9th September 1939

Dear Diary,

When I got on the overcrowded train yesterday, I felt so befuddled and bewildered because there were so many people there. I honestly thought I was going to faint( maybe I’m claustrophobic?), and then the exhausting journey was just unreal.  I couldn’t see any buildings from the grimy train window, just endless space and then these weird things: a black and white splotchy thing that I’m sure I heard “moo”, a fluffy, cloudy thing that I think I heard “baa” and a pink with black spotty thing with a really big nose that kept grunting and “oinking”.   

When I eventually got off the train it was bitterly cold; I didn’t know whether I had caught frostbite. Yes, I was that cold! After a while, an old, bossy snob shouted that we had to stop making the place look untidy and go and sit on these varnished, mahogany benches (except she didn’t talk like me and I could hardly understand a word she was saying). 

It felt like ages before another lady came along, she was called Miss Rosemary and she was wearing a silvery grey shawl with lovely, delicate patterns on(I’m so envious).  She said she wanted an eleven year old girl who would help with her children. OK I lied, but only a little bit, I will be eleven later this year. I told her that I was already eleven and

might have exaggerated a tiny bit about how much I look after my baby sister, called Marigold. I must have said the right things though, because she picked ME. I felt so relieved.

When we got to her home I met her baby, called Addie. She reminded me so much of Marigold that big, sapphire drops spilled out of my eyes like a fountain. Miss Rosemary gave me a huge hug (she’s so lovely!) and then it was time to go to bed. My little attic bedroom is just adorable and I slept like a log. 

Heidi

10th September 1939

Dear Diary,

I started school today, we’re performing a play called ‘A Christmas Carol’ and, guess what ... I got the star part, I’m Scrooge. My teacher is called Miss Stockfield and she is almost as bossy and unkind as me ma, but I still love it here. The food’s fantastic, way better than at home! All the country air makes me tired though, I can hardly keep my eyes open so can’t keep writing and, anyway, my candle is getting dimmer and dimmer.

Good night

Heidi