From Janet P February 29, 1976

 

Dear Dona,

I'm really sorry it has taken me so long to write back to your letters. We seem to be out all the time either with friends or just arranging things for "The Great Day". Do you know the wedding is 6 months away and we have had to book everything already.

When I received your letter with your measurements I really felt fed up. You're so slim.

I don't know if you will have heard about Mrs. Bridges dying but it was so sudden. They were thinking of a series of her and Mr. Hudson but I suppose they will have to scrap it as she is really irreplaceable. 

You have asked about Neil and Matthew. Well I will tell you. Neil is 9 his birthday is October 20th. He is very noisy and always in mischief but when he is out we all miss him. He is going to be very tall and good looking. He has beautiful thick hair and gets very brown in the summer. He adores swimming and Niky and I have started taking him to play squash with us and he enjoys that also.

He had a lot of trouble with learning to read but he has started to pick up a bit now and enjoys school a bit better. If you want to know any more just let me know but I don't know what else to write.

Matthew is 4 and was born on the 15th of December 1971 one month early. He is very small featured but I think he will grow tall as his dad is very tall. He went to playschool 2 mornings a week before Christmas but after Christmas he started to go to Infant school every after noon. He, unlike Neil, loves school but he lives on a quiet estate where as we live with lots of children on a busy little estate so I suppose he will have been a bit lonely. His best friend is called James and they fight over the train set. He has got very thin white hair and is an angel compared to Neil but he still gets into mischief.

Andrea, Matthew's sister is 9 months old. She is just like a little doll. She is really beautiful and is so good but she's not very keen on Niky whereas Matthew adores him. Everybody says she is just like me even Niky's mum so it just shows how beautiful she is!

Well I really have to stop as Streets of San Francisco is starting soon and I think Mike Douglas is super. I suppose the story is the same every week. Anyway bye for now.

Love,
Janet and Niky

P.S. I did my proposing today. Did you?

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Note: I wish I still had the dress I wore in the wedding. It was really pretty. Not that I'd fit in it now, but it was a pretty dress -- white eyelet cotton with a orangish under skirt.

From Janet P November 1, 1975

 

Dear Dona,

I'm glad to hear that you got a job especially one that you enjoy and what do you mean about fooling them about being a nice friendly person. I'm quite sure you didn't keep up the pretense all the weeks you were over here. Anyway try to keep your chin up over Christmas, as we get rushed off our feed giving people money and I'm sure you will be rushed off your feet receiving people's money. Is it expensive jewelry?

In your letter you say you are watching Shoulder to Shoulder. I must admit when I watched it I was in tears every episode and when they force feed the women I could have really belted the prison warden. I know when I had my 18th birthday and said that I didn't intend to vote in the elections, all my family started saying "did the Pankhursts and friends suffer for nothing". Then I started to watch Shoulder to Shoulder and felt really ashamed.

Anyway to change the subject is it really possible to attend a college over here. It would buck Jeremy up no end. Last night 'Halloween' Graham and Lorraine came down for the evening and I really wished that you would walk in the door. [Jeremy] looked so lonely and fed up. I hope for both your sakes it could be next year and near to the day you were arriving over here.

Niky has still had no luck with a job yet but there is a job that looks quite promising with the civil service.

It's Niky's 21st birthday in 2 weeks and he is getting rather depressed saying how old he is getting so at the moment we are trying to cheer him up.

Anyway I will have to close now as we are having to go babysitting over the road and I want to go get changed as I am sitting around in jeans and a sloppy jumper and looking rather tatty.

Love,
Janet & Niky

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Note: I'd completely forgotten about Shoulder to Shoulder until now. It seems it can be watched on YouTube! 

I don't recall considering going to college in England. 

From Janet P October 8, 1975

 

Dear Dona,

First I must apologize for not writing for so long, since my holiday I have got really lazy and it's taken me all my time just to get ready to go anywhere, or I have just sat reading and listing to records.

I didn't know you liked unicorns but when I showed Jez the card he said you would be pleased.

You asked when Neil and Matthew's birthday was. Well Neil's is the 20th of this month and Mathew's is the 15th of December. Neil is 9 right now and Matthew will be 4.

