Laxfield
Sunday

My dear George
This being Sunday eve & you know we are in generally very (?) then I thought to keep myself awake I would write you a few lines to ask how you like this cold weather, it do not suit us country people at all for a great many people have not finished putting in the wheat. We have 9 more acres against old Fletmans where the seed clover was & the beet is not carted up but suppose the frost have not done them much harm. I am generally have to tell you all the news. Last Wednesday the Garriers were here, lunched at Mr.T. Read's. Father walked & lent his pony to Alfred Scace, it did well for the first time, I saw it jump out of the arch meadow into the field & it did well. We had a good view for they all came through the yard. Friday we went to Darsham being sale day so I went & had a look over the hall, its a great old house & now under repair. Aunt Hayward is got quite well & her face as red as a brick, she went to church today for the first. Uncle was not at home, he is always out three days in a week seeing to his other farms, she says she might as well be in an old jail. The cows & two of the children have been at Mettingham since before Michaelmas, they went home Thursday week & now Lorna is staying at Shipmeadow, so I think Grand mama & Aunt Roe have had enough of it, but you know Mr. Hayward is all & everything. Aunt Hannah is I think got well again. George Smith is now in London passing a second degree for the Lawyers. Father saw Alice Chandler last Tuesday & she had not heard from any of them since they had been at Ipswich, should think they are getting settled now. Father sold old Primrose & Horny for 41£, a rare good price for right old cows, & Thursday he was bid 15£10s for old Cherry but did not let her go. Poor old Tolman died last Tuesday, is to be buried tomorrow. Arnold Scace is getting a rare swell, keeps a pony & cart now, & old Radley is there to superintend the shop so now he can drive about which suit him well. They had a new cooking stove put in that little hole of a washhouse place last week, so trade must go well.
Now I think I have told you all the news for this time & must draw this to a close for I am now going to write to Uncle Harry & send your card so perhaps he will send you a Christmas box. Ellen will soon be home now & we want to look out for a crib for her. I will send you a few stamps soon as am afraid Father did not send you enough. We are all pretty well with the exception of colds, little Nunn have a bad cough but he will run out in the cold. He amused me the other day, several of the old hens have lost their tails so he came running in 'Oh Mama, the wind have blew all the old hens tails off, theirs a job'. You would have rarely laughed, he got a rum little customer. I told him I was going to write so he says 'George never send I any sweets Mama'. Father & all join with me in kindest love, hoping you are quite well,
from your ever affectate Mama, M. Chandler
Write again soon

Latest news another old sow had 11 pigs last night, unfortunately 6 got away & died.