in a few minutes. She just didn’t bother. “I’m not paying buttons to stay here put her in her place.” Oh well, I might as well stick it out here now since I have managed it so far.

Patience and tolerance is a virtue.
With a bit of luck I should be off porcupine hunting with Ron Notley, a local trapper. He is one of the few in this settlement, from what I can gather, who is fully engaged in fur trapping. He has a permanent camp situated five miles up from the lake. It should be great fun, snowshoes and all.

Jannying
Around Christmas time here there is a local custom called “jannying” when children dress up in any sort of disguise and go round the houses letting the people guess who they are. Two nights ago, five came in Uncle Bob’s and Aunt Edith’s when I was there. Four of them were from my class.

2nd…Been cruising from Scott’s to Post Office, to Vic’s, to Ben’s, to Ron Notley’s, to Mrs. Butt’s, to Cliff Rumbolt’s and finally to Jim Rumbolt’s. I have arranged a trip for tomorrow with Ron and bought a smashing sealskin from him for $5. He’d get about $15 for it on the island. I’ve got to clean it which won’t be too difficult. I’ve just come back from the “restaurant” which is a very poor sort of place. Nothing much happening. I gave my caribou drawing to Mrs. Elsie Butt so that she can work from it to make a mat. The drawing was OK I suppose. “Practice makes perfect” or so I’ve been told. The mail plane is expected any day now, as it has been for the past week. A dog team stationed at Goose Bay would run a more efficient service I’m sure. It was no luck with the hunt but great fun all the same. Pete Ackerman is sleeping here tonight; he’s in with a few fellahs from Mary’s Harbour. There was no mail plane today and its School tomorrow.

Monday 3rd…Pete and Clive are back in. Pete was very thoughtful towards me regarding his debt! They both missed the first day of School! I prepared lessons yesterday and the first day went quite smoothly except I only had sixteen pupils due to a misunderstanding about the opening day I believe! The School is to be wired as soon as possible. There is no mail yet. There isn’t much news. I feel too tired.

Settled – in at School
6th…School went OK today. There is a settled - in atmosphere about my classroom which is very pleasing. Clive went out tonight to Rexon’s Cove on the back of Claude’s machine which wasn’t very sensible; neither of them knew the way and there was “bad ice” on the trail. They made it OK I’m glad to say. I was out “jannying” with Scott tonight for an hour or so. We went from here, my lodgings, to Uncle Bob’s to Mrs. Ward’s to Lloyd Hicks’s (where we were refused entry because of the frightened children) and then to George Penney’s and finally to Uncle Jack Burden’s and home. It was quite enjoyable letting the people guess our identities. We were disguised in old clothes and a mask. If all goes well I should be off up to Mary’s Harbour with Scott, Rita and Kimberely and Dora Penney (Sam’s wife) on Friday afternoon. It will mean an afternoon away from School but there isn’t any harm in that. I’ll leave at about 2.00 p.m. Friday and return on Sunday evening. No mail plane yet – shocking service.

Mail at Long Last!
The mail plane arrived today 7th at long last. Of course, it had to be the holiday for Eldrid and Becky Penney who run the post Office! Oh well, I’ll get it tomorrow dinner time. Since the mail has been held up for so long another day won’t make that much difference.
In School today, I used the V.S.O. Slave Trade exercise that I did on my course. I’ve also had to explain “Why it rains”, the other topic I chose for my classroom piece on my course last April. I’ve just come back from Ben and Ursie’s where I helped Rosie with her Mathematics. John was showing me his skidoo that Baxter Rumbolt brought from Mary’s Harbour, It’s different from the ones I sent to Dave and Ed, my younger twin brothers, because it’s got an engine and actually moves although I think their yellow models are more attractive than John’s little one. Pete wouldn’t come out cruising to Ben’s. I’m sure, “When in Rome do as the Romans do” doesn’t apply to him. Oh well, he did give me a Christmas present as did Miss Verity Styche, last year’s volunteer.It’s always Thursday when I’m teaching!
Pete collected my mail for me after dinner today. Another mail plane is expected tomorrow because so much mail has been held up. It’s quite exciting going to get your mail and even more so when you hear the plane buzz low over the settlement to land on The Bay that is frozen over. The plane now lands on skis and there has to be a minimum thickness of nine inches before they will land.Tonight I saw The Northern Lights for the first time since I’ve been here. They were not at all spectacular tonight, only like a sheet of white cloud across the dark Northern sky. I expect to see better shows than that before the winter is out.
I was down at El. Penney’s, Sam Stone’s, Alec Penney’s, Maime Ward’s and Uncle Bob’s tonight. It’s now 1.00 a.m. and time for bed I suppose. I had a bake apple lunch at Uncle Bob’s and he asked me to write to them after I go back which I mustn’t forget to do.

