Tue. July 14 10 pm. [1942]
# SCHOOL EXAMS FOR JEAN
# PAY RISE FOR COASTGUARDS
# MORE WEDDING OUTFIT PREPARATION
# CAT BRINGS BABY RABBIT
# NEPHEW NORMAN IS TANK DRIVER
# STRAWBERRY JAM MADE

Jean has gone to bed. She has been busy with home lessons, revision she calls it. It is exams. She is 5th in term work again. Father is up on watch until 2 a.m. Wages are raised 4/0 per week as from March, so the back money will be useful. Wish it would come this week. It would be handy as we shan’t get next week’s money until we get back from the holidays. Hope Mrs Lee sends her £3 too, otherwise I shall have to take more out of bank. I have paid £2.15 car licence this week and £3.16. rates. Father did not want Rate Collector to call and see new shed so we posted it. Rates are enough without paying for it. J Jackson sent £1 for Ron, a w[edding] present from them all. Ron will be pleased, not so much with the money as the thought that he is remembered. Father took Parrish’s to Louth yesterday to take Pa’s father home, a fine old man over 80. He got a tin kettle in Louth. 3/0. It is like we used to pay 6D for but we are pleased to have it at that price. Emmie sent 2lb icing sugar yesterday so we are well away. Rene has sent some material to see if she can get button moulds covered as Miss B[aker] can’t get any. Rene says dresses will look very nice. Jean’s petticoat looks nice too. It is lovely silky stuff. Have made white top so can make green top later when she has it and dress cut down.

Rene and I cleaned the room yesterday and finished polishing today. Have made mint sauce for the winter with fresh mint, we have such a quantity. Harriet lent me her mint cutter. It is minced and put in jar with a small quantity of salt sprinkled here and there, packed fairly close but not wedged in then vin[egar] poured over. Hope it keeps well. The “Sprogg”, the kitten has started to lap milk and become very playful. “Snip” caught a wee baby rabbit today and lost it. I heard it in the porch and found it huddled in a corner. Took it to our youngest rabbits until after supper. It was careering round the cage then, so Jean caught it and we took it to the sand-bank. It did not appear hurt. She put it down and it sat a minute then dived under the grass which is very long now no one can get on bank, and we could trace it making its way quickly upwards.

It has been fair to-day though there have been thunder showers about. Tomorrow is St. Swithin’s. Last year we had 8 weeks of wet weather from 15 July and lots of peas were spoilt. J Kirk heaped his hay on Sunday as it has been so showery and has been loading it to-day. Cookie is back from leave and is rather grumpy and fed up. Jean and I went to Chapel Sunday evening and Father met us at G.ma’s. Ralph [Faulkner] hopes to be home soon on sick leave. Billy Hallgarth is on embarkation leave. Rene has to see Dr Briggs about her eyes, one eye rather, before she has fresh glasses. Norman is home on his first leave, he is a tank driver after all. Daisy is rather worried about it. Gers seem to be driving towards Caucasus and Gib[ralter] now. Do hope they are soon stemmed. We are getting on a little better in Egypt but real battle not joined yet.

Made strawberry jam with 2lbs str. and 1¾ sugar about 3lbs jam. [Cost:] Str. 1/2 lb, sugar 3D [per lb], 2/9 for 3 lbs [jam]. Have about 1 st jam now [1 stone = 14 lb (pounds) weight]. Do hope I get plums to bottle and jam. Rene will let me have blk. c. [blackcurrants] if any to spare.

Joe Jackson (Coastguard member) had employed Ron as a carpentry and joinery apprentice (see 27 Nov. 1940).

The payment expected from Mrs Lee was for Will’s gardening work

Mr Parish, here, whose father used Will’s car-hire service, was Coastguard ‘Bert’ Parish.

Dr Briggs, believed to have been based in Lincoln, was an ophthalmic specialist.

Have you read an introduction to May Hill & family (includes photographs) and explored ‘The Casualties Were Small’?

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