Shanghai, January 3rd, 1949

Dear Family,

I don't like to go too long without writing a bit, as you may be still worried about us here - though everyone on the spot seems to have forgotten about our predicament. Not that all plans for emergency aren't being carried out, with even more detail as the extra time allows. Last week the news came out that our No. 2 is to go to Hong Kong and from there to carry on for the company, if it isn't possible to do so from here. Phil is to be the acting No. 2 which pleases him as the job is more fun. It probably means that he will be working harder and longer hours, as the present man is always late home and that sort of thing. They leave on the 15th, so Phil is already taking over the job. The big difference is that he is now on the management - one of the big three. The chief' engineer and his No. 2 - Jock Wilson - are going down to Hongkong too. Ever so many small firms are moving their headquarters. For instance Mr Murray-Kidd who is now in a Philippino shipping company is to move down. It seems to me there won't be many people left in Shanghai. An American in the State Department said whereas two months ago people were screaming at him for lack of accommodation, he is now hiring Russian watchmen.

Did I say before that we are getting gates for this compound, and also the Rue Ratard one. They are to keep out the rabble if the population gets very excited - if nationalist soldiers are running away, or there is a change in the government, and a flap during the change. They wouldn't be much good for anything serious. We have our own two gates to the main street, never kept open unless we expect a lot of people, and they could be busted as easily as anything.

We have had a very partified holiday, and three nights in a row at home have been wonderful. We are never late as we have to be home soon enough before eleven to give the chauffeur a chance to get to his place, but even so I find it a bit tiring. My ears have been worrying me very much. That sinus infection seems to have gone to them, and I feel deaf and queer, though no pain. Hugo and I have both been trying to get to the doctor for some days. The 31st the car was so late that the doctor didn't want to wait, and made an appointment for the 3rd (today), then last night phoned to say his office wouldn't be opened. We now go the fifth. Just after writing Machi how well Hugo was - the very last day of school Hugo came down with a temperature - and again had to have sulphur. He got up in the house on Christmas Day, but has hardly been out even yet, though that to a large extent was the weather which has been the wettest Xmas I ever remember. Too warm, I expect. It got fairly cold about a week ago, but today was the first ice, and I didn't enjoy golf at all this morning. I really haven't the right clothes, perhaps, but there is too much hanging around in a foursome to be out in a howling wind.

To return to Hugo, the doctor doesn't think he should be having so many colds and he is going to give him a thorough going over, and maybe a cold serum. He hasn't had much of a Christmas, being alone so much of the time, but he has learned again to play very well by himself, and he has done a lot of reading of his new books. The fifty blocks I had made have again proven to be the best toy of all. A very cute motor car which you drive around by squeezing a bulb on the end of a long rubber tube didn't last the day out. We hope some clever man can fix it, but isn't it maddening. A good toy, supposedly, brought up from Hong Kong. Janie and her girls came to sukiyaki lunch as a treat to Hugo (who won't eat anything but the plain rice) and today again the girls came for lunch and the afternoon with their roller skates. But that's why I get so mad I don't really care if Hugo does have a lonesome time. He wouldn't skate too, and just showed off by riding my bicycle which he can do equally well alone. I suppose he couldn't show off, but he does ride it by the half-hour, just up and down the compound road unable to reach the seat.

Mrs Bates gave him a lovely harmonica. I wonder how one learns to play. Just by trying, I reckon, but I never could play anything on one. I wondered if it was the kind Machi sent Ned and Robin. Quite long. We have all three spent much time shooting with those bullets that stick to the wall, both by gun and bow and arrow, and we have shot at rooms full of bubbles. These Chinese ones leave funny gummy marks on the floor. Phil has been mighty good about building zoos and forts, etc. with Hugo, but they always end by having a war and knocking everything over.

