It was now autumn, and we had started the new term at school. We were all progressing quite well with our lessons, apart from my brother George. Poor George was having difficulties learning to read and write. My Father blamed himself for keeping George home, when he should have been in school. However, what George lacked in reading and writing skills, he made up for in being excellent at all sports. This made him very popular when the school was competing with other schools on sports day. My Dad would watch George playing, beaming with pride.
Autumn turned to winter, and with the approach of Christmas, my sisters Emm and Anne, both wrote to say they would be able to come home for a few days. Emm was still seeing Fred, her boyfriend she had met in London. She wrote to say that she would spend Christmas with us, and then stay in London with Fred for the new year. Fred was now a sapper in the army, and had a few days leave over the new year. Anne had a week due to her, so she planned to spend the whole time with us.
Emm arrived looking her usual glamorous self, and still moaning about the ‘godforsaken’ place we lived in. Anne came the next day, followed by Lil who had a few days off for Christmas. It was lovely that all the family were able to come that year, as it was the last Christmas we would spend together as a complete family.
Mum, Emm and Anne all had news for us. Mum told us that she was expecting another baby in late spring. Emm then said she wanted to marry Fred, if Mum and Dad agreed. Anne’s news was that she was going to enlist in the W.A.A.F on her birthday when she would be old enough. We spent a lot of that Christmas discussing all the various news, especially Emm’s wedding. We all enjoyed Christmas that year, even though it was the same as other years, with money still being a problem. My sisters went back to their jobs, and we were soon back at school for the new term.
