1943 May 8th Saturday
Some clouds after sun shone in forenoon and got real chilly from the Northwest and looked like it might snow but no moisture fell. Will looked at cattle, got in cow that has a large bag and milked her out for calf won’t take all the milk, and he got amount of posts and some 2X6’s to fix fence from gate north of round corral to west of shed and we ate a bite and went to Valentine. I saw Nellie Larmer and Janie Hollenbach for they came downtown and Fred is on the mend in England and Boyd O.K. in North Africa. We got Turkey-Feed for Van Epps and the mail man will bring out posts and 2X6’s from town Monday. We brought home ice-cream and supper after we looked over the cattle and Will chored. Bob Meyers staid here Thursday night after planting trees at McCormick’s.
1943 May 9th Sunday
Sun shone and a nice day for Mother’s Day. Will took me to 9 o’clock church and I went to communion, also W.D. Van Epps, Mr. and Mrs. Ted Schaffer of Littleburg, Mr. & Mrs. Roy Drey, Mrs. Frank Abbott. Schaffers had a son and 2 daughters there. Elmer Gran came late with Jimmie Willis, Mary Ellen and Caroline. We went around cattle on return and Will was at Tate’s while I was a church, so he got onions and a young fry, it weighed 2 1/2 lbs. so I fried it, cooked asparagus, fixed fresh strawberries, and we had rolls and cookies so had a good meal. W.D. Van Epps came at noon and he ate some chicken and strawberries. He came to pay for turkey-feed we got yesterday. I laid down and slept a long time in p.m. Will polished his shoes, read and rested. We went around cattle late p.m., counted 105 calves, stopped at Van Epps. Elsie is up and was caring for 22 turkeys that hatched to-day. We came home and ate rest of chicken, strawberries, gravy, etc. Tates will go with to-morrow to Carl Brown Funeral at Olsonville, south [of] Mission about 15 miles there is a Lutheran Church west of Olsonville, that is Parsonage where a Mr. Weiss and family live and he is Pastor of this parish and church a basement but it is fixed nice and some day they plan on building.
1943 May 10th Monday
Sun shone, was nice until the afternoon got real hot, south wind blew strong and dusty at times and just at dark wind changed to northeast and got real cool and wind blew so hard. I got breakfast, we ate dinner at Estes Cafe, Mission and got to Tates at 11 a.m. Mr. and Mrs. went along. Jim Gee, his mother, Lucy, Mr. & Mrs. Henry Sell, Mr. & Mrs. Calvin Lamoreaux, John Jansen, Rank Schneiderweit, Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Mosher and small grand-son Will, I, Mr. & Mrs. Tate went to Olsonville where Bert Harvey and a Greek young man were later. Glen Seadore, Mr. & Mrs. Art Estes, 2 young ladies, Mr. & Mrs. Tom Sazama, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Anderson, and those Legionnaires that came from Brown home were Mr. and Mrs. Fred Lein and son, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Gibson. After services, the Legionnaires stood in front of church with colors and firing squad, then at grave at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Valentine, that had Honor Guard. Mr. Brown was born in Virginia, left a wife and children. I will put his obituary in the Legion scrapbook I am making. We came to town, had a lunch at Home Bakery on John Brinda, and got ice-cream, cookies, came to Tates and supper etc. there. Home at 10:30 p.m., so tired, Will’s face is sun-burnt.
1943 May 11th Tuesday
Got real cold last night and continued from Northeast to-day but no moisture fell, only a few clouds and wind. Wm Van Epps and Will each did their chores and Will looked at his cattle. Van Epps got posts and lumber mail-man brought out yesterday in his trailer and they started to fix fence northeast corner barn-yard lot. I got meals but so all in, had to rest and sewed a little on brown dress. It got so cold, 30 above, [so] that Will thought best not to go to Tom Fox House to Legion Meeting as it was cloudy also.
1943 May 12th Wednesday
Still cold, for 20 above this morning and got to 50 in day, some clouds, no rain nor snow. I got meals, laid down in p.m., sewed on brown dress I am making for Sunday wear. Men chored, worked at the fence and a lot finished. Claude Van Epps was here this forenoon.
1943 May 13th Thursday
Was 26 above this morning and got warmer in day as sun shone. I got meals, laid down in p.m., sewed on Brown dress. The men did their chores. Will looked at cattle and they fenced and repaired some on round corral. Will and I went to Whiting Store, got groceries and took eggs, on to Wm Abbotts, they are painting indoors, told him brand calves Saturday. Home via Van Epps and looked at cattle.
1943 May 14th Friday
A strong south and south-east wind. Got cloudy late p.m., was cloudy all but more like rain in eve, began to mist at bed-time. I got meals, laid [down] in p.m. Will got in water and took it out so clothes are washed and I put all on line but heavy ones and towels. I got them in also as wind too strong and they were quite dry so I ironed shirts, tablecloths and handkerchiefs, mopped kitchen. W.D. helped Elsie wash as Will did here and they both put a cut-off fence at southeast corner bull-pen of about a half dozen posts and will make a gate later to horse pasture. Van Epps got their clothes dry.