1926 April 12th Monday

A beautiful morning but real warm at mid-day and cooler eve. Will and William sowed barley and George disced. Will Smith brought Jake Wisenberger’s egg-crate and left for eggs for incubator. I did ordinary work. Louise to school and came late eve.

1936 April 12th Sunday

Sun shone but a strong N.W. wind and quite dusty at times and was chilly in p.m. I got breakfast and Will took me to church at 8:30 a.m. and I went to Communion, then Will and Thomas came and we went to St. Francis to Jake’s 46th birthday, stayed for movies in eve and I went to benediction. We had a lot of eats at Jake’s. His family, Lawrence, Mable, Vivian, Sydney, Vera, Pat, Coogie (John Joseph), Louise, Barney (Vernon Dean), Loretta, Cora May, Raymond and George Herman Everett Haukaas, daughter Beverly and son Wayne, visitors Steve Red Elk and Pearl Clifford and Wm Whiting and George Fallis called for a few minutes in p.m. We all had our pictures taken in p.m.

1946 April 12th Friday

Bright, warm day. This is Jake’s and Leo Whiting’s birthday, also 1 yr. ago today Franklin Delano Roosevelt died, so this day his old House at Hyde Park was turned over to the Government as a Memorial to him, and will be a Museum. Stanley came so he and Van Epps took 17 head of Van Epps cattle to Stanley’s pasture in South Hills. Will helped to Highway, home to go to get car fixed at Valentine. I did usual work and chicks to feed.

1956 April 12th Thursday

Jake’s and Leo Whiting’s Birthdays. Franklin Delano Roosevelt passed away on April 12 at his White House Georgia home and our nation is in sorrow untold and all program on radio are in his memory. Bright & warm day so Vere & Doug fed cattle and Mrs. Douglas went home to take Victoria Prue to Winner to do shopping. She is Mrs. Doug’s sister and Janis’s brother Froster’s wife Elizabeth of Alliance, Nebr. came to Janis at O’Kreek Tuesday night. Athel came this a.m. but did not wash as she went home to give Thomas & Vere dinner because men gave our cattle hay and Vere to help. Thomas and Dick sprayed cattle and came home from Valentine. Will got a front quarter of beef and our meat stored since R.E.A. was out. Lillian brought Doug and went away so he had coffee and sandwich here and we had dinner at Valentine. Lillian got supper at Vere’s.

1926 April 10th Saturday

Another nice day. I made bread and finished most of meat. Louise cleaned house and washed clothes. William went to Rosebud with Tom and home in eve. Will and George disced in barley. Several cars went by to-day. Louise went to Menz’s dance with E. A. Elshire.

1936 April 10th Friday

Sun shone but was windy from N.W. at times, a freeze last night but warm to-day. I got meals and made 2 night shirts for Will and laid down awhile in p.m. but no sleep. Thomas and LeMoyne hauled load of hay to the stock in a.m. and p.m. they put 1 load on the stack at wind-brake. They did all the chores, for Will came in just at supper time, he stayed at Winner last night for he came back to Wooster’s yesterday from Winner and got stuck so Lee Larmer pulled him out, he broke at Weiner’s, got fixed at O’Kreek.

1946 April 10th Wednesday

Cloudy and chilly, sprinkled rain in p.m. I got meals, laid down in p.m., listened to radio, played solitaire, read some and visited a little with Will and Wm Abbott late p.m. for Will got him to butcher a yearling steer he has been feeding a little grain since he took him out of bull-pen a week ago. It didn’t take them long to butcher, then Will took Abbott home, they put beef in shanty for may rain hard. Van Epps came this morning and they fed cattle hay, took last of stacks N.W. of house to old garden spot along hill-side north of trees. Van Epps went to work at his place. He brought the mail so am always glad to get it.

