9 March 1959. Electric cookers and Lennard's state visit

9 March 1959

My dear Margaret and all

Monday eve.

It seems rather strange to me to be writing to you only, Margaret. Still I want you to have your weekly letter as usual. Wednesday is getting very near now. We hope Len has a nice trip over and no fog to delay his arrival. We received Len’s short note today saying that he had arranged to leave the conference at 4.45 on Wednesday even if it has not finished. He doesn’t mean to miss his plane, does he? Yesterday AM there was quite a thick fog. It cleared up late morning but returned in the evening. Some planes could not land, they flew back to Dinard.

Today has been a fine day, nice for drying. We are having quite a bit of a hectic time these days and more so tomorrow. Well this is it, Roselle has decided that we cook by electricity, we are going to have the electric cooker this week. We have been trying to have it installed before Lennard comes. We thought this was very doubtful, anyway Nick has the order for fixing our cooker, he is coming to do the wiring tomorrow. He has just phoned to say that he will be here tomorrow at about 11 o’clock. He said that wiring will be a 6 hour job. Roselle asked him when will we have the cooker. To Roselle’s surprise he said it will brought in tomorrow, but we are not sure that it will be fixed until Wednesday. Still it doesn’t matter, I think it will be fixed before Len comes. The only thing will we understand how to use it, if not what about a meal for Len. Roselle will be quick at finding out the way to use it, I will be the stupid one, though maybe not so much as I think. I will try to put my mind to it, although I must say I have never wanted an electric cooker, I wanted to keep to gas, also I like my gas cooker, it has a nice appearance. I know I will miss it. Margaret has said many times how she would like to have it. Well the time has now come that she will have it, we are going to give it to her. She is delighted of course.

I have not told you the hectic part of it, Roselle has made up her mind that Kay and Doreen must not know anything about us having an electric cooker, she wants it to be a real surprise to them both, but we are not sure that we will be able to keep it a secret to the end. To start with Nick, as I have said will be wiring here tomorrow, and Kay and Margaret will be calling for us to go to St Peters, they will see Nick wiring. Roselle has said that is wiring so as to put a bell on the garden gate, I am not sure that this will work, and again the cooker will be in the house when they come. We have decided to hide it in the bathroom. Again when we come back from St Peters I am not sure what they will be doing in the house and the girls always come in. Supposing they were fixing the cooker, (the cat would be out of the bag then). Well we have to chance it, imagine Kay and Doreen’s eyes when they see our cooker. Margaret knows about it of course. She has to know because when the gas people remove our gas stove they have to take it straight away to her, this is how we stand at the moment. I hope for Roselle’s sake that everything will work well to the end.

On Thursday being Kay's birthday she has invited us all to supper at her home. I think Margaret and Charles will be there. I don’t think Doreen and Nick will be there, they can’t very well with the children, also Nick is busy in the evenings at the moment. I think he intends opening his shop during this week. He will have to get it ready, but at the moment he has plenty wiring to do.

Tuesday Eve

Here I am again. We have been to Les Augerez this afternoon, Aunty was developing a cold, Uncle seems to be improving, he said his legs seem to be a little stronger, maybe with the warmer weather coming later and if he takes little walks in the yard all this would help him. Kay, as usual, had her bucket and shovel, she was unlucky this time. She went in some fields but did not find anything, anyway Aunty B gave her some pigeon manure, it was some that Lawrence (Le Ruez) had given her from his pigeons.

All being well tomorrow at this time we will be gossiping about one thing or another. Nick has been wiring here today from 11:30 until 6 o’clock. The cooker arrived this am. Tomorrow the gas people will come to remove the gas cooker and take it up to Margaret, and then Nick will connect our electric cooker. I don’t know how long this will take, I don’t think he will be very long. I have told Dad and Roselle not to be surprised if they don’t have any potatoes for their dinner. Nick will tell me what to do before he goes but you know Margaret, I am so dim at times. My time for learning is well over. Up to now Kay and Doreen don’t know about us having an electric cooker, it would be a pity if they found it out now before the time we want them to know.

We have put 2 hot water bottles in Len’s bed this evening and will do so during the day tomorrow, I hope he will not find the bed cold.

As we went along in the country this afternoon we saw a few patches of potatoes that were up. It would be a pity if they got frozen now.

As there is nothing more to say I will now stop and do the coffee before going to bed.

Thursday am

Here I am to end this letter and in great haste too, we’ve been talking so much over the breakfast table, it was 10 AM when finally we got up from the table. Len is looking extremely well, we all think he has put on weight. We are going to enjoy his visit. He will be going along to town with Dad at 10:30. We are going to Kay today for an evening meal, tomorrow we will be going to Miggie also for a meal. On Saturday we are going to Doreen but only for the evening. You see Doreen is busy being at work all day. We don’t want to give her the bother of preparing a meal.

This must be all, Dad will be waiting to take this letter. Len sends all his love to you and to the children, he hopes you are all keeping well. The weather is fine, will write again. We all wish you were here with us, perhaps some other time.

Lots of love from us all.

Lovingly

Mother xxx