6

Having a new baby and a husband that was never around was tough. Luckily my neighbour, an older lady named Olga, helped me out a lot. She helped with everything from laundry to laughter. I couldn't have done it without her. One night Joseph our son was so sick, he had a terrible cough. Olga said that she had just the thing and went to her kitchen to whip up one of her home remedies. In no time at all she was back and had a rub made of mustard that she called a mustard plaster and said that I was to rub it on his chest and it would ease the congestion and coughing. So without question I did as she said and Joseph fell asleep in no time?I was relieved!

Once the baby was a little older I decided that I needed to supplement the family income. I started taking in laundry and cleaning houses for some of the miners around town. I also took in sewing when I could. Any extra money was a huge help for us. The slack season was right around the corner and I knew that my husband would be laid off for the summer, as he had been every year.

7

Kathleen Powell with her first baby, John, and their dog, Teddy.
1932
Drumheller, Alberta


Credits:
Douglas Powell