1956 April 10th Tuesday

Bright day. Vere went to Thomas’s and took David and Jimmie to school and left Darryl home to be taken to his Grandma, Mrs. Wright at O’Kreek, and Tracy Wright, Lew’s wife and 4 children back to O’Kreek by Lew this day. Vere told Athel to come so she did and took Will, and I took her place and we went to Valentine via Mission and no find anyone that cared to work out so got a name at County Agent Leslie Johnson who was at Chester Weaver’s working but would go to a ranch if one available so we came back to mr. Rinehart Sale, 4 north and 2 west of Valentine. No one there also to work so we came back, went to Doug Janis’s, O’Kreek, no one home, on to Winner to get Pick Up license, pay real estate and personal taxes, rent to Mrs. Viola Walker, then ordered gas and oil at Blomstrom Oil Co. Got groceries at Outlaw and came home or back to O’Kreek, saw Mrs. Lillian Janis and she said that Doug was at Dan Mass’s 1 mi. north of O’Kreek working but would come home this eve, so we came home.

1926 April 9th Friday

A beautiful forenoon and clouded at noon and south breeze cool. The men started to sow and disc in barley on Dave’s and in p.m. William came home and went to Tom’s and Will to Bailey’s, Acoren’s, and Wisenberger’s and got disc at last place. Louise to school and in eve resigned as no school tomorrow. I started to cut meat but slow job.

1936 April 9th Thursday

Rained in night, was cloudy, warm until towards eve got quite chilly. I got meals and made 5 bloomers for myself for there was no dinner to be gotten, for LeMoyne and Thomas took lunch and went to put 3 loads hay in big stack on Hampl and this finished the hay up there for they brought 1 load home and the hay rack that they used at stacking. Will finished the chores and went to Winner and Dixon, Gregory Co. and is not home this night.

1946 April 9th Tuesday

Cloudy, chilly Southeast to South wind quite strong at times and rained in p.m. Will chored and got Van Epps and Abbott and they went to Lew McKees to help dehorn 80 yearling Steers and Heifers and came home early so Will chored and we had an early supper. I got only 2 meals, lunched at noon, laid down in p.m., played solitaire, read, listened to radio and fussed to keep chicks O.K.

1956 April 9th Monday

Bright day. Ellen came up to wash and Elaine also. She took washing home. I washed out clothes and hung them on porch line and brought in, in eve. Lew Wright brought his wife, Nancy, 3 girls and 4 mo. old son. They stay at Janis’s as Chester took Ellen to Rosebud Hospital and Lew along. They came home at sunset. Vere got Darryl at school, also David & Jimmie Whiting.

1926 April 8th Thursday

Cloudy until towards eve a little brighter and cold all day. Fred came and he and Will went to O’Kreek to get our harness and home at noon. George and William to the barn and butchered a hog before dinner and in p.m. Will fixed harness and William and George drove Lazzes for first time with Molly to Ed’s and got a harness and Prince at Elshires. Louise rode home with them from school and had a headache in the eve. I just fussed with chicks and made a cake and was very tired.

1936 April 8th Wednesday

Cloudy, warm until in p.m. the sun shone. I stayed in bed until after breakfast and then stayed up until in afternoon but did not sleep, only laid down to rest for I cooked lard, helped Will clean boys’ room and cut Will’s night shirts and got supper, first meal since Sunday, for Will cooked them all and fixed boys’ lunch for they put 4 loads in stack on Hampl land and brought 1 to cattle here. Will went to the store at noon and again after supper for cream but none there. Thomas and Lemoyne went along in eve.

1946 April 8th Monday

Cloudy, cool forenoon but bright, warmer p.m. Will chored, looked at cows, ate breakfast, then Van Epps, Wm Abbott came horse-back. Mr. Lew McKee, Bus, Jesse Lewis came in their Pick Up and men dehorned our coming yearlings and 14 of Van Epps also, castrated 4 of Van Epps small boars. Being no fresh meat or vegetables for Elsie and Billie who came this morning, we fixed roasted cured ham, mashed potatoes, string beans, chicken dumplings, a meat loaf of canned beef but men did not eat it as would as if made out of fresh beef, also bread, butter, jell, pickles, coffee, cream, lemon pudding on plain cake. Lunch of Lemonade and sandwiches and cookies. They all went home and Will looked at cows, chored. I put chickens to bed in their boxes on east porch. I feel real bum with cold in head and throat so had to lie down at noon, again in afternoon, got nervous spell so eyes blurred late p.m. but cold water makes this pass away. Will, Billie and W. Daniel cubed the cattle before they went home in late p.m. Marjorie rides to school on Sheik and is home before 5 p.m. Men will go to McKee’s to dehorn tomorrow.

