Spent quite a busy day at my household duties. Fred went out to a meeting at the C.G.Co. in. which he is greatly interested at present. He hopes to be able through the C.G.Co. to introduce his "money takers" to the public. It is now seven weeks since he left the Hudson’s Bay Company since which time he has devoted his energies time entirely to the scheme of Monetary Reform.
I hope something will come of it - he has worked so earnestly towards improving present conditions and solving humanity's great problem of unemployment.
Roy telephoned at ten o'clock this evening to say that he and Barbara and wee John were sailing for England tomorrow at 4 p.m. They have just been out here three years. It is going to be a terrible break to say goodbye to Barbara's parents and the many friends they have made during their short stay with us.
I can hear Fred returning from his meeting - bon soir!
Tuesday March 21
Went to see Barbara and Roy and wee John Chapman off to England this afternoon. They sailed on a freighter the Dintledyke* which is going by way of Panama and taking six weeks to make the journey. I took Donald and Berta, a little playmate of Johns along with me. John was delighted to see his little friends. Donald was most interested in the loading of grain and was very loathe to come ashore when the whistle blew. We examined the cabin and decks and then went below to the dining saloon for a cup of tea. Quite a few people came to bid them adieu for which I was very thankful as it helped to soften the parting of Barbara from her mother. How sad these partings are!!! It is just 14 years since I said my farewell to my dear ones at home - and what changes have taken place since then!!! I often feel I would like to return to the old scenes but no doubt - recollections would be very painful - so many dear ones would be missing!
Wednesday March 22
Paid a visit to the dentist this morning to have a couple of fillings done. He thought it advisable to make a novocaine injection to relieve the pain as it was in quite a sensitive spot near the gum. After waiting the usual time for the drug to operate, with no apparent result - he decided to repeat the operation concluding that I needed a little more than he usually administered to the average person. However in about 15 minutes - both doses seemed to be operating in full force and for the rest of the day I felt very uncomfortable around my lower jaw. This was not so good, as I had arranged to meet Mrs. Edwards for a walk in the park and lunch at the Pavilion. However I quite enjoyed the walk but excused myself about 3:00 o'clock and came home and applied hot clothes to my face and rested until 5 o'clock when the pain seemed considerably easier.
In the evening we went up to Ben Brooks and spent a very pleasant couple of hours listening to some of his new music rolls. - after which I played some of his songs for him, and occasionally I joined in with the harmony which always gives Ben a great deal of pleasure.
Thursday March 23
Had quite a few telephone calls today which greatly detained me from carrying out the programme of work which I had mapped out for myself.
Was surprised to hear from Mrs. Fletcher that Roy had sent a radiogram requesting her to forward his and Barbara's passports to Seattle as he had gone away leaving them on the bed. Mrs. Laverock* told me she had her upper teeth removed a couple of days ago and things she had been planning to do for many months but found impossible as her six chicks, which she was left alone to care for many years ago, make so many demands on her purse. Went out for a walk and did my household shopping for the day. Mrs. Purdy 'phoned to ask if she might bring her baby over for a little in the afternoon. He is now 8 months old and very lovely. We had a cup of tea by the fire while he played with some balls on the carpet.
Fred came home about 6:30 for dinner and we then spent a quiet evening altogether around the fire and retired early as we were very tired.
Friday March 24
Fred and I took Mrs. Priestly down town in our car about 9 o'clock this morning to select wool. for men’s socks which Mrs. P is going to knot on her machine for the C.G.Co- operative store which is being operated in Burnaby. She arranged with Fred to take wood in exchange for their services this being the way that they are carrying out many of their transactions out there at present.
Fred went to interview Mr.H.C. Wilson about renting some property which he owns on Granville St. - His object being to use it to demonstrate the possibilities in his token scheme. It all sounds very adventuresome and I hardly know what to think about it all - but Fred seems so very anxious to try and operate his system and is receiving encouragement from different directions that I suppose it will be in action very soon now.
Donald came in after school with great excitement - a man had asked him if he would like to sell some magazines and get a jig-saw puzzle and of course he just wanted me to say yes in a great hurry! However, I interviewed the man, a MacLean Magazine representative, and found that Donald was to get three cents for every magazine he sold and a puzzle when he had sold 10. I was not very keen, but Donald seemed so enthusiastic to try it that I said Yes. So I expect tomorrow being Saturday, he will be quite busy ringing door bells!!
