Miles Franklin pocket diary, 1952

January 1952

Thursday 24

Got up & house cleaned & got lunch for Dal. He did not get here till 3 & left at 5pm. Gave him beef luncheon I made with lettuce, tomato & cucumber salad with schallots from garden. Then stewed cherries & mazina [maizena] pudding prunes & figs from garden a cool passion fruit drink to begin & tea to end up. We were both v. tired. 90° in back room & the humidity heavy. I did bit in garden. Mrs B & Mrs M in to telephone. Went to bed at 8 exhausted.

Body temp 8 am 97.2° 8 pm 99.4°

January 1952

Friday 25

Very hot day. Got a letter from Jno [John] McKellar announcing his coming which utterly disrupted me the last straw: I can't do for myself let alone that old chump. Tried to keep plants alive - the[y] shrivelled in the lovely hot blast. May rang up - got to get out on Feb 11.

Body temp 8 a.m 98.2° 7 p.m 99.6

January 1952

Saturday 26

Fine day. Went to butcher. Corrected another chap of essay. Ten yrs. ago today Norman took me for his last car ride to Sutherland - dear Norman, I miss him sadly.

Body temp 7.30 a.m 98.2° " " 11 p.m 99°

January 1952

Sunday 27

Cool cloudy day - chilly at night & at even collapsing into a misty shower which did not continue. Muir & Marge came at 11.15. I gave them morning tea & went home with them for day. We had a short walk along Carabella St. past 56 where Em. Fullerton lived for some years. In evening went to F.A.W. to hear N. Keesing, R. Mathews & R. Robinson read their poems & also some of N. Catos - all very badly & lifelessly. Against protest I was made do a vote of thanks. That Ingham was there also Edmonds some cousin of those Naylans. Symptoms returned very stiffly I walked to St James with Pixie O'H. & Wendy Dixon nearly light-headed with fatigue & got home near 11.30.

January 1952

Monday 28

Body temp 8 a.m. 97.8° " " 7.45 98.2 Fine cool day. Dal called in the morning for half an hour. I gave him figs. Hoped to get to bed at 9 but Mrs Morgan came in & stayed till 11 p.m. & I was doubly exhausted.