Homelife [cont]

Mother had a book called Vitalogy, "That was her bible more or less and she always

relied on that and referred to that when any of us got sick", occasionally got a doctor.

Mother had a good sense of how serious an illness was, was not a nurse but nursed her sisters through the 1918 influenza epidemic.

Mostly home remedies rather than a doctor.

All three of her brothers eventually joined up for war.

Mother got Waikato Times and the Auckland star, "The moment it arrived the first

page we looked at was the casualty list...you'd automatically scan to see who you

knew."

Felt the seriousness of war through it effecting older members of the family, also some excitement because of all the men in uniform, "There was a certain amount of

excitement to see these men in uniform because when you're a teenager you fall in love and out of love so quickly." As she got older it got even more serious for her.

Remembers rationing during the war; wool, stockings, butter, sugar. Coupons.

Worked in H.& J. Courts but still had to take her turn getting rationed goods.

"If you were offered wool or stockings you took them whether you needed them or

not because you knew that you'd be several months before you got any again."

Did own knitting and sewing.

Rationing did not effect her mother too much, still managed to send food parcels overseas, [discusses sending food parcels overseas].

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