Miles Franklin pocket diary, 1953

November 1953

Tuesday 10

10° cooler than yesterday. I was comfortable only in the sun. Worked on "Cockatoos". Irrigated some of my lily bulbs. Caddie rang up & wants to come tomorrow night.

November 1953

Wednesday 11

Warmer day. Worked on Cockatoos, but only a halting bit each day. Caddie came at 5.20 I cooked her dinner. She had a play so I rang up Les Rees & courted him on behalf of it. Got Caddie to bed by ten. Got to sleep by 1.30 & woke at 4.30.

November 1953

Thursday 12

Awoke at 4.30 got up at 7 & got Caddie breakfast and did up her play for Les Rees. She left at 9.30 & I forced myself to Cockatoos - very slack for want of sleep. Irrigated the garden again, & pruned wisteria. Arthur & Delys came at 5.30 with lots of food & a 3lb Christmas cake & left at 8.45

November 1953

Friday 13

Lovely warm day: 98.4°. Sat in my underclothes revelling. Watered the flowers. Florrie rang up about flogging convict women. She is now subject to falls - alas! I got a nice little bit of ͟C͟o͟c͟k͟a͟t͟o͟o͟s͟ ̲ revised. Mrs Morgan in to telephone.

November 1953

Saturday 14

Very much cooler, worked on ͟C͟o͟c͟k͟a͟t͟o͟o͟s͟ again & irrigated garden same as yesterday. No interruptions. No mail: there is the usual pre-Christmas lull. Ate some of Arthur's food. Most unappetising hotel fare but it saves cooking.