July 8th 1965

10-1 Rohurohiso-cho
Ashiya City
Nr Kobe

My dear Mum & Dad,

Very many thanks for your birthday card & for sending the stockings.  I shall be very glad to have them when the cold weather starts - Japan is designed for small people and they make nothing in the clothes line to fit me.  Shoes stop at size 6 - stockings size 9 so I am completely at a disadvantage!

We have had a lot of rain but I believe the rainy season finishes next week-end & then we are told to expect some very hot weather.  The children are on holiday for three months!  Unfortunately the weather hasn't been good enough for much swimming but they have managed about 1/2 dozen swims.  Elisabeth is still going to kindergarten as her holidays start at the end of this month.  A dutch friend mentioned Elisabeth to the Japanese teacher at the school very near to our house and she offered to take E.  The kindergarten is a Japanese one but they do sing a few English songs & learn the A.B. C.  It does give Elisabeth a chance to mix with children & gives her an interest.  Anyway she is very keen to go every morning & takes her bicycle with her so that she can get around during playtime.

The garden is flourishing with all the damp humid weather & I can't pick the vegetables quick enough.  We are growing runner beans, cucumbers, sweet corn, radishes, lettuce, carrots and egg plant (aubergines).  The peas & broad beans are finished.  Our roses are blooming for the second times & the gardenias are out - we have also had peaches from our tree but most of them will be ready in another week.

The girls came home with a kitten a few weeks ago so we have another member of the family with a very ordinary name "Kitty".  Last Saturday Susan arrived home with another clasped in her arms but I had to be firm & insisted she took it back to the park where she found it.

Peter has been confirmed as an Accountant which is very pleasing especially as it came through 6 weeks earlier than we expected!  On top of the there is a big change around in the office - Guy Sayer has been told that he is needed urgently in Hongkong  Peter is to act as manager until next January when the new manager arrives.  It isn't definite yet - anything can happen & I expect Peter will write & give you full details!

At home we are having domestic trouble again - I'm really beyond caring whether the maids come or go as you never get the real reason for their leaving.  The woman who came 3/4 days a week to clean has been away for 6 weeks but was supposed to return on Monday.  She arrived - stayed 5 mins & then walked out saying that she couldn't work as it was too far to come!  (We were paying her bus fare).  I pointed out that as she was already at the house she might as well work that day - this evidently hadn't occurred to her & to my surprise she work for that day!  If I didn't need someone to live in and be here to baby-sit I wouldn't bother with all these ups & downs.

I have just made Adrienne a new dress & want to cut one out for Caroline today.  Adrienne is very hard on her clothes - the first day she wore her summer uniform she arrived home with the shirt hanging down and a piece missing from the waist-band "Someone pulled it"!!

It is nearly time for me to fetch Elisabeth - we are without a car for 3 days so I have to push her up the hill in the pram.

Hope you are both well
Love from us all
Margo Peter & the girls

P.S.  Caroline was very pleased with her books - she is supposed to be writing to you but has finished her lined paper!