Dolly and Jr. are improving. Last night was quiet and we passed a restful night. We all slept in the shelter downstairs.
Coné and Meñing ventured out this morning. On passing San Jose College they saw a large hole in front of the building. A hand grenade was also thrown in front of San Agustin College. We heard that a truck full of Japanese passed the buildings and that is when the grenade was thrown at them by the Army. The Army also tried to get the Panay Electric Light plant. A Japanese soldier was killed not far from our house and one near the house of Don Ramon Lopez. Dorothy said my birthday was certainly “celebrated with a bang!”
On November 1, when the shooting happened, we all went upstairs from our shelter during a lull to have breakfast, and John had on the table an embroidered, white tablecloth and a vase of red roses, with a birthday cake. Roland and Millard sang “Happy Birthday to You!”
John went to the market today (November 2), but there was very little to buy. Eggs were at 25 Pesos each, one small squash was 150 Pesos. Carabao meat is selling at 120 Pesos a kilo; no pork was to be seen. A small chicken cost 200 Pesos.
Dolly is feeling better, but quite weak. She is only taking liquids. Junior has also developed jaundice.
It is very difficult to be on a diet as we simply cannot get the desired food, and we all crave for bread, butter and all the good things from the United States. Thank goodness I still have some canned goods – I have opened 2 cans of KLIM (powdered milk) recently, as Dr. Bernas’s cow is only giving a small quantity of milk. She is probably upset by all the shooting. I also opened one can of condensed milk for Junior.