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[page] 90
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from a chill, though I was not in the least
nervous or frightened. That condition soon
passes as we sat in our comfortable hut.
with its wooden floor, walls and ceiling. I talked
all the time cheerfully, and kept up the
spirits of the women. Robert who had been
through the great war, would gladly have gone
on with his work, I believe. The sun was
shining from an almost cloudless sky,
and we heard neither bombs nor guns.
Occasionally Robert peered out at the door
and listened, but there was nothing to break
the silence. Our two 'Pekes' 'Peter' and 'Sung'
sat calmly on the knees of Catherine and
Margaret, with complete composure as if
the situation was quite normal. We waited
for nearly ¾ hour, I believe, before the all clear
signal came to release us. There was still
lots of time for me to get to town and meet
Mary at the New Club, at 1.0, to lunch with
me somewhere if she could get away, so I set
off once more. Alas! when I reached the foot
of the Avenue, a man leaving the Church hall,
which is at present being used for soldiers,
told me they they had just had word that
another warning was imminent, so

I turned my steps homeward, but I had barely
reached Ormsacre ere we had once more to get
into our shelter. On this occasion I had
secured a rug for the floor which added
much to our comfort, and I arranged for a
supply of rugs for our knees to be forthcoming to make us
still more comfortable - while we discussed
further ameliorations of our lot. We were kept
for about 10 minutes on this occasion, again
without hearing any guns, or bombs, but it
is announced tonight on the wireless that
in the first instance a reconnaissance plane
was spotted above the Forth, and later some
other planes, but no attack eventuated.

21st Oct [October] 1939
This has been another fine day, suitable for
air raiding, but though one heard the noise
of planes among the light clouds, nothing
eventuated here. One step to increase the
defence of the Forth basin has, however, been
taken - a balloon barage had been raised,
and I counted at lunch time 15 blimps,
hanging suspended in the air, at different
elevations. Mary got an afternoon off,
and came to lunch, which was pleasant.
It seems likely now that some building
about Melville St. will be secured for her corps.
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