November 30, 2016 -Fun times and Great Adventures

What a fabulous weekend! Thanksgiving with our daughter, her partner and his family. It was a wonderful day and the conversation was good and I learned something new which always excites me. When I worked I always liked to tell myself that the day was not complete if I had not learned something new.

Then it was off to a weekend with the Grandkids. Nothing better than their grand welcomes. As we drove up they were on the balcony waving to us and so excited. It was a great visit and we got to see my brother and his daughter and her family. They are such a nice family. They are training a service dog for a veteran. Maggie the puppy is so cute and well behaved for four months. We met them at the Baltimore County Train Museum so the little kids could talk to Santa which they both decided not to do. But I think they liked being there and then going out to eat with their cousins.

Hubby and I went to two museums in DC – Art and Native American History. They were great. The art was fabulous and they have such a great collection of artists I like. They only have one Magritte but it was great seeing that one. The Native American was lovely but depressing. We watched a movie about how the Americans annexed Hawaii. I did not even know the history and was shocked by what I learned. Rich, white men deciding they deserved other people’s land and resources. It was so sad and depressing. They went not even part of us at that point. After watching the shorter films on how white men moved the native first nations population off their lands which I did know this new knowledge just made me sad. What have we learned after all these years. We attack nations when we want their oil. Or other resources.

Had a great little early birthday for the younger grandkid. She was really happy when she found out we gave her a stuffed baby calf. She has been asking for a live one but hopefully this one will fill the need. She helped pick out a birthday cake with grandpa and grandma and seemed happy with that as well. So all in all a very nice weekend.

Today we had a visit from one of our AFS exchange students, Cordella. We had a very nice lunch and got all caught up. She had come over for her 10th year class reunion. Turns out there were three girls who hung out back then who came from France, New Zealand and Germany which was very nice. Nice to see our former students doing so well. Fun time.

Charles O’Connor’s Diary 1917

June 1917

June 1 –I heard a very distinct rumble of an earth quake yesterday morning. It lasted about five minutes. Marshall went fishing I planted potatoes most of the day went to Lyndhurst this eve. Madeline went with me.
June 2 – Marshall went to Gananoque. I worked at the garden and planting this is a warm day. Mrs. John Plunket died last night. Marshall got me a packet of G but need …..
June 3 – At home forenoon then I went to Mrs Plunket’s funeral was one of the Pall bearers. Got home at six oclock. This was a cold windy day.
June 4 – We finished up planting potatoes I put in the sugar beets and a few turnips fine day.
June 5 – worked around the place went back to see the colts and cattle. We bred Fergus’ old mare this evening. Went to Lyndhurst took butter to G Charlestons 23 lbs.
June 6 – I drew out some manure and planted some things in the garden.
June 7 – I went to Lyndhurst and got the little mare shod at Loves. There was a big thunder storm this afternoon. Marshall went to Lyndhurst got a roll of wire at Jacksons. We went fishing this eve.
June 8 – this is a damp morning rained some all the forenoon. There was a thunder storm this eve.
June 9 – I cut wood until 10 oclock then R Burtch came along and I went to Gananoque with him in the car. Got home at 8 oclock this eve.
June 10 – wet all day no one in only Marshall.
June 11 – I worked around the place all day the ground is very wet after the big rain.
June 12 – Worked around the place all day fine day.
June 13 – Emily and I went to Delta we had dinner and tea at Floods. I got the clock fixed and left three watches at the shop to get fixed. This was a very hot day.
June 14 – Marshall worked on the road I worked around the place. He had a crown from Charleston this eve and night. Miss Troy, Kavanaghs, Slacks, Singletons, Webster’s, Heffernan’s, Lenna, Elmer?
June 15 – I worked around the place forenoon and Emily and I went to Lyndhurst afternoon.
June 16 – Marshall went to Gananoque today with a load of lumber I worked around the home.
June 17 – John McDonald and Rob Watson here all day. Annie was here this afternoon. Mrs John Dillon not expected to live.
June 18 – Mrs Dillon died last night. I worked at the fences forenoon and hoed some afternoon. Riley’s colt had his leg cut in the pasture and we went back to the pasture this eve to tend to it. Marshall on the road working.
June 19 – Madeline and I went to Mrs Dillon’s funeral. I was one of the Pall Bearers. this is a hot day. Marshall on the road ½ day I drove his horse to the funeral.
June 20 – I worked around the place all day. Cut wood.
June 21 – R Burtch took Emily and I to Gananoque. I got home at 3 oclock Maurice O’Connor came home with me. Emily stayed in town. Madeline has gone to Charleston with Bryans to dance at Websters. Maurice and I are alone for the night.
June 22 – Marshall went with a load of cheese forenoon. We went back and doctored Riley’s colt this afternoon. I hoed turnips and Sugar beets part of the day.
June 23 – I worked around the place most of the day went to Lyndhurst this eve. Marshall worked on the road all day.
June 24 – Marshall and I went to Lansdowne to Mass. We got home at 1:30. A Slack and Yates call on their way home from Lansdowne. P Flood and his mother called this eve. We are lonesome for Emily and miss her very much. Maurice is having a good time all to himself.
June 25 – I hoed most of the day. Fergus came out with his mother and spent a few hours here. Frank and three of the children was with him. Eileen stayed here with Maurice the rest of them started for home at 4 oclock.
June 26 – Hoed potatoes and turnips most of the day. Had the blues most of the day. Fine day. (madeline’s note – Fergus talking of going to Halifax to military station Dr Gardiner had contacted him re this.)
June 27 – I hoed forenoon and went to Delta and got a bag of sugar from E Ralph.
June 28 – I finished hoeing the potatoes this first time. We went fishing this eve. Marshall went with me.
June 29 – Wet morning rained hard all the forenoon, fine afternoon. Joe Lappen came here this eve and paid his note $56.30. Madeline went out to Charleston with Bryans to a party at Tom Heffernan’s.
June 30 – worked around the place forenoon and up to Grippen Lake am to a school picnic then went to Lyndhurst got home in time to milk. Madeline and the two kids went with me.

September 19, 2016 – Update

Been away and am really tired after the drive home today. Had a great weekend up at the school house with my niece and her family. The kids wanted to learn about their heritage on my mom’s side of the family. So, we visited the Town Hall in Gananoque where they could see the picture of their gr gr grandfather who was one of the first mayors of the town. Then I showed the the house their gr grandmother grew up in until she was nine. We walked around, had a snack, checked out the river and had dinner and then to the school house. The kids really were awed I think by it.

The next day we went to visit the grave of the kids gr gr gr gr grandparents – Daniel and Bridget O’Connor. They had never been to a cemetery before so we walked around and found other relatives. We decided not to stop at the Turkey Fair instead we went to the lake and visited with Cheryl and toured the other cottages. They are thinking of a vacation at Primus. I think they would enjoy it.

After that we toured the buildings at the Point and the kids got up on Saddle Rock. We were going to church at 5 but turns out the 5 pm service does not start for two more weeks so I showed them the graves of their gr gr gr aunts who are buried there.

Sunday they were up at the crack of dawn and packed and out the driveway by 8 am and back in VA by 5. Really enjoyed having them and hope they will come again.

Then today I drove home after finishing cleaning up. Next week we get our solar installed after our little girls birthday. Life is never dull it is.

In addition we had a conversation about the election and I learned so much about the right wing christian movement. How they manipulate people using hand picked scripture. They told me a lot that I had never thought about. It was very helpful. They are great thoughtful people and very kind and compassionate. My brother and his wife did a great job raising their daughter and she married a wonderful man. They are doing very well raising their children as well.

