Monday, July 01 Temp 44
It was a wonderful day for the sports today. There was very little on the program that interested the gang so I took them across the river to show them the rapids. After dinner we all went to the Mountain Portage. I thought they would like to see it. Paddy, Nash, Riddell, Ruby, Bert and Nona went along. After supper we all went to the dance at Lanouette's and stayed till 01:30. All our gang went in BLUES.
Tuesday, July 02 Temp 38
I went to the station this morning as the batteries were low. They all gave out over the weekend and we had to miss the 10:20 call so that I could get some filament batteries ready. That is he first time since I have been here that the station had to miss a call. I worked on the books getting them ready for the accounts. We were all invited to Dexters for supper and the evening. I came home at 17:00 and changed. About 20:00 Riddell and I went to Fitz and brought over an eight gallon keg of beer. We got back at midnight and went down and got his beer pump from his trunk then went back to the station. We sure had a great time then for a couple of hours. We took the gang down to the boat on our way home.
Wednesday, July 03 Temp 54
I was swamped with bookings today and the gang came down to sop up more beer. They brought a couple of friends from the boat. I couldn't work so after dinner I took all the books and went down to the A&A office and used their adding machine. I returned to the station at 14:30 and could not get a balance. I worked at it till 17:30 and had to give up. After supper I got in and developed a bunch of pictures for people going out on this Distributor trip. I did 14 and went to bed at 11:30.
Thursday, July 04 Temp 68
Today is my morning off but I had too much to do at the station to keep away. I got up a little after 07:00 and printed about 100 prints then went to the station at 09:30 and worked till noon trying to get a balance. I got twisted up and going in a circle so took the books home and after dinner went back to the A&A and did it all over again. I was $4.50 out and when I got back to the station Jack helped me as I had been on them for too long. While I went uptown with some messages for a rest he found $3.00 of it. Right after supper I started in and did a bunch of prints. Mr Stevens of the Meteorological Bureau of Chicago came in and talked for a couple of hours. As soon as he went I got at the pictures and was getting on well when Mr Focker came up. He is with the Dominion Explorers Ltd., a big mining outfit coming into the country. He stayed and spent the evening. Walt and Bert were here and they played bridge for a while. I went on with my work. We went to bed about 02:00.
Friday, July 05 Temp 52
Worked on the books all day but with the gang in and out I could not get much done. Balance still out when I quit at 17:30. After supper Nash and Riddle came up to the house and stayed till 01:30 We just talked the whole evening but we all enjoyed it very much.
Saturday, July 06 Temp 52
Found the mistake in the books today and started on the reports. Was not finished when quitting time came. The low gear band in the Ford gave out tonight while I was down the hill. I got up but that was all. It will not do it again. People were coming and going continually tonight for their pictures. Bed at 01:30.
Monday, July 29
From the 6th till today I have been so busy that I have never had time to enter this up. At the station we have been on the go continually from 09:00 to 18:00, that is- I have, the rest of them have been going in 2 shifts from 05:00 until 20:00 or 21:00. My evenings have been taken up with photography as well as most of my spare early mornings. I have developed about 150 rolls of films and have printed in the neighbourhood of 3000 prints. The rainy season has continued thruout the month with a lightening storm and cloudburst about once a week and about 2 rainy days as well. From the 20 to date it has not been too bad but there has been rain then too. Have not been able to cross the Portage this month although we went to the Halfway on the 21. I had broken the front spring on the car and went over to put a new one on. Micky loaned me one till mine gets in. We got word from Syd Porter the other day that he had sold our claims to the Atlas Exploration Co. at Resolution for $3,000 payable next June. Nona and I are splitting 50-50. She is going to bank her $1500 and I am going to invest from $750 to $1000 of it in stocks, very likely General Motors. My permit arrived today but there is a barrel of beer yet to come. Freda took sick Saturday last and has been confined to bed ever since and will be there for another 8 or 10 days. Nona and Evelyn ( Pearson) have been down every day with her and Jack and I have tried to ease things up for Joe by doing his shopping, etc so that he can stay home.Strawberries have been ripe and we have picked a bunch nearly every day for supper. They are a great treat and the flavour of the wild strawberry cannot be beat. At the present time Nona is making baking powder biscuits and we are having strawberry short cake and coffee tonight for our midnight lunch.We are going to loose our old bus. Raney sent word down with Alex Loutit to bring it to Resolution. I think he has sold it to the mining concerns there. I am making negotiations with Mickey for his 1927 Ford Sedan. Walt is going in partners with me.Ruby is leaving us too. She is going down river to Aklavik, although she told us, thru Bert, that she got a letter from her mother to come home to Fort Providence. I have known for weeks that she was going and where, and she has told most of the natives that she is going home. We have heard from them too, especially thru Mrs Lyall one of the native clan. Just finished our midnight lunch of coffee and strawberry shortcake. It was mighty fine too. Had no radio this month owing to the B batteries being low. The A battery needs charging but with the B's too low to work, I have not bothered although I will take it out before is sulphates. I sold another Mercury this month to Fred Raney at Resolution. It will be here on the next boat. Retired at midnight.
Tuesday, July 31
Printed pictures till nearly noon then had dinner and went to the station. Jack Pearson had the Delco running for me when I got there. Everything was going fine. I worked on the books for a while then straightened up the place as O.S. Finne, the Director of the N.W.T., is in town and is expected out to inspect the station any day. Did not have time to do any special cleaning but none of us are ashamed to let him see it as it is. After supper Walt was up and after developing a few more rolls of films we had a game of bridge. Went to bed at 01:30.
Wednesday, July 31
Worked on DRs all day. During the afternoon there was a bad lightening storm that closed the station down as far as transmissions are concerned. After supper a cloudburst set in and lasted for about 10 minutes then it settled in to a steady rain for the rest of the night. Walt was up till about 23:00. He is going to see Mickey about the car tonight. He was going in partners with me but changed his mind as two owning a car is not satisfactory. He said that when we leave the country, he will buy it back from me so that is better than the former way for both of us.