Went to Joan's Guide meeting with her to play for her guitar accompaniment and for the Guides for sing and dance in preparation for their concert to be held next weekend. It was fearfully cold in the hall and the hot soup which we had for supper when we got home was greatly appreciated.
Fred gone out to address a meeting so I'm for a bath and bed.
Saturday, March 25
Donald was up bright and early, all keyed up to start off with his magazines. By noon he had sold five - though hardly like to think how many houses he had visited during that time. Most people were very kind to him he said - but quite frequently he came upon homes hat were feeling the depression and had no spare funds.
In the afternoon we all went to see Noel Coward's new film Cavalcade and enjoyed it immensely. It portrays a chapter out of the most dramatic century in the life of England - from the time of the Boer War on to our present day. It was wonderfully filmed and a credit to Hollywood. The cast was English - Clive Brook and Diana Wynward taking the leading roles. They showed some splendid work and were particularly impressive in their last scene - a New Years Eve when they stood alone - both lovely sons lost. to them through was or the result of war and drank a toast to the future of our empire built up on dignity and peace. They had gone through so much together - tow wars and social unrest and sorrow, but they still had one another and were still looking to the future with confidence.
Pauline had paid for Joan's ticket and mine as a birthday treat for us both, although the birthdays were well away. But somehow we had not been able to all get out together before, although the invitation had been extended for some time.
Pauline came back with us and we had a cosy little tea party near the fire. Pauline wore her new fur coat and of course I had to try it on!! It fitted me perfectly. We all helped build a jig-saw puzzle after tea and after the children went to bed Pauline and Fred held quite a keen discussion about his new scheme which he is planning to operate in Vancouver in the near future. She seemed to get a clear understanding of it after they held a little practical demonstration. I walked part of the way home with her about 10:00.
Sunday March 26
A cold which has been threatening me for days showed itself very clearly when I wakened this morning. Fred suggested my staying in bed and I thought I would at first, but breakfast time found me at the table with the rest of them.
Ben Brooks phoned about 8:30 to say that Mrs. Alexander, a very dear friend of his, had a stroke last night on the boat coming over from Victoria. He arranged to meet the boat at 9:00 o'clock and take her out to her home in M*** but found on arriving there that they had already taken her to the hospital much against her wishes. I drove over to the hospital with him in the evening when there seemed to be a little improvement in her condition. She was able to move her fingers a little. It is all very distressing as her husband has a bad heart and we fear the news of her illness may be too much for him.
Went for a long walk with Fred in the afternoon - the air was delightful - soft and warm and spring like.
Just after we got home again Mr. Falk phoned to ask Fred over to his house on Pine Crescent for a little chat with himself and Dr. Cumming. They are very interested in his scheme so he went for a little while although I believe he would have preferred his fireside tonight.
Monday March 27
Started to spring clean my bedroom this morning and succeeded in tiring myself out by noon so after lunch I had a little rest.
Mrs. Laverock phoned to ask us all over for dinner on Saturday which will be a very pleasant visit. for us as we have not seen her or her family for many months.
Mrs. Granville rang me up to let me know that she was leaving for Ladner to take care of her daughter who had a little son Sunday evening about 9:00. This is her fourth boy! They had so wanted a little sister for their one wee daughter. What a family to raise on a ministers salary!!
Granville Brooks came to me for a music lesson after school. I had promised to get him started at his music again, when I saw him last week and he seemed so anxious to learn to play a certain song which his dear mother had liked so much. He and his father are batching while Mrs. Granville (the Grandma!) is away so Granville had to hurry away at 4:30 to get potatoes on for supper. He said he supposed that they would live on eggs until Grandma returned as eggs and potatoes were about all they could cook!!
However it will make Ben Brooks realise just how much Mrs. Granville had been contributing to his comfort since her daughter "Lilly", Ben's wife, died a couple of months ago. He has taken so much for granted and not considered the effect of his impatience and nervous disorder on the old lady.
Fred is out to the Hotel for dinner with several influential men in the city keenly interested in a monetary reform.
The children are tucked away and I shall be following them soon.
Tuesday March 28
Finished spring cleaning my bedroom this morning and it well repaid me for all my work for it. fairly sparkled and shone with its pretty clean yellow muslin curtains and freshly polished furniture.