November 1916

November 1 – Wet morning this is a Holy day and we are trying to keep it so Eulalia here yet. Madeline is not singing and playing the piano.
November 2 – Madeline and Eulalia Wiltsie went up to Donnelleys. I drew some sand and stone. The girls got home about dusk.
November 3 – J Bevens started for Lee Valley on a hunting trip. I worked around the place ploughed some.
November 4 – I ploughed forenoon and went to Lyndhurst afternoon. Madeline and Eulalia went with me.
November 5 – At home all day. Fergus and Margaret and Maurice came out this forenoon and spent the day with us. This is a cold windy day.
November 6 – I looked for cattle most of the day worked a little while at the cellar wall. Clifford Weeks ploughed most of the day for me. Wight and wife spent the eve here. We quit the factory today.
November 7 – I went to look for the cattle and got them all together. G Leadbeater came for them at noon.. He settled up for his and J Dillon’s. He gave me $30.00 $25.00 for cattle and $5.00 for horse. I worked at the wall afternoon. Clifford ploughed part of the forenoon.
November 8 – I ploughed forenoon and went to Lyndhurst. Afternoon took Eulalia out to the crossing. Emily went to Lyndhurst with me.
Nov 9 – I ploughed forenoon. Wet afternoon. Did not do anything.
Nov 10 – I ploughed most of the day. We spent the eve at Wights. Madeline worked at the factory books and got the checks ready for patrons. The price per ton for milk was $42.58.
Nov 11 – I worked around the place forenoon and ploughed afternoon. I got parcel from Eatons went to Lyndhurst this eve.
Nov 12 – We did not go to Church today. Madeline is sick this eve was at home all day.
Nov 13 – Madeline not very well but up around. quite a lot of snow and snowing some all day. I went to look for colts but did not get them home.
Nov 14 – Cold morning. I helped to paper forenoon and Ray Larose helped me to draw in some hay out of stack. I also got up a load of wood. Lucy Bevens was married to E Griffen today. H Marshall was here.
Nov 15 – I helped to paper part of the Mrs Tim Bevins house. Called G Leadbeter got him colt and P Kelsey got his heffer out of the pasture.
Nov 16 – I worked around the place most of the day. Tom Slack came here this eve.
Nov 17 – I got ready to butcher, Jim Burns and G Larose helped me. Tom Slack here.
Nov 18 – I cut up the hog today it weighted 300 lbs. Tom went to the dance last night and started for home this afternoon. I went to Lyndhurst to meet Scanlon on his way back. I paid G Charleton $25.00 for dishes. I got some things at Webster’s paid for all I got. I also got a shovel from A Love paid $100.00 for it.
Nov 19 – Sunday – At home all day this is a very gloomy dark day. I have been at home all day. J Bevens spent the eve here.
Nov 20 – I went to Lyndhurst this morning and got a set of dishes from G Charleton. I had paid for them. Went I got home Fergus and all the family was here. N Webster brought them out in his car. This is the 40th anniversary of our marriage. We have been married forty years today. There has been a good many changes since that.
Nov 21 – I worked around the place all day fine day drew up some wood
Nov 22 – I drew some wood and worked the place all day. Leland Larose got shot in the arm.
Nov 23 – Joe Bevens came up this forenoon and fixed the cellar door. We got work this am that they had to take Leland Larose’s arm off. Wet this afternoon. Jim Burns and J Bevens spent the eve here.
Nov 24 – I went down and drew a load of wood for J Bevens forenoon and went to Lyndhurst afternoon. I paid the taxes $21.64. got some things at Websters paid for all I got.
Nov 25 – The teacher went to Seeley’s Bay last night. This is a very cold blustery day there was a big wind yesterday and last night.
Nov 26 – Cold morning. 2’ below zero. We did not go to church. We all went up to Ellen’s for dinner. H Marchal call here this am.
Nov 27 – Worked around the house all day put on all the storm doors.
Nov 28 – I worked around the place. I banked the house and fixed around the cellar door.
Nov 29 – Wet most of the day. I cut up sausage meat. Clifford ploughed ½ day. We made sausage.
Nov 30 – C Weeks ploughed port of the day. They had the team to get a load of wood. Kelly arrives.

September 1, 2016

This post was suppose to be put up last night but I could not get connected to the server so the date is changed.

August 31, 2016 –To Breathe or Not to Breathe

I have had asthma since I was an adult. Not as a child but with each baby I had it came and got worse. I use to joke that I was allergic to pregnancy. For years now it has been under control and I have not had a bad attack until last night.

All of a sudden last night I realized that I could not get my breath. No details but I was exercising. Being out in the country makes it a little bit scarier although any time I had bad attacks they were frightening. I knew I had to get to my inhaler which I rarely if ever use. I found my purse and got it out and went into the bathroom and took two puffs. Then I sat on the toilet seat wishing it would all stop. My head hurt and my chest was sore and eventually the breathing came back to normal. The last step was to take a puff of the steroid inhaler as a back up to calm things down.

It took quite a while for my heart to beat a normal rhythm but eventually it did and I was able to go to sleep. But it got me to thinking. Asthma attacks can cause heart attacks and strokes and neither of those things happened. Guess that part of me is as healthy as they tell me they are. But what would I do if I were here by myself and all did not go well. Guess someone would eventually find me. And of course what would I care at that point.

Since I had been writing about death it seems strange to have that happen last night. Is there a message in there for me or what? I was pretty washed out when I got up this morning but we went out to lunch at Old Fort Henry and had a good time. Then this evening I went to a meeting in the village of Lyndhurst. A couple of us are trying to get more places to participate in Doors Open Ontario in the spring next year. There are not enough places locally to get a lot of traffic coming through. And what I really enjoyed was meeting some new folks from around here. Some of them did not even know the school house is here. I suspect most of them are new to the village. So I invited them to stop by for a tour. Always up for company.

Rained quite a bit today so maybe the ground is finally going to soften up a bit. The grass is turning green again which is a happy thing. It was so sad looking when it was all dead and dried up.

So on to Charles Diary
July 1915

July 1 – Dominion Day – Pete Nolan milk inspector comes in night. Fines Tom B.
July 2 – 3 – Big rain
July 4 – Big drive today Camp meeting at Singleton Lake.
July 5 – Helped Wight in factory as he is sick.
July 6 – went huckleberrying on Blue Mountain.
July 7 – 9 Madeline got ride home with Alex Argue and Dr. Ellis. I met her at Argues.
July 10 – Took Madeline berry picking.
July 11 – Emily and I go to Mass and to Sand Bay for dinner. Philip and Bridget Yates here for tea and eve.
July 12 – Whole neighborhood go to Gan to celebrate. Very hot and thunder storms as usual on 12th.
July 13 – Fergus, Frank and children here. Kate Bass comes with them and stays here.
July 14 – I go with Emily to Charlestons for new suit. Percy here for tea.
July 15 – Go to Gan with Zrba Jackson. Bob Tate to meet Hardy.
July 16 – – 18 – Emily and I to Mass. Geo Wight goes to Gan and we send to Fergus pail of berries.
July 19 – Madeline does milk cheques. Ours $70.00. She likes doing this work besides the pay.
July 20 – Picking raspberries. Kate visits her neighbors and back here for nights. Wight leaves to get married tomorrow.
July 21 – George Wight and Ethel married today. Mr. Livingstone makes cheese for him and has dinner here. Nice chap.
July 22 – Thursday – Take Madeline and Kate to Lees where Mr. Kavanaugh meets them with boat for Moses and Bertha’s. Mr. Livingston here all night.
July 23 – After noon Fergus, Margaret and Maurice here.
July 24 – Picked berries
July 25 – Went to Lees to meet girls.
July 26 – Daisy shod today.
July 27 – 28 – Emily and I go to Delta. Rainy eve.
July 29 – went fishing this evening. Madeline and I.
July 30 –Picked berries Frank, Lena and George Stevens arrive. Kate Bass here too. Leo goes to Gan.
July 31 – Spent day with Frank. Go to Ellisville. He likes to call on his old pupils there.

