Alec to his uncle and aunt

Dear Don and Joan

Regret your last inadvertently destroyed since reading but will endeavour to answer the main points. Yes definitely we would like you to stand as God parents in spite of advancing years, It was always our intention to ask you in view of the fact that you were geographically barred from Susan’s. We have moved the mountain to Mahomet and are also arranging for Pauline to come down for the week end to act as a Godmother. June of course will make the third. The difficulty of providing young Godparents from my side of the family is that there are no young people who would be qualified for the job. I should not worry two hoots about it if I were you because we would like you to attend (if convenient of course) whether as a participant or as a spectator.

Again yes, the typewriter is my own, purchased second hand a few weeks ago. It is a portable. Olivetti ( Lettera 22 ) I confirm that July 12th at 3-30pm., is the date and time of Christening service. Sorry to sound a bit disjointed but am putting these things down as I think of them.

I hope that you have been having this good weather your end. It has been really enjoyable and the only time I have regretted it was when carrying cans of water for the garden. My gosh does it need rain. Apart from a few spindly weeds nothing appears to have moved in the last month. I understand that most of the farmers round the outskirts of London have got all their hay in already. I expect it is the same your way.

The roads are pretty well jammed with cars at week ends. It is quite some way to the coast from here and I should not like to do much driving under those conditions. Next door neighbour has gone off to Broadstairs in Kent for weeks holiday. He motored down but does it in easy stages.

Both children doing well. We all went to Chessington to day to see June’s cousin and small son (8 months). Journey took from 9-30am to 11-45am and had to start back at 3-30pm. Two changes and about four escalators to negotiate. Not a trip to be taken regularly. Shall have to pack up now or shall need cats eyes, hope to see you with more news soon.

Alec to his parents

Dear Mum and Dad

Just the usual line to let you know the events of the past week. Still no rain and continuing sunshine. Doug and family to Broadstairs yesterday for one week. From the look of it the weather will continue fine for them for a while yet. I hope we don’t use up all the good weather before we get down to Clevedon. Glad to hear that paths as good as completed but sorry to learn that you found it very tiring, I expect the ready mix took the worst out of it though. Susan was invited out to tea by a neighbour last Friday and gave away all our secrets as usual, and asked for a boiled egg for her tea. Carol got four teeth all at once, no wonder she complained about it. We all went over to cousin Joan’s at Chessington to-day (what a jaunt) – left here 9.30 a.m., arrived South Ruislip station 9.45 a.m. Susan to Ladies – missed a Central Line train and had to wait for the next – arrived about 9.55 a.m. Arrived Waterloo via Tottenham Crt Rd, at 10.50 a.m. and caught the 11.5 a.m. arrived Chessington at 11.35. At the house at 11.50 a.m. Of course we had to start back at 3.30 p.m. and repeat the dose. Oh for a car, could have been there and back in an hour. The girls were quite good on the trains. On the Southern we travelled 2nd, on privs but had compartment to ourselves each way. Good thing too Susan used her pot at Vauxhall, did not fancy carrying loaded pot out of train at Chessington so slung contents out of window. (Non corridor stock). Two of Geoff’s Dahlias have now come up making four in all including the two which already had shoots on them. No sign of the rest but have watered them well and not given up hope. Have planted out French Marigolds, seed of which I bought when you were up. The seedlings were about 1.25 inches long. They flopped at first but soon recovered and about 95% have taken and grown on well. Clematis now on the point of flowering and there are a great number of flower buds. Am going to bud a few roses next month. The briar stock I have will be just the thing to provide a vigorous base and I must select a good bud from one of the better roses. The big rose which we all thought was dead was severely pruned about a week ago and I see that there are quite a few leaf buds forming so all is not yet lost. The apples are getting bigger and now are attracting the attention of Madam who keeps on saying that she must not touch them but I see one or two about on the ground where they could not have fallen. Must give her the benefit of the doubt though as they do fall at this time of year. Third lot of Mesembry, doing well. They are about in fourth leaf and very sturdy, I think the first two lots must have been killed by leaving them out in the rain. Still one or two buds on the Syringa. Quiet last week with Barnes away but very busy, did not get as much done as intended. Wilkinson has been appointed Development Assistant to Divisional Traffic Manager B’gham and Cecil Moore has got Staff Assistant to Ditto at Cardiff. It is rumoured that John Allen (Chief Clerk Paddington D.O.S.O.) has got Staff Assistant to District Traffic Manager Bristol. It is also stated on good authority that neither Baynton-Hughes nor Barnes have got anything. Shall have to persuade them to apply for other jobs. Wilkinson job may not be advertised if it disappears under the new set up. Shall await events with renewed interest. Must point out that although we looked could not find a letter for Susan with your last, Thank you both for your letters, Dad need not worry if he cannot compete with typewriter, it does not have to run into several chapters. Clock gained about 10 minutes last week, shall make a small adjustment when winding. Well shall close now and until next week.

Alec

P.S. Thank you for making the arrangements with the Vicar, and note that all as planned. At the moment of going to press, Pauline will be coming down for the week end. Probably having Monday morning off to travel back.