February 1904

February 1, 1904.     Monday   

10 P.M. Again after nearly seven months I resume for a time the record of events. 

 This morning there were indications of a pleasant day but they soon changed. 

 Chet came early and we drove to station.  Good road most of the way.  He forgot one of the keys. Commenced snowing halfway home, growing colder quite fast.  Arrived home in a driving N. W. snowstorm, which lasted until late P.M.  Put three hoops on a butter tub and took dinner at Henry’s.  Aunt Em gave me some mince meat.  I made yeast yesterday.  Mixed some mixed bread this evening, and it is rising fast.  Haven’t felt well for more than a week.  Had fainting spell or something of the kind in the woods while chopping alone a week ago tomorrow (Jan. 26 1 p.m.). 

 No callers.  Very cold day.

February 2.      Tuesday 

9:14 P.M.  This morning the sun shone brightly, but about 10 A.M. storm conditions prevailed again and we had a very little snow about midday.  Hazy this evening. 

 Pared apples and made mince for pies. Good luck.  My mixed bread was a dead failure.

 At Henry’s this evening.  Studied plan of windmill.  Henry and I are to make a model.  Clara popped some corn.  No callers.  Very cold day. 

 Yesterday Chet and I coming from Station met Martin Cross this side of Antoine Bessett’s.  He was going to Williston today.

February 3.      Wednesday

10 P.M. Sun most of the day, but storm conditions still prevail.  A very cold day. 

 Awoke at 4 A.M. with sore throat and cough.  Got up, made ginger tea, put Vaseline on my nose and throat, and fixed myself up the best I could and went back to bed at 5 and soon feel asleep did not awaken until 8:30.  Got up again fixed fire and went to work.  Put up mailbox.

 Sawed some old dry wood and split that and all the rest of white birch.  Drew all my W. B. and all the dry stove wood into the house to be ready for a big storm here in a few days. 

 Took supper at Henry’s and brought home the tub I hooped Monday and some ½” boards for shelves.  Clara has chilblains.  Must give her some of my famous C. cure tomorrow.  No mail yesterday or today.  Finished making my mincemeat.  Had a one gal. jar full and 8 pts over.

  Sponged bread with my new yeast this evening.

February 4         Thursday  .

8 P.M  Quite a pleasant day, though storm conditions continue to prevail.  Starlight in early evening but now obscured.

Baked 2 loaves of bread.  A No.1.  Pared and stewed apples for pies tomorrow. 

Chopped a few more W. Birches and stacked them.  The new ax cuts fine. 

 Mrs. Farmer called on me this P.M. and gave receipt for making doughnuts.  At home this evening alone reading.  Throat not sore today, O.K.

 Boils on neck give me much pain and trouble.  Ought to write to Bert Perry to-night.

 9 P.M. Have written to Bert.  No. of my watch 6200214. No. of case 148208. Open face silver American Waltham Watch Co.  Safety Pinion.

Friday February 5                                                                                      

Fair but very cold.

Chopped a little wood.

Saturday February 6                                                                                     

Sleet storm. Chopped a little and put shelves in my cupboard.

Sunday Feb. 7

 Sleet storm continues.

 Charlie Senna came about noon and after dinner he went down to see Farnum + got back at dark.

 Monday Feb. 8

 9 PM  Pretty fair day but cold as blazes + colder to-night.

 Charlie here with me.  We chopped quite a little + Charlie drew one load + sawed it.

 Baked 2 loaves bread.  OK.

 Chet came about noon.  Left horse at W. Pt. + walked to Station.  I did not go with him.

 Got dinner for him but he stopped only long enough to eat a piece of mince pie.  He forgot to bring the “World” for me.  Folks all well.

 Joe Cross died this PM.

 Charlie + I went over to Henry’s this evening.

 Charlie is now living with Dr. Bingham of Williston + has come to help me a few days about my wood-pile.

 Was more than glad to see him and to hear from Annie + Jonnie.

 Tuesday Feby. 9

 10 P.M.  Pretty fair but very cold again.  Charlie + I chopped wood in AM and after dinner went over and sawed and split wood for Henry’s fireplace and then Patsy drew over me bbl of crackers and then drew two loads of wood from the lot to the barn.  I have got the wood all under cover now that is chopped ready to saw and split when it storms.

 Charlie and I went down and made a call at Peter Cole’s this evening.  Had a very pleasant evening.

 Tore back of my coat on wire fence.

 Storm conditions seemed to be prevailing again towards evening.

 Charlie finished cutting down the old apple tree.