August 25, 2016 – more adventures re: elections

August 25, 2016 – Canadian Trump Fan

On Tuesday we drove up to Westport to do some shopping. The kids had money they wanted to spend and I wanted to purchase a little gift. We wandered from store to store so the kids would know what their choices were.

Finally we went into one store and the woman behind the desk talked to the kids etc and when she figured out we were from the US she said to us “You are voting for Trump?” We said no we were not” and she was shocked acting. “You have to vote for him, it is Gods will!” And then she went on about how wonderful he was and how he was going to save the people. I told her that we were all doing just fine and did not need any help of the kind Donald Trump offers. I told her some of the information I had about him and she said that was just lies from Clinton. I told her “No, I heard this from Republicans and people who had worked with Trump in the past.” She brushed me off saying they are all just lies. I was so surprised.

She was obviously upset with us for our opinions. She was really aggressive and as a result we left as soon as we could and were firmly decided that if the kids wanted something from that store they would be sorely disappointed since we were not buying. Even in the states I have not met Trump supporters who were that aggressive. I am still kind of in a state of wonder over that experience. All other Canadians I have met all seem to agree that we are in a conundrum down in the States because there are hard choices. And the most interesting point was she was an immigrant to Canada.

Some of my friends have decided to support the Libertarians, but after reading their policy statements I cannot go there. The Green Party Candidate came across not well when I heard her interviewed. I did not like her. So, I am left with Clinton and Trump as choices or no vote at all which is not a choice for me.

Since last fall I have read about Trump and the more I read the more convinced I am that no way could I vote for him. When he said he plans to put his children in his cabinet? When he said build a wall? When he says repeatedly that he can fix everything? He seems not to understand that he has to be able to work with the congress. If he looks at what has happened to the current president when the congress is hostile towards you he might be approaching people differently. His dictatorial talk is really scary. And the people he is surrounding himself with are another group of scary people. So no way will I vote for him. There were others on the Republican side I might have considered but there were too many and with their split votes they eliminated themselves. Too bad.

Since I started voting I cannot remember anything like this and I hope it stops soon although I don’t think it will. The country is so split and if Trump loses (hopefully) there are going to be a lot of folks who are very unhappy about it. I doubt if they will get behind making the country better. The stress will continue on our way of life. It seems to have started to get really bad in the 90’s and gets worse every election cycle.

On a side note: why did the company that makes Epi-Pens raise the price the way they did? Their Board of Directors want more profits, the President of the company could make more than her 100 million plus salary if they did? A medication that saves lives every year. Someone needs to compete with them and make a much cheaper product with a price more in line with their prior price and put them out of business. What happened with the FDA that they approved this? Or are not stepping in to stop it? As many of you know my dad worked for a pharmaceutical company and back then they were called “Ethical” Pharmacutical Companies. They did not advertise to the general public but spent time with Doctors explaining their medications to them. No lunch, no trips to tropical islands etc. Things have changed but not for the better. Maybe it is time to go back to blocking them from advertising on TV and in magazines etc. Let our doctors tell us what medications are good for us. Although with the internet I suppose that would be impossible. But the truth is if we had to research medications ourselves and then go to the Doc and ask them about the various ones maybe we would be a more informed population. Not from a 15 second spot on TV either.

It took me a very long time and seeing another doctor to get myself some Armour Thyroid. Not sure if it is better but at least I finally got to try it.

Charles O’Connor Diary 1915
Need some help/// was there a Tim Bevins Jr or is it Jim as I have been correcting myself to. I might have just made a typo when I transcribed.

April 1915

April 1 – Fergus birthday. Phone him.
April 2- Good Friday. Fergus brings Norah, Margaret and Maurice out and leaves them.
April 3 – Have great time with kids. Snowy day.
April 4 – Easter Sunday. – Ellen and Joe B. here. Sugar off for children.
April 5 – In sugar bush most of day. Good sap day.
April 6 – Helped Geo Wight get factory ready.
April 7 – Cheese factory opens today. Ellen has the children with her for dinner.
April 8 – Madeline takes children looking for May flowers and I go fishing. Some good ones.
April 9 – Fergus comes for kiddies and we miss them so much. We three go to dance at Frank Tyes and have a great time. Phil Dillon has wakened people in that section.
April 10 – very tired today as I helped out with violin music last night.
April 11 – Florence and Hazel Townsend here all day. Nane and Mayme here for tea also. Geo Stevens and wife who say all night Good visit.
April 12 – Rainy. Write D Ludyard re mines.
April 13 – I am not very well and Emily and Madeline worry about me. They think …. Fishing Inspector is enough for me for a while. Surprised this eve when Leo Ames arrived, walked from Station. Glad to see him.
April 14 – Leo and Madeline went to play in Lyndhurst.
April 15 – Tim Bevin’s and Townsends here for eve.
April 16 – Cheesemaker Wight comes to board here. Terribly deaf. Gerald Bradley comes in eve with his violin to play it with Madeline’s piano music but he finds we are playing cards. Leo, V, Emily, Madeline and I. He is shy and I scare him when I yell at him like I have to with Wight. Rest laugh rest of eve.
April 17 – Sykes sale then to Richie Singleton’s for eve. Helena and her mother Mary like the Ames boys. Madeline is so particular to guests.
April 18 – Joe Bevins here for tea and eve.
April 19 – I take Leo to station. Stop at Ziba Jacksons and get Plymouth Rock eggs to set. More calves.
April 20 – feel … so decide to make a bargain with Jim Bevins Jr. For a year. He is to take over Thurs. Furnish half seeds have half proceeds. Milk money to be divided same way each month hay and straw left on place. Milk starts to factory today.
April 21 – Percy here.
April 22- Tim takes things in his hands today.
April 23 – Fine and hot day. I got to Gan. Get medicine.
April 24 – Saturday – Hot day.
April 25 – Madeline and I to Mass.
April 26 – Very warm. Start taking in stock to pasture. John Slack puts in colt. Put our own over to pasture across creek. Go to Agri meeting in eve.
April 27 – Fixing fences
April 28 – hear that Mikes wife Margaret very sick. Has gall bladder operation then out 119 stones.
April 29 – cleaned yards.
April 30 – Emily, Madeline and I paper dining room.

May 1915 –

May 1 – Colt born this morn. Painted in dining room when not with colt and mother. Always big day when baby colts arrive.
May 2 – rainy. Tom Slack here.
May 3 – Benon Danby here for dinner. Brings 2 colts to pasture.
May 4 Tuesday – Fine day. Emily, Madeline and I spend eve at J Dillons.
May 5 – Piling wood in shed. Relief to have time to do those things. Feel better.
May 6 – word from Mike that Margaret is worse.
May 7 – -8 – Take Madeline to Delta and went out to see Arthur and Annie in their new home. They bought Dan McDonald’s farm. Lovely big place. Find Emily sick when I get home. Bad storm tonight.
May 9 – Cold blustery day. Emily very sick.
May 10 – Went to see sick Ira Bevins.
May 11 – Painted kitchen. Hear of the sinking of Lusitania and everyone talks of war. Arthur??? alarming. Emily bit better.
May 12 – -13 Ascension Day Percy brings Madeline home in time for her to pick violets for Aunt Susie and Percy takes them to mail to Nebraska. She gets the job of milk factory books and is pleased. Hope her eyes do not play out. My rheumatism worse.
May 14 – Madeline starts to do Factory books. I am out of sorts as I wonder if it was wise to let Tim have the place to work. Emily tries to cure me of blues but I worry.
May 15 – Highest milk cheque ever. $28.02. Our share 14.01.
May 16 – Rainy and quiet we miss the Sykes very much. Wish them luck.
May 17 – Margaret worse so I take Ellen to Gan to be with Mike. Roads bad.
May 18 – Percy, Darley and Norma Venny here.
May 19 – Dan McDonalds son Harold here.
May 20 – John Fodey here and I paid him for medicine for colt and I paid Percy who painted buggy today.
May 21 – Larose took Lily to Kingston for Fergus to operate for appendicitis.
May 22 – Wet day of Thunder storms. To LI….
May 23 – George Wight and I go to see Philip Kelsey who is sick.
May 24 – Fergus and family out. Bring Ellen home.
May 25 – Fergus phones that Margaret died tonight. Emily quite sick today.
May 26 – Went to Gan alone as no one able to go. Madeline could not leave Ellen or Emily. Both sick. Turns cold and I nearly freeze. Such a change in temp.
May 27 – Stayed at Fergus all night. Funeral at 11. Then Percy, Fergus and I go to Kingston with Fergus. Left for home as soon as we got back.
May 28 – Percy and mother come home this way.
May 29 – 30 – went to see Ira Bevins very sick.
May 31 – Fixing fences. Ford T… for tea and eve.

