Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine

Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine

Writes that she has just come in and commenting on clear sky and large moon and wonders whether he is flying. Hopes he will return safely. Continues with news of her domestic and gardening activities and finances. Reports on visit to baby clinic and catches up with gossip. mentions doctor mistaking her RAF observer badge as observer corps. Continues next day with thanks for his letter and confirms she will send everything he asked for. Comments on acquaintance news and arrival of water rates bill.

1942-04-01

Six page handwritten letter

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EValentineUMValentineJRM420401

No. 3 Lido April 1st
My own darling, I have just come in from my Savings Group round, there's an enormous great moon sailing up & a lovely clear sky, & I can't help wondering whether you will be up & about tonight. I've been thinking about you such a lot, - you are never very far from my thoughts, & always when the night comes down my good wishes & longing for you are intense. If only they could be of any practical use in bringing you safely back! I have had another very busy day. Florence has been spring-cleaning the back-bedroom, & in the intervals of helping her I
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have washed, dried & ironed the curtains from our bedroom, together with the usual baby-wash, & been to town with Frances; & this afternoon I cleaned up the front garden a bit & burned the dry rubbish from there, & then did quite a lot of ironing. And after tea (at 7 pm.) I've been round to the neighbours collecting cash. So I'm fairly weary, but feel that we are getting things done gradually. I haven't been able to get any wall flower plants yet, Caters had sold out, but I hadn't any cash anyway. I just managed nicely on the extra 5/- I pinched from you (Frank's P.O.) paying off the newspapers & buying in my soap ration. Thank goodness tomorrow is Thursday!
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I took Frances up to the clinic yesterday afternoon, but apparently they only do immunisation by appointment on receipt of the form which you may remember my filling out, so I left it & shall hear from them in due course. As I was there I took Frances in to the doctor for her yearly inspection; they weighed her with only a nappy on & she clocked up 23 lb 61.2oz. It's amazing what a lot the clothes must weight, because she was nearly 24 lbs at the end of February, in her outdoor clothes. Anyway the doctor seemed very pleased with her, said she was in very good condition. It wasn't Dr Leitch, who is on holiday. But the sister in charge of the clinic told me that Kenneth Maidment has gone over to America, presumably
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on official business since he is in the Army, & the result is Felicity is expecting her third child! The doctor asked me what my little gold observers badge was & when I told her you are an observer, she said “Oh yes, Observer Corps” so I hastened to enlighten her. Extraordinary how little ordinary people know about our national heroes! I met Mrs Hazard afterwards & she was asking me what you actually had to do in the plane!
Frances has still got a rather runny nose & a cough but seems quite cheerful. I must go to bed now, but will leave this open in the hope of a letter from you tomorrow, as there was none today.
All my love to you, my darling, for always & always
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[underlined] Thursday [/underlined] thanks very much for your second letter (still not numbered!) I'll send off the things you ask for later this evening if I can manage to iron the ties, if not it will probably not be till Saturday (if the P.O. is shut tomorrow) I enclose a letter which arrived today from Norman, forwarded from Stoke Lyne. I have written to him myself to congratulate about their future infant – I only wish I could go & stay with Vera myself, but that's out of the question.
Florence turned up this morning to announce that her aunt was ill so I sent her back home, & I shouldn't be surprised if I am left to do the rest of
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the spring-cleaning on my own. However, I keep pegging away. It's glorious weather for washing, & that's worth a lot. A bill for Water Rates came this morning £3 odd. That is to go to Grindlay's isn't it? They have acknowledged your former missive about the £15. Must go to town now. Oh, I met Mrs Mann this morning who told me Angus Milligan has taken his discharge & is back with the Prudential – the wisest thing really. All my love to you dearest. May you be kept safe,& get some more leave [underlined] soon.[/underlined]
Yours for always Ursula