You do not currently have permission to view the full text for this document. Please sign in to an account with an active subscription or contact support.
Here we are in our new home. The journey was long because of head winds which made the Pan Am authorities route the plane by Mong-ray-ahl instead of the polar route. The Mong-ray-ahl-ers were very sluggish about loading petrol (gas) but perhaps this was because the temperature was 0° Fahrenheit (32 degrees of frost). I had been feeling terribly hot in my thornproof suit so walked to the rear door. All doors open but no one allowed out. Before I knew where I was I found out what 32 degrees of frost means. I thought I would not feel warm again! We had sunset for about two hours – blood-red sky. Then Los Angeles looking like a marvellous garden of flowers made out of precious stones.
On Friday it rained and on Saturday it poured – properly. No nonsense about ‘rain’ as in England, but the real thing as in India when I was small. Today we woke up to white frost (we never have frost in California) and brilliant sunshine and blue skies. I may say I bathed in the pool on Friday but it was cold! Bitter! I couldn't stay in, but just swam the length and back. Also a hummingbird obligingly showed up and today Mummy and I both saw it. Seems queer to have a real hummingbird mucking about in your garden; also a beautiful dove which is very tame and sits about, or walks, even if you are within a couple of yards. It doesn't like white bread but only cornflakes.
It is difficult to believe it's January. There are begonias in the garden. Green but already large strawberries, azaleas in bloom and camellias just coming out. The real pleasure though is in the blue sky and sun which we have had for the whole of the day.
Mummy and I have just had our first breakfast in the garden outside the living room. I am writing this in the same place. I don't want to make your mouth water but it is very nice. I had a long swim before breakfast; the pool is bright blue like the sky and the temperature during breakfast was 75° in the shade. There is a cool breeze. The blue jay came down just now to scold G