who　took　photographs　of　the　wedding　couple。　you　can　see　were　never　far　from　mieps　thoughts；　since　she　promptly　noted　their　names　and　addresses　in　case　anything　should　happen　and　we　needed　contacts　with　good　dutch　people。
  our　mouths　were　watering　so　much。　we；　whod　had　nothing　but　two　spoonfuls　of　hot　cereal　for　breakfast　and　were　absolutely　famished；　we；　who　get　nothing　but　half…cooked　spinach　（for　the　vitamins！）　and　rotten　pota…　toes　day　after　day；　we；　who　fill　our　empty　stomachs　with　nothing　but　boiled　lettuce；　raw　lettuce；　spinach；　spinach　and　more　spinach。　maybe　well　end　up　being　as　strong　as　popeye；　though　up　to　now　ive　seen　no　sign　of　it！
  if　miep　had　taken　us　along　to　the　party；　there　wouldnt　have　been　any　rolls　left　over　for　the　other　guests。　if　wed　been　there；　wed　have　snatched　up　everything　in　sight；　including　the　furniture。　i　tell　you；　we　were　practically　pulling　the　words　right　out　of　her　mouth。　we　were　gathered　around　her　as　if　wed　never　in　all　our　lives　heard　of鈥?br />
  delicious　food　or　elegant　people！　and　these　are　the　granddaughters　of　the　distinguished　millionaire。　the　world　is　a　crazy　place！
  yours；　anne
  m。　frank
  tuesday；　may　9；　1944
  dearest　kitty；
  ive　finished　my　story　about　ellen；　the　fairy。　ive　copied　it　out　on　nice　notepaper；　decorated　it　with　red　ink　and　sewn　the　pages　together。　the　whole　thing　looks　quite　pretty；　but　i　dont　know　if　its　enough　of　a　birthday　present。　margot　and　mother　have　both　written　poems。
  mr。　kugler　came　upstairs　this　afternoon　with　the　news　that　starting　monday；　mrs。
  broks　would　like　to　spend　two　hours　in　the　office　every　afternoon。　just　imagine！　the　office　staff　wont　be　able　to　e　upstairs；　the　potatoes　cant　be　delivered；　bep　wont　get　her　dinner；　we　cant　go　to　the　bathroom；　we　wont　be　able　to　move　and　all　sorts　of　other　inconveniences！　we　proposed　a　variety　of　ways　to　get　rid　of　her。　mr。　van　daan　thought　a　good　laxative　in　her　coffee　might　do　the　trick。　〃no；〃　mr。　kleiman　answered；　〃please　dont；　or　well　never　get　her　off　the　can。
  a　roar　of　laughter。　〃the　can？〃　mrs。　van　d。　asked。　〃what　does　that　mean？〃　an　explanation　was　given。　〃is　it　all　right　to　use　that　word？〃　she　asked　in　perfect　innocence。　〃just　imagine；〃　bep　giggled；　〃there　you　are　shopping　at　the　bijenkorf　and　you　ask　the　way　to　the　can。　they　wouldnt　even　know　what　you　were　talking　about！鈥?br />
  dussel　now　sits　on　the　〃can；〃　to　borrow　the　expression；　every　day　at　twelve…thirty　on　the　dot。　this　afternoon　i　boldly　took　a　piece　of　pink　paper　and　wrote：
  mr。　dussels　toilet　timetable　mornings　from　7：　15　to　7：30　a。m。
  afternoons　after　1　p。m。
  otherwise；　only　as　needed！
  i　tacked　this　to　the　green　bathroom　door　while　he　was　still　inside。　i　might　well　have　added　transgressors　will　be　subject　to　confinement！〃　because　our　bathroom　can　be　locked　from　both　the　inside　and　the　outside。
  mr。　van　daans　latest　joke：
  after　a　bible　lesson　about　adam　and　eve；　a　thirteen…year…old　boy　asked　his　father；　〃tell　me；　father；　how　did　i　get　born？鈥?br />
  〃well；〃　the　father　replied；　〃the　stork　plucked　you　out　of　the　ocean；　set　you　down　in　mothers　bed　and　bit　her　in　the　leg；　hard。　it　bled　so　much　she　had　to　stay　in　bed　for　a　week。鈥?br />
