Saturday, September 26th, 1942

My darling Joan,

We had a most interesting letter from you this week. We didn’t know you had warning bombs before your siren went. I don’t think I would like both. The bombs are bad enough when they are real, but I hope sincerely that you never hear one dear.

We laughed at the funny faces you drew around the figures at the top of your pages. You are funny, but you haven’t been drawing your flags at the end of the letter and I liked those too.

I am so glad you have been having such good fun with your little friends. Wasn’t it nice of Auntie Mary to let Sue Warren stay over a night with you. I used to think it great fun when I was a little girl.

I was very pleased you had been able to see Janet and John Kemp again. I expect they thought you had grown a lot too. It does seem strange, doesn’t it, that you should see them in America and we see Mr. and Mrs. Kemp quite a lot over here. What a good name to give a baby when he shouts! Janet had not mentioned it in her letters, so Mrs. Kemp will be interested in your letter when next she comes and I show her. Of course, she never thought you would be wearing the frocks she made for Janet, but I know she will be pleased that you can make use of them. It’s very lucky, isn’t it? And seems a little link between us all. Janet is getting quite clever with cookery and often makes cakes and cookies, so I expect you enjoyed the ginger ones. By the way, I can never make up my mind if “cookies” are biscuits or little cakes!⁽¹⁾

I do hope very much that Uncle Carl will take some snaps of you while he is home on vacation.

This week John has had some trouble with a decayed tooth and we have paid the dentist two visits. He doesn’t want to take it out until the tooth growing next to it is through, or nearly so. We have to go again next week and see about it, but he (John) hasn’t had toothache since. Daddy is quite better now and has been working on the allotment⁽²⁾ this afternoon. John and Anne went too and played with a little girl called Joan. They both though it funny that she should be called Joan.

Tomorrow Auntie Kitty and Uncle Bill with Keith and Peter are coming over to have some tea. I hope the boys won’t make quite so much noise as they did last time they came. But boys usually do. The other day I saw John at the top of the Rec.⁽³⁾ gates! He loves to climb, but I warned him not to climb up there again. Nanny said it reminded her of the time you climbed her pear tree – like a pussy-cat you said!

Well, darling, be good and keep happy. All my love and kisses
Mummy
xxxxxxxxxxxx