Big Happening!
Scott is going to work tomorrow with a crowd of the boys who are cutting a trail to Charlottetown. From what I can gather that means tree – felling. So much for my long weekend in Mary’s Harbour. Oh well,I think I’ll go up with Claude and Baxter on Saturday after supper.It should be quite good fun; but rather short.

Newfoundland’s sinking!
It’s been put out on the radio that the island of Newfoundland is sinking and people are preparing to leave! To some of the people out here it seems to be quite disturbing. I explained the Theory of Isostasy to Uncle Bob, Aunt Edith and Vic as best I could and it set their minds at rest I think! Nellie Larkum is back from St. Anthony’s Hospital after successfully giving birth to 6lb.3oz. Tammy. Well done Nell!

9th…Another week of School has flown by. Exams will be on the 19th and I am building up to them with a series of revision exercises and tests. If anyone can show me a better job than teaching I will be very surprised. I think it’s great and best of all I get paid for what I like doing. I almost went out to Rexon’s Cove this evening with Nellie, baby, Claude and Dora but it was a false alarm. If all goes well tomorrow I should get a trip somewhere. It looks as if Mary’s Harbour trip is on after all. Miles Franklin, the Doctor and Nurse Skelley are in here now and they are off to Charlottetown tomorrow. They are both quite young. Tonight down at Ben’s I also met Raymond Rumbolt who is on The School Board. No more news.

Riding the Big Bird
13th…Well, I have a lot more news now because I spent a long weekend up in Mary’s Harbour and unfortunately missed School yesterday which isn’t the” be all and end all” of everything I don’t suppose. I went up to Mary’s Harbour on the mission plane. I left here Saturday afternoon on the Beaver Turbo – prop light aircraft after vainly trying to get to Mary’s Harbour on skidoo. Scott, Rita, Kimberley and Dora Penney left here before me whilst I got a smashing free ride to Rexon’s Cove, where Nellie and baby were put off and then on to Charlotteown where Doctor Miles Franklin and Nurse Skelley boarded. By plane is the best way to see Labrador. The country below looked very beautiful with its many ponds, all frozen over now of course. The trip to Mary’s Harbour took about an hour or so by plane whilst my return by skidoo took about three hours. It was great in the plane whenever we wheeled about and whenever we came into land. It was just like riding a big bird when I think of the way we almost plummeted out of the sky onto the landing strips marked by tree tops to prevent the plane landing on bad ice.

Relaxation
At Mary’s Harbour on Saturday afternoon I was met by Sue Munro. I stayed at the Nursing Station I. G. A (International Grenfell Association) in the Guest Room! It was “civilization” compared with what I have down in PHS. There was actually a carpet on the floor and…wait for it…electricity in all the rooms. I drank piles of fresh milk up there and it was great. I was made to feel really at home by the nurse and her secretary, Sue. Well, the milk was re-constituted but it’s the closest thing I’ve tested to fresh milk out here. It was fabulous. I also had a fresh salad with whole tomatoes in it!
On Saturday evening I drove Sue around the Harbour on Rev. Ed Lewis’s skidoo and it was great fun. I met Phyllis, Ed’s wife and their newly born daughter. They have a lovely home near the church with under - floor central heating but unfortunately I was told that they aren’t happily married.