August 21, 2016 – Vacation with the kids

Our computer connection has been misbehaving again and it was too hot for a while to do anything so here I am on August 21st. starting again.

Last week son and his wife and kids were down at the lake so we were going back and forth quite a bit. Now the girls are with us for the week. Love it so much. This weekend daughter was with us as the girls love her to bits and she provides them with auntie love and affection which is just great. All kids need an Aunt with no kids of their own to show them unconditional love which is what they get from her. My kids got it from an aunt and uncle who don’t have kids of their own but are the best loved aunt and uncle ever.

The kids were so cute with their Aunt this weekend. We had a great chat about that in 10 years Sol would be able to drive me around when I am a really old lady and my kids won’t want to have me driving but she can bring me up to Canada with Grandpa and drive us around and won’t that be fun. Then she can go out to the water with the cousins and hang out and they can use the School House as an alternative hang out. We would be in the back and they could take over the school and use the kitchen and bathroom. Sol just giggled not really understanding but knew it had something to do with having a fun time.

This morning my little one “the Bear” decided to act like a puppy so asked to have the Aunt’s dogs leash attached to her and she was going around on all fours confusing the day lights out of the real dog who was already spooked by the wind and rain. She was hysterically funny. We all had a good laugh with her and she would crawl over and “Lick’ my knees or the tops of my feet etc. She was acting out Stella the real dog accurately.

Their Aunt left at noon and they went shopping with Grandpa after lunch and I cleaned up around the place. Used my Bissell electric broom to clean up the floors and the furniture of dog hair and everything else brought in from outside. Place is back to kid normal now. Was able to clean up after dinner and feel happy with the way it looks. The chaos at home does not bother me but up here is my haven and I like some degree of orderliness when I am here.

We played Old Maid before dinner and War after dinner. They both caught on quickly so we were able to play and have fun. Loved watching Little Bear figure out her pairs in Old Maid and being so happy when she had the winning cards in War. Not bad for a 4 year old. It rained most of the day and then we took a walk down to the stream to see if the water level has risen at all. It is higher but still several feet below where it has been every summer before this.

Now all is quiet on the western front. Son and his wife are home and sending pictures from the week. All great. It was such a nice week. We went to a race in Brockville Sunday morning. Even the 6 year old ran. She was so proud of getting her medal. Then the girls stayed over two nights so their parents could go out and have some adult vacation. I don’t remember if my parents did that for us but I figure if I only have these two grandkids and am able to I want to make sure when I visit them or they visit us that they have a chance to go out on a date night. With the hectic life of couples where they are both working and in professional jobs that require all kinds of time that any opportunity I can give them I will do it. If we lived down near them I would do either before or after school care to make it easier as well. I just feel so badly for the parents who have these kinds of schedules. It is not easy for either of them and puts stress on the relationship. I admire people like my friend Susan who moved closer to her grandkids so she can take care of them as she did not want them in day care. I don’t think I could have done that but more time would be good.

So anyway, maybe tomorrow I will write about the election events. I have been very interested in the direction things are taking. But am too tired at the moment to go into that.

March 1915

March 1 – Took Jim’s wife to Gan also cradles. Girls delighted with them.
March 2 – Stayed at Fergus overnight and this morn to Kingston with Fergus. We have dinner with Kate Bass at Mowatt. Les there too then I go to Dr. Bogart for medical check up then called at Allie Donnelly to Les’s room and to Gan. In eve go to Gan town meeting with Mayor Fergus. Men very friendly with me.
March 3 – Went to Mass, called at Mike’s. Father Kehoe and John McArdles then home.
March 4 – went up to Lee’s found him very sick. Phoned Asher Lee about his father. March 5 – went to Sims sale
March 6 – …. Kelly here for day.John M comes and Madeline goes home with him
March 8 – Sawyers here. Got all wood cut.
March 9 – John brings Madeline home. Herb here.
March 10 – Asher Lee phones so he is in Brockville. Comes by car and takes his father across ice to Charleston to St. Vincent De Paul Hospital Brockville. Herb and I help Lee get ready. Tim and wife here.
March 11 – Madeline very sick today. Warm day.
March 12 – Asher Lee here all night. Good visit.
March 13 – Asher here and all night after trip to Brockville. His father better now.
March 14 – Asher returns to Herkimer NY.
March 15 – Warm. Dusty roads
March 16 – sick again.
March 17 – take Ellen to see Sara Ann Bryan and after she returns hear SA is dead.
March 18 – All went to Tom Bryans to SA wake.
March 19 –Madeline, Emily and I go to funeral they stop to see 100 year old Sophia Berry. 100 years old, quite a visit. She tells Madeline about bears at her door and tearing clothes off line. Madeline comes home and writes a story for Star.
March 20 – Take buckets to bush. Jim and I tapped 175 trees. Fine day. Good run of sap.
March 21 – Frank and Lena Mac here.
March 22- Tim and I gathered sap.
March 23 – same.
March 24 – 25 – 26 –Sandy McD here.
March 27 – … arriving.
March 28 – Madeline and I go to Mass. Fine day. Home at 2.
March 31 – gathering sap. Roads dry.

August 12, 2016 -Heat Wave

I was thinking this morning about when we were children. Dad decided we could take a long trip if we camped. So he got a couple of tents, camp stove and mom made us all sleeping bags. There were seven of us so picture a car packed to the gills. Mom in the back seat with three of us “younger ”ones and Dad and the two oldest in the front seat. I don’t remember Mom driving at all but that might just be the truth.

Mom kept a bread box in the back seat and would make us sandwiches as we drove along to save time and money. I imagine we went through a lot of peanut butter and loaves of Wonder Bread. And we sang and sang, counted snow fences, cows, buffalo, and license plates. Anything to keep five kids busy during the long days drive.

What stirred these memories today was the heat and the dryness. We have not had a decent rain in seven weeks and everything is dying. Trees, grass, wild flowers, bushes, and finally the weeds are dying too. This week the heat has been oppressive and beyond what I can tolerate. Today was the worst it has been. I remembered driving across the prairies in the heat of that summer years ago. Temps in the 90’s to 100’s, no shade, no air conditioning and just wishing there was someplace cool to go for a swim. Miles and miles of prairies. “100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” “You are my Sunshine” and so many other songs over and over again. No radio either. Today was that kind of day. I had things to do but could not motivate myself to go there.

Then this afternoon the winds kicked up, clouds rolled in and nothing happened. I kept praying that the rain was coming but nothing happened. I sat out in the cooler breezes this evening until about 30 minutes ago and after a bit Hubby said, “Do you hear that sound?” It was rain. For about five minutes there was some rain. Not the rain we need but it was like the sky could no longer keep it in so it just fell down. I looked out and it is still drizzling a bit so maybe there is hope for it to continue more but I also saw the moon peeking through so maybe not.

The adventure of today was surviving. I am reading “Sulu” by Maya Angelou and it is very good. And I worked on survey results for a project I am involved with so I guess somethings got done in the effort not to move too much. My kids arrive tomorrow so I have to get things done. Hopefully the temps will be lower tomorrow.