Went over to Mrs. Millers for my china painting lesson in the afternoon - It was the last one! We. have all had lots of fun at these classes and I am rather sorry that they have come to an end, but maybe. next winter if things are not too bad I will take them again. I finished a lovely vase in red and black and gold and Mrs. Miller is keeping it to exhibit next week at her annual exhibition.
We all enjoyed a cosy evening by the fire where I read Donald his bedtime story as usual. We have just commenced "Tarzan and the Golden Lion" and he seems to be enjoying it immensely. Joan has already got through all the Tarzan Books once at least and or two of them twice or more. She is very partial to animal stories and I think has almost read all the Public Library have along these lines.
Wednesday, March 29
Gave Donald a letter to deliver to Queenie Wards on his way to school telling her the time at which she was to meet me at the Hotel Vancouver for a fashion show and tea. He returned at lunch time with the note still in his pocket!!!
We had a most enjoyable time at the "Gossard Fashion Show" and the Hotel excelled themselves in the wonderful tea they served. Several kinds of sandwiches and olives, ripe and unripe, different kinds of cakes, ice cream and of course tea.
Fred met us at the Hotel and brought us home in the car.
Thursday March 30
Terrible dreary day - poured hard without ceasing. Walked down to see Mrs. Fletcher in the afternoon and took along the snapshots which I had taken of Barbara and Roy and John when they left for England last Tuesday week. They had turned out very well indeed and both Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher were delighted with them. Barbara had written her mother several letters already - one from Seattle, Blaine, and Portland.
Upon leaving I invited Mrs. Fletcher to join us in the evening when we intended to go to Christ Church Cathedral to hear members of the "Oxford Group" who arrived in the city yesterday and about which we have heard so much during the past year.
We enjoyed the evening with the group immensely. They seamed so happy and humorous and impressed one through their expression of steadfast faith.
The Cathedral - The Hotel - St. Andrew's Church and the Baptist Church were all filled to their capacity with people eager to hear their message. They are not teaching anything new but it reminds us of much that is lacking in these present days of difficulty.
The world seems to be ready for a revival of thought along the lines of the standards of the Oxford Group - absolute honesty - absolute purity - absolute unselfishness - absolute love. I feel sure that with such a standard they cannot fail to leave happier people behind them wherever they go. The Group seems to consist of several Oxford Graduates, a Dutch Baroness, and R.N. Admiral of 60 years (who says that he has only been living three years!) also Canadian and America representatives. I hope to be able to hear them again before they leave the city next Tuesday.
Friday March 31
Quite a full day - left home about 10:00 o'clock and called in to Mrs. Millers on the way down. town to pick up three cups and saucers which she had been firing for me.
From here on to see Aunt Amanda and leave her some magazines and then some daffodils for Aunt Cleo who is celebrating her 92nd birthday this week. She is just wonderful for her age - as bright and charming as she can be and does not look a day over 70 years. From here on to the Hudson’s Bay to do a little shopping. I had to skip through this as I had an appointment to meet Nelly and George Berhendead at the Art Gallery as 12:15 noon. I had told them about an exhibition of black and white and water colours being held this week so we planned to see them together.
We spent a very pleasant hour in the gallery so peaceful! One or two of the pictures were particularly good, especially a girls head by Laura Knight. Her pictures of circus life have taken very well lately.
After leaving George and Nell I went up to Dorothy's for lunch. Mrs. Fletcher came too. After lunch we three took the baby (Mugwap!!) as Dorothy calls him, out for a ride in his pram. He is not looking very bonnie yet, and still continues to throw up a lot of his food. What a worry a sickly child can be. I live again my anxiety and broken nights with my two!! - and yet they were really so healthy.
Joan's Guide concert in the evening when she played three pieces on her guitar. I worked very hard playing accompaniments for dances and songs, several of them being thrust on me at the last moment. What a day!
I had just got to bed when the telephone rang!! - it was Nelda Sciberd ringing up to say aurevior as she was leaving on the midnight boat for California and said she had tried to get me before and failed and had called a week ago while we were at "Cavalcade". We had quite a chat and she assured me that she would be up in the summer to see me. Her husband has procured a wonderful position in charge of 80 stores for Montgomery Wars do she will probably be able to travel around quite a bit. So sorry to see her go!
Great stuff
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