“Getting Lost”
On Sunday morning I left with Sue to go up to Lodge Bay to visit Chris Haynes, the other V.S.O. there. We left with Pete Ackerman on his skidoo and komatik. After about fifteen minutes, Pete’s skidoo broke down and since the Lodge was only about five miles away Sue and I went on. Unfortunately we took one wrong skidoo track and ended up miles and miles away from Lodge Bay! We got to within a couple of miles of Hare’s Island instead! Anyway, we turned back after a couple of hours with a long walk home in front of us. After only a couple of miles we were given a lift back into Mary’s Harbour by Don Campbell and two others who had just returned from sealing. There were two skidoos with komatiks and I rode on the seal – laden one. A rear flipper was sticking in my back all the way as I was perched right on the front of the komatik, the worst place to be comfort – wise. I’m glad they came along because Sue was feeling rather tired, she’s not much used to going for long walks. We got back after failing to reach the Lodge and Chris. Not much happened on Sunday except just met Mr. and Mrs. Coish and failed to get a lift back to PHS for School on Monday. I’ll tell you a bit about Sue: aged eighteen, “A” Level passes in English, French, Geography “B”, and an “A” pass at scholarship level in Geography. She’s working for the I. G. A. out here as a nursing assistant on a one year contract.

Getting back to Port Hope Simpson
On Monday morning I was up very early in the hope of making morning School or at the worst, afternoon School. I got Ivan Coish, Scott’s brother to bring me back in. Unfortunately we didn’t get out until after dinner with Scott, Rita, Kimberley and Dora. The trip back was very bumpy but good fun. The skidoos seem to be able to go anywhere. They are quite light and they buzz along superbly. I arrived in PHS about supper time at five o’clock after only five breakdowns from Dora’s skidoo.

Tackling Problems along the Labrador Coast
Oh, I mustn’t forget the movie I went to up in Mary’s Harbour. It was put on by Tony Williamson with assistant and it was very good. This young bespectacled man is working with The memorial University, St. John’s and is closely associated with the Labrador Council which is attacking problems along the coast. Raymond Rumbolt is the secretary – treasurer of The Council. One of the biggest problems is the shockingly low price that fishermen have been given for their fish in the past. Next year, the Government is stepping in when it is giving the local fishermen a guaranteed price for each kettle of fish. One kettle of fish is roughly the size of a medium table. The fish is dried, salted and stacked.
Whilst I was up at Mary’s Harbour I also met a Mr. Lethbridge who is a Forest ranger. I had a good long talk with him and learnt a good bit about the exact nature of his work along the coast. His territory covers an area from around Cartwright right down to Fordeau in Southern Labrador. At a rough guess I should say that is an area half the size of England. One interesting thing he said was this: in a forest fire you should never get trapped in a valley because that’s where all the oxygen is used up. He said you should head for a mountain top or near water. Mr. Lethbridge is based at Cartwright (pop. 1000) from where he operates. If I remember correctly he said they have three water – bombers with which to fight fires in Labrador. I learnt from him that PHS is one of the poorer settlements on the Labrador.

Contrasting Mary’s Harbour with Port Hope Simpson
In Mary’s Harbour there seems to be a different atmosphere amongst the people. I don’t really know how to describe it. Maybe I’d find exactly the same atmosphere if I lived there. Throughout PHS people talk about other people behind their backs often quite maliciously. I’m sure everybody here doesn’t agree with everybody else! I’ve been told that PHS is unique along the coast. Maybe it’s because people here don’t live in harmony with one another. Mary’s Harbour is also a better planned settlement by the look of it as well. The houses seem to be nicer on the whole. I think I was in one of the best houses in the place mind you.

15th…I had a direct question from the kids today about my age! Successfully navigated. Austin Penney said that no English teachers would say how old they were!

