June 20th 1966
Dearest Denden,
I got out of bed on the stroke of eight, and had nothing that had to be done except a letter to you, yet it's now after 11. I am very good indeed at wasting time. I asked Hugo to put on the roast last night as we were seeing the Sullivans, and when I came in I never saw such a tidy kitchen in my life, and I was inspired to re-arrange my arrangements. Also the spice rack had come and that empty a large shelf which could be used for something else. No duty or anything. It takes between three and four weeks for a package. Your letter came during breakfast. What a marvelous looking affair. It must be a grand type-writer. It was marvelous to hear that Machi is actually booked to come,and how very very sweet of you to be giving such a generous present to Lee. He is brightening up more and more. He said the other day that a friend had just completed his apprenticeship and was like a new man. He has only three weeks more, and this thrills him. I think he will be disappointed if be doesn't get an immediate increase. He hopes for a lot, and even showed interest in the Sullivan car which they will sell for £85 (we would have to advance the money) which I might have bought, and Hugo says he certainly would have. Just too late. They paid £125 for a new engine last year.
I am very thrilled over our little car. Poor Jennifer nearly wept when Hugo phoned her here that their car had been broken into and the lock spoiled. They were leaving it on tho other side of the river, and went over every day to look at it - but it didn't even last a week! They are now on a waiting list for a near garage which they can get for £70 a year. No other harm was done to the car and the lock was fixed for 30/- but the bonnet had been opened and they think it probably would have been stolen but the man must have been disturbed.
Your trip to the graduation sounds like an awful nightmare. Wasn't it very good that Jay got A on his thesis. I have Machi's letter to Claudia. It is sad about the varmits. Phil now says we could have dug a trench and buried a fence. I never thought about our doing it ourselves. After talking about it for years, this summer we have four all white beds of petunias, and now I think colour would be prettier.
I know I can't have written very recently because. No, Phil says I did write about Ellen's coming for her plants. I remember now. Michael works for his firm four days a week, and they sound a bit better off. The Sullivans have two book cases they want to sell, and I think Phil and I will give them to Michael.
We had a very nice drive down to Janet's. She gave us a good lunch, and joined us for a short run to see the sea and their club house and one of the very old churches in the country. Mrs Chow was very thrilled over the country, and said if we bought anywhere down that way that she would also buy. Janet's house is a cute one to show off to foreigners - better for that than for living in from my point of view. We also saw the garden of the couple opposite, who gave me Rosemary and sage cuttings. The rosemary looks happy in the garden. It was terrible hot - no draught holes for the front seat like yours which I missed.