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Glendown Hotel "So. Ken." London 15 Aug 1950. Dear Ma: We are staying home this rainy evening, it rains a lot here and a day of sunshine is very rare. It isn't a pouring rain, but intermittent showers, so most folks wear rain coats. I haven't gone without a coat all summer, sometimes a sweater under the coat too. There is a royal baby born today today, and much excitement & crowds hanging about Buckingham and newspapers shouting. The British get "all hot up" over a new babe Sid and I have worked at the museum all day. I am getting a lot done and enjoying being with the other entomologists there and the huge collection that is there. I could spent 6 months just going thru things that interest me. At night Sid and I dive down into a Lyons' basement and stand in line with the Britishers for our supper. Usually there isn't so much left then, the shops close at 6.30. But we can get a salad made of diced beets, a cut up tomato and bit of potato salad and a pitcher or even a slice of canned meat. Often there are beans on toast, a cup of tomato soup, and on Sundays a dropped egg may be gotten. For dessert we usually have a helping of ice cream for 3ยข. not much of a helping, but good. And it isn't made of milk or cream at all, but of seaweed, you would never know it though. They have plenty of big cups of tea, always with milk in it, no coffee, and glasses of lemonade. Sometimes there are little tarts with rather sour apple fillings - sugar is rationed - or even rather coarse cakes. The food is adequate here, not too bad, but not for a gourmet's taste. For breakfast we get either oatmeal or corn flakes, frequently kippered herring, Sundays an egg, often a sausage filled mostly with bread & a bit of meat, not very spicy. Then we have toast & coffee & 1 pat of butter. We eat breakfast at the hotel and it is our best meal. We buy plums, oranges & pears to fill out our fruit needs. I haven't seen a banana in England,- it is a great concession to import oranges, as they are trying hard not to import. The shops have things in them, but many things "not for sale, for export only"... pretty dishes, etc. You will find 2 prices for other things, - much cheaper prices "for export." Londoners may buy without coupons "utility garments," cheap often shoddy clothes, but they are very limited on any really good clothing. There is some building going on, not too much tho, all about us are ruins. The whole row of houses in back of our hotel is flat, the block on the corner is an empty shell. Only 1 or 2 churches in the whole city wasn't damaged. But with all this, London is a very pleasant city to live in, and I have enjoyed it more than the rest of the places. It seems more like home. Sid has been invited down for a weekend with a botanist near the Isle of Wight. Doris will be back Sat night & we plan a Sunday trip down to Canterbury & maybe Devon. We may meet Sid the next day at Salisbury & visit Stonehenge.. it is not far from his route of return. Hope all is well with you Doris