16th…I’ve just come back from Mrs. Ward’s where I went after duplicating six examinations for the kids. I still have eleven to write out and get duplicated by next Monday when the first exam is due. There’s a lot of work involved in writing out exams.

The Effect of Claude’s Reprimand!
Oh, I mustn’t forget to mention the reprimand I had from Claude about missing one day’s School. I got rather vexed with the bloke because there was no need for him to say what he did. Like Scott said, “Claude’s too big for himself.” Scott knows Claude better than anybody in PHS. I can now see quite clearly what Verity said is true. She said that Claude was conceited. Absolutely true. Pete’s view on Claude which I’ve sort of adopted (partly to remain semi – friendly with the bloke) is that Claude is a little kid who doesn’t know any better. He’s only a year or two older than myself and he’s just like a kid trying to do a man’s job. He should think more carefully about things before he acts. Claude has definitely dropped very low in my estimation since first thing Tuesday morning. I know it was wrong to have missed a day of work and Claude should have known that. Claude is also having trouble from the Butts now. Serve him right! I don’t think much of him, his political letter – writing, nosiness and wood – scaling. Claude’s a git! I knew exactly what I was doing with that trip and that I could miss one day of School. I just needed that trip “sum bad”. It really re – vitalized me and it will be all that much easier to keep going after it.

Saturday 17th…All exams have been successfully duplicated today and I feel very pleased with myself! I’ve just come back from Stephen and Sandra’s at 12.30p.m. where I went with Pete after we went to see the films shown by Tony Williamson. It’s the second time I’ve seen them now by “The Coast of Labrador Regional Development Association”. Claude stood up and had his say about how he wanted to work for the people here. He was almost crying, poor kid. He’s too young. Even I can see that. About three planes flew overhead today but there was “ner” sign of a mail plane. It’s a shocking service alright but there is nothing much we can do about it from down here.
Seals
Scott brought back a seal from Pinsent’s Arm today that he bought for $3. He went out with George and Gordon Penney and came back about supper time. Apparently Stan Campbell had eighty – five seals in his net which is very good. The sealers just sink their nets to the bottom in a straight line from the shore and the seals get tangled – up and drown. The seals mustn’t be left in the nets for any length of time or their pelts are destroyed by lice. The nets have to be hauled in just about every day when they are out. So it looks like my meat for the next couple of weeks will be fresh seal which isn’t too bad. Oh, that reminds me of something I don’t think I have mentioned.

Foot Bitten by Peter, the Pet Husky Dog
When I returned from Mary’s Harbour last Monday I called in at Edgar’s just for a chat. I was told to sit down and have some seal that was on the table. I went up to one end of the table and saw there was a big husky dog, “Peter” by name, lying under it and chewing a bone. I moved the bone away from my chair with my left foot to sit down and the next thing I knew the dog was biting my foot and I was on the floor. Doug hauled Peter off because I couldn’t get handy to whack the dog because my chair and table – leg were in the way. My toes felt as if they had been dislocated but luckily the only damage was a tear in my over boot. As it so happened I was wearing four pairs of socks, moccasins and another pair of socks inside my over boots so no blood was shed. I was wearing all those socks because I had been on the skidoo trip. Mind you, I’m now finding that I need to wear three or four pairs of socks all the time. Well, it’s going to be a day of rest tomorrow. Whoopee!

