Burrinjuck, December 2. 1931
The rain is pouring down again. It started just as I had got my washing on the line. I’m just glad, however that it didn t start earlier, since I still have to do my washing outside, with the wash house being flooded. I expect Sverre will be home soon, although it is still morning, since they can't work when it rains. We had quite a storm the day before yesterday, but now the rain is just pouring quietly down. Now that it is warm, and we are not threatened by floods, I don't mind the rain. It saves us a lot of work in the garden so I don't complain.
Yesterday I got such a lot of mail, several letters, two packets of magazines, and Mama's parcel with three beautiful cushions. Dear, good Mama, you must not send me so many lovely things. My tears have been close to flowing every time I have opened a new parcel, and yesterday they really did. You work so hard, and there is nothing, nothing I can do for you in return, however much I want to. I love these things so much because you made them. And now I must just casually give them away, to people whom, no matter how kind they have been to me, I don't really care for. Certainly I love the old Chaffers, and Hindwoods too, but all the others are pretty ‘wurschtig ’, even Pearl and Ivy and pot and Frasers and whatever all their names are, They belong to a different world altogether. And I’m supposed to give all these pretty things to these people! I will of course do it but I would rather not. I wish I were a writer so I could really introduce you to all these people who are sooooo boring, in spite of all their friendliness, warmth etc, etc. In the letter I got from Mrs Hindwood yesterday, she says that because of the bad times, she will not be giving any Christmas presents this year, and she will be very annoyed if she gets any herself. So I won’t give her Mama’s beautiful round cloth after all. I would only sell it if it could be of some advantage to Mama herself, but at present exchange rates, that is not possible.
I have so much to read, but somehow I never get time for it. Always there is something to do. Right now, for example, my dear Svorrie is back from work, splattered with dirt, because there is no mudguard on his bike.
Now Sverre has changed his clothes and is rowing over to get the milk. So I have a bit more time to myself. The men are going to work on their day off to make up for today, so our weekend will be short. We have to put up a tent for Evelyn and make some other preparations, like making a wash basin out of a kerosene tin. I hope it will have stopped raining by Saturday, since Evelyn is coming the Saturday after- and Sverre doesn t have time on week days.
There is great excitement in Burrinjuck. Mr. Tierney, the teacher wanted to arrange the customary Children s Picnic before Christmas. A meeting was called, and after much quarrelling, the Children s Picnic was finally declared a Ladies and Children s Picnic. Money was collected, cakes, sweets and lemonade donated, and several more meetings held. During the meetings, the engineers’ wives sat and whispered together in a corner, and Mr. Tierney and the rest of the people were offended. In fact everyone is offended for one reason or another; one because he was not chosen to sit on the committee, although some other unworthy body, who buys everything on time payment (leather coat for 10 pounds) and does not pay, was chosen; another because the sandwiches are going to be made by the committee ladies and not ordered from the baker, as he suggested. etc. etc. I have of course, not been involved in any of this, but Ann Fraser tells me all about it. She seems to be quite keenly involved. Mrs. Fraser is also offended for some reason, although she has not been to any meetings.
We have now definitely decided not to borrow money. On the 14th of this month the federal elections are to be held , and if Labour gets in, the business with the bank will probably be cleared up. Everybody thinks Labour is going to win. Oh, how happy I would be if we could buy a car. You can get big used cars for as little as three pounds, but nobody wants them because they use so much fuel, and also they are expensive to register and to insure.
Burrinjuck, December 11, 1931
Once again I got a load of mail. You should see me gathering up the pile, running down the hill, jumping into the boat and rowing as fast as I can. When I get home, I throw myself into a chair, and then relax and enjoy all my goodies. I even forget to do the cooking, but Sverre doesn't mind waiting.
Everything is now ready for Evelyn's visit. I have even washed windows for the occasion, and everything is specially neat and tidy. Sverre has built the sweetest little house, with a tin roof, and I nailed on the sack cloth walls. Inside, it is prettily furnished, and it even has a little verandah, which we are going to cover with tea trees to make it look extra nice. I am so looking forward to Evelyn's visit. She will be our first guest. Mrs Chaffer has also promised to come some time, and that would please me a lot. I have also done a lot of baking, coconut macaroons and other biscuits.
