Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thanks once again for a weekly letter. Soon back to routine again. Glad you enjoyed your holiday and had a good journey home. I gathered you had some hail etc your end. Nice to know you have some Long Life beer in the house. I have not heard the story of the bag of apples etc. I suppose the girls thought you would like something to eat on the journey. Hope you will be able to find suitable uses for the stuff you were able to take back. We certainly appreciated the stuff you brought this way. I have not tried your cherry and lemon wine yet, but will take a drop before ending this letter if remember to do so.

The tank presents quite a problem now as I tackled the Rag-and-Bone man yesterday and he did not want it as it is galvanised. I have since discovered that in the week June got the local lads to clear away the logs and old gate from the back of the garage also the old dustbin full of tree cuttings. As the dustbin itself is now on the field it can stay there, and I will put the tank in its place. It will be just as good for an incinerator.

Susan still has catarrh but it is very loose. On Thursday night June had an evening out with Delphine and Carol told me she was feeling sick. We had to go through all the motions of getting ready for the event, but I think it was only a stunt to get a bit of attention while Mummy was away*. She was alright and fit as a fiddle in the morning.

Susan had a silly turn one day in the week. She turned herself round and round in the middle of the room until she was very giddy. this after a good feed did the necessary. On the brighter side, her glasses arrived on Friday. June did not make any bones about it but just put them available for her and walked out of the room. Later she walked in (with a toy as excuse) and found Susan with them on, reading away at her comics in fine style. Since then we have hardly seen her without them. She even had them on in bed last night and I had to come to an arrangement with her to leave them on the side for the morning. First thing in the morning she is out of bed, the light goes on, so do the glasses and the comic gets read.

We have had Eric Benn living with us since Wednesday night. He has been in charge of the boxing match (England v Russia) and today he is covering the church service 10:30 a.m.. I think he may be going back later today although he has not said. it is possible that he may stay until tomorrow of course but that is o.k. with us.

Well we have not done an awful lot since you went back. We have drunk all the beer so you are one up on us (four up did you say?). I must do something about the parsley later today as it is still on the coal bunker although it has been well watered.

Well I have had a taste of your cherry wine and I find it even better than previous lots. It is probably among the best you have made. I think it will have a satisfactory effect on catarrh.

Our fire is proving a good buy. Even with it on half-full we are occasionally obliged to turn it off as the room is hot enough. I am sure that when the really cold weather sets in that we shall have enough heat there.

The bonfire builders are at work in the field so I suppose we shall have another good display here again this year. We have bought a lot of fireworks for the girls so they are stocked up and ready.

Well it must be a short letter from this end this week as I seem to have exhausted the available news. Hope you both have shaken off the effect of your colds.

Love from us all till next week.

*This kid is four years old, remember. That one would need ‘a stunt to get attention’ at that age seems to indicate a failure of parenting rather than Machiavellian behaviour by a manipulative child…