Charles O’Connor’s Diary 1915
January 1915
January 1 – Friday – New Years Day. Lovely morn. I go early to Gan to vote for Fergus. Take Jim Bevins and wife. Harry McNeil does chores for me. We get home by 12 midnights. Busy day and big nite out. Fergus wins in hot election. He wins by 40 over Rogers. Great rejoicing by all us and his friends.
Jan 2 – Stormy. Arthur Slack and I go to Seeleys Bay to telephone meeting.
Jan 3 – Roads terrible. Herb comes again.
Jan 4 – Town meeting is now called. Municipal meeting. Election, Steacy, Simpson, Love and Fry. Busy crowd.
Jan 5 – Herb helped me logging.
Jan 6 – Holy Day. Quiet.
Jan 7 – Rainy day. Gerty Kelsey spends day with Madeline.
Jan 8 – 9- Madeline and I go to Gan by Griffins. She loves driving on ice. Back by South Lake and roads are awful. She will like ice driving more than ever.
Jan 10 – K. Kalig? here from Phillipsville.
Jan 11 – Get word Kate McDonald dead.
Jan 12 – Madeline went to Gan and on to McArdle & Spratt wedding. Fergus and Frank go but Emily and I do not. Fergus gives bride away. Big wedding.
Jan 13 – Emily. Ellen and I go to Kates funeral. She leaves 7 children. Sad death.
Jan 14 – Cut wood for school. Herb stays.
Jan 15 – Lovely letters from Fergus, Frank and Madeline. We feel we had been there at wedding. Madeline stays on Island.
Jan 16 – Herb big help to me. Get out pine logs. Who can ever say to me that he does not like to work? He is one of best.
Jan 17 – Sunday – Very stormy. Quiet. Herb plays violin most of day. Good for all of us as we miss Madeline so much but she will have lots to tell us on her return home.
Jan 18 – Get contract to furnish school wood.
Jan 19 – Tom and Mike Slack here all night.
Jan 20 – Sleighing gone. Letters from Fergus, Frank and Madeline.
Jan 21 – Ira Bevins very sick. Go down.
Jan 22 – 23 – More snow.
Jan 24 – Went to meet Madeline at Griffins. Fergus brings her there. Nane, Mayme D,, Darley and Lena here on our return. Madeline had a wonderful time and spent two days with Kate B and had event Friday.
Jan 25 – Snow and logging
Jan 26 – took wood to Gan
Jan 27 – Herb and I cut logs.
Jan 28 – 29 – Herb went home. Tom S. and Madeline go to Jones Falls to a ball. Have wonderful time. Jen Rogers and Mr Hart wonderful to them. Cold night. Madeline meets a college mate and friend of Somers O’Connor. A seminarian Mr. Garrin. She says she danced most with him. He graduated from St. Michaels with Somers. They get home at 5.
Jan 30 – 28’ below zero. Sue and Joe had put hot bricks in the cutter last night.
Jan 31 – Sunday Turned warmer in night. So Madeline and I go to Mass – use Kenneys bricks. Snowed heavy on the way home. Bad trip.

August 11, 2016 – Random thoughts

August 11, 2016 – Clouds but no rain

We are in our 7th or 8th week of no rain up here. It is a sad statement to walk out on the crunchy grass. Today it was too hot to even go into the water. I was down at the beach but just knowing that the water in the river is warm and getting warmer, and knowing that kids are getting swimmers ear because of the bacteria in the water was also not so appealing. Hubby went for a long training run this morning and when he got back around 8 he was totally soaked. Good thing he is good about hydrating etc.

I am still trying to get up when I wake up and start my day. I get tired later in the day but I think this is a good thing to try and do. I get some things done and then start on the non-essential items. I have been reviewing a youth survey and trying to pick out the important items that need to be presented to the community. Also tried writing on the book in the morning. I really don’t think the morning is my good writing time. I think a lot in the mornings, but to sit and actually open up the keyboard and get to work is hard. Maybe it will come in time.

Things are going to get busy on Saturday. Kids coming, race Sunday morning, hubby heading for home for a few days, spending lots of time with my girls, babysitting so their parents can get some adult vacation etc. Then a week of just us and the girls. So excited.

Had planned to sit out and watch shooting stars tonight but it appear clouds have arrived. What? Clouds? If there are going to be clouds at least we could get some rain from them, don’t you think? Will see what it is like at 11 pm and then either sit out or go to bed. Even took a rest before dinner in case it was nice out.

Are you missing my discussions about politics? I want to thank those who liked the previous ones. This week has been another week of shame for candidates. Well, one of them anyway. Has everyone forgotten who started the war with Iraq? I don’t think it was the current President or else he has been in office way over the limit. ISIS came into being four years before the other candidate was even in any role to have an influence. Doesn’t anyone check facts?

I heard a fellow who called the Diane Rehm Show this morning. He said he was an avid follower of Rush Limbaugh and listened to NPR to hear what lies they were spreading. I could only shake my head. Here they had on the show today a Trump supporter/advisor, and some other think tank types talking about the role of the press in elections today. He was trying to insult them but of course they had more class than that. My terrible thought was that this fellow totally met the demographic of the Trump supporter. The panelists then got into a discussion about the disconnect between reporters and the real middle American people. It was all very interesting. If you want to hear it check out the site that has the shows archived. It was a good discussion. They have both sides almost always.
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows

I just wish we could all vote this week and get it over with. I am bored with it all. The Olympics which I had no intention of watching or following caught me by surprise. The swimming has been so exciting. I love how well and accomplished the women swimmers are and comments I have read about them from people who live near them etc. All very stand up people. And then the gymnasts, wow, nothing else to say, they are great.

Let’s just skip to the last two months of 1914 of Charles O’Connor’s Diaries

November 1914 – Anthony is Anthony Flood, brother in law of Charles – married to Bridget O’Connor

Nov 1 – Herb McArdle here all day. He is pretty lonesome. Darley and Percy here.
Nov 2 – All Souls Day. Herb here.
Nov 3 – Ploughed in morn then to Niblock’s sale.
Nov 4 – Four nuns arrived on begging trip.
Nov 5 – Spent day at Jones Falls. Emily, Madeline and I.
Nov 6 – Madeline, Emily and I go up to Tim Bevins as Carrie is sick.
Nov 7 – Tim B. Jr. here.
Nov 8 – Quiet. Ellen and Kelly here.
Nov 9 – 11 – Ploughing. Starts to snow.
Nov 12 – Take Madeline to Gan in route to Kingston to see Dr. CE.
Nov 13 – wet
Nov 14 – cold and freezing. J Sykes here. He is leaving factory and we are feeling blue about it.
Nov 15 – Rained all day.
Nov 16 – Factory closes.
Nov 17 – Freezes hard
Nov 18 – banked house. – still cold
Nov 19 – snows.
Nov 20 – Our wedding anniversary. We are alone but happy evening together. Thankful for our blessings.
Nov 21 – Madeline went out to Mowatt Hospital to visit Kate Bass for day and she insists she will stay a few days. Kate sends us a beautiful box of red roses. We tell Madeline to stay as long as she wishes.
Nov 22 – snowing and blowing Cutters out.
Nov 23 – Zero this morn.
Nov 24 – Cold night.
Nov 25 – Warmer. John and Annie here.
Nov 26 – Good letter from Madeline and she is having wonderful time. John Fitzsimmons, Leo Crawley all inviting her. She is so glad to see John F. He is in Medicine at Queens.
Nov 27 – WE phone Madeline to go to Wolfe Island and see her Aunt Mary McArdle.
Nov 28 – Warmer.
Nov 29 – Geo Stevens and bride here for night.
Nov 30 – Fergus brings Madeline home. She went to Island and stayed over night. Sadie home and is marrying Tom Spratt. Madeline and John Fitzsimmons had great time all week. Kate has lovely rooms and entertained at dinner every night. Dr. Bogart and wife etc. Mrs Hunter.

