Mary stays busy with housework, Sam goes hunting

It's 1946 and a fall week in Belfair. Mary is putting away summer clothes and cleaning the dressers and Sam goes out duck and deer hunting. There were two house fires in and near Belfair. Butter is a dollar a pound.

Friday, Oct. 25, 1946

Today I went to Seattle on the 9:25 a.m. boat. Got all my work done before I left. Wrote six letters on the ferry. Went to Antique Shop and got my pitcher and four glasses. They are lovely too. Went downtown and sent Mama a vase for her birthday. Got myself shoes and caught 3:15 boat home. Put my stuff away and ate supper. Papa had it started. Sam went to town to get pheasants but they didn't come in. Furnace man is hunting so that will wait. I finished all letters and got bills ready to pay tomorrow. To bed late. Had a headache all day.

Saturday, Oct. 26, 1946

Sam got up at 5:15 a.m. and went duck hunting with Emmett, Bill Cady and Charlie from Canton Café. They got plenty of ducks. I never slept after he left - too much shooting. Never heard so much. In the afternoon went to the store, Post Office and Annie's. Sent for all my magazines, books, etc. That is done for three years now. Sam and Bill Cady left at 1:30 p.m. for Boulder Creek to hunt until Thursday. No pheasants came yet. I called twice. Very windy out. Saw Ritzens. They are going to Los Angeles Nov. 5.

Sunday, Oct. 27, 1946

A wonderful sunny day. Spent most of it outside. Annie and I drove to Oak Patch to find rails. All buildings are down and no rails. Visited Skenes in the eve. Had a nice time. Home early. Men worked on fire shed at Belfair today.

Monday, Oct. 28, 1946

Up at 7 a.m. Went after Charlie G. but he wasn't home. Got Squires at 9 a.m. Cleaned house. Put away summer clothes in attic. Put away summer shoes and cleaned clothes closet. No pheasants came in today so I hemmed eight dishtowels and did all the mending. In the evening went to Aunt Polly's where Mama and John were visiting. A very quiet evening in a house so warm everyone was yawning. Why can't people open a window? Today a fire was up at a home near McCelvey's. The truck went out with Emmett driving. Annie was disgusted because he did not ring the siren. She has never found anything right about our store since she's been here. Always telling me something is wrong. The fire was put out and the house saved. We are all glad. A very cold day -turned to rain.

Tuesday, Oct. 29, 1946

Squires at work again. Rained last night. A fine day for transplanting. Ironed clothes. Put all blouses away in bags. Cleaned out dresser drawers. Put away all summer vases. Cleaned under sink by back porch. Went to Skenes - no one home. There was another Belfair fire yesterday down near here. It was put out. Cut down all pampas grass. Squires will twist bouquet for O.E.S. Butter is $1.00 a pound. Went down to store. Emmett tried to call Pierre about pheasants but couldn't get through. Visited at Morgan's. Mary Ruth and Jack were there too. So made two visits in one. Saw two nice deer on the way down tonight. Raining again.

Wednesday, Oct. 30, 1946

Emmett called Pierre, South Dakota, and they said the pheasants had not been shipped yet as they understood there was no hurry. So when they ship them they will wire us so we shall know when to expect them. I can sleep now. Squires worked about two and half hours then went to Seattle to do some shopping. I went over to Skenes and cut some of her pampas grass. Margaret McKinney was there who lives in Olympia and has written a book about mushrooms. She showed colored slides on mushrooms and wild flowers. They were very good. Now I'm determined to have that kind of camera. Tom used the boat to "round up" some logs. Nichols brought the 30-30 home. No deer. Emmett put Sam's coupe in the garage. It runs terrible. Needs repairs. Sam came home at 10:30. Bill got a deer.

Thursday, Oct. 31, 1946

Today I cleaned upstairs in weaving room and rubbed Knee's Foot Oil on leather couch. Then finished album of snapshots and wrote underneath all the pictures. We now have 21 albums of pictures. The Skenes were over with some fall crocuses I bought together with Edith. We had tea and cake. A nice time. More plants came so Squires stuck them in sandbox until Monday. The beds are now all ready for planting. Sam went to Bremerton and the furnaces will be installed in about a week. Now my Dad has taken to sitting in the cabin. I wonder if he will like it upstairs better if there is more heat? He should. Sam has partly fixed the dog house - will finish tomorrow.