Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine

Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine

Writes it is a bad show if she cannot live with him after his next leave. Comments on his health issues and provides reasons for not writing previous day. Reports immanent arrival of vacuum cleaner and gardeners work. Catches up with news of family and friends. Writes of parcels she is sending with Christmas presents, plans for Christmas day and other activities.

1941-12-18

Four page handwritten letter

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EValentineUMValentineJRM411218

Lido Thurs 18.12.41
Darling Johnny Thanks for your long letter of 17th. It's a bad show if I'm really not going to be able to live with you after you leave here, but all the more reason for coming down as soon as poss. after Christmas. As for the F/O M.O., he certainly is a pessimist but perhaps he's wrong. I'll try to get the drops you want this afternoon. I'm sorry to say I didn't write to you yesterday. Things were even more hectic than usual & in the afternoon I went to play squash with Marjorie
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Franklin. It was an awful bore as I was tired & had a backache, but I'd promised so had to go. Of course we both played like sick cows & I shall be glad not to be bothered with her for sometime. I suppose there's no chance of our playing together at Heyford?
The vacuum cleaner is due to arrive this afternoon – I don't know how much it is yet, apparently I have to settle with Freeman for it. I've managed to get the gardener this afternoon – he's digging the top veg. patch & making it look very respectable. I rang up Barnet to get the Kennedy's address (which they didn't know so I've
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sent the card to Scottish Aviation) & spoke to Bunty about our projected meeting with offspring. She started humming & hawing & saying it was very difficult in the bus with 2 of them & Robert pulls things off the table & so on & so I like an ass let myself in for trailing all the way over to Barnet tomorrow with Frances. Bunty will try to meet me at the Church with a pram, all the same it’s a bore, & I think she might have managed one of her children & your Mother the other. However there it is. She wanted to know if Peter was home & could take Stewart's saw over on his bike, but he's not & I'm certainly not going to do anything about that.
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I have sent off their parcel, including some very nice notepaper for Stewart (2/6) & also the cigarettes to Leslie. I found a box for the 50 after all. I'm hoping to send off your parcel today & you must not open it till Xmas. It would be marvellous, if you could be home but I'm not counting on it at all. Dorothy (WAAF) came in last night & I've invited her & her friend to tea on Christmas day, as I thought I might as well try to make someone else happy since I can't be really happy myself without you. Grindlays have written to say they're taking the matter of rates up with Insp. of Taxes. I've written to ask them if the insurance will pay for the new handbasin. I painted the buffer a couple of days ago & its nearly dry now. I received an Xmas card from the Moore-Coulsons, so have sent them one of Frances. What's his rank, by the way? I had to send it to Mrs only.
Lots of love Ursula