Chapter I

Eva's journal and first meeting of her club WWWA. Read on to find out what that means!

Wednesday, 14th October, 1914

Richard left today. We farewelled him at the wharf, such a crowd to see the ANZACs go...I wore my Sunday dress (a lovely brown thing with roses hand stitched) and a scarf. I managed to dress Louis in his Christening dress...it barely fits him any more. I had to struggle to fit it over his head. Miss Matilda (an old English woman next door. About as batty as my own mother) said his hair was too thick, and that was why the dress would not fit.

I spotted little Nellie and her mother Margaret, waving goodbye to Charles. He and Richard are good friends; at least there will be someone there to look out for him.

Nellie is about three now: Margaret had dressed her in a white dress as well, her blond hair plaited. Margaret, never one to look bad, was wearing a similar white dress to her daughter's, and her hair was let loose.

Here comes Mabel and Peter; I invited them for tea. Mabel's eldest Tommy just left for the War, along with Richard. He should have a better chance of returning though: he is an AIF.

Yours, Eva

Thursday, 15th October, 1914

 Mabel was distraught last night, poor thing. I told her what I wrote yesterday: he has a better chance of returning because he is an AIF. Peter asked what an AIF was and I told him the field ambulance. He still looked a bit confused though.

Just after tea I put Louis to bed. I undressed him out of his Christening dress and let him sleep with just the napkin on. Mabel and Peter left soon after, just as the Sun's last rays kissed the horizon...it reminded me as I sat in the kitchen, gazing out the window of the first time Richard had kissed me. I started to weep so I bundled myself off to bed.

When I woke up Mr Clarence Campbell's sheep had escaped into my garden again. They chewed the roses off the lovely bush Mother gave me. I chased them away with a broom while Louis sat on the porch, giggling. Miss Matilda poked her head over the fence to see what was happening, then for once helped me by calling her husband and he took his sheep back.

I invited over a few friends whose husbands have also enlisted; we are starting a small local club called the Work for War Wives Association - WWWA. We exchange books, sew, Joanne - lovely lady - is going to teach us how to quilt...They should be arriving at three o'clock, and according to the Grandfather Clock in the hallway, I have little over half a day.

I have finished readying the house with little over thirty minutes to spare! That is enough time to feed Louis and write.

The biscuits are in the oven, cooking nicely. They will be ready soon.

First, I dusted everything. Then I swept the porch and kitchen, before making the biscuits.

I have just fed Louis and put him to bed...Oh, here comes Joanne and Mabel. Margaret is coming as well: Nellie is going to be in the care of her older sister Mary. Miss Matilda is already coming up the path, swinging a wicker basket...I can only imagine what delights are inside; she's a wonderful cook.

I also invited my sister Bessie, and Richard's sister Martha. Minnie (my neighbour on the left side) is coming as well.

Thursday, 15th October, 1914

I am writing this by candle light - each woman brought me a gift, a policy in the WWWA. Minnie gave me wonderful wax candles, and I have set one in each room of the house. The remainder are now in the drawer of the dresser. Joanne gave me a lovely scarf...oh, how I love my scarves. It was peach with large pink spots.

Miss Matilda brought "rapid rising" bread, as well as ladyfingers (perfect for the occasion, I thought) and her very own jam-filled butter biscuits. The bread and ladyfingers is the French coming out in her.

From Mabel I received a new Sunday dress (my old one was tatty I wore it so much) that she made herself. It is white with a lace collar and embroidered pockets.

Bessie gave me The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, and The Three Musketeers by the same author. Joanne gave me a quilt for Winter, with England in all four seasons. Oh! how I miss my mother country...Martha gave me the Bible (she is very religious). She was the one who recommended Louis's Christening.

And Margaret presented me with a lovely mosaic brooch that I pinned to my dress right away. The yellow and green of it matched my yellow waist apron with the orange frills...I was wearing my Sunday dress today, my brown hair done up stylishly...Mabel took one look at my dress and handed me her gift. I am thankful she did; it was so lovely.

Because this was the first WWWA meeting, all we did was gossip. Mabel said her sister in England was expecting, and that she was to visit her when the war is over. We ate bread and my biscuits, before Joanne telling us to start designing our quilts. I am thinking an ANZAC quilt: a cross, maybe the diggers, guns... 

Next week Joanne is the hostess, maybe at the Markets tomorrow I could buy her something....

Yours, Eva

Friday, 16th October, 1914

The Markets today-Miss Matilda has her own stall where she sells her baking...I asked her what she got Joanne, and Miss Matilda pointed to the buttered croissants and plum clafouti. 

I wore Mabel's dress, and when she saw it she wept. Peter comforted her, handing her a lace handkerchief. A thought struck me then: I would buy Joanne a handkerchief! I let Louis choose it: I cannot believe he is one already! He chose a lovely white one, with an embroidered 'J' (yes, I had to pay more money for that but Joanne is such a lovely lady!). 

All the members of the WWWA were there; I ran into Joanne (but not before I hid the handkerchief under the bread I bought from Miss Matilda in the my wicker basket). She was there with her son Frank and her cousin Marie. Joanne asked me how my design was going and I told her fine...She said to be at her house by 3 o'clock, and well, I am a lady, so of course I'll be there on the dot. To be polite, I asked how Paul's health was progressing. (Paul is her eldest. He was going to join the army-he was the right age-but his illness stopped him). She said he was getting stronger-able to walk around the house, mostly. 

I found Minnie talking to Miss Matilda, and spotted little Nellie with Margaret and Mary, down by the wharf.

Bessie was eating bread, with my nephew Arthur sitting obediently next to her. Martha was reading the Bible under a tree to her twins Sarah and Henry. No doubt she is going to give Joanne a Bible!

Yours, Eva

Author's Note

Some of this *may* be historically inaccurate, so sorry if it is.

What did you think?

Thanks in advance!! :)

Reviews

[Michael Keyes]

This is lovely work. Only a few issues but plenty here to praise. (I like to get the gripes done first and end with the good news.)

."...and according to the Grandfather Clock in the hallway, I have little over half a day."
This being Eva writing in her journal, I think this line is perhaps over-descriptive. I can see it's for the readers benefit but I don't think it suits the context.

."Here comes Mabel and Peter." "...Oh, here comes Joanne and Mabel."
Are these visitors approaching as Eva writes in her journal? I think it's unrealistic if Eva were to spot visitors approaching then continue to write before welcoming them. I think it's a present tense thing while writing in a journal is primarily past tense.

."...my brown hair down up stylishly..."
This might be ignorance on my part so apologies if that is so, but should this say, "...hair done up stylishly..." or is "down up" a hairstyle of the time period? Sorry if this seems like a silly question.

.Lastly, I had some difficulty telling the characters apart because of how many there were. Undermining my own point though, this is the first chapter after all so chances are I will become more familiar with them as I read on.

Despite those points, I think the story so far is wonderful. Your grammar flows smoothly. It reads very easily. Bearing the time period in mind, you describe the fashion and the food well. You paint a very good picture. There's good attention to detail and plenty of emotion and character in Eva's writing.

Looking forward to reading more!