Monday 16th November, 2009
My Dear Jeremy
So you want more. Could you be a glutton for punishment? Here goes..
KEI MOUTH VACATION continued:
4TH July, 1952
Lovely fresh breeze from the sea was so welcome this morning. The weather is unusually warm and calm for this time of the year and we enjoy sitting on the sands in the sun. Michael is writing, his pen never ceases and I knit and read and CJ is happy.
Fishing does not promise much. We gave up after an hour this morning.
5th July, 1952
It has turned cold and cloudy today. After a pleasant brisk walk up the beach while CJ played happily with a little boy called John, Michael changed guitar strings.
Got chatting to a lady (Mrs Richter), was a Mss Fuller originally from Grahamstown, 1820 Settler stock. Grandfather a soldier who came out with his regiment, brought wife and three children to Fort Brown where wife stabbed and killed by a Hottentot while husband away fighting a Kaffir War. Three children adopted, father went with regiment to India. This lady's grandfather adopted by a farmer, Mr Watson from Alice. Did not know that he was Fuller until the age of 18 when he broke with Mr Watson because he refused to become a farmer. Mr Watson died at 83 and Mrs Watson at 95, left 7,000 pounds to Lovedale.
6th July, 1952
A beautiful morning, walked. Michael fished and CJ cavorted naked in a pool till a big wave came which made us hastily collect our belongings and dash. Michael caught a Rochard which was thrown back. When he had lost all his sinkers Michael gave up fishing. If we stay very much longer M and his guitar would soon be installed in the lounge to entertain the throng. Wish I could be a bit more sociable towards strangers..
Michael won the hotel July Handicap sweep stake so we go home 7 pounds the richer. Can't decide what to spend it on. Would like M to get a good all-weather coat, or should we keep it for the new baby or put it in CJ's savings bank?
Michael is fully engrossed in his writing. His pen scrapes and scratches at a great pace. We shall hope that the novel will soon be written and hope even more fervently that it will be published. He is happy and that is important. Both he and CJ are easily made contented and have resources which keep them happily occupied for hours. They never wish for what they haven't got.
Tuesday 15th July, 1952 Back at the Pumping Station East London
Expecting Michael and daddy home. Dont know what time they will be in, but I must do something to keep me occupied while waiting. I always get so excited (probably meant anxious) and find it difficult to settle down to anything my bad time
It is time Michael came as CJ does not behave well under a woman's regime. He has been full of mischief and strong-willed. The wound on his forehead received on Sunday evening when throwing a stick for Bonnie though still open is quite clean. His face was rather swollen today especially round the eyes. He knows that he must throw the stick away from him yet this time he threw it up into the air above his head and then stood and watched it come down. Naturally Bonnie made a leap for it and I consider that her claw caught him between the eyes. Mummie said it was the stick which caught him. Poor kid, the second accident this vacation though really he is none the worse for it. His passion for rough play and dangerous objects has, till now, not caused any damage.
Monday morning we went into town in the Rover, Bazil drove. CJ played on the Eastern beach but it was very cold and we did not stay long but camped at Horseshoe instead. It was overcast and windy.
Bazil went to KWT (Kingwilliamstown) to play rugby yesterday. He got a black eye and generally looks knocked about. Needless to say they lost. We spent a lazy day. The weather was unpleasant.
We are bursting with news for Pop. The Power Station phoned Mum this morning to send a message to the Pump House to turn off pumps immediately. This is almost a regular Tuesday morning emergency and always goes through them. She phoned Mr. G. who took a long time to put off one pump but left the other running. Power Station phoned Mum again so Mum put them through to Power House who very rudely said he had not received the message directly from them and in future they must phone direct to the Pump House. The Power Station should report this to the Municipality as a nasty accident could have been caused had a turbine burst. Also had he felt it so important that they phone him direct there was another way of doing it. He could have phoned them to verify the order and then asked them kindly to phone the Power House as Pop was away. .Can one have any sympathy with or understanding of such people?
We came back from Kei Mouth Monday a week ago. Such a send-off we had cameras and all to take a photograph of CJ. He certainly made a great impression on everyone. We did feel so rested and felt it was worth every penny though surely it cost us little enough with our 7 pound winning on the July.
Michael and Daddy left on Friday for their fishing trip and phoned us Saturday night.
Bonnie's puppies are beautiful. They just eat and sleep. Bonnie is very naughty though she always gets out of hand when she has puppies I am told.
I have finished the mustard jersey and am on the way with the white. Making underpants for CJ out of flannelette. Can get three for the cost of one. Am going to try for Michael too. Must do something drastic to cut down especially after finding grocery account 20 pounds when it is never more than 9 to 12 pounds.
Am feeling so much better. The baby will surely come 9th November. As soon as the 5th month turned I felt different not aware of my growing larger. It is active and does quite a bit of kicking.
Have enjoyed reading Dame Laura Knight's autobiography enjoyed the middle and end very much more than the beginning which seems highly dramatised and perhaps confused in thought.
Sunday 20th July, 1952
The menfolk arrived home in time for supper. Though the fishing side of the holiday was a complete failure they returned in good spirits looking tanned and well-rested. Hamburg was disappointing, hotel accommodation was expensive and not very good and everything else was extra. To fish you had to have a boat, the river is big so you must have a motor, the motor needs a ghillie and the ghillie a throw net. The motor didn't work, the boat leaked and the ghillie was a failure and there was no fish anyway. So they returned to Uncle Rube's farm on the river higher up. The two old gentlemen (Rube and Jack) were delighted to have them and caused them much amusement. Their farming consists of watering the cattle giving 5 at a time, 2 to a trough the herd numbers 140. Fishing at the causeway proved more successful.
Thursday we left after tea and enjoyed a pleasant trip having a picnic lunch on the way. Found the dirt road very dusty where the scraper had recently been. The dry front burnt garden was a depressing sight. House nice and clean. Amy had been in during the morning..
Do you still want more?
Love you, Mum
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