A Day Spent Cruising
Sunday 18th…I’ve had a beautiful lie – in this morning and it’s now dinner time of fresh seal, cabbage, turnip and potato. I’ve been down to Edgar’s and then on to Mrs. Ward’s where I’ve left my loudspeaker. I might connect it up to their radio for them. I’m going to see Tony Williamson, Sam Kippenhuck and Wince this afternoon I hope. At the moment, it’s snowing lightly and the sky is overcast. The temperature is always slightly higher when it’s snowing. The term used by everybody roundabouts is “milder”, which is quite correct.
Just arrived home after a day’s cruising. After dinner I went down to Billy Parr’s where I had an interesting talk with Tony Williamson and Randy Larsen about the problems on the Labrador, for example, re- settlement program and poor fish prices. Pete and I hope to get a copy of one of the films shown last night. We are going to see if V. S. O. would be interested in a copy. I left Pete to go back to Mrs. Ward’s, where he stayed indoors all day, and went on up to Wince’s, calling in on the way to see Lester Powell’s light aircraft. Then on to Sam and Madeline’s (mother of Douglas and Wallace Kippenhuck). Then back to Wince’s, then to Mrs. Ward’s, then to Ben and Ursie’s (where Tony was interviewing Ben), then to El Penney’s and then back here. I had supper up at Sam’s and lunch at Mrs. Ward’s. Pete and I did some singing of hymns, or tried. Pete was playing the mouth organ. Claude has gone off to Mary’s Harbour with Baxter Rumbolt for the day. I expect he will see Rev. Lewis about his trouble with the Butts who are Roman Catholic. Claude’s been accused by Bill Butt of, religious persecution is the beast way of describing it. Nothing of the sort in reality. In this settlement there is a resentment against VSO’s coming purely from one individual as Tony pointed out last night. That person is our conceited Claude. I’ve found out that quite a number of people here think that Claude is “too big for his boots”. Here in Scott’s house there is an atmosphere which I particularly noticed when I walked in a few minutes ago. It is a quiet atmosphere, apart from the roaring of the gas lamp, compared with most other families who either have little kids running about or visitors coming and going, or both. I’m glad it’s relatively quiet here most of the time. That’s my lot for the night dear reader.

School Examinations
19th…School went well today with the children doing examinations. They have one exam in the morning and another in the afternoon. Today they had Mathematics and Spelling, tomorrow it will be Geography and Literature, Wednesday it will be Language and History.

A Little Miracle, My Nose Almost Dropping Off and a Frozen Hot Water Bottle!
Little miracles will never cease because the mail plane arrived today with greatly welcomed news. It’s very nice to get any mail out here and when the flying weather has been bad, as it has been of late, the Service suffers. Pete got a guitar today and also a letter from Eaton’s warning him that legal action will be taken against him if he doesn’t pay his odd $70 purchase from then! Pete’s badly in debt whilst I am pleased to say that I don’t owe anybody any money. I’m beginning to learn to play a scattered tune on the guitar whilst Pete is also learning but he’s much better than I am because he’s had a good musical training. Claude came back from Mary’s Harbour this morning with only half an hour before the start of morning School. Rev. Lewis has gone up to Goose Bay and Nurse Harris is back from England. Apparently she comes from Weston – Super – Mare which obviously means that I must meet her when she comes in. She could be in “the week” so I’ve heard. It’s been very cold today, one of the coldest, if not the coldest day since I’ve been out here. My nose was almost dropping off as I walked down to School with Pete this morning. Last night I found, much to my surprise, that my hot water bottle that I’d left on the floor of my room was full of ice. I think that explains quite well how cold it really is out here. There is also a good two feet of space between the floor of my room and the frozen ground. The cold just seems to get in everywhere. It really is penetrating. I think that’s the best way of describing it.

No School
Friday 23rd…I didn’t have any School yesterday because of troubles with my furnace and I won’t have any School for the whole of today. The mail plane has just arrived. I hope I get something. I’m now in Pete’s classroom writing this, next to the furnace I might add. Pete’s thermometer in his pocket fell below freezing as he came to School. It read –10 degrees Centigrade this morning although it didn’t feel that cold. The cold is a dry cold that is easily bearable except when the wind comes up it’s not so pleasant with the wind whipping around your legs like driving rain. I’ve just had ten or so kids around me and I have been entertaining them before the start of afternoon School. This week has been broken - up teaching wise due to examinations and now, in my classroom, this damned furnace trouble.

