Saturday, 31 July, 1943

G. H. N.

31-7-43  

My Very Own Darling,

I was very pleased and thankful to receive your cable this morning.  Mother posted it on to me as soon as it arrived.  As I had not heard from you for some time I was getting very worried and I know your Mother was too.  A letter also arrived from your Mother this morning telling me that she had received your cable.

Look after yourself, Darling.

I have not much news for you from this part of the world.  Life is pretty much the same.  I am settled down to hospital routine once again.  In fact, I feel that my recent holiday is part of a dream now.  I feel that I have not been away from the place for two minutes.

However, I have quite resigned myself to the fact that there will not be another break until after September.

Sister-Tutor decided to take a weeks holiday but she left us all a pile of home-work to do.

It has been terrible on duty since I came back.  It is so hot.  We are short staffed on our ward too so it had meant extra work for everybody.  I think that I must take a “sitting down” job for a few months when I finish here.  Just by way of a change you know.

We have not heard any more of Eric.  Bessie did not come again whilst I was at home and I did not visit Sunny Bank Farm.

Yesterday afternoon a friend and myself managed to get a trolley bus and go down to the river.  It was a great effort on my part as all I felt like doing when I got off duty was going to sleep.  I was glad that I made myself go as it was grand lying there under the trees.

Do you remember that day, about a year ago, when you and I went there?

I wished that you were with me yesterday.

We would have liked to have gone on the river but neither of us had enough energy.  We had to come back early too as we were on duty at five.  That is one of the snags of this profession.  We have to watch the clock whenever we are off duty as we have to go back so quickly.

Believe it or not we got a rise in salary this morning.  We also got money which was owing to us from April so we are quite rich this month!

It is now 11.45 p.m. and time I went to sleep.  Goodnight Darling.

All my love, yours ever, Grace.

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