Miles Franklin pocket diary, 1952

December 1952

Sunday 14

Warm day. On Pixie's demand again, but yesterday overdid me & I could not do much. Telephoned Glen and made peach jam & burned it. [M.?]

December 1952

Monday 15

Cold day with light drizzle now and again. I worked well on house & Pixies demand. Minced meat for Mrs A & stewed peaches for her also. Put up mother's yellow silk lace curtains in hall - they go with the cream of the cleaned wall. Took Mrs Bennetts a glorious fig. About a doz. in the first crop I saved by putting them in paper bags. Cut some lovely bunches of hydrangeas, but they are just going off. Una Kidgell rang up a long call & told me even Garry Gordon is lately decd.

December 1952

Tuesday 16

Showers. Worked hard all day. On essay & house cleaning for Beatrice. Mrs Morgan plumped in at 8.30 when I had much to do so I had to give her a hint to go. Dal called up. Hot bath & to bed by 12.00.

December 1952

Wednesday 17

Hot till the afternoon & then by night a wild wind getting chillier. I gave up the day to getting the house ready for Beatrice & cooking. Went to butcher. Got up at 5 a.m for ice. Had lamb grilled chops with potatoes, beans & gravy. Salad of lettuce, tomato, cucumber & mayonnaise. Figs plums & peaches for dessert. Caramel baked custard and stewed peaches & cream. Black coffee & cool fruit drink. She left about 11 after supper of cookies & coffee & cream.

December 1952

Thursday 18

It was so suddenly cold that I had to lie down about 9 till 11.30 when Delys came. I scratched a bit of lunch from last night & she brought hard boiled eggs & cake and also a glorious Christmas cake iced with my name & greetings. She also did the last of the ironing while I got peaches & plums for her. Lay down again when she left & read Ralph Rashleigh [Ralph Rashleigh underlined] Had to go to bed early. Marguerite Dale rang up to say her great-g-grandmother was a Jewess housebreaker convict.