January 27th, Wednesday
The whole of this day I spent in bed feeling a perfect brute. I spent my time looking through a lot of Mother’s old letters, from her father, Aime, Aunt Oldine and Granny etc, nearly all written when she first went to India in the years 1870-71. I also read through her diary written at this time. I am afraid the past and the “might have beens” always depress me but I often think that as one lives in the present one never realizes how the merest details and trifles of one’s life might interest those in the future. At least I find it so reading over all these old records.
Jan 28th
Still in bed and don’t think I have ever had a worse cold. My head feels like bursting and it is surely some flu epidemic going through the house. This evening there were 6 of us in bed – Gran, Win, myself, Cook, Burden and Maggie. Baby is also ill as is Alice’s baby. Meals of course hours late and everything at sixes and sevens.
Jan 29th, Friday
We were going to Springfield today but there is no idea of it besides we hear that both Mother and Mary are now affected by the cold. I arose like a phoenix from the ashes today but felt very dusty and went to bed again before dinner. Our list of invalids doesn’t change much except Maggie and my baby are better. She is a perfect darling even when with streaming eyes and coughing and choking, she always laughs and squeaks with joy.
Jan 30th
We have all been working today, at least all who were not sick, at making marmalade and by the evening we had cut up 200. It was a job and such a messy one too but so many of the servants being ill we had to set to and do it ourselves. Mother’s cough is very bad. Oh one does get so weary of it all. Mr Wingate came to tea and found us all most peevish indeed like fretful porcupines.
Jan 31st, Sunday
I have been in a vile humour all morning, a sort of black mood. Went to church, felt rebellious and peevish and altogether horrible but everything is worrying at present and all seems wrong. An attack of blues is upon me and I know it will pass. H and I packed all the afternoon, a hateful occupation. This has been altogether a rather peevish month and I am thankful to see the last of it.