Niky still has not got a job. At the moment there are over a million people unemployed. We watched a documentary about unemployment in a town near to us and we realized there is a lot of people worse off than us and at least I get a very good salary.

At the moment I am working on the money side of banking as up to press I have been behind the scenes but I am on the counter now but I am so scared if I give anybody too much money as it is very easily done.

Did you get our card from Italy? I don't know if you could read it as Niky's writing is difficult for me to read and I have been reading it for nearly 6 years. 

The weather was really great. We had one bad day but it only rained in the evenings, so that day was just a bit cloudy although it was still warm.

Have you had any luck with a job. I know when I had to go for my interview Niky went with me and waited outside. I was really scared [but] luck was with me and I got the job. I don't think I could have gone through any more. I rely on Niky. I don't think I could get on a train by myself, so you must have guts if you are coming the way to England next year.

I don't know if Jez has told you but if we can manage to get married next year it will be September the 4th. So I hope you can manage to be here then.

Anyway I am in my dinner hour and I will really have to go back or my boss will be on my back all afternoon. 

Lots of love,

Niky and Janet

P.S. Matt and Neil say hello.

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Note: I'm pretty sure that Neil was Janet's younger brother and Matthew was her nephew. I remember both of them being very cute.

From Janet P August 23, 1975

 

Dear Dona,

I hope you had a happy birthday and received our cards on time. I'm afraid I had to write Neils as I could not find him to write it and I had to catch the post.

I'm afraid Niky didn't get into the police, in a way I'm rather pleased as I have never been a lover of the police force and I would never hand seen him because of the odd hours.

So we are waiting to see if he can get a job in the tax office if he does it will mean that we can just about afford to get married next year providing we both save like mad but if he doesn't have any luck I have no idea when it will be.

I don't know if Jeremy has told you about all my plans but just in case he hasn't I might as well tell you. I want two bridesmaids. You and my best friend Lorraine and Jeremy will be the best man. Lorraine's boyfriend (Graham) will be a groomsman and Matthew will be page boy. As the best man ususally gets paired off with the chief bridesmaid I thought you could be chief bridesmaid and then Lorraine can go with groomsman (Graham) that is providing she is still going out with him but they seem pretty keen on each other. So here's hoping Niky gets a job in time.

By the way, did you get a job? I hope you have better luck than Niky.

I can't tell you how it was in Italy as we have not been yet but I will send you a post card when we get there.

Jeremy did not tell us about your contact lenses but it must have been the only thing he missed out but I'm glad to both of you that you managed to get as much in that six weeks as he as told us about.

Anyway I had better close as I have to get ready to go out with Graham and Lorraine.

Love,

Janet and Niky

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Note: Janet and Nick did end up getting married the following year and I was a bridesmaid.

From Janet P July 6, 1975

 

Dear Dona,

I'm sorry that I have taken so long in writing back but my driving test is not very far away and I have been out most nights trying to get through the test.

My sister had a little girl on the 2nd of June at 5:30 pm. They are calling her Andrea Elizabeth. She weighed 7lb 11oz and has black hair. I don't know her length.

Did Jeremy give you the books I sent? I doubt if you will get around to reading them for a few weeks (5 or 6) but I don't want them back so don't worry about them.

Since Jeremy left we have watched Wimbledon every night. The gone out [?] full of confidence and realized it is not as easy as it looks.

I suppose you will have heard the result I felt sorry for Chris Evert. I don't really like her but she can really play tennis. She seems to stand in one place and has her opponent running all over the court. On the day of the men's finals I was trying to cut a dress out and it must have taken me about two hours just to pin the pattern on the material. Niky said from the first day of the tournament that Ash would win but I was sure it would be Connors. 

The weather here has been great for about 7 weeks but they say there is a potato shortage and fish and chips are going up to an awful price. Although it really is a blessing for weight watchers who want to be slim for their holidays, e.g., yours truly!

Anyway I had better close as Niky has arrived to go to his gramma's. Tell Jeremy all [have] been well. His brother will be a policeman by the time he arrives home.

Give my love to everybody and tell Jeremy to have a good time as I forgot to say anything last time I saw him.

Love,
Janet and Niky

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Note: The books Janet mentioned must be the two Upstairs Downstairs books that I still have. I wondered where they came from. This must have been the trip where Jeremy and I made the clothespin ornaments. He made one of Nick as a policeman.

