Week of 2 October 1944

Monday, 2 October

Sheepcote

A very cold day. My cold is heavy and I have not stirred out of doors. I should have stayed in bed if I had had anyone to look after me.

Tuesday, 3 October

Another very cold day with some sleet. My cold is better but I did not go out at at all. I rang up Wenham this evening. Bet had sat up for tea and all was going well.

Wednesday, 4 October

A horrid day of cold and hail and rain. I was much better but did not stir out of doors. Got through lots of chores and writing.

Thursday, 5 October

A lovely autumnal day. I felt much better and was out in the village, visiting Aymée and picking the last of the flowers.

An alert this evening and several explosions, one of them very loud. Anne rang me up afterwards to know if I was all right and said they had had the Doodles very loud and low.

Bet had been down to tea, and had given Barnaby his bath.

Friday, 6 October

A perfect autumn day. I trained into Halstead in the morning to get my hair waved and biked back. The first time I have done this since coming back here in the spring.

Mrs Rulton and I have been hard at work on the house getting it to look nice for the Cunliffes who are expected at the hotel this evening.

An alert about 8 pm and two or three crumps but not so loud as last night.

Rang up Wenham afterwards. All well there.

Saturday, 7 October

A dark depressing day with a cold wind. The Cunliffes and Mrs Bessant came over about 10 o'clock. I left them to carry on by themselves. Gave them tea in the kitchen at 11 and then went off to the village to do my chores. Mrs Cunliffe went back to town by the 2.30 train so I did not see her again but Mr Cunliffe and Mrs Bessant had tea with me. I did not think that we got on so well as before, and I think he was rather taken aback by the derelict state of the garden. He saw Mr Kelk at Astles after dinner.

An alert again in the evening with distant crumps. Bet rang up - the first time since Barnaby was born a fortnight ago.

Sunday, 8 October

Another dark cold day. I went to morning service at St Nicholas. Deplorable!

Lil rang me up after lunch to say it was quite all right for me to go to her when I leave here on 25th next.

In the evening I rang up Mabel and then Pippa. Pips hopes to come next Friday fro the weekend. She would like to bring Philippa if the Doodlebugs turn their attention to another district. We had an alert and some crumps about 8.30. The 4th night running.