What a busy week we were doing overtime every night. Tonight we were putting up the rakings and Laurie finished cutting corn stoves ground. Gordon cut Binegar Bottom and the paddock today.
Mr Howes tucked the further ground rick. We were out till 9
Went to thatching demonstration at Green’s. Turned B. Bottom by hand-rake
Put up Binegar Bottom rick and hauled little paddock down. Got back at 10.15.
We were busy all day and it was so hot. Cleared up B. Bottom. Bought back rake with Polly and then the cart. Got a load of straw. Had lunch at 2.30! Put up some hay till milking. Pitched till 9. We were waiting for rakings so we went home at 9.30. I did a bit of horse raking. Rode Silver home.
I did the pails before breakfast. It was another beautiful hot day. Went to church with Grandma and Grandpa. It was communion again. About 25 yanks in church. Got back at 12.30. Sun-bathed on the lawn till 3.30. Got cows in. Had tea. Finished about 6. Went down Thrope but could not ride as we were going to Wells gymkhana tomorrow. Walked up Kingdown and round by the “
Got up fairly early. Milked. Did the pails. Tucked one side of the rick. Raked back the clover for Laurie. I borrowed P’s jodhpurs. Got down Thrope at 12.30. We left on the horses at 1 and got to Wells at 2. It was terribly hot all day. We had to wait till 9 for our events. Gordon was jumping Rex and the hurdle stuck in his leg at the back. The vet came. Went in musical chairs, did nothing. They drove Punch home in Mac’s float. Trix And Grace rode. I went in car. Reg Williams and R Chard won prizes. Got home at 1.45.
Tuesday 8th august 1944
Another glorious hot day. Got up before 7. had a devil of a bother with the cows. P did not come and help except to get the bull in then disappeared. I got ratty. Did pails and stall. We finished tucking the home ground rick and made up the roof. Saw Gordon at lunch-time with tractor. We cut round the oats and vetches. Went home and milked. Max Gillson was supposed to come but we waited till 8.30 and he did not arrive.
Got up just after7 7. Milked. We got up to Kingdown just after 11, but we came and did some Swedes till 12.30. Max Gillson came and cut our oats and vetches with his mowing machine. The swatheboard rod broke so we were held up. The oats had gone down so we had to use our peaks all the time. We caught 2 rabbits. We had lunch and tea together at 3.45. Milked. Took wagon over rectory and brought in a huge load of clover. Pooked hay. Saw Jim and Trix on the way back from Norton Gymkhana.
We were late this morning. It was drizzling all morning so we went down to Gill’s and fixed up the fence to be able to take the calves down there. Arthur Stone left his gate open blast him and our calves got in with his cows, we had a job to get them out. Had rabbit for lunch. Singled Swedes till 3.45. I went down thrope. We rode up to Gillson’s I came on to Binegar. Saw Mervyn he is getting his 3yr old 16 ½ h.h. colt shod and I am to ride him! He is getting some jodhpurs for me.
Up at 7. Milked. It was very dull and threatening all day. Hoed Swedes from 10.30 – 1. I did have back ache. Turned hay and got in a wagon as it was not dry. It tried to rain. Came in about 8.30. I wrote a bit till bed time.
Got up fairly late. Milked. Did the pails. P went to Chewton with Mr Wareham to get the binder twine. Hoed Swedes until lunch-time. We were rather late coming in to lunch. Helped hitch in the horse-rake. Washed. We milked at 3.30 to get to Chewton gymkhana. We got there about 5. Alan went on the back of P’s bike. There was some jolly good jumping. Tony West got 1st and 3rd and J Crossman 2nd. Saw Mr Oakes Ann can show Trix how to sit up. I rode Punch back down Thrope. Mr Wareham came in the car to fetch us.
We did the stall this morning. We went up to Kingdown and turned oats till lunch-time. It was a glorious day. Had a bath. Sat on the lawn till milking time. I went to church with Grandma. P went stoking!! Jim Warren has gone to a scout camp at Wells for a week. Had supper early.
We were in Kingdown all day. We had lunch up there. Colour finished cutting the oats at about 7. caught 2 rabbits. Stooked for a while.
We were up in Kingdown all day stoking. Some of the bundles were awful. We turned some of the oats and vetches till 8.30. Mr Wareham was hauling his wheat with lorries.
