October 11th, Tuesday
A quiet day at home spent doing a hundred odd jobs and I thoroughly enjoy the feeling that there was no necessity to do anything at all if I didn’t wish! I got a letter today from Win, the first since she married, and it is ripping to know how awfully happy she is.
October 12th, Wednesday
I spent a long day in Cheltenham and took Nootsie along. We were on winter hat buying bent and each indulged in two, a blue and a purple one for me and a green and a mole coloured one for her. Cheltenham was very gay as it was shop dressing week and some of the windows were really lovely.
Oct 13th
I went over to Lydney to attend a meeting there of the Red Cross. A big movement is on foot to revive its organisation to train and raise an efficient corps of VADS during peace time instead of waiting until we have another war which seems a wise plan and I bet the Germans are doing it.
Oct 14th
After a morning cooking and churning I betook myself to the garden and planted out the front beds with polyanthus, a perfect day of endless sunshine. My Nootie came for the weekend.
Oct 16th, Sunday
To Kirk as usual and all afternoon writing in the shelter with Nootie lying in a deck chair outside armed with apples, pear, peppermints and “Garth”, a thrilling novel we’ve all been reading by Mrs Arnold. She returned on the 6.30 bus and we walked down to see her off. Witnessed an almost total eclipse of the moon tonight, a most weird sight.
Oct 17th, Monday
Letty is coming on Mondays too cook for me and a great treat it is to get into the garden for a change. Miss Wemyss came to choose her cockerel, and the Davis’s called. To tea came the Padre and Mr Nason the Bishop’s Missioner who is here till Wed holding special services. I went up to Evensong but was not very inspired. He is to talk to my MU tomorrow, a parson of the old school, painfully orthodox and Impatient I should say of all innovation.
Oct 18th, Tuesday
I was shocked last night reading the DT to see the enclosed cutting. I simply can’t realize that his horrible thing has happened to one who we have known all our lives, one of God’s good men. It seems so awfully sad to think that all his life he has worked hard and had only just come home to a long earned rest. How can this happen to anyone. I never can imagine, one step aside is enough to save one and a train makes such a noise.
We had our quarterly meeting of the MU and Mr Nason addressed it very well and simply and I think the women appreciated it. We adjourned to the vicarage for tea and counting 4 new members we now number 51.
Oct 19th
Went over the hill to see one of my women who is sick. She lives in a lovely little Peter Rabbit house which is my envy.
Oct 20th
A line from Mother today but no further details about A (Archibald Elliot) except that he was buried yesterday. She herself was not at al well, a severe headache and fit for nothing. I took the opportunity of “turning out”. I seized upon drawers, cupboards and shelves and ruthlessly threw away and oh the clutter! Poggy was away so I did no cooking.