From Janet P June 1, 1975

 

Dear Dona,

Well we are all sat here waiting for my sister to hurry up and have her new baby. The doctor told her it was due today but besides the odd twinge there is no sign.

You ask why we have to save up to go out. Well if we really want to have a good time then we have to spend a lot of money and on our salaries we have to save up to get that money.

Yes I did know that Upstairs Downstairs got an award. Do you watch it at all? At one time I watched every episode but it got to the stage where I could not keep track. Although I have bought all the books.

Yes I did know about Eric as a matter of fact Niky's Mum and Dad went away last week so the three of us looked at some slides one night and Jeremy got his of America down and there was one of Eric among them.

I wish I could find somebody to play tennis with me as I would really love to learn but it would have to be someone as bad as me. Both Niky and Jeremy are pretty good so if I started to play with them I'd feel pretty stupid when I missed every serve.

You will probably have finished school when you get my letter. Will you be getting a job for the holiday until college, or will you not bother because Jeremy is coming over for so long?

The time has gone really quick since he told us that he would be coming over, but for you it will seem like years. I know when Niky goes away for a week I get really fed up and depressed and nobody comes near me for days in case they get their heads bitten off. I remember the fist summer we went out with each other he went to Austria for 12 days. All I thought about were other girls he would meet but his Mum told me that he moped about 'til the day they arrived home.

Last weekend we took Jeremy and Neil to some motor racing and he really is beginning to perk up a bit. All he talks about is America (Dona of course) and his cactus [?].

Well I really must close now as it is late and I have to get up to go to work (yuck!).

Love,
Janet

PS Niky sends his love

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Note: I am surprised that I mentioned tennis because I don't remember ever having much interest in it -- although I did learn how to score at some time. I'm not sure I deciphered the last word of the 8th paragraph correctly. I don't recall Jeremy having a cactus.

From Janet P May 9, 1975

 

Dear Dona,

Sorry about the delay in replying to your letter but these past two weeks I have been busy on my driving lessons. I don't know if Jeremy told you that his dad has got a brand new car with a dent on the back and Niky and I bought a secondhand car. You may ask your self why did Mr. B buy a brand new car with a dent, well he didn't actually get the dent with it. I drove into the garage doors, buckled the door and it bashed into the back of the car. I needn't tell you what happened. 

I'm glad that you have a daily fight with your brother now I know that we're not the only two who fight daily.

You ask what it is like to be eighteen in England. Well you are allowed to drink, get married without consent, and vote, but that's all. To go in the night clubs or discos it is twenty one, not that it stops a lot of people, but if we ever want to go anywhere like that we have to save up for months in advance so we can buy a drink to last us the night once we get in. Oh I forgot you are also allowed to see "x" certified films but they don't seem to bother if kids of about 13 get in. 

Yes, I do think that time passes very quickly when you look forward to something for months and then before you know where you are it is all over.

We do get awards for films but they seem to only give it to rubbish or French films that nobody has heard of. I don't know if I have seen any of the films up for academy awards as I don't know any that have been nominated.. Although you say The Great Gatsby but to be quiet honest I thought that certain film was a bit of a letdown. When I saw that film I had been to see three films with Robert Redford -- The Way we Were, The Sting, so after the other two such great films I didn't enjoy it.

We went to see Funny Lady last night and really enjoyed it but when I think back there wasn't much of a story and James Caan and Barbra Streisand carried it. I enjoyed it so much I went out and bought the L.P. 

Oh, by the way you have the same opinion about liver as me about liver. I think it is one of the most "yucky" things and if we have that my Mum normally has to make me something else.

I don't really know if you are more excitable you seemed a happy crowd I suppose when I think you really put the English kids to shame (especially Vilma).

Anyway I better close as I have got to go and make some lunch as Mom is doing the bedrooms and says that if we want any lunch to make it ourselves as she doesn't want to break off.

Anyway, bye for now. Give my love to Sue and all your family.

Love,
Janet

P.S. Niky sends his love and I am sorry if my writing has been jumping but I have been eating a raw carrot and they always without fail give me hiccups.

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Note: I thought Janet was a few years older than me, but it seems we were the same age. Hmm...