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Transcription of Letter
From
Mrs. J.R. Derbyshire
62 Friars Avenue
Delapre
Northampton NN4 9PX
England
To
Mr John Derbyshire
Siping Teacher's College
Siping City
Jilin Province
People's Republic of China
November 17th 1982
My dear Son,
This card may be early, but the Aerograms just fit the envelope nicely. Dad thought you'd be
interested in the enclosed cutting, & he's concerned that you'll lose your tax rebate or may have to wait till
1984. We've had nothing yet
& he thinks you ought to look into it, or do you want me to write to them & ask why the delay?
I should have gone to Pete's last Saturday, but
it poured with rain, so postponed it till this coming Saturday. I hope by now you will have had the Aerograms etc. I
sent off last week. Capes
have returned your manuscript, so sorry love. The weather has turned very cold & we've had gales & lots of
rain. I've spent hours
sweeping up the leaves, but there always seems to be more the next day. I'm sitting by the patio window writing this,
Dad has just come in, his
usual cheery self!!?? … snorting & cursing about prices, shops, people etc. A little robin & two
blackbirds are watching,
they're waiting for food.
"Brenda"[1] came to N'ton last week, Judy took Marcus
to see her & Judy said they had a wonderful view. Marcus told me all about her lovely dress & she waved to
him He calls the Tower now,
the Queen's Tower. I didn't go to town, I can't stand the crowds & waiting about, but we saw it on T.V. She had
lunch at the Guildhall. Your
pictures have been truly shown & admired, with lots of nice things said about you.
I put a piece of old netting over the pool, but the holes are too big, & the smaller leaves
got in, but it will have to wait till Spring now
I walked up to the Garden Centre last Sunday & brought a honeysuckle to plant over that old
tree stump, they are selling off their patio tables & chairs, I was very tempted, but thought I'd better wait till
Spring comes. Xmas draws
ever nearer, it won't be the same without you dear, we shall all be thinking of you. I was quietly snoozing here
yesterday, when there was a loud
bang, the bulb on my lamp had exploded, Dad had put a new bulb in the dining room, when that fell out & smashed. I
think he doesn't put the bulbs
in properly. My iron was shorting & when he took the plug apart, there was 3 screws loose inside He got the
pliers to remove the broken
part out of my lamp, now I can't get a bulb in at all!! I'll get Phil to have a look at them when he comes. Dad won't
have it that he can't handle
these things now. when I bought my coffee maker, & a new plug he was 2 hours fiddling with the plug
& gave up in the end.
Auntie Cis did it & showed me how to do it. It really worries
me. We now have no lights in
the dining room, hall
& my lamp. My fingers are not as nimble as they were, but I'll get the steps out tomorrow & get some bulbs in
myself.
I'll post this tomorrow dear, but leave it open till morning just in case.
Thursday am No letter dear, so off to P.O. Pension Day. & post this, then to library, to
hairdresser, on to town to lighten
the load for Friday.
Take good care, love you
X X X X
Mother & Dad.