Week of 10 September 1945

Monday, 10 September

1 Pelham Place

A fine day for my furniture to be moved into 47. I was there by 10 o'clock and the first van arrived by 11.30. The second went on to Anne's flat to fetch my things and she returned with them. Everything worked very smoothly and nothing seems lost or broken.

Tuesday, 11 September

A steamy exhausting day. Anne and I laboured at 47 most of the day and felt very dissatisfied at the result of our labours. Lunched at Clifton Restaurant - not bad but very pleb.

Haines' man came to measure for curtains, but says they can't be done for a month. When we started on the blinds we found they had all disappeared! They must have been taken back to Braintree by mistake! Anne put down the stair carpet: I washed crockery.

Wednesday, 12 September

Another desperately enervating day, but very encouraging work at 47. Bessie and May arrived about 11 o'clock and did wonders, but Anne surpassed everyone, putting up curtains, etc. etc. Finally a man from Lady Foster came to lay the kitchen lino. Altogether a most successful day. Reg rang up in the evening to say he would call for me on Friday morning and we would go up to 47 together.

Thursday, 13 September

Spent all day at 47. The CH maids worked hard, but seemed tired and so was I, and we all missed Anne who was seedy and not able to come. I sent the maids off about 4.30 to a West End Cinema. Meant to leave shortly afterwards but was held up by a cloud burst. Felt completely exhausted and went to bed immediately after supper.

Friday, 7 September

1 Pelham Place - 47 Hamilton Terrace

Slept badly but was up betimes, and Reg arrived at 11 o'clock and we shared a taxi (piled with my luggage) to 47. He was delighted with it all. So was Mabel who came to tea.

The maids from CH departed just before Mabel's arrival.

Reg and I lunched at a restaurant in a flat close by, but had a snack supper here. The house looked very pretty lighted up in the evening.

Saturday, 15 September

47 Hamilton Terrace

Reg and I both slept splendidly. I breakfasted in bed. We did a lot of local shopping and then came back to meet Lil, and all three lunched together at Clifton Restaurant.

Reg went to tea with Mab and I dispensed tea to Mae [?] who was doing some electrical jobs for me, and Tilling who was staining my room.

I was at the double all day and felt very overtired at night, but very pleased and satisfied with the way everything had gone.

Sunday, 16 September

Woke very tired, breakfasted in bed and got up very late. Reg and I lunched out in the same restaurant in the big block of flats. Afterwards he went for a walk, coming back in time for tea. Anne and Sarah came out for tea. Anne is looking seedy.