Tomorrow morning we have to cut the tea trees, and I have to bake a cake. Then we will go shopping in Yass and go to a movie, and at six Evelyn will be there. We will have dinner in Yass, and just have tea and cakes when we get home. Mr. Corby is taking us in his car, and coming here in the evening. His big family has been away now for several months. I believe they are expecting a new baby (the 7th. oh horror!) So anyway, we have an exciting day ahead of us. What a long time it is too since we last had money to spend. It's going to be wonderful! We still have a few debts, to be sure, but just this once we're going to forget about them. Our creditors aren't breathing down our necks anyway, so why worry?
Yesterday it rained cats and dogs for about one hour, and I thought my garden would be washed away. However it survived, and I was happy not to have to water it, as I had just finished an extra heavy wash. Instead of watering I had to kill snails. They always come in great numbers after the rain, and I go around with a tin full of strong salty water and collect them. That's how I save my dear plants. A couple of weeks ago, I had nearly given up the garden. It seemed as if nothing would grow, and the snails were eating up everything there was. It was horrible. But somehow, I just couldn't leave it alone. I worked at the earth, loosening it and removing small stones, and now it's like a miracle. The tomatoes are like small trees, the beans are thriving, and every evening when Sverre comes home, we walk around and look at everything and rejoice.
This afternoon Sverre is going with his boss, Mr Townsend and another man, a couple of miles up the river to catch trout in nets. It is illegal, but they want to do it anyway so they can have smoked fish for Christmas. I hope they don’t fall in, and I hope they will catch a lot of fish.
Yesterday I met the man who is supposed to be tanning the rabbit skins for us. They should have been ready by now. He said he is just starting now, and that it will take another three weeks. However, somebody else told me that he had ruined the skins, because he does not know anything about tanning. He introduced himself to us as an experienced tanner. Horrible!
Burrinjuck, December 27, 1931
My heart is so full of joy and gratitude, I would like to throw myself around your necks and kiss you all to death, which, fortunately for you and me, I cannot do. Oh how I wish I could fly over to you, and tell you in person. how wonderful you made this Christmas for the two of us. Sverre's face alone, when he read Mama's first letter was a sight for sore eyes. He looked like a little sun, and was suddenly so happy, sang and whistled, and was terribly secretive, just like a little kid. And then, the wonderful Christmas Eve! We had been very busy all day. Because of Evelyn's visit, a lot of work had piled up. I had ironing to do and then I baked a tart and a lot of biscuits. Sverre prepared dinner for four o’clock. Afterwards we put on our bathing suits and went swimming in the lake and sun bathing. And then it was so beautifully warm and calm, so that we felt like rowing slowly around until the full moon arose. We didn’t get home till after dark, and then Sverre ran ahead. When I came inside my heart nearly stood still with joy and surprise. There stood a real Christmas tree, with candles and tinsel, and many parcels underneath, and Sverre‘s eyes were glowing in competition with the candles.
It was all so beautiful. All at once it was Christmas, and it was as if you were quite, quite close, Thank you so much for everything and for all the wonderful presents. The big table is most beautiful. I will use it for special occasions, like yesterday, when Mr Anderson's mother and sister were here. And the socklets! Mama must be able to read my mind, since a pair of socklets like that were my dearest wish. When I wear my prettiest dresses, which are all rather long, I like to put on pretty shoes as well, with heels, and I can't wear them on my bare feet. Now I'm in heaven - no stockings, no garters, no girdle do I have to wear, and in this heat that is marvellous. We were also very pleased with the books. Sverre has already started reading aloud to me from Aanrud’s stories. They make us both feel homesick for Norway when we read them. The people are so different from here, and we like our own people so much better. There were a lot of little presents from the Chaffers, and I had made a felt cover for Sverre's bicycle seat. It was the only thing I could think of. After the presents we had the tart, a bottle of red wine, nuts that Mr Chaffer had sent us through Evelyn, and sweets, so it was all very luxurious. Mrs Fraser gave us a chicken, but we are letting it live for the time being until Keith comes. He won't be coming until after New Year. How thrilled I was with Leo's album. I keep looking at it again and again. When the package arrived I assumed it contained pictures from Leo's trip and I opened it so Evelyn could see them. Oh, what a surprise it was for me, what a wonderful surprise! I was really quite happy I had opened the parcel too early, because then I had more time to engross myself in it and to enjoy it. And on Christmas Eve, Sverre gave me a box of fine stationary and a magnifying glass, something I has been wishing for, for a long time. So then I could study the album in detail with the magnifying glass, and all the lovely pictures I have of you.
