Week of 3 December 1945

Monday, 3 December

47 Hamilton Terrace

Cold but with some sunshine. I felt very tired and stayed most of the morning in bed.

Lunched here, and afterwards did some Christmas shopping both at Swiss Cottage and at Swan and Edgar. Got back for tea and found a letter from Wilma saying she thought of coming up next Monday or Tuesday for a week. After supper I opened my silver chest and got out a little shell butter dish and knife to send to Peggy Kelks who is getting married on 15th inst.

Tuesday, 4 December

Very cold and heavy rain in the morning. I did some shopping in the morning, lunched at Clarendon Court and in the afternoon went out to Anne's to say goodbye to Bet who goes back to Wenham with the children tomorrow. Felt very tired in the evening.

Wednesday, 5 December

Very cold, but dry and pleasant. I shopped in Clifton Road in the morning - lunched here - went to tea with Mab who was in a good deal of pain with her leg, and got home about 6 o'clock. Rang up Anne who had seen Bet and the children off at Liverpool St. She said they had got into the train without any trouble or fuss.

Thursday, 6 December

Colder than ever, but bright and dry. I did a little shopping in the morning, but came back to lunch and did not go out again afterwards. Patience came to tea and we had a nice time, and decided to do some shows together in the new year.

Friday, 7 December

Cold and rather foggy. In the morning most of my lights and points fused. Clifton Radio promised to see to them in the afternoon, and did send a man about 4 o'clock but he was not able to find the trouble, and I spent a rather cold uncomfortable evening in the basement bedsitting room where there was a light which was unaffected and also a very inefficient gas fire. I gave Ethel Browning lunch at the Chelsea Pensioners restaurant off the King's Road

Saturday, 8 December

The coldest day yet. I had to go to the kitchen for my breakfast as I could not boil a kettle or have a fire in my bedroom. Mr Bull of Clifton Radio fixed up my fuses, but they went wrong again and had to be redone in the afternoon.

I lunched with Kathleen Hill and afterwards she took me to Farm St for Benediction. A wonderful affair of music, candles and vestments, but somehow it left me cold.

Got back to tea and spent a cosy evening in the dining room.

Sunday, 9 December

Colder still, but very bright and present. I went to St John's Wood Chapel for morning service. Rev. Evans preached. Bussed on to S. Kensington. Had a talk with Enid & Dan before going on to lunch with Mabel. Came back here for tea. After supper went to St John's Chapel again for the Brains Trust where the Dean of St Paul's was billed to speak. He was however detained in Germany. Quite an interesting evening though not first class.