“Our grand business in life is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand” Thomas Carlyle
Last night I talked about friends for life. Families also provide those kind of life long friendships. We moved around a lot when we were kids so my brothers were my go to people for friends. I have memories from Buffalo of playing outside with Milt and when I got in trouble he would take care of me. Bill and I spent tons of time at the skating rink in Seattle and going to hockey games. We loved the Seattle Totems. When we moved to New York Milt and I supported each other in what was not the friendliest of schools.
My dad was not the easiest person to live with and when he was in one of those Milt and I would help each other out. We have many common memories of incidents when we were growing up. Nice to have someone who verifies that some things really happened. We knew it was not us but it was something about Dad. When Bill came out of six months active duty with the National Guard he moved east to join us and by the time he arrived I had found him some hockey guys to play with and then he started a league and I would get up and go and watch them play. It was a great time in our lives.
Then there were the cousins. Every other summer we would go and visit my mom’s family. It was great for us kids. There were eventually 25 of us first cousins and we all got to know each other over the years. In each age group there were a bunch of us who became friends. We had wonderful times together and some of those relationships were closer than others. Nice support through the years.
Well, time to see how the family was doing in 1902
August 1902
Aug 1 – wet day so had to stop work.
Aug 2 – still wet. Fergus goes to Donnally’s.
Aug 3 – Quiet day. Noah Shook for tea and eve.
Aug 4 – Worked in lower field cutting hay there.
Aug 5 – Put hay in stack 6 loads. Herb Moulton helped us after 3.
Aug 6 – weds – Cut hay by machine. Rain.
Aug 7 – Inspector at factory today.
Aug 8 – Milk tests good. Milk from 3-2 to 4 in butter fat and on water 30-27. Dan Farry and P McParlane visits us.
Aug 9 – Madeline visits Tye girls and Miriam home with her. Stacked until evening.
Aug 10 – Emily, Madeline and I go to Athens for day.
Aug 11 – Mowed today.
Aug 12 – Heard James Donnelly was hurt by bull this eve. Richard, and Mary spent eve also. Helena who is great chum of Madelines.
Aug 13 – Fergus go to Lyndhurst. I help Chas Chapman finish his hay.
Aug 14 – Fergus got hurt and we send for Dr. Gardiner but he finds it is not a serious injury.
Aug 15 – Fergus fine today and goes to Athens for the day and to tell them of …….
Aug 16 – Mike Slack here to work at school shed.
Aug 17 – Sunday – we went to Seeleys Bay. Poor James died today. Emily stays.
Aug 18 – Stacked rye and oats. Fergus and Madeline go to Donnelly’s. I feel very sad as James D was such a good man and to go like this seems too bad.
Aug 19 – Did not do much. Go down to Chas Chapman for awhile.
Aug 20 – Joined Emily, Fergus and Madeline at Donnellys and all to funeral. Big one, Hot day.
Aug 21 – I cut oats. Fergus goes back to Donnelly’s to be with the 3 boys as they feel so sad and lost. Kate in shock.
Aug 22 – George Roddick here for dinner. Chas Lappan starts to find wheat.
Aug 23 – Do fishery duty from here to Lyndhurst.
Aug 24 – Emily, Fergus and I got to Mac’s. Madeline stays at Ellens. We have dinner at Annies.
Aug 25 – Drew in oats and rye. Chris Weeks helps.
Aug 26 – I started the binder myself.
Aug 27 – Chris borrowed horse to draw some hay off creek. Herb M has his horse …..
Aug 28 – Helped Chas Chapman put up his wild hay today. Madeline does home with me.
Aug 29 – Helped CC today. Charley O back.
Aug 30 – Madelines birthday. She and Ellen go as usual to Flat Rock. Tradition.
Aug 31 – At home. Fergus goes to sta.
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