December 1914

Dec 1 – Wet day. Visited with Madeline all day. We are so glad she had such a good time.
Dec 2 – Dark rainy day. Invitations for Sadie and Tom’s wedding in January.
Dec 4 – Got Clifford Weeks to plow.
Dec 5 – George K Wight cheesemaker comes to see factory. Deaf nephew of Eds.
Dec 6 – Herb McArdle here for day.
Dec 7 – Monday – Cold day. Herb helps me get in wood. He is to be pitied. The white haired boy who had best of everything now is up against it. His wife dead. Florence died alone in that big place. He seems to like it with us than in Gan with his parents. Emily always fond of him. She thinks little Maurice so likes Herb.
Dec 8 – Holy Day and my birthday. Fergus phones.
Dec 9 – Madeline and I go to Allie D’s sale. Herb does all my chores so I relax when we return.
Dec 10 – Turkey Fair – Emily, Madeline and I go. 14 – 16 cents for turkeys and for geese 12 ½ for ducks 8-10 for chickens.
Dec 11 – Worked around house
Dec 12 – make up the sausage today.
Dec 13 – Emily, Ellen, Madeline and I all go to Delta to see Anthony Flood who has hardening of arteries. Ellen stayed.
Dec 14 – A foot of snow.
Dec 15 – Emily’s day.
Dec 16 – Herb returned again to us.
Dec 17 – Hitched up and drove big colt for first.
Dec 18 – Madeline and I go to Gan. Herb does chores.
Dec 19 –
Dec 20 – Herb and I to Mass. Roads bad.
Dec 21 – Wild storm. They call to tell us Anthony very low and cannot live long.
Dec 22 – weather bad.
Dec 23 – Get word that Anthony is dead. Emily and I go at once. John and Annie come in eve. We come home and Madeline goes to Delta with them. Cold night.
Dec 24 – Christmas eve – All of us go to funeral at Phillipsville. Came home and packed up gifts and food. Left for Gan. we got there 9:30 and went to midnight Mass.
Dec 25 – Christmas. Fergus out all night to call at Mike Dundons. We get up at 7 for children’s stocking opening and tree gifts. Everyone generous to us. After dinner called at Mike and John McArdle’s. We are so tired.
Dec 26 – Leave for home at 10:30. We are exhausted and it gets colder goes down to 30 below but Herb had arrived and had house warm and everything in order. Bless him.
Dec 27 – Invited to Arthurs for tea. Annie has lovely meal. Walter Simes dead.
Dec 28 – Nomination Day. Marcella McDonald here for day.
Dec 29 – Jim Bevins, ex-teacher, comes to visit us a few days. Guess he must have liked us.
Dec 30 – Jim Bevins helps Herb and I with logs.
Dec 31 – Emily and I go to Lyndhurst. Jim Bevins goes home. G K Wight here for factory meeting. New Years Eve. Midnight. We just finished Rosary. Ellen, Herb, Madeline, Emily and I, and all went to bed but me. I stayed to watch fire awhile and below zero. I finish this page in my book with a most thankful heart for all the blessings God has granted us this the year 1914.

August 4, 2016 – And Away We Go

Almost all packed and ready to go. Just have to put out the compostables in the morning and put every thing in the car. Part of me just wants to stay here and do what I do every day, but once I get there and see my girls I will be happy I am sure.

I made a commitment today to make a change in my life. Instead of waking up at 7 am and getting up and going into the bathroom and taking my medication and then back to bed I am going to get up. At least I am going to try that and see if at some point my body decides to fall asleep earlier than 1 am.

This morning I was up, did a wash, vacuumed the floor, cleaned up and packed some more, drove to the bakery in Brockville and on the way home stopped at Ballycanoe and Co. and found out the fellow there would be interested in buying the tin from the school house walls. All by 11:30. Not bad eh????

After lunch I went down for a swim and then back and made dinner. Right now I am ready to crash…

Did hear some interesting discussions on NPR this morning as I traveled around. It amazes me that all the discussion is about Trump. Is he going to release his tax returns? Never… Is he ever going to realize that he is turning people off with his comments? No! On and on it goes. My friends are starting to say they don’t want postings pro or con on either candidate and they don’t want to hear another word about the election because they know who they are going to vote for. We could probably have the election tomorrow and get it over with. I mean really, are Trump supporters going to change their minds? After all the things he has done and said if they are not turned off now they never will be. And if you listen to the candidate he is starting to get them worked up to take action if he loses the “fixed” election. I can see a war breaking out and of course his followers tend to be the kind of folks with lots of guns.

I am tired of it as well but too afraid of the outcome not to say anything. I was totally disappointed with Paul Ryan today. He is an honest guy but he just won’t speak up against this guy. If he is not willing to speak out I don’t think he should be speaker of the house. Give it to a real leader. Amen, enough sermon for one day.

Charles O’Connor’s Diary July 1914

July 1 – Dominion Day. Wet
July 2 – Norah Sr. here.
July 3- 4 – Hoed corn.
July 5 – quiet day.
July 6 – Norah Sr makes a dress for Madeline. Her Aunt Susie had sent her material.
July 7 – Started mowing.
July 8 – Fergus called in consultation as Lena Tye seriously hurt. He says he will die. Fergus takes Norah and Margaret home.
July 9 – Mass to Arthur Slacks.
July 10 – went up to Tyes but Lena had just died.
July 11 – After Lena Tyes funeral Emily and I go to Gan. She stays. When I get home Jim Cobey, wife and babe here. Madeline busy and not too pleased to have unexpected visitors especially a baby as it is hot and milk hard to keep etc.
July 12 – First time we have known Mrs C. She is so taken up with baby one does not know what she is really like. They go to tea at Arthur Slacks. Gus and John S. here for eve.
July 13 – Cobey’s go home.
July 14 – I’m quite sick so Ellen and Norah here with Madeline.
July 15 – 16 – Fergus bring Emily home.
July 17 – Drawing in hay.
July 18 – meeting of Agri Assoc at Lyndhurst.
July 19 – Madeline and I go to Mass. A shower cools away that awful heat.
July 20 – Darley comes to take Norah to Delta
July 21 – School closed and goodbye to Jim Bevins. Fine fellow. He goes to Toronto to teach next year. We wish him well.
July 22 – Fergus’ came. All the family on way to Charleston and take Madeline. She is staying for a week.
July 23 – Picked berries.
July 24 – took cheese to stn.
July 25 Rain
July 26 – Lee and Rev O’Connor Fenton here for tea and eve. Interesting men Anglican minister. ( note: I Googled Rev O”Connor Fenton and found such a fellow in Leeds England at that period of time – maybe he was on a trip abroad)
July 27 – 30 – Pat K and I haying.
July 31 Raining. Meet Frank, Lottie and Gerald Stevens.

August 1914

Aug 1 – Go to Lyndhurst and pay stock in Tel Co.
Aug 2 – Visited with Stevens all day.
Aug 3 – All go fishing at our Point. Our happy day spoiled by Sailor (Collie) falling off high rock and killing himself. We are all sick over this. Gerald and Madeline cry all eve. Emily and Lottie just as bad. He was such a lovely dog.
Aug 5 – Fergus bring Jim and Mary Keating for the day. Great visit but children miss Sailor too. All loved that dog. Jim Stevens comes out. Fergus meets him at the station.
Aug 6 – Thursday – Cutting oats.
Aug 7 – 8 Put up grain all day.
Aug 9 – Awful heat. No one on road even.
Aug 10 – Willis painting school Stays here.
Aug 11 – misty morn.
Aug 12 – Wednesday – Wet, did not do much.
Aug 13 – 14 – Jim Bevins ex teacher here and I go to Lake with him. Great to see him.
Aug 15 – Jim Bevins and Frank go fishing all day.
Aug 16 – … K and I go to Mass. Len.. Palmer spends eve here. Music and dancing.
Aug 17 – Stevens leave. Mary Desmond (my sister) and Helen arrive. Mary & Darley Flood, Joe Bevins here.
Aug 19 – Rake barley, Visit with Mary and Helen. At last get some money on Gray’s note.
Aug 20 – Took Madeline and Helen to Olivet to meet Fergus. They are on way to Canton and Mary stays.
Aug 21 – 23 – Go to Ellens for tea with Mary.
Aug 24 – 26 – Harvest work.
Aug 27 – Emily and I go to box social at Arthur Slacks. Sorry Madeline missed it. She writes she called to see Carmel Crawley Parker and Henry is so fine and friendly.
Aug 28 – Rainy. Jim and Patience Dillon for tea.
Aug 29 – Mary goes to Annies. Rainy.
Aug 30 – Went to Gan to meet Madeline at boat. So good to have her back. When we get home Ellen has berry pie and Emily a good meal for us. Margaret comes with us. Fine day.
Aug 31 – Not very well so visit and hear details of Madeline’s trip. Percy brings Norah (cousin) ____???. back.

