Eva to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan & Carol

Many thanks for both letters & Susan’s drawing, is that supposed to be me on one side?

Dad went into St Mary’s Hospital Bristol to-day to have a Hernia Opperation. He has meant to have had it done this last twenty years & finally made his mind up. He should not be there more than a fortnight if all goes well.

The decorators are still here & the place is an awful mess, ankle deep in dust in the shed from the bags. They are now plastering outside, but have to paint inside & fix the sink unit. Also the man has to fix another light as one will not be sufficient. If you see or speak to Geoff tell him that not to tell Don, as Dad will write to him in a few days. I am writing to Geoff but he may not get to read it until Wednesday is over. I expect Dad will have the operation that day.

How did you get on with the knocking down the larder, it will make more space there.

We had a nice lot of rain again but fine this morning. The ground is still pretty dry yet.

I have to be busy now weighing up some apples for Norman he is taking them to Cardiff on Friday, there is plenty to keep me occupied while Dad is away*. If you write it’s just St. Mary’s Hospital Bristol.

I expect Pauline had a lot to talk about when she visited for the week end. All the visitor have disappeared by now even at Weston. Mr Cummings goes into the hospital in a week or two to have his opperation I think I told you it was Goitre. They had him up on false pretenses a few weeks back then kept him a night & sent him home again. This was at Southmead. No more now hope you are all feeling better.

Love from Mum to all.

P.S. To make things brighter I had to send my aid away & the other one konked out so was nearly a week without a thing & couldn’t hear anything. Cost me £5.0.0. Hope your Mum & Dad are feeling better.

*Not least of which would have been the watering; their garden was huge, and productive (hence all the vegetable sales and sending apples to Cardiff) and I have no recollection of ever seeing a hose; they trundled down the paths with watering cans several times a day.