gb0551ms-33-133

Transcription

[Page] 133
[continued from page 132]

but professor Swann is the
only one, who made an offer. My belief is
that sundry visitors, although they greatly
admired the place, were deterred from
making an offer for it by the cost of
upkeep. With the wage of a part-time
gardener, at 24/- a day. - such cost is a
serious detriment. It is pleasant to note
that the couple, who will follow us here
are exactly what my choice would have
been, had I been left to make a selection
We have had a marvellously fine summer
and though ‘the glass’ has fallen and
heavy clouds hang on the horizon
the much needed rain keeps off.

5th Aug.1952
Our successors are greatly pleased with their
purchase according to their letters. Work
has not yet started on Weirknowe, where
various restorations and minor changes are
being effected, but a commencement is
expected any day. The long spell of dry
weather has broken, just as plants in the garden
were beginning to wilt and now the weather is
unpleasantly cold and unsettled. Now that rain
has fallen the garden looks full of flower
and I mark with white tallies such plants

as I may desire to take away or of which I can
take pieces. I shall take as few as possible.

29th Sept. 1952.
Ever since I wrote my last entry the weather has
been cold and unpleasant. On 3rd Sept. Mary and I
drove out to Melrose, via Soutra, to stay at Burt’s
hotel, where I had taken rooms for three weeks. Now
we have lately returned after a delightful holiday
I was not too well when I arrived, but within a few
days, what with my native air and a most liberal
diet, with good butcher meat twice a day, I soon
picked up and am now as well as I could wish to be.
Melrose has changed little in late years and
on studying the masonry of many of the houses
I can detect:- in the exposed walls of backs & sides,
evidence of considerable antiquity, though the
fronts have been modernised. The hotel was
very comfortable – a good second class hotel,
with a clientele to correspond. We spent nearly
every forenoon at Weirknowe, where Mary
kept an eye on the workers and I did light work
in the garden. By arrangement, Miss Cunning:
:ham, who put on paper my ideas for Orms:
:acre, came out from Edinburgh one day
and discussed the treatment of the garden,
which at present has no flowers in it safe some
18 carnations which I took out from Edinb [Edinburgh]
[continued on page 134]