August 1, 2016 – only a few weeks left

August 1, 2016

I am thankful that the conventions are over and the news is not dominated by the next stupid thing Donald Trump has said. It will be interesting to see what the pollsters get this week in surveys. I imagine Hillary Clinton will get a boost as well as the Libertarians. They seem to be doing quite well.

The weather is still hot and the drought continues. It rained a little bit this morning but we need a really good rain to make some progress here. Got some landscaping tips from my son this weekend which should help me get started on that up here.

Up and down about going south next weekend. I have discovered that I am perfectly content to sit in this house or on the porch for three months and go no where. There is always something to do here and I get some social life when I see the neighbors or family so it is just fine. I did find the blueberry farm and have gone nuts over eating fresh picked gorgeous blue berries and gave my strict diet a break and ate fresh blueberry pie and bread this weekend. It was wonderful as well as making blueberry pancakes and eating fresh blueberries every chance I get. Life is good.

Also took my cousins advice and bought some fresh corn on Friday down in Gan. It is so sweet and good. NO complaints from anyone especially me. It was even good the next day.

Have been thinking about a lot of things lately while I have been painting or sitting outside watching life go by but that is for another day. Just getting back into the swing of things since having listened to those two conventions for two weeks and the after discussions. I am just sick of it all. So have decided to paint doors as long as my hands let me do it. Will need lots of pain meds but that is okay. Part of the aging process.

So, Charles in 1914 was still living on the farm and life was going on Let me give you a couple of months today to start August.

Charles Diary 1914

Jan 1 – New Years Day – Cold. Emily better. Quiet day. Just 4 of us for dinner. But it was a good one. Joe Bevins for tea. Spend part of day reading. Carol O’Donnohue – good book. I am not making any resolutions so I won’t break any. Good day, good way to start New Year.
Jan 2 – 3 – Telephone Co meeting. Maggie, Mike, and Maud Slack here.
Jan 4 – Sunday –Spend day visiting with Slacks.
Jan 5 – Election Day. I voted here then to Gan to vote there. Fergus was badly beaten. McCarney’s worked hard against him. A shame. Harvey defeated W Bracken here.
Jan 6 – up early to Mass. Breakfast at Mikes then visit at Fergus and home. Cold day.
Jan 7 – Jim Bevins and his father of Gan come here and he is to teach here and is going to board here. Nice chap.
Jan 8 – School opened Snow. Crom and Kelsey … stay all night.
Jan 9 – Snowy.
Jan 10 – Teachers goes to Delta to play hockey without boys.
Jan 11 – Emily had bad accident. Her hand. Madeline and I went to Arthurs to meet Mr and Mrs McDermott. Ellen goes to ………
Jan 12 – 10” snow this morn. No school
Jan 13 – 30 below zero. No school, no drive.
Jan 14 – 41 below zero. No school. Everyone cold.
Jan 15 – Snowed and warmer. Relief.
Jan 16 – Stormed but I had to go to Lyndhurst for food.
Jan 17 – Road bad. I hitched up big cold and Bevins helped me.
Jan 18 – Dull day and Joe Kenny’s baby boy dead.
Jan 19 – Snowy day. Madeline and I go to funeral Get nearly ditches us on way to Elgin.
Jan 20 – Agricultural meeting in Lyndhurst. Very stormy. George Steary here for tea.
Jan 21 – No mail, no school, bad month.
Jan 22 – Fine day. Get up wood…. Lot
Jan 23 – Much warmer.
Jan 24 – very wet.
Jan 25 – Quiet day but J Bevins good company.
Jan 26 – Fine day.
Jan 27 – Blustry.
Jan 29 – Emily and I go to Jones Falls to see Sue and Joe.
Jan 30 – icy and windy
Jan 31 – The teacher, Jim Bevins, helped me cut wood. He follows me around.

Feb 1914 (I have pictures of Elva Warren in my school house collection)

Feb 1 – Lots of snow. The skating on creek good so young people are all there.
Feb 2-3 – Go to Brockville and get mortgage discharged. I met many an old friend and had good chat. Emily and I say sincere prayer of thanksgiving for mortgage. Such a relief to us. …. And Percy here then John Dargard. MB and Helen here for tea and eve.
Feb 5-6 – Go to Lyndhurst then drew up wood. Madeline goes over to see Elva Warren and found her very sick. Madeline thinks Elva is dying. Feel so bad about her.
Feb 8 – Dykes and Joe Bevin’s here.
Feb 9 – Logs to Lyndhurst. In eve we went to Dick Singletons to Anglican Church social nice time. Elva Warren dies tonight.
Feb 10 – Madeline and Emily sad about Elva.
Feb 11 – 38’ below zero. Went to funeral. All of us. No school got warm mitts. Kate Bass here from Warrens as she was on case.
Feb 12 – 30’ below zero. Kate is here and in state of collapse. She tried so hard to save Elva who was such a lovely young girl. This is home to Kate.
Feb 13 – Kate left for Lyndhurst. She says our place is a haven for her. We are glad to have her she is so cheery.
Feb 14 – Dr Belfie come and closed the school for a week and ordered it disinfected because of Elva’s strange death. Ellen and Emily worried over Madeline having been there and Kate here.
Feb 15 – Madeline and I go to Mass. Very cold drive. All the kids are wearing fetta bags in this section. Everyone scared.
Feb 16 – – 18 – Logging and drawing hay in from barn. Teacher helps me.
Feb 19 – Fergus brings Margaret and Norah out here. Dr Alba Chapman visits us.
Feb 20 – 21 – Teacher goes with hockey team to Westport.
Feb 22 – Frank Giffins little girls dead but we can’t go to funeral on account of roads. Teacher banged up after rough game in Westport.
Feb 23 – Cut wood.
Feb 24 – Many offers to buy Daisy but Emily and Madeline won’t hear of that. They are in tears every time any horse is sold and I am nearly as bad as them.
Feb 25 – Milk meeting. A lot of wrangling not much done.
Feb 26 – Much warmer.
Feb 27 – Sykes here.
Feb 28 – Big Sykes’ men, John his wife and Lennis who has great time with our girls. Sykes has new offer re cheese factory. John anxious to sell now.

June 18, 2016 – Daisyland for Norah’s Great Grandkids

I have been thinking a lot about my Mom lately. She was a very interesting woman. Well educated, well read, musically talented, amazingly talented knitter and crocheter, quilter, great mother in law and mother, quiet as a church mouse and able to tolerate a lot more than I could ever do so. She always came home from the library with a book she thought I would like. She would read on a theme, for example, for a while she was reading books about India, both fiction and non-fiction so she would pass on books I might like. I think I was in Junior High and was reading the same books my mom was!

She was not a good teacher in one way. She could not teach me to sew, knit etc. I would get stuck and instead of teaching me how to get out of the mess she would just take it and fix it. That was not helpful since I learned “learned helplessness.” We should teach our kids how to fix things. I struggle with this problem even today.

