Wednesday, May 01 Temp 22
Mrs Conibear came over this morning and re-papered the front room. She finished about 15:00. I brought the DR's UTD and got everything ready for a big day tomorrow on the monthly books. After supper I took Nona and Ruby for a car ride. We went out the Portage Road about 4 miles. Nona and Ruby finished cleaning the front room tonight and it is the best it has ever been. I took a flash light picture of it about midnight. The radio was poor tonight. I read "The Gods of Mars" by E.R. Burroughs. Finished it at 03:00.
Thursday, May 02 Temp 22
Spent most of the day on the books. I finished the accounts and made out most of the reports and statements. I finished them about 14:30. From then till 16:30 I worked on my bus. I took up the bearing and found one that I will have to replace. Thank goodness it is easy to get at, No 1. I put back the muffler just for fun as everyone here has been kidding me about the noise that my bus makes. I like to hear it talk though. After supper we all read a book. I read "Selwood of Sleepy Cat" by F.H. Spearman. It was good. I developed 8 rolls of films this evening but was so interested in the book that I was reading that I went to bed forgetting to hang them up to dry and when I woke in the morning found them still in the bath.
Friday, May 03 Temp 27
Slept in till 01:00. I hung up the films that were left in the bath all night while Ruby prepared breakfast. After breakfast I got into the car and went to see Calaghan about getting a load of soil to put on Nadene's grave. I hunted up Burke and asked him to come around and get all the tin cans cleaned up around the yard and take them out to the dumping ground. Then I went to Vic's and got some beefsteak. After being relieved on the Key at 14:00, I went uptown and collected the radio accounts then returned to the station and made a bunch of new files and cleaned up things a bit. After supper I took Nona and Ruby to the Halfway for a ride. I saw Walt about getting some lumber to put around Nadene's plot and although I intended bringing it back with me, Walt said that he would plane it all up and bring it over Sunday. Nona and Ruby went up to the house to visit Katie. I met Mickey at the garage and he came up to the house with me. We stayed there till 09:00 and left for home. Got back to Smith in 20 minutes. The roads are in good condition. There was only 2 water holes on the roads and as it is sandy, the bottom was hard and there was no trouble. The old bus wanted to fly all the time. I cut the gas down fine at the carburator and the throttle was only down about half and inch all the way. When we got home I lit the fire then put on some coffee. The radio was excellent tonight. Walt gave me a lower half of a conn. rod bearing to replace the one in the car that is worn thin. We went to bed at 00:30.
Saturday, May 04 Temp 24
Very little doing at the station this morning. Finishing the account collections and mail for Ottawa this afternoon. Starting teaching Nona how to drive the car today. She's doing very well too. After supper Norman came up. We talked for a while and Miss Catt and Nona played Thew and Ruby. Norman and I played the winners and won. Went to bed at 00:30.
Sunday, May 05 Temp 19
I got up at 08:00 and printed pictures till 01:30. After dinner Norman and I went down and I gave the boat the last coat of Valspar. I put the floor boards and seats back and gave them a final coat also. We then went out over my trap line and picked up what traps I could. We got 10 out of 14. Two of the other four I may be able to salvage next fall as they hid in under the river bank but the other two I will loose. The ice will take them out with it. Supper was ready when we returned home. Shortly after supper Ruby went down to see Mrs Lyall and Norman, Nona and I went down to the boat again. Nona wanted to see it all finished. On our way home we met Ruby and went out the Portage Road for a ride. We went about 3 miles. We had a lunch at 22:00 and Norman went home soon afterwards.
Monday, May 06 Temp 24
Nothing doing at the station today. I read a book most of the time. Had to change my front tire and its rim was out and the tube was showing thru. Nona went to the school today. After supper Thew came in for a while then I finished the book I was reading, The Border Legion by Zane Grey, then went to bed at 22:30 tonight.
Tuesday, May 07 Temp 33.
