that is just what gives us pleasure. Cheerful and good tempered, willing and good natured, these are her characteristics.
Yours, Anne
Tuesday, 10 August, 1943
Dear Kitty, New idea. I talk more to myself than to the others at mealtimes, which is to be recommended for two reasons. Firstly, because everyone is happy if I don’t chatter the whole time, and secondly, I needn’t get annoyed about other people’s opinions. I don’t think my opinions are stupid and the others do; so it is better to keep them to myself. I do just the same if I have to eat something that I simply can’t stand. I put my plate in front of me, pretend that it is something delicious, look at it as little as possible, and before I know where I am, it is gone. When I get up in the morning, also a very unpleasant process, I jump out of bed thinking to myself, “You’ll be back in a second,” go to the window, take down the blackout, sniff at the crack of the window until I feel a bit of fresh air, and I’m awake. The bed is turned down as quickly as possible and then the temptation is removed. Do you know what Mummy calls this sort of thing? ‘The Art of Living’—that’s an odd expression. For the last week we’ve all been in a bit of a muddle about time, because our dear and beloved Westertoren clock bell has apparently been taken away for war purposes, so that neither by day nor night do we ever know the exact time. I still have some hope that they will think up a substitute (tin, copper or some such thing) to remind the neighbourhood of the clock.
Whether I’m upstairs or down, or wherever I am, my feet are the admiration of all, glittering in a pair of (for these days) exceptionally fine shoes. Miep managed to get hold of them second-hand for 27.50 guilders,
