Miles Franklin pocket diary, 1952

February 1952

Monday 18

Icy cold day. I went to Carlton on errands. Did chores preparatory to departure, house cleaning; and trimmed the wistaria vine along by my window.

February 1952

Tuesday 19

grey day. Not quite so chilly. Cleaned up front and also side path under kitchen window. Got ready to depart. Lena & Glen telephoned, May come up in evening for one hour. Did not get to sleep till after 2 a.m.

February 1952

Wednesday 20

Waked before 7. Did a line of washing before breakfast. Ran messages getting rid of remnants etc. & the Dinhams came & took me to meet the T.A.A. skymaster a 2.10. Bad seat in every way & I got very squeamish. Met by Mr Moir Fred How [Howe] & home to 474 Bridge Rd for tea & after a concourse of people came in including Roy Rant from India, Tyrell & A. Chisholm from Sydney. Rex Ingamells, Cyril Goode, Spenser-Jackson. George Cooper Gill (Geo) Herman) (protege of Mrs R G Casey) Jane Williams Buckley [nr?] Esther Patterson [arrow from here up to Herman]

February 1952

Thursday 21

Grey & chilly. Mavis came at 12 & told me an Age female was coming at 2.30. I waited till 3.5 & then in pinning a note on the door it banged & I was without a key. Had money on me so I went to town to see Elsie Belle C. She is strangely old. Horrible close-up picture of me in Argus makes me want to die. At 6 J. K. was not in so I rode in trams till 7. He had some tea for me & Ron Campbell called & stayed till 9.30. J K & I yarned for an hour & went to bed.

February 1952

Friday 22

Grey cold day. Went to town early. Lunch with Aileen at French Coffee Inn & to her office. To Miss Hayward of clipping Bureau to T.A.A. to look for parasol, Home & had a rest & a nice meal with J.K. & Miss Venman & then people came including Nettie and Vance. Hewett, Cyril Goode & wife & little Catherine, B Muirden F. McCartney.