Miles Franklin pocket diary, 1953

February 1953

Wednesday 18

Some showers. Waked at six, got up at 7 to prepare for Joe. He did not come till 11 when I had decided he was not coming and got into the washing. I then got him breakfast but he stayed & stayed & I cd not cook or wash so we had bread & butter & jam & tea at 1 p.m. He did not go till 3. So I then struggled with the wash. Got done before dark but it was too late to hang it or clean up laundry etc. Nell Jordan rang in evening to say Bob son of D's inamorato asked her about his father.

February 1953

Thursday 19

Fine day. Got the wash out early & all dry by 1 p.m. Did some ironing in evening. Cleaned the laundry, windows & all. Clearing the decks ready for last assault on the essay now that Pixies demand is out of the way.

February 1953

Friday 20

Wet day & perishingly cold. The sudden change exhausted me. I wrote a lot of letters, had a big hot bath & to bed by 10. The wet makes the fleas worse. I caught 5 in middle of afternoon. Had to undress to get relief.

Febuary 1953

Saturday 21

Rain early - heavy dull day. Left at 12.15 to join Florrie & a Miss Watkins on a jaunt to Pinchgut with Historical Society. Then F. & I went home to her place for dinner, listened to the radio & went to bed. Rex away for week end at Narooma. No fleas, slept well.

February 1953

Sunday 22

The party was to meet Elsie Macauly Allsop, Essie Macauly Daniels, Ethel Neely Norris and above all Lydia Kennedy Daniels whom I had not seen since we were 10. But she died on Friday, which was a shock & disappointment. I got home by 10 p.m.