Slept in till 10:00, then took Nona out the Portage Road for another lesson in driving the car. Went to the station at 01:00 and took the Key for an hour. This afternoon I got Gerry and Bill to help me and tightened the aerial and counterpoise and fixed the lead in so that it cannot sag anymore and short out the counterpoise cross wires. I cleaned the car and did a little work on it, then at 16:30 took over the Key again. Took a message from Edmonton. After supper Nona, Ruby and I drove out to the rapids. We were the first out there this year by car and had to break trail a little ways. We then went down to the boat house to see the boat. Ruby had not seen it since it was ready for the water. The river at Smith is rising fast. It has come up several feet since Sunday. No one came up this evening and Nona and I played 5 games of crib. I won one of them and was skunked 3 times. We had some coffee and toast and went to bed at 23:30. The radio was very good after 22:00. It has been excellent for the past 2 weeks.
Wednesday, May 08 Temp 25
This morning I wrote a letter to Dunfee and one to Ottawa to increase my deposits to the Bank of Montreal from $25.00 to $50.00. After dinner I wrote a long letter to Mother. In the afternoon I cleaned out the engine room and got after Joe about cluttering it up with his junk. He certainly didn't like it either. After supper we went down to the river to see how it is coming. It has raised about a foot since noon. We went from there out the Portage Road for a ride then Nona and I went for a walk. We went out and brought in two more of my traps that were not down on the river bank. The radio was good tonight. Nona and I played 3 games of crib, she won the rubber. We had a lunch and went to bed at 23:30.
Thursday, May 09 Temp 41
After finishing the DR's this morning, I took one of the old cells to pieces and put new positive plates into it and got it ready to charge. During the afternoon I cleaned out the engine room and cleaned all the batteries. I sent my longest message during my afternoon trick. I sent a 221 NL in 24 minutes, had to give 3 corrections. The river was raising fast today, it has raised 5 feet since Sunday. After supper Norman and Basler came up and stayed till 23:30. Had a good time talking all the time. Went to bed shortly after midnight.
Friday, May 10 Temp 54
I printed pictures till noon then Nona and I went out the Portage Road. Nona had another lesson in driving. She is doing real well now. Has not had to pass another car yet. It was so windy this afternoon that we did no outside work at the station. Nona stayed in the house at home. No one came up this evening so Nona and I played a rubber of crib, she won. We had the radio on and we all read for a while. I finished "The Border Legion" by Zane Grey. Went to bed about midnight.
Saturday, May 11 Temp 28
Very cold again today. It froze last night and one of the frost plugs blew out of the ford engine and I could not find it this morning. I filled the station batteries with distilled water as some of them were low. I went over the whole bank as I want them all in good shape for the summer. There is one more needing charging so I took it apart and before noon had new positive plates in it and ready for the initial charge. After dinner I worked on the books and brought them UTD. Made arrangements with Mrs McPherson while she was there sending a message to come and scrub the station out for the spring cleanup. After supper I developed a couple rolls of films and a couple of my 5X7 films. We turned on the radio but it was not good. I finished reading " The Enchanted Hill" by Peter Kyne. It was a dandy western story. We all went to bed at 22:30.
Sunday, May 12 Temp 23
We all got up today at 10:00. I printed a couple dozen prints before noon and after dinner we started for the other side of the Portage. I took both cameras along as I promised Mrs Ryan that I would take some snaps of the children. We got there about 13:00 in the afternoon and stayed till about 14:30. I took several of the kids then restarted for Fitz. The ice is not out there yet but it moved about 35 feet last night and is pretty rotten. The water is jammed up the river a few miles. There was nothing doing at all over there so we started back. Arrived home at 17:00. While we were having supper Walt arrived from the Halfway so he sat in with us. He stayed about an hour then had to go back. We took him down to see the boat before he went back. I read a short story then fixed up my new tunic before going to bed. Retired at 23:15.
Monday, May 13 Temp 29
Worked on books this morning. Had Mrs McPherson come down and scrub out the whole downstairs of the station for our spring cleaning. Took the stove out of the engine room and packed it away for the summer. I took 2 pictures of the station and found when developed this evening that they were real good. No one came in this evening so we all read till time to go to bed.
Tuesday, May 14 Temp 24
Up this morning and printing pictures. Worked on the DR's at the station. Still cold weather so we did not go out. Norman came up this evening.