Phil and I have had some golf on the 2nd and 3rd, and go out again tomorrow, and I hope I don't die. My golf seems to be worse than usual in the cold. They didn't get holidays for Christmas except the Saturday and Sunday, but get Monday and Tuesday of this week. We had a very large party on New Year's Day - egg-nogs and buffet lunch for thirty. It went off very well, and everyone went on drinking the egg-nogs, though usually I find they stop soon and order something different. Cecil and Kay Skinner told me they hadn't had an egg-nog since a party of Joan's in Dairen - but I still didn't invite them. I had had another party of thirty for buffet supper on the 22nd, and they came to that. Have also had two tables of bridge, and never was able to finish up the food after that party because we didn't have a meal at home before it went bad. I thought everything would simmer down, but now with the Hudsons leaving, there begins the round of farewells. There was once a mention of our going into their house! Awful thought - moving -though it is a much nicer house, and nearly in Hugo's school. But two gardeners for one thing. I don't know what we are going to do with all our empty houses. Only one woman with a real young baby is left here in our firm.

We thought we weren't going to get any turkeys this year, but two came on Christmas morning, and two later. Everywhere you go you get turkey. I'm beginning to wish we hadn't got any. I got a Chinese dress length of really lovely white taffeta-ish tribute silk, with an occasional touch of gold. Would be a beautiful evening dress, but is, of course, only three yards of narrow - 30 inches. This was from the wife of an agent. Phil got from them two ties, and eggs and oranges. The man who gave me pearls last year, sent two sets of table linen - both inferior. Don't see why he didn't concentrate on one superior set. That is all I got from Chinese, except a box of chocolates from Phil's friend in Nanking, and Phil got from him, six John Haig Whiskys and two Gordons Gins. We got a bit of other wines too, so we really didn't do too badly. The management get much more. Maybe we will next year! The man from Nanking is coming down here specially to give a dinner for Phil. Aren't they funny people. Nanking practically within the war orbit.

I phoned the young mother in the YMCA who has been taking Hugo to Sunday, to offer her a lift for a change, and find she left for America two days ago. The father whom I haven't met, said he would be going to the Quaker meeting in future and so could no longer take Hugo. When I met the wife not two weeks ago, she had no intention of leaving - but the last evacuation ship left, and I suppose she thought she'd better. I wrote to Elizabeth Faulk asking her to the egg-nog party, but as I haven't heard a thing I suppose she isn't here. I've had a note from Alice, and a card from Martha, with a thrilling dollar for Hugo, which he could have been killed for possessing two months ago. Now it's all right again. Last week it was worth about $70, and today about $170. Exchange broke badly on the 28th. Nelson Bates has gone away on a four day shooting trip on a house boat. None of the men thought about taking a radio, but Quita suggested that they shouldn't be out of touch with the world at this particular time. They seemed dimmy surprised, she said, but thought maybe a radio would be a good idea.

I had the British Consul's wife for Sukiyaki and she liked it a lot. Her first Japanese food - and my first time of entertaining of anyone in the diplomatic service here. We don't associate with them like we did in Canton and Swatow. I went to the Honkew market for the first time since returning, and got saki and shou, but I don't think they are genuine. I got omanjus and mochi, though, and Barney O'Hea went home from here with four pieces of mochi and a bit of shou in a bottle. Instead of staying up until the end of the curfew, we renigged on the club dance and played poker with Barney and the Skinners, at his flat. Phil won heaps, and more than covered my losses. I don't even remember when I last played. All the dances on New Year's Eve lasted from eleven until five in the morning. Some of my New Year's Day guests had been, and it was said to be a good party, with plenty of attendance. Awful thought. You couldn't leave, no matter how much you might hate it where you were. Others had private parties, sleeping all their guests. We went to sleep at eleven, without waiting for twelve.

The Coopers are coming in to play bridge tomorrow night. They go off on leave this week.... as most everyone seems to be doing. I was wondering if Alice got a long letter from me - written soon after I got to this house, I think. She didn't mention it in her note. I must write a real letter to Claudia. It has been a long time since I wrote very coherently, or answered anything. What a business with the polio, but she didn't seem worried.