BETTY'S DIARY

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 47, 17 May 1940, Page 42

BETTY'S DIARY

_--- SUNDAY: Up early fixing house. Mamie arrived about eleven o’clock, looking marvellously well-and, oh, so smart in an American white tailored ensemble. Felt horribly outdated in my best blue crepe frock beside her. . . Mamie is a swell person. She hugged Bill-Jim, declared we were like a breath of fresh air to her, flung off her coat, demanded an apron-and insisted on helping with the dinner. . . Had a lovely day, gossiping and listening to all Mamie’s doings in America. She said life moves so fast there that the people die off young... Jim and Mamie enjoyed each otheras though they had been friends for life. When she left, he said: "Mamie’s a grand person, isn’t she?" I suppose in every married woman’s life these little moments come-when we doubt-and are unsure of ourselves. . . I just looked at him and nodded. Then I remembered suddenly a saying of mother’s — "Marriage is much more than finding the right person-it is a matter of being the right person." MONDAY: Mother brought over my "new dress" to-day. Couldn’t get the wrappings off quickly enough. The result was so magnificent that it nearly took my breath away. There was no living resemblance to my old black velvet dinner frock. She had removed the sleeves altogether and cut the bodice into a low, heart-shaped decollete, edged with an adorable ruffled pink tulle — and held up by narrow ‘shoulder-straps of black velvet ribbon. A wider band of the ruffled pink tulle outlined the wide hem. The effect was exquisite. Hugged Mother for all her trouble, and assured her I would queen it with the best of them at Jane’s party on Wednesday. TUESDAY: Decided Julia has been neglected lately-and to give her a polish-and Jim a surprise. Tried out a tip Grace gave me-smeared over a thin film of bath cleaner. Let dry and then polished with a soft chamois. Ellen was afraid it would take off the remaining patches of Julia’s paint, but it didn’t. Instead she glowed with a new grandeur, and most of her scratch marks have disappeared. Jim delighted with the result. Asked what polish I had used-and when I told him he nearly swooned. I said Julia spoke for herself-and he had to admit she did,

WEDNESDAY: Two-thirty a.m. Jim just tumbled into bed and asleep already. Too excited to sleep myself. A really lovely party. Jane’s house all in festive array; lanterns in the garden, a pianist to play, delightful crowd, dancing, cards, billiards -- something for everyone’s mood. Jane looked like an up-to-date mermaid in a new green-shot lame frock, long and slinky, and with her red hair done in the new upward sweep. My own frock was a great success. Grace refused to believe it was my old dinner gown. I even achieved a conquest. A tall, melancholylooking ex-army man who had come out to New Zealand for his health. We were getting along well till Jim came up and said — "Betty, can you spare your husband a dance?" THURSDAY: Too much supper last night -- chicken and lobster mayonnaise, salads, savouries, ices, desserts, and "bubbly water." Delightful at the time-but painful in retrospect. Spent most of the day on the *phone. Rang Mother to tell her about the party. Rang Jane to tell her how much we enjoyed it. Grace rang to discuss party and to compare notes. Mrs. Mitchell rang ditto. At six o’clock rang off to rush dinner. FRIDAY: Felt an urge of domesticity to-day. and with kitchen to myself, decided to experiment with a new recipe for sugarless jam. Cut up finely and removed pips

from half-a-dozen oranges and one lemon, Boiled till soft, then added two pounds of stoned and chopped dates to mixture. Boiled half an hour, then bottled. Made six pounds of jam-and it tastes good. SATURDAY: Helped Jim to sow onions for planting out in the spring; also planted out cabbages and cauliflower. Satisfied with our day’s: work, set out after dinner to see Bette Davis in "Dark Victory." Read previously a review in which the critic said that women would like this picture as they could enjoy a good cry. What a fatuous, misplaced representation of a really great picture. Of course the women cried-but not in the way that critic would have one believe. Bette Davis is superb. It is her picture, and on sheer merit, she should steal still another Academy Award. Her performance is so fine, so poignant, that it wrings the heart.