June 6th Monday. Nothing interesting, and the back of my leg very sore, sorer than its been for ages.
Category: Rosemary Sutcliff’s Diary
… Barny’s 13th birthday … (Rosemary Sutcliff Diary, 5/8/88)
June 5th Sunday. Barny’s 13th birthday. Sheila made him a really beautiful chocolate coloured cake with 13 candles, and Geraldine came to help eat it.
Rosemary Sutcliff loved her dogs dearly. Barny was a chihuahua.
… the sale of the tiny piece of land has gone through … (Diary, 4/6/88)
June 4th Saturday. The sale of the tiny piece of land has gone through, received the transfer document for signing from Mr Hodgetts this morning.
Mr Hodgetts was Rosemary Sutcliff’s solicitor.
… a suggestion of a classical myths and legends…sounds rather exciting … (Diary, 3/6/88)
June 3rd Friday. Poor little blackbird died in the night. I suppose the shock was too much for it. Oh dear …. Gina rang up with suggestion of doing a classical myths and legends for an old chum and colleague in a new publishing house of hers. Sounds rather exciting.
This refers to Gina Pollinger (‘Murray Pollinger’ was her agent), and is the first mention (in the diaries) of what became two books with Frances Lincoln (publishers), Black Ships before Troy, and The Wanderrings of Odysseus
… Horrid heavy grey day, and the cat has got three of our first baby blackbirds …(Diary, 2/6/88)
June 2nd Thursday. Ruth this morning and for lunch – Sheila did a splendid one, while Joan did sewing for me – fair division of labour. Geraldine looked in for tea, & has been summoned to appear in court about knocking that girl off her bicycle, and feeling rather flummoxed about it. Horrid heavy grey day, and the cat has got three of our first baby blackbirds! The fourth has survived, & parents are looking after it: Ray is going to put it in the garage for the night, for safety’s sake.
ROSEMARY SUTCLIFF (1920-92) 