Today I am sending you the map I promised. Sverre made the drawing. The line along our coast is the road to Bowning and Yass. The X marks the place from which I took the pictures of Burrinjuck. I hope you like the pictures. I developed them on Christmas Eve, after Sverre had gone to bed. I felt so active and energetic after all the wine and coffee, so I set about it, and it was a great way to end the day, since I didn't spoil a single plate. I went to bed so happy, and the 25th was a real lazy day, full of joy and contentment.
I must tell you about everything else that has happened since I last wrote. On the 12th Mr Corby took us in his car to Yass. We left at about ten in the morning, with five pounds in our pocket. We bought a lot of things with the money, some new clothes for Sverre, a lot of food that will keep, a new dress for our beloved folding chair, a collar for our sugar puppy (the first in his life), a couple of plates (we only had three before). Then we had breakfast in the Tearooms, and went to a movie and saw ‘Daddy Longlegs ’. After that we met Evelyn, had dinner at a restaurant and drove home. We were all terribly tired because it was so hot. Back home we had coffee and cakes and then crept into bed. It was lovely for me having Evelyn here. She has always been the good Auntie for all her nieces and nephews, very convenient for her sisters-in-law, and always ready to help. For all this, no one ever thought much about her, or considered the possibility that she might sometimes enjoy being entertained. She has finally become aware of this herself, and is suddenly quite changed, and not boring at all as she used to be. On January 8, she is leaving for India, supposedly for half a year, and I imagine that after this, she will probably never go home again for good.
While she was here Ann and Elsie Fraser arranged a dance evening to which we were invited. There were a couple of people from Bowning and a couple from here. By the light of kerosene lamps and grammophone music we had such a great time, and I forgave Mr Tierney all his sins because he dances so beautifully. So I invited him and another young man to come the next evening, and again we had a terrific evening. We were invited over to Frasers' once, but that turned out very boring. Frasers were so stiff and formal, in honour of Evelyn I suppose.
I let Evelyn sleep in every day, and then gave her breakfast in bed. After breakfast, she would straight away take a cool bath in the lake. She learned to shoot, and to row, and to fish. I think she enjoyed her stay. At least she looked as if she did. On Saturday the 19th she left, getting a ride in a car that just happened to be going to Bowning that day. Sverre went with Corby to Yass the same day, but I didn't feel like going. I was so tired I slept all day, something I haven't done for ages. The fruit season has now begun. Sverre just came home with a whole sack full of apricots, and we have already eaten ourselves sick several times on cherry plums. I have made a lot of jam and will make more yet. The peaches are not yet ripe, and this year there are not as many of them as usual. A disease called curly leaf has broken out. There will be an awful lot of blackberries. The bushes are just loaded with them.
Mr Anderson's mother and sister are visiting him at the moment, and on the 23rd we were invited over-for afternoon tea. They both live in Sydney and do nothing - have money. They play bridge and entertain themselves. Mrs Anderson is quite nice, a white haired old lady. The daughter, Joyce is like a dead doll. She speaks hardly a word and is stiff and boring. Terribly boring. They came over to us last night and we took them fishing (spinning) with us. Everybody seems to enjoy this sport. In spite of Joyce we had a nice time. At least she has good manners and doesn't tell you how fine she and her relatives all are. I find that quite refreshing since I have become used to people not being like that. They will be staying for a while, so we will probably see them some more times.
Sverre is sitting and waiting for me to stop writing so he can read aloud to me.
December 28. 1931
Sverre is busy building a little meat safe. We were having so much trouble with the flies when the meat was in the food safe which I have to open often. No matter how I watched out, every now and again a fly would get in, and the meat would be spoiled. They don't spoil the other food. It will be easier now with a separate safe for the meat.
We are now getting a lot of lovely sugar peas from our garden - as many as we can eat. The cucumbers and tomatoes also look very promising. So our work was not for nothing.
NEXT: January 1932