Miles Franklin pocket diary, 1953

March 1953

Thursday 5

Grey & warm cleared up after noon. Wrestled with that trying tenancy letter again & went to town to Parliament Hse at ¼ to 1 to lunch on steak with Dan Clyne. Then to Mitchell to read till 6 p.m. Saw Mutch there also Elsie Thompson & Nancy Keesing. Home at 7 p.m. Roland Robinson telephoned to ask me to back him to get a grant to go myth gathering among the Aborigines. Had something to eat at 8p.m.

March 1953

Friday 6

Nice warm day again. Worked on adding correction to a second copy of essay. Did a tiny stroke in garden. Was so sick with fatigue that I telephoned Pixie I cd. not go to F A W meeting as I said I would. Had between 6 & 7 hrs sleep - such bliss.

March 1953

Saturday 7

Warm muggy day with occasional drizzle. Worked on essay and did a bit in garden. Called to ask after Mrs Bennetts & took her some more small tomatoes. Went to butcher. At 9 p.m went to Carlton to post a letter. Pixie telephoned in morning & my porridge dried up. Margaret T. telephoned at 12.30 for an hour & my dinner dried up & went cold. They have found out what I told them of communist tactics in F.A.W. years ago.

March 1953

Sunday 8

Lovely clear warm day. Tried essay but was too exhausted for final chap. spurt, so cleaned my bedroom & the hall real well. Did a spot or 2 more on the paths & listened to a play. Glen rang for a good call in evening. Otherwise no human contact all day.

March 1953

Monday 9

Lovely day again - warm & bright. Did a final bit on essay. Also rolled back another foot of the shoulder-high water grass & weeds from the path. Did some laundry. The post brought a crusher in the announcement of J.D. that she is to arrive willy nilly on Sat. morning. What am I to do to get repose? I'm so dead weary. Called to ask how Mrs B. is. Nell J. rang up about tomorrow. M. Dale also telephoned for a chat. Listened to Speight [Speaight] & Dinah Shearing in Flashing Stream by Chas Morgan. Erotic piece of ranting.