1956 April 8th Sunday

Partly cloudy and chilly but sun comes out. I am writing this in a.m. so may be a nice p.m. Fr. Lawrence Helmuller of St. Francis came at 7:45 a.m. with communion for me and he went back to St. Therese, Hidden Timber for 8:30 a.m. Mass and I hope a number of folks come to church to-day. I got breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, Post Toasties, fruit for me. Ellen gave me a shot and cleaned Will’s eye and doped it. Ellen and Chester cleaned out the deep freeze and left it open to dry out and did not turn on yet. After electricity came on 7:40 p.m. last eve, Chester and Vere came and turned water on after priming the well by basement and it took some time to get water filled in supply and hot water. They then went to well N.E. of their house to get it to pump last eve, so today all is well and we have plenty of water. We have ice-cream in refrigerator and it is getting soft. Harry, Louise, Harley, Billie and Mary were here this p.m. Louise washed dishes and Pearl did in eve for Stanley, Pearl, Gary, Curly (Stanley Jr.), Eileen came this eve. Billie Abbott came in their car, brought a Mr. Sal Treat of Branson, Missouri, dealer in posts lumber and grain. We just lunched and had soup this eve (oyster), coffee, cookies, pie, ice-cream both for Furreys and Stanley Whiting. Ellen and Elaine and Darryl and Chester came up this p.m. and in eve Elaine, Darryl and Chester came up and stayed until bed-time which was 10 p.m. this night.

1926 April 7th Wednesday

Cloudy but nice bright p.m. and a beautiful eve. The men finished hay in barn and in eve Will and I went to the store, got mail and groceries and George & William chored. Louise to school and in eve wrote letters. I fussed with chicks as incubator also hatching. Mr. Lattimore, Ed Anderson and Fred Menz here, Fred for eggs, Lattimore to have Will go with him to Tripp Co. and Anderson for chicken and eggs later. We saw both Elshires and Cousers at the store. We are tired.

1936 April 7th Tuesday

Sun shone but was chilly indoors. Will got meals. I baked bread and put corn-beef on to cook for Will cleaned to put lard in and he cut the lard for 2 weeks so needs cooking. This corn-beef was put in jar last summer by Ed Whiting so I will now can it, but when it was cooked in eve, Will had to put it in jars for I slept in p.m. but am still all in with a cold and pains in right hip. LeMoyne and Thomas hauled 2 loads of any from North of Strids and gave cattle in barn-yard a load of cane. Will took Wisenbergers’ cattle home and chored and I got the meals.

1946 April 7th Sunday

Partly cloudy, never got above 60 above and N.W. to North wind. I fed and turned chicks loose so they scratched in yard. I wrote in diary, cooked a small hen that Will got for me after he chored, looked at cattle. He shaved and went to Van Epps to bring back some beef roast they got last night at Mission, but he did not come home so much have gone to McKee’s to see about dehorning to-morrow. I am lunching which I am not supposed to do, must eat at 4 hour intervals. Will got back from McKee’s where he had dinner of boiled pork, potatoes, Jello salad, etc. He brought a ham from Van Epps as no fresh meat at Mission last night. He looked at cows, took Garbage to Junk hole on Wagner’s, went to Stanley Whiting’s for dehorning saw and chored, went to Wm Abbotts to tell him about dehorning tomorrow here. Roy and Babe Drey there. Will had a piece of raisin-pie at Abbotts and a chicken lunch here. He had to go out to look at Louise’s condition for her calf had to be delivered and he was late in coming in for the night. Wm Van Epps and Elsie brought bread, unsalted butter and dehorning paint. The Neighbor Lady at WNAX said that vitamin pills help to keep the flu away. I have a cold in head and bronchial tube and it is a nuisance.