Bullet put down and preparing for the ice hockey match, Port Hope Simpson v Mary’s Harbour 24th…
I’m having a very nice day just cruising around from place to place. The Mary’s Harbour crowd are in for a hockey game at seven o’clock tonight which should be very good. “Bullet” was just killed because Scott accidentally broke his leg when he ran over him with his skidoo and komatik. Bullet was one of “Chip’s” dogs belonging to Ed Osmond. Chip is Scott’s dog. I saw all the killing by Uncle Jack. It wasn’t very nice, “that was a dandy pup.” Pete Ackerman is in from Mary’s Harbour for the game tonight with the Mary’s Harbour crowd. I was down at the rink late afternoon today shoveling off some snow for the game tonight. There is a good skating surface on the rink after they flooded it last night for today’s game. The rink looks very good but only a few people have done all the work for it. Boy! It certainly is difficult to get any number of people to work together in this place!

Having a Ramp
Pete has been indoors just about every second of the day. He’s got a different way of carrying on out here than I have. I call it great fun cruising around the place and having the occasional “ramps” with one of the boys. (“Ramps” is a general playful fight and “boys” means one of the blokes here.)

Cruising Again
Where have I been today? Wince’s, Sam’s, Ben’s, Mrs. Ward’s, Uncle Bob’s and down at Sam’s. I took some pictures today (24th) of the Wards and of the crowd Uncle Bob’s: Uncle Bob, Aunt Edith, Harold Russell, Gordon Russell, Freeman Russell, Henry and somebody else I think. I hope they both come out OK. I think they will.

A Reminder from Sukey
I also wrote to V.S.O. today after a gentle reminder from Sukey Goodwin, my V.S.O. correspondent, that it was about time I wrote again!

Talking About Work or Doing Something?
Scott always seems to be talking about how much wood he’s hauled or how much wood he’s going to haul. He makes out that hauling wood and water is big work whereas it should be treated, as it is by the workers here, merely as a household chore. It’s not surprising that it’s made out to be big work because the people here have to eke out their work. The people I most like here are those who keep quiet about how much wood and water they’ve hauled because that tells me they realize it’s only a chore.

Uncle Bob’s Happening
Oh, by the way, over at Uncle Bob’s a great happening is taking place – they are having their house wired by Baxter Rumbolt. After they are wired they will then be hooked-up to the mains supply here. Wait for it…they will be able to switch their lights on and off! Yes folks, switch them on and off!
Ben’s got the ‘flu, poor bloke he’s only just got over the mumps. I expect the ‘flu will be the next germ to go round this place. I certainly hope I don’t get it because it appears to be quite a bad complaint. I wonder how long it will be before everybody here will be down with the ‘flu. Not too long I suppose.
It’s been a lovely day today with the sun shining and the snow crunching under my boots as I walk along. I wear three pairs of socks, my moccasins and my over – boots! The over – boots come off and go on at every visit. I hope they last the year out OK. They have one patch already due to Peter the dog’s antics. I can see them being ripped further before my year’s out. I just mustn’t argue with Scott. Just keep quiet. Ignorance is a dangerous thing.

15th…Clive went back today after waiting for hours for the Russells to get ready. Both Pete and he are now broke!

Having Fun on Aubrey’s Skidoo
I had a great “randy” on Aubrey Russell’s skidoo. I went up the Back road and “whacked it right to her”, coming back down through the settlement. It’s very cold here today, the temperature must be a good few degrees below freezing point. It’s very good going for the skidoos mind you. When it’s frosty the going is very good because the frost hardens a crust onto the loosely compacted snow. It’s much better driving the skidoos than it is riding on the back of one.
I found it rather annoying today just waiting for the Russells to go. It takes ages and ages to get things going around these parts but once things are started then they really happen. That was the way with Clive’s trip today.

Ice Hockey Result: Port Hope Simpson 8 Mary’s Harbour 4
The Mary’s Harbour crowd was in yesterday for their hockey game. The result of the game was Port Hope Simpson 8: Mary’s Harbour 4. Mary’s Harbour had a good few of the Russells playing for them.

