AND WE GRUMBLE!

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 06, Issue 100, 20 August 1943, Page 5

AND WE GRUMBLE!

CONDITIONS AT HOME THE LOT OF THE HOUSEWIFE Writing to a friend in Awalccri a London housewife gives some, inkling of the trials and;'difficulties of every day life in the English capital. Speaking of the air raids she writes: "The noise is terrific and the guns so heavy. I don't know if its because I'm run down but 1/ feel war-weary. The rationing, the coupons and the points get me down. By the end of the rationing period I m out of everything. I'm waiting for Monday to 'come round now 1 — I've no tea, no soap, or jam (we get Ilb of jam each a mon th). Ice creams are off till after the war. Poor kids, no toys, 110 books Yes, you are right. The people over here are brave. We've known rotton nights, and we are. scared but its marvellous the way people carry on and try to joke. I wish it were all over—'we've had four years of it.. J3ut it has its funny side. You never saw such an array of kitchen utensils as I have. My kettle, is held together with string and we have beakers to drink out of—and even then we have to* take turns x if anyone comes. Send us some of your fruit. That is something I really miss. This morning I queued up for 3 /£lb of tomatoes. That's all they'd let us have. From there I joined another queue lor odd cups (2 to each person). I felt weary by the. time I received my groceries., meat etc. and then we had to get up twice during the night. Just off to sleep when up starts "Moaning Minnie." Up again and dressed for an hour till the 'all -clear'—then baclk into bed for just another two hours when up she goes again, and, of course out Ave tumble. It takes a time to get off to sleep after you wake from a sound one. Your nerves >are so taut. That's what I'm longing for— just to be able to go to bed with an easy mind. Its the same during the day—you're afraid to go far. I've had one experience of a Jerry at tree-top level machine-gunning. It was coming towards us but turned in another direction."