1949 June

June. Miss Auty on Tito. HGS concert. Vth Form to Macbeth at Stratford. Rats at 2/6 a piece. Regatta crew. Makins.

Whit Monday, June 6th
Phyllis and her husband James down yesterday. He very silent. She full of her journey to Yugoslavia and Bulgaria. Phyllis likes success and now takes a rather poor view of Tito as she does not consider him a success!

Been reading White House Papers of Harry Hopkins by the dramatist Robert Sherwood, some interesting light on the difficulties of negotiating with the Russians. Made me wonder how far Stalin a facade: in negotiations one day all amiability and understanding, the next day unaccommodating, the next back to friendliness and so on.
Of Roosevelt : “I am sure of one thing : although crippled physically and prey to various infections, he was spiritually the healthiest man I have ever known. He was gloriously free from the various forms of psychic maladjustment which are called by such names as inhibition, complex, phobia. His mind, if not always orderly, bore no traces of paralysis and neither did his emotional constitution. His heart was certainly in the right place. Furthermore he was entirely conscious of these extraordinary advantages that he enjoyed, and this consciousness gave him the power to soar above circumstances which would have held other men earthbound ” (See April 15th, 1945).
Election drawing near and more appearing about it in the papers. Inclined to think myself will be a swing and Conservatives may get in by a small margin, although Labour have lost no byelections.

Wednesday, June 8th
Went with Mary to the Long Grasses and left car locked up. When we got back found one window had been forced open and papers scattered out of dashboard pocket, but a basket of clothes and a sweater at the back and Mary’s handbag under the seat had not been found. Saw two young stoats playing on the track, jumping and tumbling and rolling over and over. We got quite close to them as they were quite bold. Found some sanfoin and rye grass, but the bees were working on it. Told Mary that night that she was as beautiful as a field of sanfoin, and so she was.

Saturday, June 11th
Worked on bees in the morning with a boy, but had a lumbago attack. Watched Old Boys’ cricket match with Hilary in afternoon. In the evening he came with a rat, which had been taking my eggs, in a steel trap which he had brought back from Dartington apparently. Paid him 2/6 for this C. O. D.

Sunday, June 12th
Lumbago still troublesome. A lovely day. We went on the Downs to Lowbury. The turf was covered with rock roses and the large purple thistles formed a contrast to the blue of the viper bugloss. Made a fire and had tea about 3 o’clock.

Saturday, June 18th
Concerts of Wednesday and Friday went off well. We had about 60 one night and 70 the other. The first evening was rather dull and cold, the second warmer. On both evenings the midges were active. We had two pianos, songs, verse speaking and country dances, followed by coffee and cakes and half an hour’s social intercourse.
This week a dog arrived! For Hilary, although after his return on the principle no letter no dog. A golden cocker spaniel bitch.

Tuesday, June 21st
Foreign Minister conference broken up with limited results on Berlin, Austria. At the last minute Vishinsky wanted something altered in the communiqué and everyone was called back from plane and train.

Wednesday, June 22nd
To Stratford on Avon wih 28 fifth formers and Mrs Clayden and Eric Cunnington to see Macbeth. 2 ½ hours in the coach each way in a continuous and never ending jabber and hubbub. Started at 9.15 with break at Woodstock to visit Blenheim Palace. Had lunch on lawns by the theatre and visited church, where you have to pay for entry still. The play was excellent, a fine dignified Macbeth, much blood and darkness and horror.

Saturday, June 25th
Had four young men in house for last week, a coxless four from St Peter’s Hall. Had them to tea to-day, a rather awkward ceremony, then Marjorie Wilkinson and McNab, a four square headmistress, to supper. Latter with a Scots sense of humour, if you can call it that, which I for one doubt. About the same touch as a battleship. Last 10 days a sensitive tooth, stopping put straight under National Health Act with no preliminary dressing, as with private dentist.

Sunday, June 26th.
Heat wave continues. Went to rather unrewarding tea party with two German women at the Makins’