26th…It’s now five minutes past midnight and I’m writing this in bed. School went OK today. I gave out the majority of the Report Cards at four o’clock. The kids were very concerned about whether they had passed or failed. I just gave out Grades in each subject. Claude has taken the form of a nagging nuisance to Pete and me. A nuisance to be put up with. The light that I work by in my room is a pale yellow light that can’t be very good for the eyes. I’ve been down at Mrs. Ward’s all evening catching up on a lot of newspaper reading. Pete and I have a good bit of fun singing and making up verses for “You’ll Never Go to Heaven” at the expense of the locals. I can almost play “Oh Cinammon” proficiently on the guitar using the chords of D and E Major. It’s been a fine day weather – wise, although it’s been very cold all day. It was also very cold over in the classroom for the first couple of hours, warming – up when the sun shone through the windows. The sunsets out here are very beautiful. On a clear day all the stars are crystal – clear. They appear to be more clearly visible than back home.

Roll Your Own!
I’d just like to mention the name of the tobacco smoked here. It’s called “Target”. Practically every single man here rolls his own cigarettes from “Target”. It works out cheaper than buying ready – made ones.

Welfare Assistance
Incidentally, Mr. Decker, the Welfare officer, is in here from Mary’s Harbour. Sam Penney said that he’d be dishing out as much as $20 – 30,000 worth of welfare assistance in the settlement. I fancy that figure is a gross exaggeration but he must give the people a good bit of assistance or however would they survive? Madeline Kippenhuck asked me the other night if I knew when Mr. Decker would be in. She’s very interested which isn’t surprising when you realize she’s got a largish brood of kids. I think the people here get $90 per month for every kid or something like that. Hence it must be a livelihood in the real sense of the word to bring up children!

Self – Knowledge and Getting on with the People
28th…Nothing much has happened of late probably because I haven’t been looking for it. Junior Burden is off to Goose Bay tomorrow on the mail plane. Pete and I tried him to see if he would hire out his skidoo to us but with no luck. A Bowater’s plane came in today with the wood scaler. I had a very interesting chat with him about wood boat return journeys. I’ve met Mr. Decker the Welfare Officer. It’s difficult to describe what PHS is like to me. It “gets me down” on the odd occasion. I don’t think it’s the place itself but just some of the people here. Oh well, I keep myself happy by just thinking that it must be good character training. To know what to say, at the right time and who to say it to for example. Yes, it certainly is the best kind of character – training out here. I could very easily feel “right vexed” about so many things here but it must be good for me when I know I can keep quiet about things that perplex me. Like this skidoo business and the reaction I got from Scott a few minutes ago when I told him that Pete and I could only afford to hire it for $10 a week! I don’t think I should have told him how much we were prepared to offer. Scott is insensitive or maybe he just likes making me feel foolish. I dislike him more than I like him. Most of the people here are uneducated but Mr. Scott Coish comes way down my list of people whom I would like to meet. Not that I have a list of course, but you know what I mean. Scott’s skidoo has broken down again. His jobs are: hauling wood and water, sawing and cleaving wood, lighting the fire in the morning and mending the skidoo. I don’t suppose he makes it break down on purpose just to fix it! School is going OK. I find my big self – criticism about my teaching is that I tend to be too kind and friendly towards the kids. If “you give an inch, they take a mile.”I’ve almost completely finished all my exams except for a couple who were sick, Greta and Edgar. No more news so I’m off to bed.