Anyway, in the month of June I drive hubby crazy but not letting anyone mow down the weeds in my yard until after the daisies have bloomed. Why? In memory of my mom, that’s why!. I love to see the wild blowing daisies and think of my mom. There is a picture of her somewhere with her long, think black hair blowing out to the side. The daisies remind me of her so much.

When my mom was young she was close to her Aunt Madeline as well as some other relatives. Madeline was 12 years younger than my grandfather so more like a playmate to my mom than an aunt. Madeline wrote the following story about my mom and I have to tell you my mom loved it. One of her wonderful memories of childhood. So for my gr nieces and nephews this is about your great grandmother.

This story was written by Madeline O’Connor my mother Aunt. At the end I will make a little family tree so you can see where you might fit in to this family. My mother Norah always remembered this party and the story of Daisyland. It was one of her fond memories growing up and she told me about it many times over the years. So the M is for Madeline and the N is for Norah. There are pictures that go with the story. Summers at the farm must have been great fun for my mother and her younger siblings. Plus they always had ponies at their house and a cart they could hitch the ponies up to and ride around Gananoque in the cart. Including one time my mother took them up the stairs and right into the city hall to visit their father the Mayor. So here is Madeline’s story of Daisyland.

Daisyland

By Madeline O’Connor
Among the many beautiful things that God created to make the earth lovely and to add to our enjoyment are flowers. He made them in every color and size. Many have lovely odors also. There are flowers growing in very cold countries and flowers growing in very hot countries.

There is one flower that can be found in every country of the world – the Daisy. Some people call it a weed, but others love it. The one seen most often in America is the white with its sunny cheery centre, circled by a fringe of white petals.

Many years ago a little girl we will call N. and her teenaged Aunt we will call M. named a big field of white daisies “Daisyland”.

This little girl with her two younger sisters and brother were staying at their grandfather’s in the country for a month or more to give their mother a rest and more time to take care of the new wee baby, which God had given them. Their two year old brother and newly born baby were keeping the mother very busy. Anyway, the older four loved to visit their grandmother and grandfather and the latter were very happy to have them.

Every morning N and her young Aunt would cross the orchard to visit Daisyland – no not Disney land – but DAISEYLAND. Sometimes the summer breeze would stir up a welcome ‘Good Morning’ to the girls, as they approached. Then again a real wind would rock the flowers to and fro, as if they were merrily dancing.
The school house was across the street from the grandparents’ home, so N. went to school there for it was the month of June. But on the second last day of June the school was closing for the summer holidays and it happened that it was N’s birthday also.

The school children had all been very good to the four little visitors and played games with them at recess and noon. The pupils not only loved the four, but the loved the grandmother and grandfather also, as the house across the street was a kind of second home to the school children. If hurt or frightened, they could run over to grandmother, or on stormy winter nights, they could stay all night there. If a lunch pail was forgotten at home, their mothers did not worry as they knew they would go to grandmother and ask for a ‘piece’ and get a real meal.

When the grandparents thought of a way to celebrate N’s birthday they gathered the children around them. “We will have a birthday picnic party. The pupils and teacher Miss S. have been so kind to you, that you can ask every one of them, but we must call it a picnic party, not a birthday one, as they will not bring any presents”

But, N asked, ‘Won’t I get any presents?’

‘Oh, of course you will, we are each giving you something, but you are giving them the picnic in return for their friendship and just keep quiet all of you, about a birthday, until they come, anyway.’

The four grandchildren could hardly get to sleep, thinking of the party. In the morning N asked if she could ask the teacher again. When she ask her, Miss S. said, that she was closing early at 2:30, so they would have time for many games.

It was a busy forenoon, as Grandfather brought his long work table from the backyard to the front lawn. This was covered with a white tablecloth and M. took the four to ‘Daisyland’ and gathered arms full of daisies. A beloved old Aunt, who lived over the hill, came with a large pail of cookies she had baked – the kind, that were a speciality and great favorites. Of course she has been one of the first to be invited. She showed the three little girls how to braid the daisies into chains and little brother helped Grandfather to loop the chains around the table.

Not only were the daisies in blossom, but the yellow roses and Grandfather’s favorite white ones. The bushes were covered with roses. The table was centered by a bowl of yellow and white roses and matched the daisies and at the girls’ places at the table was a white rose for each and a yellow one at the boys’. Of course they had to stand at the table, but they did not mind that as the food was so good. They had meat, egg, salmon, and peanut sandwiches, lemonade, cookies, iced cream, which had taken Grandfather a long time to make, for so many. The freezer had been a birthday present the year before, and using the rich yellow cream from the three jersey cows, made the best ice cream one could have. Grandmother had made a huge cake iced in white and lettered “Happy Birthday”, with N’s name in yellow marshmallows, so you see everything matched the daisies of Daisyland, white and yellow.

But when the children read “Happy Birthday” the older ones said, “We did not know it was N’s birthday, and we have no presents.” But, Grandmother explained, that their friendliness was their present. The only other thing that happened to quiet the fun was when one very little girl would not eat anything, saying, “my daddy will buy me my meal; The teacher said, “That is all right dear” and soon the others forgot about her and enjoyed their food. Before leaving for home, the teacher Miss S. gathered them about her and had them sing “Happy Birthday” and then they each one said “thanks for the lovely party”.

Often in the years since, when M would meet some of those, who were at the party, they would say “Remember N’s picnic party?”

Oh yes, N got her presents, her old Aunt, who made the cookies gave her an apron, which she called a pinney (that was what old ladies called aprons then). M gave her hair ribbons, which little girls wore then in huge bows. Grandmother had made her a dress with a slip to match, while Grandfather gave her two dollars to buy a pair of white shoes when she returned home (shoes did not cost then, as much as they do today)

The next day her Daddy came and she was so glad to see him, but it made her lonesome for her Mother and she looked sad. Grandmother understood and said, “I really think N. would be able to help her Mother with the new baby, now that she is a year older” N. smiled through her tears and asked, “Daddy, can I go home with you?” So, N went home, but her two sisters and her brother loved the farm and wanted to stay all summer. This pleased the grandparents to know that they were so happy and it was wonderful for all.

The children did not wish to leave the wee kittens, the dear Collie dog, the fluffy chickens, the downy, darling yellow ducklings in their pen with the sunken tub in which they swam and darted for flies, the friendly baby colt, the pet lamb, which gamboled into the front yard every time he could find the gate open, the calves, the bantams, and even the teeny pigs were fun to watch. As grandfather would watch the children, he would say, “Every child should live in the country on a farm for a while”.

Now my dears, I wonder, if you have guessed who this dear little girl N could be? If not , try and guess… a very quiet little girl with beautiful eyes and long dark hair. Have you guessed? She was or is not your own dear Grandmother Laughland, then little Norah O’Connor.

And her sisters, your great Aunt Margaret, who loved everyone at Long Point and whom everyone loved, because she was so kind and good, and your aunt Eileen, happy, chubby and friendly, always ready for fun. The little boy was your grand Uncle Maurice (fair-haired, quiet little lad, always so clean and neat, in his little sailor –collared suits which Grandmother always kept so clean and pressed because he liked them that way). He seemed happiest, when alone with Madeline, to whom he could tell his long stories, without any interruption from his busy little sisters although he loved them very much and there was never any quarreling. They were too happy and good for that and each one tried to help the others. M and her parents considered them the best and most lovable children in the world, just as your grandparents think you are.
We had some snapshots of the birthday party and of Daisyland and your Grandmother may have some, but if not, she probably will not remember that birthday. But I think she will remember ‘Daiseyland’

Charles O’Connor —— Emily McArdle

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Frances Keating —— Fergus Madeline
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Norah Marie O’Connor
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John Charles
James Fergus
William Patrick
Margaret Norah
Milton Jr.