22 St Bede’s Terrace, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Tuesday

My dear Sean,

How lovely (a) (get) your letter! Mummy is right! I will really enjoy

(b) (help) you with your schoolwork, and I will try very hard (c) (remember) what it was like when I was a little girl all those years ago.

When the war started, I was just five and I’ll never forget (d) (watch) my grandfather dig a big black hole in the back garden. This was our air raid shelter. At first I was really scared of (e) (go) into it. Every time the siren went off, I started (f) (tremble) and I was sick, actually sick with fear. I refused (g) (leave) my bed. I didn’t find it easy (h) (get) used to (i) (sleep) in that shelter. But soon, (j) (live) in cities was so dangerous that the government decided (k) (send) all the children away to the countryside. I think I was lucky because I was able (l) (go away) to my aunt’s. Some children were forced (m) (stay) with total strangers. My aunt lived in a small town, called Alston, high in the hills, not too far from Newcastle. And guess what, Sean, she had a sweet shop! Mrs Crozier’s Sweet Shop. But, oh dear me, at first I was so unhappy, I couldn’t help (n) (worry) about my mother back home. My aunt let me (o) (have) as many sweets as I wanted, but I was too miserable (p) (eat) many. Silly me! Most children didn’t have the chance of (q) (get) lots of sweets because sweets were rationed. That meant that you couldn’t buy all you wanted. You were only allowed (r) (buy) a small amount. Lots of other things were rationed, too. It was impossible (s) (get) butter, cream, fruit, vegetables, and petrol. We did without a lot of things during the war. Can you believe that just after it ended, someone gave me a banana and I didn’t know what (t) (do) with it?

Sean, I hope this is useful. I’m longing (u) (see) you all. Give my love to Mummy, Daddy and Liam. Don’t worry, he’ll be much more fun soon.

Lots of love and kisses,