| Description | Letter from Amelia Nyasa Laws, 7 Via Venti Settembre, Rome, to her relatives, regarding departure of Miss Low, a children's nurse, who cannot find a morally suitable position in Rome; 'She is very nice looking, dangerously so to be here, and the sooner she is out of the country the better'; poor attendance at New Year service; card from her patient Bordes, who is now doing his own massage with the help of her diagrams and is making progress; Boursier, a Chambéry patient, also writes that he is almost able to return to work full time; Leloup has died in another operation; comments on his character and education; Miss Vernaz was distressed at his death; Uncle's visit to Miss Forster Walker and Mr. Bragg at the hospital; Mr. Bragg had wanted Uncle to witness some signatures for him, but then refused to sign the papers and Uncle must return tomorrow; the old always domineer; Aunt's expenditure has gone up and it has required some tact to tell Maria that they have to economise; Uncle and Ernesta complain of the lack of variety in food at present, but neither of them runs the domestic economy; Uncle cannot chew roast or boiled meat, and fowl and veal are too expensive to buy; lamb is more expensive than beef in the long run; neither flour nor semolina are available; they buy two eggs a week, which are for Uncle's weekend breakfasts; rice and macaroni are rationed and oil is expensive; they have soup and a 'nourishing dish' to follow but no longer any fruit; Maria and Ernesta are rebellious at the thin food; they are considering having only one maid, but cannot decide which; the shopping for food takes so long that one person cannot do that and everything else, too; Aunt cannot be left without a maid when Amelia is away; Ernesta's sister is better provided for in a rich household, so she thinks she is hard done by; the gas is restricted and noisy; the Week of Prayer has begun; it is to be held in their church as it is the easiest to heat; the King has issued a proclamation that the first Sunday of the year should be for national prayer; Mr. Smith is to preach next week, so Mr. Gibson will be pleased; progress in organ playing, despite Mr. Green; possible new method of constructing splints, using wood shavings; visit of Mrs. Elliott, distressed that her father Mr. Guppy will not acknowledge her when they meet; he kept up two establishments for 18 years; he has no shame, and his new wife is corrupt; Uncle was disgusted with her sister when he visited them, and intends to return no more; Mr. Hawksley does not like Mrs. Guppy; problems with her old Red Cross subscription; packing up Mrs. Fleming's glass and china; thanks to Aunt Amy for postcard; receipt of card from Miss Paton; letter sent to Miss Telford's Margaret as Miss Telford was not replying to post. |