page 123 — September 1941

Tuesday 9^th

Daddy, Bindeman [a friend staying for the week] and I spent most of the morning carting wood in the trailer from by the pylon to the woodpile. Quite tiring. Then I read. After lunch I did Russian, and after tea we picked and de-stalked elderberries. zfl zhy zdc zru zfd

News: we’ve landed a large force in Spitzbergen to counteract German aims—cool place. Also good Russian counter attacks in centre. zwe zru zlb

Wednesday 10^th

… I spent the afternoon russianising—getting the rules for gender of nouns taped. After tea Sydney [Binderman], Tinker and I went for a walk. We came back through the wood east of the chalk road, and at the bottom found a badgers’ earth—3 entrances, and bedding strewn about. … There was a fresh hazel nut in the entrance to one hole, and a smashed snail shell on the path. … zru zhy zpt zwk zwl

After the news Mommy and I strolled to meet Daddy—we met him quite soon very tired and dripping from the ride on his heavy bike with the dynamo. zfl zcy

Monday 15th

… I learnt Russian in the afternoon and read the life of Madame Curie. Miss Q came to supper, which we had at 6.30. Shaw’s ‘Joan of Arc’ on the wireless—a frightfully good play. zru zbf zhy zrd zfl