uggested
instead of butchering the beast and hauling the carcase it would be
easier to drive it on foot and kill it at home, which I did.

Dec. 8--Killed the steer, which dressed well. Auld and Brodie took away
their portions to salt down, but Ailie followed Mrs Bambray's advice.
After the pieces are hard frozen she will pack them in snow.

Dec. 10--Began to snow gently yesterday and continues. There are now
about six inches.

Dec. 11--Bitterly cold; never felt the like. What Burns calls cranreuch
cauld gets into the bones, but this frost seems to squeeze body and
bones, pinching and biting the exposed skin.

Dec. 13--Ailie is never at a loss. On Mrs Brodie telling the children
woke at night crying from cold, she had no blankets to give her. Having
sheets we brought from Scotland she took two and placed as an inside
lining the skins of the squirrels Robbie had killed. Simmins had taught
him how to tan and give them a soft finish. Brodie and Auld's houses are
cold because they only half chinked them. Mrs Auld said the blankets
were frozen where the breath struck them and the loaf of bread could be
sawn as if it were a block of wood. Both now believe Canada's cold is
not to be trifled with and are scraping moss off the trees to caulk
between the outside logs the first warm spell.

Dec. 14--The frost holds. Worked all day with Allan. Does not feel cold
in the bush. The trees break the wind that is so piercing in the
clearings.

Dec. 15--Milder; in the sun at noon almost warm. Got out ox-sled and
went with Brodie along Yonge-street to buy pork. Bought three carcases.
People are kindly. Have never called at a house where we were not
invited to return and pay a family visit.

Dec. 19--Have had a three day snap of frost, Either getting used to the
cold or are adapting ourselves to meet it, for do not feel the
discomfort we did. Ruth going to the ox-stable without putting a wrap
over her head got her cheeks and ears frozen. Robbie trapped a hare.
Pleads for a gun. Ailie will give him a surprise New Year's morning.

Dec. 24--The snow helps greatly in hauling fallen trees and logs. Give
them their own time, and oxen beat horses in handling difficult loads.
Gordon came walking in this afternoon, quite unexpectedly, for we did
not look for him until this day week. He says Christmas is the big day
in Toronto, and not New Year's day. His master had shut his shop for a
week. He gave him a deerskin jerkin as a Christmas presen