Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine

Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine

Writes of sitting in garden with daughter and of his new crewing. Mentions Whitley aircraft overhead and continues with family/friends news. Hopes he will be able to come home and encourages him to see MO about his cold. Comments on good weather and asks if he would like some jam which she made. Concludes with news of her and baby's activities.

1942-04-26

Four page handwritten letter

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EValentineUMValentineJRM420426

[underlined] No 17 [/underlined] Lido 26th April Sunday.

My darling Johnnie,
I am sitting out in the garden writing this, with Frances crawling round her play-pen on the grass (& ground-sheet) in front of me. It’s beautifully warm & sunny and I’m feeling as happy as is possible without you, knowing you to be safe after your telephone call last night. It’s great to hear about your new crewing-up – or I wonder if you will decide you like the old arrangement better? I should think the new is safer, anyway. There’s a dear old Whitley stooging round overhead just now, I’ve seen several
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of them on the aerodrome. I suppose they are veterans who have been pensioned off.
I have written to Irene and sent her a small snap of Frances. I enclose a letter received a couple of days ago from Mrs Howie.
Do you remember the girl Clare Oppenheimer whom we met at Catherine Main’s flat. She has just produced her baby, a girl, and is home from the nursing home today. I must go round & inspect the newcomer sometime.
I contacted old Lilley the other day & he hopes to come sometime this week to do the lawn and hedges. I am wondering about main crop potatoes, whether I ought to try to grow some in the flower beds, perhaps to the side front. What do you think?
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How glorious it would be if you were to come on leave in the near future! I try not to think about, but still it would be marvellous. In any case, if you are not going to be doing much in the next few days, it would be a good thing if you were to see the M.O. about that cold & nose trouble of yours.
The cherry blossom is out in a tree at the end of the garden the birds are singing for all they are worth (I’ve had to put black cotton over the peas!) and the sky is a glorious blue. It’s really good to be alive, when I know you are safe! Here comes the old Whitley again – it’s almost parking, it’s so slow! I do hope we have weather like this when you get your leave. By the way would you like me to send you some jam? I can easily
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spare some. I made 14 lbs the other day with dried fruit & some sugar that was getting damp.
I went to the early service this morning & got back just before Ba left to go on duty.
Oh I forgot to tell you a most important item of news – I pumped up my bicycle tyres the other day!
Frances is performing the strangest contortions, balancing on hands & toes & gazing upside down through her legs. Now she keeps playing Peep-o behind her pink woolly rabbit (a birthday present from Mrs Lowe) & I have to keep on saying “where’s Frances?” etc. She’s a jolly chubby wee thing, & my mainstay in life while you’re away.
All my love to you, my dearest one – come back to me soon! Yours always [underlined] Ursula [/underlined]