5 September 1960. A neighbours death and a new house to admire

5^th September 1960

My dear Len and Margaret

This is Monday eve and here I am again with my hard work in thinking what to find out what to say on this letter. Roselle is having tea at Margaret’s today. We miss her around, it’s a change for her to go out sometimes. I don’t know if they will go out somewhere after tea. Last time she went there they went to Greve de Lecq.

Mr Laine passed away on Saturday afternoon, he had been ill for over a year and had suffered much. I can’t tell you what his illness was but it was a terrible illness, something inwardly. 

Tomorrow when we go for our weekly drive, we are invited to afternoon tea at Mr & Mrs Davis at Trinity. They have just had a new bungalow or house. I really don’t know what it is, anyway they want us to go and see their new place. I think it’s built in a rather out of the way place, on the heights, and I believe there is quite a number of steps attached to this place. I can’t really understand people of a certain age to build a house with lots of steps. Kay told us all about these steps but we don’t know if they are inside or if it’s to go up to the place or not. All being well tomorrow if we go out there we will find out. Auntie Blanche will not be with us. She doesn’t know these people.

Last Thursday I went into town, met Kay in the arcade. We went up to coffee. Margaret was not with us, Nick had asked her if she would look after the shop that AM. As a rule she doesn’t go to work on a Thursday AM but that morning Nick had to go on a job and the man who’s in the shop was away on holiday. Margaret was sorry not to be with us. Anyway as I say there was Kay and I only. When we had started our coffee Arthur appeared and he joined us. A couple of minutes after Bert Davis also came along and joined us. This meant we could not have our usual gossip, but then we were lucky to be treated to our coffee what was very nice.

Oh, I’m just thinking I’ve not finished telling you about Mr Laine. You see I told you that he died on Saturday afternoon, of course too late to put his death on the paper, so that we had not heard that he died. This afternoon I went to the post Office which is almost opposite the Laine’s house. So I thought for in case they saw me I had better inquire how he was getting on. I took some eggs with me to give him.

I rang at their door, it was a man who answered. I didn’t know him. I asked how Mr  Laine was only to be told that he was dead. This gave me a bit of a shock of course. He called Mrs Laine to the door. Of course I told her I didn’t know he had died. She was rather surprised we had not heard it by the Falles who knew it. Anyway I told her I had brought some eggs for him. I gave them to her, she asked if I wanted to see the body. I hesitated, I didn’t know what to say. Eunice said he had not changed, so I went in and saw the body. He had not changed at all. It seemed he was just fast asleep. Candles were burning on a table near his bed. The funeral takes place tomorrow AM at St Thomas’s, Val Plaisant.

Margaret gave us a little dinner party, that is all the family. This was on the occasion that she had received an insurance that was due to her this month. She had said a while ago, that when she received it she would treat the family. We went to the Café de la Paix, Grand Hotel. We had quite a nice meal. We all chose what we wanted, of course the start of this dinner was made in the bar, of course as usual it was orangeade for me, nothing stronger for me. This was an evening for Dad to forget about his rheumatism, we could not keep him quiet all through the meal. I gave him a few ‘black looks’, these had no effects on him. Kay also told him a few times to keep quiet. When he gets excited there is no stopping him, the room was full of diners, including a wedding party, without the married couple who had gone away.

We got back home five minutes before midnight. I don’t like these late evenings. This is all very well for young people. I’m pleased to say this affair took place on a Saturday evening. This meant it was Sunday the next day, we could stay in bed longer and Roselle hadn’t to go to work. Saturday is the best day for these affairs.

Arthur Le Rossignol and his family are on a three week’s holiday. They are visiting Italy, Rome, Switzerland and then Austria. This is a fine holiday for them, this is all right for people who can afford it, it cost some money to go on such a holiday, especially these days with living so high also travelling.

We haven’t see La Belle France this summer, it would be a too long day for Father, he would get very tired. These trips to st Malo were very tiring and also expensive. Our day for these trips are over, we must stay quiet now, just take it easy.

On Wednesday we will be going to tea at Doreen, she wants us to see a new carpet she has had in her lounge. The following Wednesday, all being well, we will go to the Le Feuvres, then we will hear all about their holiday in Cornwall  and other places, see all the postcards and snaps, this will help to spend the evening. Father moans each time we are asked to go out. I will leave this until tomorrow.

Tuesday 7:15pm this is a very wet, unpleasant evening. It started to drizzle about 5 o’clock, it’s now setting in for the eve. We’ve had a very enjoyable afternoon at Mrs Davis’s. they have a very nice place. I think it’s more of a house than a bungalow. All the bottom part of the house is store rooms, which at any time could be made in nice rooms. Their living rooms are upstairs, all on the same level, they have a very large lounge, of which one end is the dining room, not very big. They have a lovely red carpet in this lounge, nicely furnished. They also have a very nice large kitchen, beautifully set out. It’s all new furniture they have in their rooms, all the latest too. At the same time I would not like to live there. I would feel very lonely, in my mind this place is much too big for the two of them. They have two nice bathrooms, a beautiful bath in each, they are of the low type, one is green and the other is yellow. They have three bedrooms. These are not over large. There is a lot to keep clean in this house.

What are you all doing? Are the children back at school, if so has little Roselle started too? If she has does she like it? I guess Margaret will miss her around the house.

We hope you are all well. Love to all from us all. Love from we 3

Love Mother xxx

I forgot to say that Roselle will be leaving for London on Sunday. She will return on Wednesday.