Monday A.M. This is a miserable wet & cold morning, yesterday it rained all day, worse in the afternoon. This bad weather has come with the moon, those easterly winds we are having are not very nice. They can keep on for a long time. No use grumbling we can’t do anything about it.
As you know Russ Conway has now arrived at Yaralla. You know I never thought I would have that picture of him. It’s a lovely photo, with his best face on, his charming smile & lovely set of teeth. Well you know I did not really know what to say or do with it when I got it on Friday, it was an unsealed envelope. I nearly did not open it thinking it was from some firm advertising their firm. Then I noticed it had the post mark of St. Johns Wood, this made me open it, but when I saw the lovely face coming out if the envelope, I first could not make it out. I felt so surprised, then I saw it was Russ, I had a good laugh to myself. Now I don’t know if he has to be thanked for sending it. I don’t think so. Len should know, it’s him who did the bargain. Anyway I’m very pleased with it, I’ve put him in a frame. I hung it up between the two windows in the front room. He’s put his signature on, “Sincerely Russ Conway”..
Here I am again it is now after tea. I want to thank you for the beautiful mother’s card I got from you. It’s really a lovely card, I doubt whether Margaret saw it, I noticed it was mailed in Aberdeen, it’s really very pretty.
I had a very nice day yesterday for Mothers day, when I got down to breakfast there was gifts & cards near my plate, I was busy while having breakfast, so you see I was spoilt. Father did the toast, in fact he does so every Sunday. I tell him it’s his turn to see to the breakfast every Sunday, he doesn’t mind. This is not a hardship for him, the toaster is on the table. I am very fond of my toast on a Sunday. I take cheese with it, Sunday is the day I take the longer time over breakfast.
Again I want to thank Len for the photo of the office staff. It’s very well taken, the man you are training & taking round places, before he takes on his own in one of your branches, he seems to be a nice fellow. You say you think he will do well, he seems quite intelligent. As for Mrs. Gibson (soon to be Lennard’s second wife), I find she is more or less over dressed for an office. I don’t find her dress plain enough for her work. The other I can figure her dress very well, she would appear to me to be a little plainer dressed, though I may be wrong.
I notice there is flowers on each desk. As for you Len. you don’t seem to have changed much. I nearly do think your face has got a little thinner, longer if anything. They all say ‘no’ at home, so I am the one who’s wrong to have such a thought.
I’ve always noticed Len. that each time you have a picture taken in the office you always hold a paper very tightly in both hands. I guess you think it looks more businesslike the way you do it, because you know mother is very ignorant in these things. On the whole it’s a very nice picture.
I notice that Elisabeth Lewis was to be married, as you say, she seems to be marrying well, very nice of her to send you an invite to her wedding, but as you say it is far away for you to go. Would Margaret have liked to have gone? But then the children could not be left alone, it would have meant to have some one in to look after them.
So Elisabeth will now be through with the Alliance, will she have to be replaced?
Ah yes, Kay’s birthday is on the 12th, but you know one has trouble to remember the dates of so many birthdays, there is such a “whack” of them, one has trouble to cope.
Roselle is just in with us, she is unzipping a banana, which she will enjoy. After that she will go for chocolate & sweets. I guess I will help her a little, but take them in moderation, I have enough weight. I don’t want to put on any more if it is possible.
I notice that Susan has been having a nice new outfit of clothing, that’s very nice, is she is careful on her clothing? So as to keep it nice as long as possible.
Yes, no need to ask if she was pleased with her first pair of nylons, of course she will have to be careful with these, they can easily be damaged. But with care they can last a long time. Margaret wears them, doesn’t she? I never wear nylons.
You say the boys will be having their turn to have new outfits & then Margaret and Roselle will also have to have their turn. It’s nice that Len is putting his hand in his pocket to make every one happy, by having new outfits. This means a tonic to them all, but I guess you will have your turn too Len.
No Father does not go for treatment now, but the man he went to, telephoned him last week + asked how he was getting on. He told Father that he thought he ought to have a few more treatments. Father told him he didn’t think so, he left off these treatments a few months ago with the understanding that he would have a few more treatments later on, which would be now. This was the reason the fellow phoned him, Dad does not want to go, he finds it too much fag to have to undress there & dress up again. He keeps on taking different kinds of things anyway. As I say I think his best medicine is to go to town every morning.
I notice those nice knives & forks have gone up. I think they were dear enough as they were. We like them very much.
We’ve had a letter from Aileen this morning. They are very disappointed they will not be coming this summer. They have to move from their house & find somewhere to live. They have decided to buy a house, they are now building new houses the other side of the lake in their district. They are buying one of these. The one they have chosen is now being built, the foundations are down & will be finished by the 1st of June. They can stay in their present house until the end of June. As they say this is going to cost them a lot of money. At the same time they say it would be more expensive to rent a house as rents are very dear. That is the reason they are not coming this summer. We were looking forward to a visit from them, but then we can well understand their position.
Arthur has sold his car & he has bought another new one. We haven’t seen this new one. I guess we will do so tomorrow if we go on our weekly drive.
On Wednesday Father & I will be going to Doreen for tea, we will go by bus + come back by taxi, we will leave from there about 10 o’clock. This is late enough for two old persons like Dad & myself.
The potatoes at l’Etacq are looking very good, some of them quite big. For these it would be a great pity should there be any white frost to nip these potatoes, but this moon is to fear, at least that’s what Father says. I quite believe there is some truth in it, because it’s not too late yet for frost.
Now I will stop until tomorrow to see if I can gather any more news.
Charlie Drake is on T.V., boring, only Dad enjoys him.
I must now hurry to end this, Doreen and Nick will be here soon.
We went for our weekly outing this afternoon we made it at Les Augerez. We had the new car, it’s a dark grey. The seats inside are red leather, it’s very comfortable, this one has a long back. I think there is a screw loose, because you can hear a rattle. Arthur will take it to the garage tomorrow to see if they can find the trouble.
Did anyone of you see anything of this terrible whisky fire? Could it be seen from your home? There must be something very strange about these two fires happening in such a short time. It looks like sabotage. It must have been horror for those living nearby. Worse still for the firemen of which some lost their lives.
Kay gave me half of a dozen pansy plants this afternoon. I put them in the ground when I came back from our outing.
Arthur will be leaving on Saturday A.M. for London. He will come back on Thursday. Roselle might go & sleep at Kay’s the time he is away. Kay says she doesn’t mind being alone for a few days.
Hope Margaret & the children are keeping well & fit.
Len. of course hope his throat is quite healed up now.
Lot’s of love from us all. Mother xxx
Today March 31st we go on automatic, our phone number now will be Central 20743
