21st Jan. 1954. Dearest Mummy,
You will be wondering what on earth has happened to me & that promised long letter all about our Christmas doings- by the time you get it you will be saying “Christmas? When was that?”! But actually one thing after another has come up just as I was settling down to write & the last thing that turned up was ‘flu – which is what I have now! Actually it is just about over and I feel much better today, but it has been such a queer kind- no cold or a sore throat, just aching & chills & a temp. It began on Tues. & when Cec came home from work I went to bed & have stayed there ever since. Cec has kept house & looked after the children & had such a busy time, poor fellow, but he does it very cheerfully & the children are pretty good. Yesterday my temp was up to 103 so Cec called the Dr. & he said it was a type of virus going around & just to drink a lot & take pain pills for the aches & certainly I feel miles better tonight & temp just 99- only hope none of the rest of the family get it.
It seems to be a bad week for other families too- last week baby Peter Garrett had an upset tummy & was a bit sick, but Cy was away & Margy was by herself so I went over & spent an evening with her. We didn’t think Peter’s illness was infectious but perhaps it was flu as Margy has had a stomach flu this week & has been quite upset too. Do you remember Joyce & Les Heywood who are up at Chalk River? Les has just got a new job in Ottawa & they moved down last weekend, so Cec phoned him yesterday and poor Joyce has flu too, so aren’t we a sad bunch?
Last but not least, poor Lee has just had a miscarriage. We feel so sorry for her as she wanted another baby very badly, then on Christmas Day she told me she was expecting in June – actually I had already known for about a month but was very surprised & pleased! As you can imagine in all those apts. together the gossip is colossal & as soon as it’s known anyone wants a baby they are just asked “How goes it?” each month! So Lou phoned up saying “isn’t it lovely about Lee” & then discovered Lee was going to wait until she had seen the Dr. before telling me as she’d told me of 2 false alarms before! Anyway the poor little baby is gone & Lee & Jim must be feeling so sad. Apparently she had a bad cold & touch of flu last week & went & washed the bathroom walls & it was just too much. She began the mis. last Friday but it only happened yesterday.
This is such a cheerless letter & I have so many nice long newsy ones to thank you for, but once I’m not wobbling about in bed I’ll really write a whopper! Lindy wanted to kiss me good night tonight & I said no- better not, as I had germs. So she said “Grannie got germs?” & when I said no she gave your picture a great big kiss & hug! Charlie’s great joy in life is going upstairs – he loves it & is mad at the gate at the bottom! Both of them are sweet & pretty as pictures! and send big hugs & kisses to Grannie- with lots of love from us all.
Cyn.
A Family History in Letters 