Miles Franklin pocket diary, 1952

November 1952

Saturday 29

Rained through the night. Cloudy day. Telephoned Prof. Wms to thank him for reading MS. Said he enjoyed it, it is so fresh tho caustic about the academics. Worked all day on emendations on essay, typing & pasting. Went to butcher, otherwise alone except for a call from Judy.

November 1952

Sunday 30

Sparkling clear sunny day with a cool breeze - chilly in evening. Working hard. Judy came in & I gave her one of my precious regal lilies. Dal came for an hour. Ruby came from 6.40 to 9.50 & the place was left in a taffle & I was baffled & my time wasted as usual.

December 1952

Monday 1

Grey muggy day with showers - some I trust increasing. Pixie rang up. I pasted & did insertions in 2 chaps - very tiring. Also cleaned hall & my bed room. Did some woolen laundry. Beatrice rang up & asked me to lunch on Friday. I consented to sandwiches in the Park.

December 1952

Tuesday 2

Muggy day threatening thunder storms. Mrs Bennetts came for me to look at the Regalia lily I gave her. The perfume of mine all day was almost too much even for me. Had a nice meal off my dear little beans. Poorly with chill so that the pasting knocked me clean out. The cicada's hirrient still lovely & beetles flying about. Three little hens each laid another setting.

December 1952

Wednesday 3

Warm day. Really queer with pain up neck on right side. Temp 102° so I stayed in bed as much as I cd. Ate a bit of fish out of tin midday, & Mrs. A. sent me in some rabbit for evening meal. Took cough mixture & an aspirin & went to sleep at 12 & waked at 2 a. m sopping wet & a nasty cough from the deeps