15 January 1961 Roselle's escape artist and Aunty's gall bladder

15 January 1961

My dear Len and Margaret

Sunday 7:15pm. Although I’m taking a sheet of writing paper I will not get on with it very much. Margaret and Charles will now be here anytime. The weather has been very cold today with an easterly wind. In fact it look like if we should be having snow, but I don’t think so now, although they have given the weather as cold tomorrow. Anyway here we are just on halfway January. Once this month is out we will start looking for better weather and the days a little longer. Still we haven’t got the right to grumble when we know the bitter weather they are having in England and other places. We are well to compare with them who are shiffering (sic) with cold and snow and ice.

We were later having breakfast this AM, it was 10.35 when we sat at table. Well really it’s early enough for a very cold Sunday morning. We had our toast as usual. I worked on my Canadian letters this morning. I was writing on the dining room table when Roselle decided to clean Joey’s cage. She did this on the table I was using. Of course I had to watch the performance, this did not hurry my writing. Anyway there was an anxious moment when Joey almost flew off the cage, his body being nearly all out when Roselle saw what was happening. She quickly pushed him back. I think there would have been trouble to catch him had he flown out.

Monday 11.15am. The weather is a raw cold, there’s a haze hanging on which makes it so cold. Today we are halfway January. Once this month is out we will start looking for some finer days on and off, but I must say that Feb and March can be bad months. Despite the cold weather  Father has gone into town. He forgets the cold when he’s in town.

Gladys and Eddie came in on Thursday and had afternoon tea with us. Eddie is going into hospital on Wednesday, he has a bad leg, the blood doesn’t function, they have to cut at the top of the leg so that the blood flows again. Eddie says if this is not done he may have to get his leg cut in a few years time. He is not taking any risks.he is looking better than he has done, he’s not quite so drawn and has more colour.

Tomorrow is the election for the Constable of St Peter. I am patiently waiting for the result of this election and also hoping Le Cappelain does not come top of the poll. Some people think he may do.

Monday 7 o’clock. Another try at this letter. I have just put a lovely big log on the fire. It was one Auntie B gave us at Christmas. I had not decided to burn it yet, but have decided to do so today, the weather has been so cold. It seems to be burning very quickly. I’ve told Roselle not to be too long before coming in to see it burn, but I find it’s burning very fast. I’m getting afraid Roselle will not see the better of it. I’ve had a bit of bother to put it on the fire. Father kept saying it was too big, he wanted to chop some of it off. I would not allow him to do so, it’s not really too big, it fits very nicely. I keep taking my eyes off this letter to watch the lovely flames.

Well now, about Blanche, she went under the Xray on Wednesday afternoon, and on Thursday AM. Kay is taking care of her. The Xrays have revealed that her gall bladder does not work at all, her doctor has seen her today, he’s arranged for her to go and see the surgeon, Mr Burt on Wednesday at 4.30 so now Aunty is a bit worried. She says she can’t go for three weeks if she has to undergo an operation. I think this is a mistake on her part, because if it’s to be an operation the quicker it’s done the better for her, now it remains to be seen what Mr Burt will tell her. Aunty’s doctor insists that Kay takes her there and looks after her. Kay is the one who is taking care of her, so now this is what we know at the moment. We will go to Aunt tomorrow which is our afternoon out, it’s really too cold to go out these days.

Roselle is now with us and will have the benefit of the burning log. These evenings Rose is busy with her stock sheets, she dislikes this job, I think most people do. I think she has a few more evenings to work on them, then there will be everything to put ready for the sale. The sale days also give work, especially when the shop is closed when everything has to be put straight for the next day. I’m not sure if the sale is taking place on the last week of this month or the beginning of Feb. on the days of the sale Roselle will go to lunch at Margaret’s, it will be closer for her and they want to have her go to them.

Is Roselle quite better after having the mumps? Is she back at school? Also is Susan better from her sore throat? Was it the mumps or some other infection? I hope she is quite well again and that the boys are keeping well. Does Paul still speak about the packing of the Weekly Post? I don’t think he can find fault with my packing now, the wrappers I use now. Charles cut them for me with his cutting machine at work. He gave me quite a big lot of them, they are quite neat, perhaps a little wide, but they do alright. I will now stop for today until tomorrow or Wed for in case there is something else to say.

Tuesday 7.30pm. We went to Les Augerez this afternoon. Aunty was not well, she was having one of her bad bouts. She started about midnight last night. She telephoned the doctor this AM. He told her she should have phoned him during the night. She is not taking any food, the doctor went back to town to fetch her some medicine. She generally has these bouts every three weeks or so, so now she wasn’t keen on going to see Mr Burt tomorrow but having this bout on again, she sees she has to go.

In about an hour’s time we will have to telephone to find out who has won the election for Constable of St Peter. It will be an anxious moment for both of them.

The weather has been very cold today, (a damp cold) weather for hot coffee. Again I will leave this little ending till tomorrow. Why not a letter from Len this year?

Wed eve 9.45. I will have another try at this letter, it has to be finished this eve. Tomorrow is the day for posting. It has been another cold day, we can’t do anything about it, can we? Anyway January is now more than halfway through. We will be looking for finer weather later on. The days are drawing out very nicely but the mornings are still on the dark side.

At last the election for Constable at St Peter is now over, the result being quite a surprise. Le Marquand topped he poll with 515 votes. Le Cappelain 208, this meant the great majority of 207 for Le Marquand. Such a majority had not been expected.

Now about Auntie B, I have told you on this letter that she was to see Mr Burt this afternoon at 4.30. Kay and Aunty called in here this afternoon just for a few minutes. Kay has just phoned to tell us the results of this visit to Mr Burt. She has to have an operation. Aunty asked him what about if she did not have the operation, he told her she has to have it done, if not she will always suffer. she has to be reconciled and have it done. She asked Mr Burt to give her at least a week before having this operation. He told her he might be ready for her on Saturday 28^th of this month, but that he’d let her know. I think she will be going to Millbrook Nursing Home. It will be easier for us to visit her there. This is all I can say at the moment.

Roselle is just with us now. She has settled Joey for the night. She is now doing her stock sheet, but the TV is a nuisance for her while doing this work, she has trouble to concentrate, but it’s a hard job to have Father to close it down. Talking is the worse part when you have to concentrate, music is bad enough. TV is really a nuisance at times.

The girls want me to go to town tomorrow AM Thursday. I’m not really keen on going while the weather is so cold. If it’s fine I guess I will have to go, only to have coffee, no shopping for me.

I am now going to relax and read the papers, start with the EP and then the English papers. After that it will be time to prepare for bed, which is the best place to be when it’s cold. We hope you are all keeping well and also keeping warm, and hope all the cold are better again.

Lots of love from us all, including ‘Joey’.

Lovingly, Mother xxx