Week of 17 February

Monday,17 February

Hester and Wilma slept here

47 Hamilton Terrace

I was expecting Dr Moncrieff but her car broke down so she didn't come. Anne and Sarah over here for lunch, and Sarah spent the afternoon here whilst Anne went to her homeopathist and came back for tea. Sarah very good.

Wilma still seedy but shopped morning and afternoon, and bought Sara a lovely book of poetry - The Golden Staircase. http://www.archive.org/stream/goldenstaircasep00chis2#page/2/mode/2up

Hester arrived back from Wenham at 9 pm. Her train was late but she got a taxi quite easily. She was in very good spirits and I thought she looked better.

Tuesday, 18 February

Hester and Wilma slept here

As cold as ever!

I came down for lunch and spent the rest of the day in the drawing room.

Wilma took Hester to Dr O'Donoghue in the morning to have an X-ray of her chest. Very satisfactory report. Back to lunch and then in the afternoon, they went again to the London Homeopathic Hospital for a blood test for H.

Back for tea.

Wednesday, 19 February

Hester and Wilma slept here

Wilma took Hester shopping in the morning and W got a dress, and H a scarf and gloves. In the afternoon they went to tea with Patience and Mabel came and had tea with me.

Thursday, 20 February

Hester and Wilma slept here

Wilma shopped in morning and Hester went out to lunch with Anne. Came back immediately afterwards as Dr Moncrieff was expected, but she did not arrive till after 6 o'clock by which time H had started for the New Theatre to see the Old Vic Co. in The Inspector Calls. Dr M not pleased and very overtired. We had a long talk about H. Later in the evening she rang up to say that she had got report of blood test and that H was anaemic but not badly so.

Dr Moncrieff's fifth visit this year.

Friday, 21 February

Oswald slept here

Hester had face ache in night and I gave her aspirin and a hot water bottle. Normal in morning but I kept her in bed till lunch. Afterwards I got a taxi for her and she drove to Liverpool St to catch the 3.20 train to Ipswich. Wilma was lunching with Ray Bawtree and met her at the station.

I was feeling much better but took a toss in crossing Maida Vale in the afternoon, and landed on the back of my head. Pulled up by a kind young man and returned home dazed and headachy. Oswald turned up at about 8.30 and we sat and talked and listened-in till about 10 o'clock.

Saturday, 22 February

Reg and Wilma slept here

Reg arrived for tea, and Wilma for supper.

Hester had travelled up with her as far as Chelmsford on her way back to school.

Sunday, 22 February

Reg and Wilma slept here

A bitterly cold day, and Wilma feeling very good for nothing.

Reg and I walked over the frozen lake in Regent's Park in the afternoon - a lovely sight. Anne and Sarah came to tea (the first time Grattan had seen her since Grattan's death) and afterwards Anne took back a lot of things from Wenham etc. in a taxi.