I hope that all is well with you, it seems so long since we heard.

At last we're getting some summer and the country is full of people making hay.  There will be lots of hay this year.  All ours is in, and we are now waiting for the flax to be ready, and the crops to ripen.

Basil is still away, and seems to have no intention of returning.  But I have written to him to come, for Aunt Bessie says that she is going to N.Z in October, and she would like him to go with her.  She will also lend money for his passage.  For Basil's sake I am glad but we shall miss him dreadfully.

Yesterday, Sunday we had a little surprise! Mrs. Wagg, Laila and I were in the kitchen at about 11.15 AM when John came in saying something about some men.  He had not done speaking when I saw a youth following him who said " have you any arms" then turned round in a second and bolted out of the door.  Laila went to the door, but was sent back by a man with a gun, who was on guard at the back door with another man.  So we stayed there for nearly an hour, whilst now and then we heard steps up in the house.  Then we heard a whistle.  After about 5 minutes  I XXX to go up and found all clear.  But of course all the guns, ammunition, revolver, field glasses, opera glasses, prismatic XXX & any odd equipment on the walls were carried off.  But they took nothing else except Daddy's pouch & tobacco.  They knew exactly where to look for things, and did not bother to go to any rooms but where they were likely to find everything.  Luckily Daddy and Vera were a church, for if he had been at home, there might have been some shooting. Brady went up to BalliXXX & got the police who came and looked about & wrote down statements etc.  Mr. Burrowes also turned up & and arranged with the Inspector that his arms were to be taken at once, for safety we had 600 rounds of service ammunition in the house.  The military are going all through the country collecting arms, unluckily they were only to come here this week.  We hear rumours of XXX other other raid yesterday, one man's money was taken.

Basil has just turned up by the midday train.  We cannot get bread now, as the Belfast bread is boycotted here.  Vera has to bike into Cavan to see if she can get any.  They are boycotting all Belfast goods here and many bread vans have been destroyed.

So I suppose you can look out for Basil before Christmas.  I do not know by what route they will go.  Ralph may possibly find his way to India in the end.  When last he wrote he said he hoped to have an interview with Mr. Charles.

Teddie is still on the frontier in awful heat (116 is quite ordinary temperature) varied by dust storms.  I wish he could get away for a while, but other officers have gone sick.

I hope you are well and flourishing.

It is wonderful how calmly Daddy takes the raid, I thought he would be frantic.