Wednesday, May 15 Temp 32
Warm again today. Nona and Ruby cleaned up the yard and around the fence outside. Had 3 small bonfires burning leaves. The "Bull Moose" arrived at Fitz this morning and the mail came over at 14:00. Thirty men came in on it. Cris Ozal came up to see us and while talking mentioned that Hugh Dougherty was in town. He is Mate on the "MacKenzie River". When Cris went out I went out and found Hugh and brought him up to the house. He and I went to school together in South Vancouver from 1908 to 1916. He stayed here till midnight. We talked about the old gang. He told me that he had seen Frosty, Hank and that Leslie Kirk was now Principal of the MacKenzie School in S. Vancouver. I promised to write to him. On the mail we only got one letter. I got advice from the bank of April's deposit and a receipt for my 3 General Motor's stocks and some Elto parts. We went to bed shortly after midnight.
Friday, May 17 Temp 27
Answering mail at the station today. Nothing doing around here today. Everyone is waiting for the boat. My sweepstakes ticket expired today at 20:00. Nothing doing tonight.
Saturday, May 18 Temp 33
Went for a car ride at noon for a little more practice for Nona. Nothing much doing in daytime. Norman came up after supper.
Sunday, May 19 Temp 43
Norman, Ruby, Nona and I went to Fitz this afternoon. We left here about 13:00 and arrived there about 14:00. We met Ernie Mills there and went with him up to the rocks and took some pictures. We got 2 gallons of fruit syrups, one of vanilla and one orange. After getting a lunch at the "Greasy Spoon" we came back. The roads are perfect but a little dusty. We stopped at the Halfway and talked to Walt for an hour. He gave me some stuff to make a model yacht with. We got home at 18:00 and were just sitting down to supper when Walt came in. He had to go back at 20:00. We went to bed at midnight.
Monday, May 20 Temp 49
No word of the boat yet. Nothing to do all day. Grub is getting low. No more fresh meat or vegetables left in town and Fitz ran out before we did. Living on canned goods and they were mostly frozen this winter so they are not very appetizing. Bread, coffee and canned fruits are the most common diets here now. Listened to the radio tonight till bed time. I developed some rolls of films tonight.
Tuesday, May 21 Temp 33
Up this morning and printed a bunch of pictures. Worked on the books all afternoon at the station. Just as we were having supper, Len Davidson came in and brought a little fresh meat that he and Bert brought up from down river. They had just got in so we started to get some supper for them. They had to get their load stored in York's. They got here about 20:00 and ate supper then we played bridge. Norman came up too. Went to bed about 01:00.
Wednesday, Mar 22 Temp 27
Bert and Len were here all afternoon. I worked on the books at the station. After supper Norman came up and we played cards till midnight and listened to the radio.
Thursday, May 23 Temp 36
Bert and Len had to go back to their shack today so Nona and Ruby went along for the ride. I had dinner and supper at Lanouettes. After supper Norman and I launched my boat and we went down to Gravel Point and waited till the gang got back. They arrived about 20:30 and we left at 23:00. Nona and Ruby and Bert and I came up in my boat and Norman and Len went in the other. It turned cold as soon as the sun went down. We arrived home at 22:30 and had supper. We played a couple of games of cards. Went to bed at 01:30.
Friday, May 24 Temp 40
Holiday today. We decided on a picnic. Bert, Ruby, Nona and I went on my boat. Dick Wynn and another man wanted a lift down to their camp so Len took them and their rolls in his boat. We arrived at the sand bar 4 miles below Gravel Point before Len came by. We got a fire going and waited for him to return. We ate at 16:00 and waited till 17:00 then decided to come home. It started to rain and would shower a little while then stop. We waited about half an hour at Gravel Point then came on. Len caught up to us about 3 miles from Smith. Bert, Nona and Ruby went in the other boat and Len came in with me. We arrived before them just long enough to get our boat out of the water. We all came up in the car and had another late supper. Went to bed at midnight.
Saturday, May 25 Temp 45
Worked on books all day. It rained all night and poured during the noon hour. The water ran down into the coils shorting them so I had to walk to the station after dinner. After supper we were playing bridge when Saldkeld and Constable Grey from Resolution came in. We played cards till after 23:00 and had a good time. Went to bed at 01:30.
