INGRID "HASN'T BEEN SPOILT"

F R I D A Y,  2 5  A U G

Had to get up pretty early because the painter came at quarter past 8 and he did my room first! I had to make my bed with him staring on the whole time. Actually, he's rather nice: when Pa left for the office he went “good morning” most cheerfully, and when Ma asked if we could now have the terrace doors open he exclaimed, “certainly!”

Sat on the terrace and Chump and me filled one of the clay pipes she found next door with tobacco and tried to light it (don’t know what the painter thought!). Can't stop singing 'A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You' - I adore it. 

Later I got rather a tummy ache - slightly back-of-waisty, but not really. It made me pretty miserable. Pa came home and we gradually got everything ready for the boat.

Left about 7 and listened to Le Hit Parade on the way down. Went straight to the Stores - no Moustachy. Bought food and an over-gross amount of sweets. We had stew for supper, and talked about us being able to afford more or less anything. I don’t like being brought up like this, particularly as there’s no need to save up for anything you specially want. It’s really rather dull.

“I shall be glad to leave home and have to work for everything. Daddy says this shows I haven’t been spoilt. ”

He's not spoilt either of course because he's known what it's like to be poor.

Tidied up boat – everything’s in the wrong place because Roly borrowed it! The horn mugs are actually missing! Honestly he is the absolute end – we’ve just discovered he’s taken one of our sleeping-bags. Mummy will have to sleep under the blanket.

The house on a summer's day