Finished turning the oats and vetches. Alf hauled the sewp and peaks in his lorry. We had to push the car as far as Bowns before she started. Milked early. Hauled oats with car and sweep. Mr Bromwell came. Got back just after 9. heard that Grace’s pony was dead.
We tucked the rick over in corn stores ground all day. Put up railings till 7.30. Rode Punch round Slade as Mr T. W had him up here. I cantered up the ground and the rein broke. I had to catch hold of the bit to stop him. I nearly fell off.
We were late getting up. We went up in Kingdown and started pulling the straw mow at 11.30. Came home lunch at 1.15. Finished pulling rick. Put up odd straw. Saw Ron Chard by quarry. Took ladder to Binegar Bottom. Had tea. Milked. Went down Gill’s to give calves water. It rained, drizzle all day in patches. It was like a winter’s evening. Walked to Binegar Bottom.
It was raining. We drew straw all day. It cleared up and P and I went to the pictures. Had to go to the Palace as the Regal was full saw “Street Singer and “Dinner at the Ritz” Saw Fred with his girl by the “Crazy House”
I went to church with Grandma. I was officially introduced to Jim Warren! Had a bath. I went down Thrope. Punch bolted at an Army lorry and nearly at
Gladys is coming on Sept. 11th. Goody! It was really cold all day. I went about in a cardigan and coat. Pulled Kingdown rick and re-stooked. P thatched. Got cows in. I went down Gill’s after milking. Offy and Williams were over rectory hoeing. I knitted and crocheted from 8 till supper.
Went to Y.F.C. meeting
Spent afternoon turning sheaves in Kingdown. Drew straw all morning. Turned sheaves until 8.30.
I went down and saw Grace Gillson’s pony. Helped P thatch. Mr Greenacre gave me some sweet peas.
We started putting the sheaves in rows today. We spent all afternoon and evening at it. It was not too fine, the rain did make a lot of work.
Singled Swedes all morning. Arthur Stone was making his corn mow. We turned some more sheaves in rows. Had to get the heifers out of A Stone’s combe, we put them in Jack Purnell’s. He was showing us the inside of an engine. Got cows in. Geogre peggy and Stella went to the flicks. I started thatching this mow out here. Worked till 9. Had supper went to bed.
Late as usual. Got potatoes and turnips out of the plough ground before I went to church. Mrs Warren asked us to go and have tea and play tennis with Jim and Michael on Tuesday. Corn hauling so will have to alter day. Went up Roemead and drove Queenie down Thrope. They were corn hauling. Rode down in tractor to fetch Punch. Rode him bareback. Went with Grace round Slade houses. Got back when dark.
It rained most of the night, now we have to turn all those oats again. Thatched all day. I called at the rectory in the evening and had a long chat with Michael, Jim and Mrs Warren Michael is really good fun.
It poured with rain every bit of the day. We made out straw all day. I went to the rectory at 7. They did tease me at tea time about Mrs W wanting to get rid of a son. We played ‘cargo’, a golf game it was great fun, we laughed a lot. Had a cucumber for supper which M proceeded to hand round as it slipped about the plate. Stayed till 10.30 Michael and Jim came up to the gate with me.
It was stormy all day. I thatched all day P. went threshing at Tuckers. I thatched till 8 and then came in. P. had not come back? She came at 9. Dennis was hurt by a cow this morning.
It was very rough and rainy all day. It shone awhile and then poured for a few minutes and cleared again. I spent the morning thatching P. went threshing. I did a bit in the afternoon but it got too rough so I finished at 3.45. Got cows in milked. I went down to Mrs Padfield’s. Walked back round the station way.
The Old Folks at Home
Way down upon the Swanee river
Far, far away
There’s where my heart is turning ever,
There’s where the old folks stay
All up and down the whole creation
Sadly I roam
Still hanging for the old plantation
And for the old folks at home
CHORUS – All the world is sad and weary Everywhere I roam
Oh! Darkies how my heart grows weary
Far from the old folks at home.
All round the little farm I wandered
When I was young
Then many happy days I squandered
Many the songs I sung
When I was playing with my brother
Happy was I
Oh! Take me to my kind old mother
There let me live and die.
CHORUS- All the world is sad and weary etc…
One little hut among the bushes
One that I love
Still sadly to my mem’ry rushes
No matter where I rove
When shall I hear the bees a humming
All round the combe
When shall I hear the banjo thrumming
Down in my good old home
CHORUS- All the world is sad and weary etc…