Miles Franklin pocket diary, 1954

January 1954

Monday 18

Had to get up at 5.30 to get ice because F. is coming & as I did not get to sleep till 3 I was very exhausted all day. Wrote a letter & laundered a sheet and after lunch met the 3 Ewers at Mitchell & took them for tea in gardens. We walked about after. He agreed to take charge of the S. Royals G & Gotch want to "waste". I left them at Metropole at 6.15 on their way to Guy Howarth & I came home by 7.10. Ollie called me over the fence to get electric light receipt wh. she had paid for me. The nerves under my right heel annoying me again.

January 1954

Tuesday 19

Florrie came after lunch. Wasted day, very tired. Caddie telephoned & says she is coming on Thursday. Muir also rang up about Sunday.

January 1954

Wednesday 20

After very little sleep got up at 5.30 to get in the ice. Una Kidgell rang up for a talk. I wrote some letters & F. & I did a tiny bit of jungle clearing in the garden.

January 1954

Thursday 21

Nice warm day. Florrie a bit less upset. Caddie came at 11 & I talked with her about her play while Florrie cooked lunch of chops & vegetables & pumpkin cream & stewed peaches prepared by me. Florrie made a call on Mrs Cooper & while she was away Rex telephoned & I said a word in his ear. He said it was a mistake & he had hopes of righting it. Had cakes & tea & Caddie left about 4. I was exhausted. F. thought her a bore. I find her heavy going. She is pretentious & self-centred. Went to bed early & slept a little better. Bagged a lot of figs.

January 1954

Friday 22

Warm day again. I took F. to butcher & put her on the bus for Rockdale. Two boys came & mowed the lawn. I gave them tea & Christmas cake at 11 am. In afternoon I went to Hurstville Savoy to see film of Hans Christian Andresen [Andersen]. Danny Kaye attractive. Too much ballet & not enough Hans. Came home at 5.40 and attended to figs and started to preserve some. I telephoned B.D.