January 2nd 59 (means 1960)

Written on HSBC Jesselton airmail letter

My dear Mum & Dad,

I have been intending to write to you ever since my birthday but have been just to lazy to put pen to paper. Peter always says 'I'll write' & I always think 'Next week' & of course that never comes. Your lovely surprise present arrived yesterday & was most welcome. I have recently been scouring Jesselton (unsuccessfully) for small snap fasteners for the childrens' clothes & the rubber pants were like gold-dust ariving! I cannont buy large sizes here & Adrienne still needs to wear them at night. Yesterday I was despairing as the last pair I had had split & then your parcel arrived with the Kintal ones which are ideal. Susan was also getting very low on rubber pants & the other pair are very smart. The girls had lovely Xmas presents & I am just finishing off the 'Thank-you letters'. Peter fortunately takes over his side of the family! - as fast as I think I am up-to-date with writing letters I recieve another batch. I write to five families in Ctta & they always seem to be writing to us. When I started writing this morning it was beautifully cool but the sun is now fully up & I can feel the heat rolling in. Susan has just gone for her nap & Adrienne is busy amusing herself with the baby walker. I have a great pile of sewing to do - I have the 'bug' so I'm stitching away as tho I'm on an assembly line! Everytime I make Caroline a dress she wants one for the doll as wll. Adrienne fortunately spends most of her time in a pair of shorts (thanks to Marks & Spencers!) & hasn't got round to thinking about dressing her dolls as well. Adrienne loves the sea so I go down to the beach with her as often as I can. All the girls are very brown & full of high spirits at the moment - Peter thinks they are secretly taking 'Pep' pills ..... Poor Susan has a black eye this morning & its completely closed & swollen. It doesn't seem to worry her but she had a nasty crack yesterday - falling out of the cot. I must have forgotten to put the cot side up so I'm now in the rest of the family's bad books - servants as well! I can never get much on these air-letters - one of these days I'll write a proper letter. I am enjoying the 'Homes & Gardens" & again many thanks for all the haberdashery.

Love from us all Margo.