January 1st, Monday
Here are two good sentiments to begin the New Year with and surely if one possesses any decent feeling they should not be difficult to keep.
They year began beautifully, a still bright and frosty day and the thrushes singing their “first fine careless rapture” though one couldn’t call it their first as they’ve not stopped all winter. We all turned out and played? golf, spending more time losing balls and our tempers than in playing!
Jan 2nd
A vile day, raging storms of wind and rain, so we sat in and sewed and did odd jobs of which there are many. We are a jolly party, the three children and Win who after a lapse of three years is with us once again whilst Duncan languishes in Chanak. It is so ripping being all together again.
Jan 3rd
Nootsie was acting in Gloucester today, she has been doing an Xmas play with the G.D.A throughout the holidays, this time at St Lucy’s Home for Incurables. I spent the afternoon at the Infirmary visiting the old people, poor old derelicts. They have every bodily comfort but as one truly remarked “life is very monotomouse” (sic) and they see but few visitors. They sit, some of them, with their hands in their laps from morning till night doing nothing whatever and I believe their people forget their existence.
Jan 4th, Thursday
Another lovely day but being churning day i didn’t go out much in the morning. We made 13 lbs 12 oz as Lena calved last week and the cream in consequence is lovely. She is doing awfully well, this little cow and our last year’s butter record was 200 lbs more than the year before. We made 1000 lbs in all.
Win and I went to the Mothers Tea. We teaed and danced and played games to distraction and it was really very comic, especially when singing and recitations took place, but they all appeared to enjoy it. They have little enough of these joys, women especially, whose lives are one long drudge.
Jan 5th
Alas for our Girl Guide tea which took place today. It came down in buckets, so we drove down taking all our goods and chattels and when we arrived at the door I thought we should be drowned. However everyone turned up, even those from the furthest off and we dried their shoes and stocking by the stove, had tea and then they had a fishpond for their presents after which we played innumerable games. A very dark drive home and only one light and I got much laughed at for dithering.
Jan 6th, Saturday
Noots has been busy today at a Guide meeting and then a performance of their play at Westbury. I was going down but as the couple have leave of absence I had to do the cooking. It seems like old times to find myself back at this job!
Jan 7th, Sunday
I didn’t go to Kirk because of cooking and I gave them such a joint of salt beef, vegetables and dough boys as they’ve ever eaten. After lunch I went to afternoon service which I like to do, such a nice homely little service.
January 9th, Tuesday
I see in my day diary that this day 1920 the Peace Treaty was ratified with Germany. What a mockery all talk of Peace is. The whole world has never been so unpeaceful before, in every country there is trouble outwardly and inwardly and at the moment the Turks are doing their best to upset the whole apple cart again. Endless conferences take place to no avail and the only language they will ever understand is that of the sword.