Miles Franklin pocket diary, 1952

Engagements - Nov., 1952

W. 5 - Pixie

S. 9 - Fogdens

Tu. 18 - Williamses & Pixie 3 p.m.

Engagements - Dec., 1952

F. 5 - Beatrice Davis 12 noon [previous sentence crossed out]

W. 17 - B. Davis Th. 18 - Delys Cross

S. 21 - Marguerite Dale

Tu. 23 Dr Anderson

Th.25 - Lena & Thelma F. 26 - Glen

Tu. 30 Aunt L's b-day Uncle Gus etc

January 1952 Tuesday 1

[First line indecipherable - shorthand] At a little after 12.00 Glen & I returned from the Cross & went to bed in her living room. I managed to sleep a few hours. We got up around 8 a.m. & had breakfast. Later we went down town by taxi & did rounds of D. Tel. office - Met a Tilly Shelton-Smith who said she grew up with Amy S. McCutchan. Jean Williamson, Glen & I had a pleasant lunch together & Glen & I got on train she going on to Cronulla. An old soldier, drunk, was noisy about Gallipoli so I shook hands with him & was afraid I cd not get my hand free in time to get off. Arthur brought my milk in. Dr Mary Booth telephoned during evening. It was a nice warm day.

January 1952 Wednesday 2

Nice warm day with cool breeze at evening. Usual routine of interruptions and petty household chores. Dan Clyne rang up, also Margaret Trist. Also Delys Cross. Accomplished literally nothing.

January 1952 Thursday 3

Warm day with clouds, & a cool wind towards evening & F.W. Robinson came at 3.50 & stayed till 6.55 & I gave him tea in the waratah cup. We talked of many things; - words, politics, War in Korea, the degradation of women, Aus. writing etc. etc & his equivocal academic situation. He is conservative, but genial, so not too much of a blimp; & I wish I had some of his erudition. Mrs Morgan called when I was just off to bed & I nearly went paralysed with fatigue. To bed by 11pm and I've had a long run of nights with under 5 hrs. sleep: sometimes only 3 hrs.