  not　fully　satisfied；　the　boy　went　to　his　mother。　〃tell　me；　mother；〃　he　asked；　〃how　did　you　get　born　and　how　did　i　get　born？鈥?br />
  his　mother　told　him　the　very　same　story。　finally；　hoping　to　hear　the　fine　points；　he　went　to　his　grandfather。　〃tell　me；　grandfather；〃　he　said；　〃how　did　you　get　born　and　how　did　your　daughter　get　born？〃　and　for　the　third　time　he　was　told　exactly　the　same　story。
  that　night　he　wrote　in　his　diary：　〃after　careful　inquiry；　i　must　conclude　that　there　has　been　no　sexual　intercourse　in　our　family　for　the　last　three　generations！鈥?br />
  i　still　have　work　to　do；　its　already　three　oclock。
  yours；　anne
  m。　frank
  ps。　since　i　think　ive　mentioned　the　new　cleaning　lady；　i　just　want　to　note　that　shes　married；　sixty　years　old　and　hard　of　hearing！　very　convenient；　in　view　of　all　the　noise　that　eight　people　in　hiding　are　capable　of　mak…　ing。
  oh；　kit；　its　such　lovely　weather。　if　only　i　could　go　outside！
  wednesday；　may　10；　1944
  dearest　kitty；
  we　were　sitting　in　the　attic　yesterday　afternoon　working　on　our　french　when　suddenly　i　heard　the　splatter　of　water　behind　me。　i　asked　peter　what　it　might　be。　without　pausing　to　reply；　he　dashed　up　to　the　loft…the　scene　of　the　disaster　　and　shoved
  mouschi；　who　was　squatting　beside　her　soggy　litter　box；　back　to　the　right　place。　this　was　followed　by　shouts　and　squeals；　and　then　mouschi；　who　by　that　time　had　finished　peeing；　took　off　downstairs。　in　search　of　something　similar　to　her　box；　mouschi　had　found　herself　a　pile　of　wood　shavings；　right　over　a　crack　in　the　floor。　the　puddle　immediately　trickled　down　to　the　attic　and；　as　luck　would　have　it；　landed　in　and　next　to　the　potato　barrel。　the　cethng　was　dripping；　and　since　the　attic　floor　has　also　got　its　share　of　cracks；　little　yellow　drops　were　leaking　through　the　ceiling　and　onto　the　dining　table；　between　a　pile　of　stockings　and　books。
  i　was　doubled　up　with　laughter；　it　was　such　a　funny　sight。　there　was　mouschi　crouched　under　a　chair；　peter　armed　with　water；　powdered　bleach　and　a　cloth；　and　mr。
  van　daan　trying　to　calm　everyone　down。　the　room　was　soon　set　to　rights；　but　its　a　well…known　fact　that　cat　puddles　stink　to　high　heaven。　the　potatoes　proved　that　all　too　well；　as　did　the　wood　shavings；　which　father　collected　in　a　bucket　and　brought　downstairs　to　burn。
  poor　mouschi！　how　were　you　to　know　its　impossible　to　get　peat　for　your　box？
  anne　thursday；　may　11；　1944
  dearest　kitty；
  a　new　sketch　to　make　you　laugh：
  peters　hair　had　to　be　cut；　and　as　usual　his　mother　was　to　be　the　hairdresser。　at　seven　twenty…five　peter　vanished　into　his　room；　and　reappeared　at　the　stroke　of　seven…thirty；　stripped　down　to　his　blue　swimming　trunks　and　a　pair　of　tennis　shoes。
  〃are　you　ing？〃　he　asked　his　mother。
  〃yes；　ill　be　up　in　a　minute；　but　i　cant　find　the　scissors！鈥?br />
  peter　helped　her　look；　rummaging　around　in　her　cosmetics　drawer。　〃dont　make　such　a　mess；　peter；〃　she　grumbled。
