August 4, 1908
Kitebrook
Moreton in Marsh
My dearest Robin,
I suppose you have done your haying by now. You must be rather glad, I should think, for it must have been grilling. It was 103° in the sun here yesterday and we thought that fairly roasting but I suppose it’s nothing to what you have. I went over to the Wingfields’ to play tennis and everybody sat and gasped. Mabel Witts and I seemed to be the only ones who were keen to play, so the others took turns to make up fours with us. It is fairly hot today but there is more air. A select few of us are going to the Club–Norah, Francie, Mr. Garnett, Mr. Evered, and a few others–and the rest to Mrs. Sammy’s tournament. I don’t envy them careering among the rabbit holes from 11:00 a. m. till 9:00 p. m., when Mrs. Sammy thinks there is some faint chance of it finishing.
Tomorrow the Junction tournament begins. I have not heard of many entries so hope to win the cup for which we all subscribed last year!!
Have you started tournaments at your club yet?
Reggie came home on Thursday and departed last night for three weeks in Norway. Everyone seems to be buzzing off there just now, amongst others Margaret Barnes who wanted me to go with her, but I thought my duty lay here for the present! Also I have been away so much this summer that “home” seems quite a pleasant change. I might possibly have been taken for a spy and shipped off to Siberia too, as her programme includes a week in Russia. I hope if I had been you would have made gallant efforts to rescue me!
Your idea of camping out near the lake [see Robin–July 20, 1908] sounds very jolly if there aren’t any earwigs about. Reggie always tells me harrowing stories of earwigs when he is in camp.
We had a most exciting cricket match on Friday which we just managed to win. Mrs. Francis’ side went in first and made 103. They quite thought it was all over when Artie Grisewood, the hope of my side, was dislodged by his first ball! However when my last “man” Margey Causton went in there were only 3 to make, which she accomplished without much difficulty. Agnes Witts made top score 35 and Norah 27. I only had time to make 1 before I was run out by Agnes which annoyed me a good deal. We are trying to get up another match on the 27th, all girls this time. Margey Causton thinks she will bring a team to Stow to play us. Do the ladies in B. C. play cricket, I wonder? We shall quite miss Harry as an umpire this year!
We passed by Lemington Manor the other day. I saw a few scaffolding poles about and half a new wall, so I suppose they have begun their alterations. They will take longer than yours, won’t they! It’s a pity they can’t pick it up and move it a little. I don’t think it’s at all a nice place where it is.
My poor dear Blackbird won’t carry me through another season, they say. Knowles is urging me to sell her, as he says he is sure she won’t last much after Christmas, but of course in my usual pig-headed way I am paying no attention to him and mean to stick to her if there is any chance of her keeping sound, as I couldn’t find a suitable creature to replace her under two years at least!
What a dreadful thing that bush fire must have been. I was so glad to see it was nowhere near you. I suppose your part is too cultivated, isn’t it? Of course I only read the paper about once a week, so I knew nothing about it till Granny wrote to enquire if it was in your part of the country.
Yours with love,
Kathleen