A Quiet Sort of Life
29th…School went OK today as usual except for some relationship problems between Claude, Pete and myself which have been ironed out by Rev. Lewis who was in for Church today for 7.45 p.m. After that, Pete and I went over to Brian and Jim’s birthday party where we had a fine feed but unfortunately had to leave early because Rev. Lewis had finished the parents meeting. “Softly, Softly, Catchee, Monkee” is certainly the order of the day here. It’s all a case of growing – up I suppose. I had a letter from The School Board today. Nothing much else has happened in my life out here. I’ve just had a scattered ride on a skidoo that’s all. Boy, I feel dried – up for news. No. I lie. The weather: it’s just started snowing after being a very pleasant day, barring Claude’s antics. The snow is being compacted to a good depth now on the roads by the buzzing skidoos. I wonder how much will have fallen by the morning. It might be a couple of feet or it might be a couple of inches. You just can’t tell around these parts because the weather changes very, very quickly. My knee has been troubling me slightly over the past few days after that bang I gave it when Clive and were having a “randy” on Aubrey’s skidoo. At the moment I am trying to find transport up to Mary’s Harbour for “The Time” up there that commences on February 6th. It’s February already. Boy! The time is certainly flying. Before I know where I am it will be time to go back home again.

Teaching Observation
30th…Oh well, yet another day has finished. Rev Lewis was in School this afternoon as a Board member and he watched all three of us teach. I found it rather nerve - racking. Oh well, I suppose I am going to go through the same sort of thing in College. I got through it OK. Rev. Lewis just smiled and nodded as he walked from my classroom into Pete’s. Claude has also been inspected. I went to Church today and yesterday. It seems to keep the people here happy when teachers’ faces are seen in Church. I was down at Dick Rumbolt’s where I played my National Geographic moon landing record and showed my magazine with some excellent photos of the moon. I’ve just come back from Billy Parr’s where I failed to get Florence’s skidoo going for her. I went down there from Mrs. Ward’s where I’ve been playing “120” with Pete, Mrs. Ward, Austin and Evelyn. I did very well, winning all the games I played in. “120” is basically a game of luck. The weather today has been unpleasant with a brisk wind causing the snow to drift. I’m glad I have those over boots that buckle – up thereby preventing any snow from getting in. The wind was howling today and I could just imagine what Capt. Scott must have felt like on his way to the South Pole. Boy, it was a wild feeling when I felt the wind howling and whistling around me as I walked down the snow – drifted road. It’s 12.45 a.m. now so I’m off to bed with the weekend ahead. Great!

The Mountie is in about the Theft of my Money
31st The Mountie came in today. I spoke with him – a very nice man who cooperated. I had a good long lie – in this morning and made up on some lost hours of valuable sleep. I went down to Pete’s before dinner to get an appetite. In the afternoon the mission plane came in fleetingly. I also saw a small helicopter take off at close quarters down near the Post Office. I think it went to Mary’s Harbour. The pilot of the Bowater’s plane that came in a couple of days ago with the wood scaler was on it. I’ve been feeling rather down – hearted today for no good reason. Probably because I didn’t find myself much to do. I’ve just run down from Stephen and Sandra’s for a bit of exercise. I had a hot – dog lunch up there. Their big grumble was that Ted Penney had disconnected them. Bart Penney failed to hire out his cruiser to Pete and I tonight. He asked for $10 per day whereas we were going to offer $10 per week! Oh well, he’s a business man.

The Cat ate my Toothpaste!
I know why the cat in my house was meowing a lot today. It was I feel sure because he had a feed of my toothpaste. I found the tube punctured a few minutes before I brushed my teeth. It also had claw mark all over it – the unmistakable signs of a cat. Oh well, I can’t close the door of my room or the temperature very rapidly drops below freezing. I think I can put up with Kimberley’s vandalistic fingers and the cat’s claws OK when I think how cold I’d get if I could close the door of my room tightly. The lesser of two evils!!! Scott and I sawed and cleaved up a lot of wood before supper. After supper, with the aid of Chips, we hauled a barrel of water from the brook that is a stone’s throw from The Anglican School. There was a hole through the ice at the Brook. I could see the ice was about two feet thick I should say. My last bit of “news” for the night is that the nurse should be in on Monday and a big crowd of about thirty to forty skidoos went down to Charlottetown today.