10.x.15 Rouen
My Dearest Mother
I started a letter to you about 3 days ago and in a fit of absent mindedness tore it up with a lot of rubbish, so I must start again.
I’m afraid Father wouldn’t get my letter in time for his birthday so I sent a wire which I hope he’d receive.
It was Tim’s birthday too yesterday, but we were too busy to do much.
I had such a nice letter from Nanny: it was delightful to hear from her: do thank her next time you see her. She says “I should have sent you a few lines before, but Nurse said she had told you all the news of the town so waited a few weeks”. Now I have never had a line from Nurse so what has happened to her letter I can’t imagine. It is the first letter that has gone astray, as far as I know. I hope you’ll tell Nurse or she’ll think I’m an ungrateful little devil.
Why are the Fred Riggals leaving ? I suppose Tommy Bucknall’s drinking ways didn’t help to keep the farm together. You say it is in the market: does that mean that Walter is selling it?
Fancy the Wrights going. That is a blow. Did I acknowledge my allowance which had duly arrived. Thank Father very much for it please.
I don’t want any other warm clothes: I have got a woolly muffler and a wool coat here. I am going to apply for leave for the middle or latter half of November: I don’t know if I shall get it. I hope so en tout cas as I hope I may get in a little hockey and shooting when I come.
I think the Hockey club is wise to lie more or less low: certainly its no use half the first XI going out and making fools of itself. I don’t think I paid Father for the field out of my own money, but still I don’t know and it is best as you say. It is kif-kif to me ( as we say here).
Tim and I rocked with laughter to hear that our bridge problems were taking the whole Committee of the Portland Club to arrange and decide them.
How is poor old ET ?I suppose she may drag on for weeks and even months. I suppose Chas.H would know the Benton man.
I wish I could drop a bomb into the Balkan States, big enough to shut them all up for a bit.
I did see “the roast hare” he looked more like it than ever! I have been bombarded with questions about the history of St Lô. I haven’t the vaguest idea who the gentleman was. There is a town in Bretagne called St Lô. It is close to Dinard, so I expect the saint was a Breton celebrity.
I enclose you a photo of myself taking an Xray photo with Mrs Garrard assisting. It looks very swishy doesn’t it. Tim insisted on my posing thus as she wanted the phot0 for her album, so I send you a copy to amuse you.
The bird left on Monday night for three weeks leave in England to wind up her husband’s affairs. I miss her as she was with me in the Salle d’Electrothérapie. I’ve got quite a nice little girl in her place however: the baby of the hospital: just 20.
I must dry up now,
With best love to you both
Your loving Dorothy
I had the tongue out photo of Elsie and the boys in a silver frame. I was awfully kicked with it.
About Alford 