Grandad – Ethel went to a ladies (British Womens) meeting in Norwich. Mr Larkins came.
Mum – Went to Roger’s P/T evening. All teachers very pleased with him. Jean came & worked for me from 6-7 so I could go to school. Very cold – wintry showers but some sun. Money returned to tin – now what do I do?
Notes
Grandma Went to a Temperance Meeting
Ethel refers to my grandmother Ethel May Cecilia Parkin. Grandad noted that she went to a ladies’ meeting in Norwich, see Chapter 124. He referred to this as a “British Women’s” meeting which is, I think, a reference to the National British Women’s Temperance Association, with which she was involved, see Chapter 107.
Mr Larkins the Decorator Came
Mr Larkins came. Grandma and grandad’s house had two bedrooms, see Chapter 117. Both were being decorated by Mr Larkins. He had started the work a week previously.
Mum Went to My Parent/Teacher Evening
Roger refers to me and P/T presumably stands for parent/teacher. Mum went to this evening at the Hewett school where teachers reported my progress to her, see Chapter 118.
Jean Covered for Mum So She Could Attend
Based on her CV, see Chapter 105, mum worked as part-time receptionist for Drs Downes and Day, see Chapter 121. She must have been working an evening surgery that day so she needed Jean, one of the other receptionists. to cover for her so that she could go to my school.
Money That Was Missing from Mum’s Duplicating Tin Was Returned
According to her CV, see Chapter 105, mum ran her own typing/duplicating business from home between 1965 and 1975. Presumably, she charged for this and it seems she kept money in a tin, see Chapter 121. On Tuesday the previous week, she thought money was missing from the tin. So, she left a note in the tin asking for the money to be returned. She notes that on this day it was.
I can’t really explain this incident. Presumably, mum thought that someone else living in, or had access to, the house had taken the money and when she left the note they returned it. I have no memory of taking the money and find it hard to believe that one of my siblings did. I wonder if it is possible that mum miscounted. From what I know of my mum, that seems unlikely though!!
In November 1979, there was a similar incident where mum thought some of her stamps were missing. It turned out, based on her diary, that this was indeed the case and someone who had been doing building work for her had taken them, see Chapter 114.