1956 April 7th Saturday

Bright, cool and when door opened was chilly. Athel, Jimmie and Doris came in Pick Up and brought us milk and got eggs and bread, etc. They took Elaine up to play with Jimmie as Darryl is at O’Kreek with Mrs. Wright. Chester & Ellen got mail and Elaine late p.m. Men gave cattle bunches of hay in yard west of trees, hauled it to S.W. of house. Will out to where men worked at tractor and cleaned shed. Ellen gave me insulin shot and cleaned Will’s eye. Electricity came on at 7 40 p.m. this eve.

1926 April 6th Tuesday

Cloudy & snowed and N.W. wind but warmer than has been yet none too warm. William, George & Will filled the barn. Messrs. Butts and Vogt of Winner inquired way to Tom’s and Lattimore’s. Ed, Rena, Charlotte & Edward stopped on way home from O’Kreek. Louise to school and I only got the meals and made bread. Some little chicks are hatched at coop. We are still all in from trip to St. Francis.

1936 April 6th Monday

Sun shone until towards noon flurries of snow but didn’t last, for late p.m. was bright again. I stayed in bed for the cold got the best of me, got up in a.m. to eat a bite and take clothes off rack in front room, laid down until 2 p.m., ate vegetable soup Will got at store for he took eggs and went for bread, none there so I made biscuits for supper and Will got the meals, he fixed lunch for LeMoyne and Thomas for they put 1 load of hay in Hampl Stack and home but got stuck crossing ravine near stack so brought only part of load home. They cleaned barn for got back at 3 p.m.

1946 April 6th Saturday

Army Day. Wind blew from N.W. and was cold. I got eats, lay down before noon and again in p.m., washed a few pieces, read some for Van Epps got mail and stopped here after they took Mr. Ernest Van Epps to Klein’s store to go with the mailman to Valentine, and then on to the train to Thermopolis, Wyoming to live, if he can get an old age pension. If not, he will herd sheep again. Will and W.D. gave cattle cubes, fed calves and as W.D. had no dinner, Elsie and I gave what was cooked to him and Will. Billie ate with them and Marjori, Elsie and I did not eat. They chored and went to Mission in the eve. Will chored and I washed dishes, put chicks to roost on east porch, read, played solitaire. I fed chicks all day, starter, feed, sour milk and water.

1956 April 6th Friday

Cloudy, cold, windy. Ellen & Chester at 6 a.m. got meat out of basement in deep freeze to write Whitcher name on packages, put in box and name on top. Chester in Pick Up took to Whiting Store. Bud was ready to take their 1, beef, 1 hog, 30 chickens to cold storage, Valentine, to keep until electricity is back which may be next week. We sent 3 boxes of meat by Bud. Elaine took Darryl last p.m. to got to Rosebud and left him at her mother’s. No school this day on account of classes of spelling at Mission for county contest. Clarice Chauncey took David and others, and Pearl took her 3 kids to Mission. Athel and Jimmie went with Thomas to take some calves to Winner Auction Sale. Had 2 flat tires at Jordan Hill. Charles Russel & wife came along, took them and tire to Winner and got 1 patched, then he took Thomas back to put this repaired tire on Pick Up, got calves to Market and 2 New tires. Will & I home. Chester & Vere fed cattle and cleaned shed of manure and looked at calves. Will walked out to men at work. I got eats and laid down in p.m. and wrote in diary. Dick Whiting came in their Ford Car to get sprayer but it is at McKee’s, will get it there in their small truck.