  i　didnt　catch　peters　reply；　but　it　must　have　been　insolent；　because　she　cuffed　him　on　the　arm。　he　cuffed　her　back；　she　punched　him　with　all　her　might；　and　peter　pulled　his　arm　away　with　a　look　of　mock　horror　on　his　face。　〃e　on；　old　girl！〃
  mrs。　van　d。　stayed　put。　peter　grabbed　her　by　the　wrists　and　pulled　her　all　around　the　room。　she　laughed；　cried；　scolded　and　kicked；　but　nothing　helped。　peter　led　his　prisoner　as　far　as　the　attic　stairs；　where　he　was　obliged　to　let　go　of　her。　mrs。　van　d。
  came　back　to　the　room　and　collapsed　into　a　chair　with　a　loud　sigh。
  〃die　enifu〃hruna　der　mutter；〃。　i　joked。　＇*　the　abduction　of　mother；　a　possible　reference　to　mozarts　opera　the　abduction　from　the　seraglio。＇　〃yes；　but　he　hurt　me。鈥?br />
  i　went　to　have　a　look　and　cooled　her　hot；　red　wrists　with　water。　peter；　still　by　the　stairs　and　growing　impa…　tient　again；　strode　into　the　room　with　his　belt　in　his　hand；　like　a　lion　tamer。　mrs。　van　d。　didnt　move；　but　stayed　by　her　writing　desk；　looking　for　a　handkerchief。　〃youve　got　to　apologize　first。鈥?br />
  〃all　right；　i　hereby　offer　my　apologies；　but　only　because　if　i　dont；　well　be　here　till　midnight。鈥?br />
  mrs。　van　d。　had　to　laugh　in　spite　of　herself。　she　got　up　and　went　toward　the　door；　where　she　felt　obliged　to　give　us　an　explanation。　（by　us　i　mean　father；　mother　and　me；　we　were　busy　doing　the　dishes。）　〃he　wasnt　like　this　at　home；〃　she　said。　〃id　have　belted　him　so　hard　hed　have　gone　flying　down　the　stairs　＇！＇。　hes　never　been　so　insolent。　this　isnt　the　first　time　hes　deserved　a　good　hiding。　thats　what　you　get　with　a　modern　upbringing；　modern　children。　id　never　have　grabbed　my　mother　like　that。　did　you　treat　your　mother　that　way；　mr。　frank？〃　she　was　very　upset；　pacing　back　and　forth；　saying　whatever　came　into　her　head；　and　she　still　hadnt　gone　upstairs。
  finally；　at　long　last；　she　made　her　exit。
  less　than　five　minutes　later　she　stormed　back　down　the　stairs；　with　her　cheeks　all　puffed　out；　and　flung　her　apron　on　a　chair。　when　i　asked　if　she　was　through；　she　replied　that　she　was　going　downstairs。　she　tore　down　the　stairs　like　a　tornado；　probably　straight　into　the　arms　of　her　putti。
  she　didnt　e　up　again　until　eight；　this　time　with　her　husband。　peter　was　dragged　from　the　attic；　given　a　merciless　scolding　and　showered　with　abuse：　ill…mannered　brat；　no…good　bum；　bad　example；　anne　this；　margot　that；　i　couldnt　hear　the　rest。
  everything　seems　to　have　calmed　down　again　today！
  yours；　anne
  m。　frank
  p。s。　tuesday　and　wednesday　evening　our　beloved　queen　addressed　the　country。　shes　taking　a　vacation　so　shell　be　in　good　health　for　her　return　to　the　netherlands。
  she　used　words　like　〃soon；　when　im　back　in　holland；〃　〃a　swift　liberation；〃　〃heroism鈥?br />
  and　〃heavy　burdens。鈥?br />
  this　was　followed　by　a　speech　by　prime　minister　gerbrandy。　he　has　such　a　squeaky　little　childs　voice　that　mother　instinctively　said；　〃oooh。〃　a　clergyman；　who　must　have　borrowed　his　voice　from　mr。　edel；　concluded　by　asking　god　to　take　care　of　the　jews；　all　those　in　concentration　camps　and　prisons　and　everyone　working　in　germany。
  thursday；　may　11；　1944
  dearest　kitty；
  since　ive　left　my　entire　〃junk