Tue. Feb. 2. 8.05 pm. [1943]
# MORE ROYAL ARTILLERY EXPECTED IN VILLAGE
# MORE WILD WEATHER DAMAGES PROPERTY
# CAR PURCHASE CONTEMPLATED
# SPRING FLOWERS APPEARING
# INTERESTING DREAMS
Jean made a “pomme de terre au gratin” i.e. potatoes and cheese sauce. Cooked potatoes mixed with sauce and browned. We are not fond of cheese but papers say we ought to eat our ration as it balances our diet in vitamins. I am cooking a second veg. most days as we seem to lack something. Jean’s psoriasis doesn’t clear off and Father’s seems troublesome again too and my skin itches as if my blood was overheated. It certainly isn’t too much heat, think it is fresh fruit and veg we want tho’ we get a good deal of the latter. I cooked young shoots that had grown on stalks of cabbage cut in the autumn and a young savoy. Very good too, with mashed potato, Father likes his whole so saved one or two, hot gravy and slices of cold meat. The beef was so tender and sweet it seemed a shame to heat it. Had a sago pudding after. I had toast, not liking sago and as I had a cup of Horlicks with milk for lunch was alright. How still it is now the gale has gone. If it would keep fair we could do with a little wind to dry things up. Standard bags of flour are being put up in case bread is rationed. I don’t know exactly what that means. Whether we have to make own bread or whether that will be for the puddings, cakes and pastry we make at home. I put a root or two of lilys of the valley in on Sat. I always thought they had bulb but not so, only roots. Mrs Spencer gave Rene them for me, at least she said Rene told her her Grandmother! could not get any to grow. Re thinks she has mixed her with somebody else but knew I wanted some so she did not try to explain, but thanked her. I hope they grow. I have never had any. Mavis says she promised me some and I was to bring some from Yeadon but forgot.
Warners (see 14 Dec. 1941) whose bungalow was the further edge of Kirks’ ‘Point Farm’ (see Village Map) were meant here.
Arthur Graves had been one of the coastguards. His work at ‘Butlins’ must have been as a civilian employee at ‘HMS Royal Arthur’.
H.S. probably refers to Harry Simpson, not related, proprietor of Ingoldmells Garage.
A ‘brooder’, or broody hen, was used to keep eggs (not necessarily her own) warm for hatching, sometimes avoiding the need for heated housing for that purpose.
Cyril (‘Joey’) Sharpe was the son of greengrocer Arthur Sharpe (see 15 Jul. 1941).
Betty Elston was the daughter of Mr Elston of ‘Morfields’ (see 20 Jan. 1941).
Mrs Pilgrim, who was living in South Road near the village centre, had been Jean’s head teacher at the village school.
Mr and Mrs Spence (as later written and believed correct) were probably the couple who lived in a cottage associated with ‘The Sycamores’ on South Road, owned by the Misses Crow (see 2 Jan. 1941), as near neighbours of Rene and Tom.
Mavis Harness, wife of nephew, Tom Harness, Harriet’s son, may have been meant here (see 26 Sep. 1941).
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