Letters to America

Sunday, March 28th, 1943

My darling Joan,

We had two lovely letters last Thursday in one envelope. You remember? One had been returned to you by the censor(1) as stamps had been left in the envelope, and it made a nice surprise for us.

I was really thrilled to have your picture taken with Lady Dill and the other children. My word! You certainly are growing up, dear, but you look more sedate, perhaps because you are intent on someone else’s tea. Your hair, too, is ever so much shorter than I thought it was, showing your little ear-tips. Perhaps this is an illusion of the picture though. I liked it long and curly, but it suits you short too, and it is much neater. Not many children have long hair these days, do they?

I’m glad you had such a nice time at the reception, and whatever you do, be careful not lose Lady Dill’s autograph, it will be so nice to look back upon. If I were you, dear, I’d keep anything like that, and invitation cards etc, that would remind you of any little event, and when you come home it will be fun for you to make a scrap book of your stay in America. I have a scrap book my Grandfather made (you never knew him). He was a most eccentric old man and it is a very interesting book – you must see it some time.

You wondered if your letter of Feb. 17th was lost when the clipper crashed. I have told you in a recent letter that it was, but most luckily it was rescued and eventually arrived here none the worse for its adventure. I’ve told you again in case my letters get lost occasionally and you hadn’t heard.

I hope you have great success with your victory plot. What are you going to plant in it? Lettuces seem easy to grow and are always lovely fresh picked from your own garden. I grew some nice ones last year. I have been doing some digging at the bottom of the garden this afternoon, to tidy up an ugly corner, and I’m very tired now. I have been spring-cleaning this week too – have finished the little bedroom and the front bedroom, and will do the back bedroom this week. It started raining yesterday after dinner, so I got Daddy to wash the bathroom ceiling for me so that I can get on with that room too. It cleared up afterwards, so he was able to plant some seeds too, so everybody was satisfied. John and Anne went to the allotment(2) with him, but they came home first and I was very cross because Anne had lost her green woolly pixie hood. They had taken their tricycles and then hung their hats on the handlebars. Of course I sent them back, but it couldn’t be found. So careless of her.

Yes dear, I do think it was a magnificent thing of Major Gen. Powell(2) to take a lesser commission so that he might come to England and see more action.

So glad you have all got better of your colds and hope you will stay well now through Spring and Summer. I have a nasty cold just now, but am feeling better than I did 3 days ago.

With much love to you, darling, from all of us
Mummy
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  1. All letters sent abroad were censored by government officials who removed unapproved text with scissors or blacked them out with a marker. Only one letter to Joan was censored: see the letter of 5th February, 1944.
  2. An allotment is a small area of land in a town which a person rents to grow plants and vegetables on.
  3. Major Gen. Powell was Mary's father or uncle.