July 22^nd

Dear Mamma,

I had a lovely birthday. Thank you very much for your letter and gift. I suppose I ought to save it to set up our happy home in California, but I am sure I will think of too many other things to do with it. Actually I had at least three birthday parties. Peter took me to Soho for dinner and to a film the Observer described as "perfect," on the day, then the next day my neighbour gave me a tea-party, and some days later Mrs. [Jonckheere] invited us for supper. I think this is doing quite well, even for a twenty first birthday. Peter gave me some wonderful earrings, long ones of a white stone rather like moonstone.

I had rather decided on Jennifer for a girl too, but Peter was being most uncooperative about this business of names. He was insisting on "Gregorio" or "Plug-up" (a character out of a very pointless space-fiction strip cartoon) every time I suggested anything reasonable. He has been won round to Jennifer more or less I think. I cannot decide definitely for a boy though. You have to consider the possible abbreviations and nicknames too, and I don't like "Tony" too well. By next week I should have my [?], which will be one good thing done.

The baby is getting pretty obstreperous these days, and I am tired very quickly with the housework and so on. But we hope to see some plays in the next two weeks, as this season which is now ending is said to be exceptionally good. We saw one, called Look back in anger," last Friday which was certainly very entertaining, clever and good theatre.

Love and thanks again to you and Papa,

Julia