Wed. Feb. 10

 7 PM  A fine day but cold as usual.

 Charlie and I cut up the old apple tree and he drew it to the barn.  Then we went to the woods and cut quite a lot.  I have felt better and worked harder today than for quite a while but feel pretty tired tonight.

 Henry came over to the wood lot about 2:30 PM and we came to the house and visited half an hour.

 He went down to see Sid Tatro’s cow but guess he will not buy it.  Price25$ and coming in about first of Apr.

 We were going over to Henry’s this evening but feel a little too tired and it is a little too late.

 Made Graham cake for supper but heated my flour too hot before mixing therefore it was not as good as I had hoped it might be.

 Thu. Feby 11

 9 PM  Another pretty good day but cold as ever.

 Charlie and I chopped a little wood in AM and after dinner we went down street.  Called at Tatro’s.  Sid just home from city with groceries.  Mrs. Tatro has a very sore finger.  Wants to sell her cow.  Henry Bessett called while I was there.  Called at Geo. Sumner’s and at Jim’s and bargained for ashes.  We fixed up two bbls with covers and Charlie took them down to put ashes into.

 Called at Raytee's on way home and also at P. Cole’s.  While there Chet Brownell came with washing and Charlie and I rode home here with him on two horse sled.

Made biscuit for supper and had fine luck.

We went over to Henry’s this evening.  Bert Hines there.  Japan and Russia are fighting + Japan demolished or crippled 11 of Russia’s war vessels at the first onset.  Good! 

My throat a little sore this evening and feeling very tired.  Guess I did a little too much yesterday 

Mrs. Cole was down at Hardy’s.  Edie is some better.  Henry Cole brought up a calendar and gave to me.

It was starlight early in evening but now 9:30 PM no stars are to be seen and storm conditions again seem to be prevailing

Fri. Feb. 12

Storm conditions prevailing all day.  Snow in the air most of the time though very little has fallen here.

Charlie and I cleaned up the weed seed and cleared the stalls and put all the small pine stove wood into one of the them.  We cut and drew three sled loads of wood and baked bread and raised biscuit and graham.

Not as cold as it has been.  Quite comfortable working outside today.

Wrote letter to little Annie as Charlie is going home tomorrow.

Jim Spaulding’s horse ran away on Lake.  He was working over at creek skidding logs.

Sat. Feby 13

Looked stormy this morning but turned out to be a pretty good day.

The weed seed and dust choked me nearly to death and in taking a bath last evening I got cold with it and I had an awful sore throat and a bad night and have been sick all day.  Went over to Henry’s this PM.

Charlie went home this morning so am alone again and feeling pretty sick tonight.  Cold as ever.

Sunday Feb. 14

Cldy AM.  Snow all PM.

Went to bed at 7 last night and got up at 3 and made a fire.  Sat up an hour and a half and went to bed again.  Had a very bad night but am much better this PM.

Charlie came back about 5 o’clock and I was glad to have him.  We are studying arithmetic this evening.

Fixed the clock this PM that Aunt Em gave me.

Mon.  Fby 15

Stormy a little all day.  Not so very cold.

Thermometer between 10 and 20 all day.

Charlie sawed and split and drew some wood to house. 

I have stayed inside all day.  Made 8 pies.  Three of them mince and 5 apple.

Chet came and went to Station.  Stopped when he came back + ate piece of mince pie.

Baby has a cold.  Brought bbl of Worlds for me to read.   

At home this evening. 

Charlie has been learning table of long measure.

Reading a story to him.

Tue. Feb. 16

9 PM  Cold + windy.  Snow in the air most of the time.

Feeling better today.  Charlie and I sawed and split quite a pile of wood in the barn.  Drew in none.

Astrological Horoscope come by mail.

Henry came in this PM after crackers.  3 Dozen.

Chimney full of soot and ashes fell in Henry’s face this AM while he was fixing stove down cellar.

Charlie writing letters + studying spelling and arithmetic while I make a head-gear to keep his ears warm.

Back + shoulders itched so and coughed so that I didn’t sleep very well.  Hope I may rest better to-night.

Wed. Feby.  17

10 PM  Another zero day.  Storm conditions prevailing but sunny once in a while.  Charlie and I worked on wood until 3:30 PM then he went visiting and I finished sawing the white birch.  We went to Henry’s this evening.  He was at Hines’.  We got buttons for Charlie’s coat, a cabbage, beets, carrots and a can (2 qts) of sweet pickles.  Pretty tired when I got home.  Hardest days work I have done for some time.

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