Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine

Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine

Reminisces over his leave and says she is looking forward to his letters from Finningley. Continues with gossip on family and her activities. Mentions she is thinking of plans their future home. Concludes with report that his telegram has arrived.

1941-10-08

Two page typewritten and handwritten letter

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EValentineUMValentineJRM411008-02

Start of transcription
[underlined] No. 2 [/underlined]
(I forgot to number this morning’s letter)
Lido,
8th October 1941
Darling Johnny,
It seems simply ages since you left, yet it is only just over 24 hours. I haven’t done anything very exciting to tell you about, only I have been thinking of you ever such a lot. It almost seems like a dream, all those days and nights on end, together with you. Now that you have gone the year seems to by hurrying on to its end, the mist lies heavy in the morning, the leaves come swirling down and everything is turning brown, and dry, and wrinkled. Still, it was a lovely time we had together, almost the best of the year I think. I loved specially the last afternoon when we gathered the blackberries and elderberries on that serene golden afternoon, and all the earth seemed mellow and full of ripeness and kindness instead of – well, it is better not to dwell too closely on the contrasting horrors. We must be thankful for the happiness of the past seventeen days and try to remember it when things don’t go too well with us.
I’m very much looking forward to your first letters from Finningley, and specially of course to your news of the interview with the M.O. I have been getting on with the pelmet for the back bedroom and should have it finished tomorrow when I’ve starched and ironed it. This afternoon Frances was rather restive so I took her out money-grubbing with me, which kept her amused.
Your Mother rang up this evening and asked me to meet her tomorrow afternoon at Church End with Frances to receive the silver bracelet she has bought her, so I hope the weather will be fine and then it will be quite a nice walk. I have posted off Freeman’s pencil and he rang up to say he had received it. The sewing machine is greatly improved by its overhaul, it now purrs luxuriously instead of clanking like a chain-gang.
I have been thinking – I don’t quite know why – of our home-to-be, and have decided that it would be nice if each child could have a bedroom of its own with one wall completely lined with fitted cupboards (including plenty of room for shoes and hats). This would leave the rest of the room free to be furnished and arranged to suit the child’s particular needs, with desk and bookcases, besides the divan bed, or tables and cages for keeping white mice, or room for pressing flowers of keeping butterflies or whatever hobbies they have. The point is, there must be plenty of room for
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keeping clothes tidy but the cupboards must be so arranged that they take up the minimum of room and leave as much as possible for the child to spread its more important treasures about in. Don’t you agree? Yes, surely, but how much would all that cost? Still, it’s a nice idea.
In pursuance of my policy of early to bed and early to rise, I will now pack up and retire, and hope very hard for a letter from you in the morning. By the way, when I came back from seeing you off on Tuesday (surely not only yesterday?) I found a beautiful bunch of gladioli and scabious which Barbara had bought to cheer me up. Wasn’t it sweet of her?
I do hope the guard didn’t eat those sandwiches and apples I had prepared so lovingly for you – they were made with real butter too!
Goodnight, my darling, and may God bless you.
[underlined] Thursday 8 a.m. [/underlined]
You remember that shocking Jane Withers film we saw together on Monday when I whispered to you that I wished I could do my hair like the soppy schoolmistress? Well I’ve just done it, & it really looks a great improvement on the orthodox bun, plaited or plain. It remains to be seen whether it will stay put, but anyway I shall try to cultivate it. Must go & have breakfast now.
Your telegram has just arrived saying you’ll be at Kings cross at 12.15 en route to Oxford. What a mad & glorious world!! Frances & I will be there also, curious coincidence isn’t it?
Till then all my love
Ursula.