A letter today, written on the 15/16 Jan and a very good letter too; also from JGL a charming Oxford U Press anthology called More Diversions, a letter from your mother at Romsey and one from my mother. Jack’s present is a prose and verse anthology and very charming it is. Your mother writes a warm friendly letter full of nice flattering things and saying how she counts every minute for her return to you and Richard, which is inevitable and an unfortunate start to her reconnaasance for a life apart. Its going to be very very difficult for her to really break away, and we shall feel dreadfully cruel, heartless and unkind. Oh dear. Who wouldn’t want to live with people like You and Dickie? Especially someone who is the mother of one of you and the grandmother of the other ! Poor all of us. However.,..

                        I’m glad Guardy likes So and So, I will do you another pair. I’m sorry Postie died. Its sad that, he sounded a niceable man, and was good to you. You sell things I couldn’t, Persnality and charm. As for us making any nich for Things, I wonder. You can pour them out for years and make no mark, yet it may be getting the name known and that may help books. The question of Making a Name is indefineable, some people go on for years and never get known, others get their name seeped into the national consciousness sort of imperceptibly, that is by always doing things which have the same smell to them, and getting them spread around. Your English Digest must be that sort, economical kind of paper to run, but as you say, maybe it helps and there’s no harm done.

                        Richard’s “phase” sounds trying, and your patience and understanding must be above the average not to tire. And he dares to feed Candy at table ? Surely candy would not tolerate such a State of Affairs ? I trust the morals of the house have not been so lowered. When I was at home……Ask Candy, she wouldn’t lie, not with those candid eyes.

I made no joke then which is good of me. So much I am missing, of the rough and the smooth. When he is older and threats are used, promise you won’t ever say that “Daddy would be cross” Perhaps he wouldn’t and if Dickie grew up with the idea that Daddy was a sort of a Wrathful God with a strict moral code it would start me off wrong. Because my code is very flexible. No, of course you wouldn’t. He’d only say, “What, him Gertcher…” and then where would we be.

                        Had some Italian snow these last few days, poor stuff compared with your British snow, goes with a wink of sun on it and no snowballs about it at all. Been cool at nights though. But I have a piccolo oil stove in my room and am cosy up here where I come to read and write or just to sit. Had an off week from the writing point of view, sort of a fallow week, couldn’t Do anything. Sat about, its passing I think.

                        Noon will be leaving the U.K. this week I expect, with my pictures…good. Mother seems to be expecting a sheet, is she ? Or has she got it mixed ? She sounds gay but confesses to a nasty fall again which is dizziness from blood pressure, says she’s all right now

but limps.

                        That far away thing the War seems to be getting towards the end, for this evening they say the Russians are at Frankfurt* and that is terrific. I think their Push took them further than they intended. We are up against fortifications which would take a year to fight through. It will be odd when it does end. Incredible somehow.

                        Went out to dinner on Monday, at another Mess, and a very fine show it was. Just the Mess, seven of them, H/Q, – Colonel, 2 i/c, adjutant and Group Quarter master-captain and myself. Fine table, fine linen fine cutlery, and silver, fine food and vast quantities, with a turkey and Spumante to drink, and after silly games. A nice night out. They had a photographer there so rather obscene pictures of me eating and in various groups may come.

                        I like the sound of Michael Fitz and his hunt for his father. He sounds an agreable young man, be careful or he’ll join the troupe, I felt that years ago when I met him in the Police station. I have avoided him for fear of his joining up with JJH, Chis, Marjorie, Hansons, JGL, Yarnolds us & Co. Put Peter in. Good old Peter one misses him.

                        Dickie walks on tip-toe and can nearly jump ! Jump ! Bless us all. Can Candy jump still ? Candy must have become reconciled to having Dickie there or does she live her own usual delicate life and accept him into the scheme of things. She ought to read the Ulysses tales so she can do the same act when I come home.

                        We must remember always that when it comes to novel writing, one doesn’t have to make it a terrific hair raising or nerve shattering affair, but take simple things and tell the tale simply. I tend to formidibilse everything. I must untend, Untend me, thee.

                        All goes quietly here, we have our domestic upheavals when naughty boys are naughty and our good moments when all goes well and we keep on top of everything and I am training up my orderly room sergeant for when the established one goes on Python. A young lad who is conscinetious and enthusiastic and learns quickly. Johnny is a tower of comforting strength and Ronnie Channon lets himself be handled all right, and we are taming the devils in the other outfit and have got one sent off to 1021, he was a Staff sergeant now he’s a sapper. One by one the rackets are purged. I love love you and haven’t left much room
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