August 20^th

Sunday

Dear Diary,

Today has been very quiet.  Just the sort of day needed to recover from last week.  Nothing very interesting has happened and all thoughts, especially mine, are turned to Tuesday and Alan.  One thing can be said about this holiday, it hasn’t ended in an anti-climax like all the others.  Usually, coming home from a holiday especially one that has been enjoyable, is terribly and depressing.  This year there has been so much to think about and worry about, we were home before I realised it.

Lena’s ankle is still swollen but, she says, less painful.  She’s spent the day resting it and we have been having some long chats.

Just before tea I went to phone Carol and Mrs. Hawtrey, leaving with the famous last words ‘won’t be long’.  An hour later I returned.  I had to warn Carol that Tuesday (we’ve got tickets for ‘Oliver’) might not go as originally planned.  And to ask her to let Pat know that whatever they say at the hospital on Monday we will not be meeting her and going home with her to tea.

Mrs. Hawtrey was her perfect twittering self and seemed very pleased that I had let her know how Lena was getting on.

As I said, thoughts are turning to Alan once again.  He is leaving Nicosia on the 19^th – yesterday and so landed in England this morning.  He has told me not to be surprised if is see him today, for an hour or so, but as he didn’t seem very confident that I would, I’m not expecting much.  Though, of course, being prepared for anything.  I have been wearing my lilac two-piece all day and renewing make-up every hour or so.

Anyway, as I know now it was all in vain, he didn’t come, so I knew that Tuesday was the big day as originally expected.

Dad went to see Uncle George this evening and he willingly agreed to take Lena and I to the hospital tomorrow morning, so that will save a taxi fare.  We did think she would be able to manage a bus but her foot still hurts a lot, though she does attempt to stumble around on it.

Maureen's Diary Week 32: 13th - 21st August 1961