Sunday, May 26 Temp 37
We had planned a picnic down river today but when we got up this morning we gave up the idea. It had been raining all night and looked as if it would continue all day. I printed a few pictures and am now out of paper, hypo and have only 3 developer powders left. I have to wait for the boat now. No sign of it yet. Bert and Len came in early in the afternoon and were here all day. We played bridge most of the time. At supper Tom Pearce came in and we all chewed the fat all evening. Mrs Conibear came in while we were eating and told us that the Bishop just arrived in Fitz. It appears that he was a passenger on the Athabasca but left with a skiff and an outboard motor. He says that the Athabasca got caught up in the flow of ice just at the mouth of the Lake below Fort Chipewyan and they were there for 3 days. The wood on the boat was nearly all gone and the food was low. He says that the water is lower than he ever saw it before, there is no water at all in places. The was also there but had not got caught in the ice owing to their later arrival. They unloaded and left their barge and returned to Waterways to meet this weeks train.
Monday, May 27 Temp 38
Started Delco first thing this AM. It is still raining and was cold so I built a fire in the office. After dinner Frank Campbell came down to get me to look at their Delco. he had been trying to start it since 08:00 and had not got a kick out of it. I went up and found the coil damaged. Condenser punctured. I returned to the station and brought up our spare. Got the ignition OK and had to clean out the carburator. Got it going OK and returned at 15:00. Bill had a big bunch of "Graphics and London, Ill. News". I read them till quitting time. While on the Key from 16:30 to 17:30, sent 3 long messages to VED. Bert and Len were up right after supper. We were just starting the second rubber of bridge when Tom Pearce came in. He read a book while we were finishing the rubber then sat in for a couple of them in my place. Norman came up too. Later Saldkeld came up but did not stay long. the gang left at 00:30.
Tuesday, May 28 Temp 35
Raining, so I did not get up till 10:30 then helped clean up the place a bit. Nothing doing at the station all afternoon. The Western Canada Airways plane arrived at Fitz this morning and brought news that the steamers were both stranded on the lake. Low water and ice. Punch Dickens went back with Gerry Murphy and brought Miss Murphy, Alex Johnson and J. Bowen then made a second trip during the late afternoon. The weather cleared up at suppertime. It has been raining for a week. Bert and Len were up and we played 3 rubbers of bridge then sat around and talked. We went to bed at 23:45.
Wednesday, May 29 Temp 38
Well, things are coming to a pretty pass now. No sign of the boats yet and hardly anything left in town. All the vegetables and meat have long been used and now the canned goods are about finished. We are living on macaroni, tea, coffee, bread and marmalade. The plane went to Simpson this morning and VEC reported its arrival at 14:10. After supper Bert, Len, Ruby, Nona and I went for a boat ride in my "yacht". We went down about 5 miles and back. Played bridge when we returned.
Thursday, May 30 Temp 48
Worked on books all day at the station. It was very hot till about 16:00 then it clouded over and we had the first thunder and lightening storm of the year. We had planned on a boat ride after supper but changed our mind. RSH ( R.L. Hasting's) was up this afternoon talking to Nona. He has a new boat on the way. It is a cabin boat equipped with an aerial propellor and a 50 HP engine. He is going to use it on his inspection trip to Aklavik. Tom Perch was up for supper. He came up and spent the afternoon. He returned to Fitz shortly after supper. We played bridge after supper for a while. Went to bed at midnight.
Friday, May 31 Temp 45
Nothing much doing at the station today. After supper word came over that the boats would be in tonight so we decided to take a trip over. The Athabasca arrived shortly before we did and the Echo was just getting in. The Athabasca arrived at 20:30 and the Echo at 22:00. Saw Morie, Captain Brown, Backland, Sutherland, McLellan, Red Cousins, F. Johnson, RSH ( Hastings) and Cpn Myers. Started home about 23:00 and passed McNeill at the Halfway. He gave us a chase and we raced into Smith. Had a blow out just before we got in and lost a tire. Norman, Bert, Ruby, Len, Nona and I went in the car.