3rd January 1940

3rd January 1940

Sarvar to 26 Pen-Hill Road, Cardiff

Dear Madeleine!

I wonder if you ever got my letter which I wrote in November. Did you get our Xmas card? But I am sure you must, as you sent me that marvellous calendar “Beautiful Britain”. Many thanks!

You gave me a great pleasure with it. In the morning I was looking at the old one and feeling sad the whole year has gone round. And then, the post brought the new one. How pleased I was! It is even more beautiful than the last. It has got 4 technicolour pictures and all of the pictures are marvellous. Yesterday I copied the “Castle of Harlech” in pencil-drawing. And I want to do some more, I enjoy drawing very much. There is very little else to do now, as the Xmas preparations are over.

I read and knit and listen in to the wireless. And I go skating. In our park there is a pond and now it has frozen very hard for a fortnight. So the ice is very good, smooth like a looking-glass and very hard. I noticed that when I fell down!! Muck is practicing all the Cecilia College tricks, but I am not as clever as she. When we are tied of good skating, we start a hockey match. That’s great fun, only we are 4 or 6 players instead of 18. Towards the end of the month we are invited to a wedding of our cousin in Germany. I would like to go there, weddings are always great fun. But I wonder if it’s possible. Anyway, Baby will remain here.

Dearest Madeleine, please forgive me for not sending you anything for Xmas. But things are so complicated here, for everything one has to write to Budapest and ask for permission at the National Bank. And everybody is allowed to send out one parcel in a month. So now I can’t send you anything except my fondest love and best wishes for the New Year.

Loll