July 12, 1956, Thursday
Dora Brownfield’s Birthday. Bright, warm day after cool a.m. We had breakfast, and Will and I went to Valentine to get repairs and groceries and home at noon hour, left at 9 a.m., back at 12:20 p.m., and later in p.m. had pork chops and bread, and same for supper, also potatoes and other eats. We had a Ranch Burger and Frosty Freeze. I take burger, Will Freeze. Will ordered wringer roll and packing and gasket for Coronado Washer at Gambles and we will get them later. Jerry got mail and sat in car as clouded in p.m. and a real rain about 4 p.m. David Whiting is driving Cat to put hay on stack after someone hauls to stacker on sweep. He eats and stays at Parkers. Jeanne took Jack and Cherrie out to see men stack hay and they were caught in rain. Leslie rode home with them. Dave, Will and David came in their Ford Pick Up.
July 13, 1956, Friday
Bright so men got ready to mow hay this p.m. and David went home for the night this eve with his dad mowing on land he owns. Will finished cleaning pipe to sewer from kitchen sink and is it nice to have water run in septic tank, and he cleaned broken glass in basement. Wilbur Blacksmith & Jake Kills In Sight came to see about Hornstra (Ted) Land, if we have been paying lease to anyone, but we put $863 at T.L.E. Office 5 years ago to buy this land but office changed from Billings, Montana to Aberdeen, S.D. and they did not do anything yet but will look into it, also exchange of Katz to me and Fallis to Will. Athel, Doris, Jimmie, Bobbie, Patsy & Danny came to Parkers and Johnsons and Doris & Athel to say that there will be a shower for Dick and Joan Whiting, they were married at St. Francis, S.D. June 29 and were chivaried July 5th.
July 14, 1956, Saturday
Bright, so men out to mow and David & Bill brought in sweep on Ford Tractor and put in new teeth. Dave took it out after dinner and they stacked 3 more stacks this day, making 2 wheat grass and 9 wild hay stacks averaging 6 or 7 tons each. They will put 1 more stack on Old Lodge and moved to Boyer with mowers and rakes. Bent a rake wheel on M Tractor outfit and put on old one on. They came home early to clean and to get ready to go with Parkers to Mission, Johnsons to Winner and Brinda’s this eve. Will and I ate supper and went out to look at cows and hay stacks finished, back at dark. Clouds in S.E. Must be rain there. Will looked at cows about to calf. There are 8 with these 2 year old heifers and some cows, 3 more to come. Harry & Harley Furrey came this p.m. and Harley ate melon. Will & Harry drank tea. One of Parkers’ tame rabbits died and Jerry went there to get Billie to take home and told Jack that rabbit was dying and he came down here crying so much, but it was dead. He and Cherrie took a nap, also I and Jeanne and Will never napped this p.m.
July 15, 1956, Sunday
Bright day but not too hot. Will looked about cows to calf. Johnson went away to Brindas and came home in evening. Parkers are home and Bill & Dave and Jack got some rocks to fix walk on hillside to toilet. In late p.m. Athel and children came, also Bud’s, Robbie, Patsy and Dannie and took Jeanne, Jack & Cherrie to their home for supper, and Dave and Bill went in Parkers’ car later to have supper and they came sometime before midnight and Johnsons stayed home. W. L., Billie and Mrs. Inez got Delores at North Platte last night, home 4 a.m. this morning and here about noon to get water. We just lunched and I fixed chicken. We laid down in p.m. Will and I out to look at cows in eve. Delores back July 24 to L.A. California.
July 16, 1956, Monday
Bright and hot, in p.m. at 98 and indoors was 96 above. We got groceries etc. at Outlaw and gas at East Main on Highway 18. Our eats were only hamburgers and ice water and on way home lunch meat, bananas and I had a peach and crackers. Jeanne washed their clothes and ours that were out on porch. I am glad, for I don’t have to wash for some time. Our machine leaks oil and wringer not so good so when Will goes in, in pick up will take it to Valentine Gamble to be fixed, we went north to O’Kreek and back on 18 to a few miles west of O’Kreek, then back to road going south west of cemetery through hills. Dave, David and Leslie are stacking Old Lodge land. Bill mowing Boyer in a.m., had M Tractor, 2 mowers and rake and in p.m. Ferguson, 2 mowers & rake. We have another calf, making 9 now. I don’t know what Jerry did but he was at garden and Parkers by Jack.
July 17, 1956, Tuesday
Bright hot day. Yesterday Jeanne had to take our fan home and Johnsons had our electric plate but Jerry took it to Mission a week ago to fix but did not say that they did it. She washed to-day. Jeanne cooked a large rooster, made noodles a plenty. Jeanne & Jerry and children went to Athel’s this p.m., brought Patsy, Bobbie, Jimmie, and I don’t know if Danny came. Will had to get Leslie to pull a calf, last heifer to calf this season, 1 old cow here left. I don’t feel good but got nerve to stay along while all away.
July 18, 1956, Wednesday
Clouds in S.W. and before noon seems to be rain that way but sun shone here so I cleaned and decided to wash and had them near finished and couldn’t fix wringer on Parkers’ machine so just washed, squeezed out, put in sink rinse water and hung my checked nylon dress on line and stockings back to washing and north window had rain on it and did it rain, 2 times very much as men came in to dinner, Dave, Bill, Leslie and David. They stacked 4 stacks on Boyer land and mowing old field on Medicine Eagle as they went out late p.m. Will took in pick up our washer to Gamble to fix oil seal and part of John Deere mower that broke last year and was covered with a piece of tin to Wood’s Implement, Valentine, to get fixed. He got 1 ton sack salt and mower fixed so home at 1 p.m. when it rained again but men fixed mower and went to work. Will laid down as his left eye pained a lot. He got up and looked at 1 cow left to calf. Last heifer’s calf is able to get around but kind of wobbly, it had to be pulled. Jerry, Annita and Billie came up to Leslie at garage but he was gone to hayfield, came in to get eggs and first time saw Annita walk. Jeanne, Jack and Cherrie are gone some place and came back before dark.