| Description | Letter from Amelia Nyasa Laws, 7 Via Venti Settembre, Rome, to her relatives, regarding conditions of accommodation at Gressoncy; hotel proprietors are doing well out of the war; prices of some hotels in Rome; she will enquire about apartments, too, and will also write to Courmayeur; she wants to do as much as possible, as 'Uncle does not care enough to do anything for Aunt'; she wishes she could take Aunt with her, but Aunt would not then be able to go back to Rome; Uncle only thinks of Rome; Aunt gave him stationery for his birthday, and Amelia made a shade for the standard lamp for him; they have been very busy with sewing all winter; urgent repair of one of Uncle's shirts, using parts from a worse one; it would be an advantage to have a sewing machine; his new flannels will save some repairs there, and Aunt's underwear is also being overhauled; Ernesta is happy to sew as long as the work is tacked accurately and she does not have to think about it; visit of Mrs. Benton to wish Uncle a happy birthday and present from Mrs. Hodges; meeting at Embassy to consider club questions, and mostly, Uncle thought, to put down Mrs. Brock; he seems more favourable towards her because of his enmity with Miss Jazdowska, and Mrs. Brock takes advantage of the fact [There were Jazdowskis associated with teaching and art in Aberdeen: James Bronislas Jazdowski, son of John, teacher in Aberdeen, graduated from Marischal College in 1856 and according to an annotation of the Search Room student list died in Rome in 1902]; new regulations are now in place for the running of the club and dealing with complaints; Archdeacon Sissons thinks Mrs. Brock is a great drawback as wife to a medical man, as she always creates storms; examples of various problems and debates of which Mrs. Brock or Miss Jazdowska was at the centre; visit of Corporal Woodhouse demonstrates how much the club and Miss Jazdowska's work are appreciated by the men; though she has her faults she is very motherly towards them - the war has allowed an outlet for her maternal side; arrival of Allied bandsmen, 400 British, 150 French and 90 Americans, to perform in Rome, at a gala attended by the Duchess of Aosta; too expensive for Amelia to attend; she feels a good brass band is superior to an orchestra; they are also to play at the Villa Borghese, at the Altar of the Fatherland; the uniforms have been announced; the weather is fine, but she did not fancy an indefinite stroll with Uncle to hear the bands; challenge to Amelia and Uncle to square the church accounts after the Board of Management meeting; Uncle leaves obscure notes which only he can explain, if they can be explained at all; his doctoring of the accounts is not right; Hale Benton supported her when Uncle tried to procrastinate again. |