1926 April 5th Monday

Cloudy and oh so cold for East wind nearly froze us as we left Dave’s at 7 a.m., got gas at school and left at 7:30 a.m. via John Neiss’s, started to snow after we left Neiss’s and took Louise to school at 9:45 a.m., home here, nearly froze and the ground covered with snow in a short time. Menz’s stayed for dinner. Ed, Rena, Edward & Charlotte here and went on to O’Kreek for the night at Pete Haukaas’s. Mr. & Mrs. Wm Welch came and brought our potatoes and got eggs, and William & he went to the store. Fred Menz came for his car which was out of gas. William & George Chihak who came last eve to help with work took lunch in Menz’s car to Louise. I made butter and cooked but we are all in from the trip.

1936 April 5th Sunday

Snow fell in night and some in a.m. I got meals and laid down awhile after I roasted a chicken and made pop-corn balls, for the men went to store and around at Furrey’s and home to eat at 3 p.m. We ate a light lunch in eve. I still am all in with pains in back and have a cold in head and a sore throat. The men chored and finished early eve to listen to radio.

1946 April 5th Friday

Not so pleasant but bright and was cool. I got eats but Will had a cold so he just managed to chore in morning and looked at cows as they may calf now, laid in bed so I lay down also and gave Will orange juice, bacon and eggs late p.m. My eats just cereal, toast, poached eggs, boiled potatoes, orange juice and prunes, milk to drink. I played solitaire, listened to radio and read some. Van Epps are at their place repairing fence and cleaning house. Will looked at cattle in eve but did not do chores.

1956 April 5th Thursday

Bright, nice day, was warm in p.m., had to take off coats coming from Valentine via Mission where Athel got 3 lamp chimneys at Abourezk Store, also a loaf of bread. Athel came in their Pick Up and drove our Mercury via Mission to Valentine. Met 7 repair trucks for R.E.A. as a lot of electric lines down all over this territory. We had dinner at Home Cafe on 20 South of Valentine. Will had his eye fitted to glass and Mr. Frank Coburn had taken information to get deed from Helen Swagger Holtman, Norfolk, Nebraska, for her land in our pasture. Athel and I got groceries, a hat for me and some drugs and batteries for flashlight and lantern. Saw Bud Whiting and he said to tell his folks to have meat boxed to take to freezer at Vanderheiden Storage south of 20, also our meat to go along. Stopped to tell Sadie but she had to wait until Bud got home to see about things. Chester fed cattle, and 12 calves came and twins this morning. Helen and Elaine at home and took Darryl and David and Jimmie to and from school.

1926 April 4th Sunday

A cloudy, very cold Easter, in fact outside one nearly freezes. Jake’s family, several school girls and Dave & girls at Dave’s to-day. We went to a very nice play in the eve and at Dave’s for the night after a very cold day and all are sleepy.

1936 April 4th Saturday

Some clouds and a few flakes of snow, a north wind and clothes Will hung out on line froze but he brought them in, in eve. Will got in water, turned machine and wringer and rubbed dish-towels. I rubbed the colored clothes, got meals but still have pains in my back. Lemoyne and Thomas hauled 2 loads hay from North Strids.

1946 April 4th Thursday

Bright, nice day after snow of yesterday. I got meals, laid down in p.m. Elsie, Billie and Mr. E. Van Epps came. They walked down, for W.D. came in car to feed cattle. Elsie helped with dinner and she washed dishes. They then went home. Men and Billie gave cattle cubes and fed calves in p.m. Will fixed S.W. corner of wheat grass fence. Van Epps brought mail.

1956 April 4th Wednesday

Sun shone so snow is melting and was warm so snow settled. Ellen brought some in so I got enough to wash dishes. Chester got drinking water at Thomas’s in Jar for them and us when he took Darryl, David & Jimmie to school. Chester cleaned out gate going to wheat grass. Athel came in Pick Up to bring milk and to see when Will will go to Valentine to have glass for eye. Ellen up and Elaine in p.m. Vere cleaned shed and Chester helped, also they fixed fence. Will rested and played radio and walked a few times, made him tired. I got eats and laid down in p.m. and played solitaire and read some.