Dear mom and Pop:
I've been trying to write ever since you called but we are always so busy that when we have a free night we go to bed early and try to catch up in one night on a week's sleep. The night you called we had company and it was hard to talk--there is always an automobile dealer and his wife in our living room. When Bob took the job and they told him they wanted him to live with the dealers, I didn't know they meant it literally. I think they told the dealers and their wives to come and live with us, too. I wanted to tell you what a swell little boy we have but it's kinda hard to brag in front of some people. His teeth are popping in everywhere--has about eight all totaled now. But he still hasn't any hair--everybody grows hair, don't they? We have a lot of cute little things we do every day--he is a great little mimic--I'm going to have to watch my step. He seems to understand everything I say. When I tell him "no" he sasses me--it makes him mad as the dickens. He hasn't had any kind of cold or cough but we ask him how his bad cough is today and he almost strangles himself coughing. The blue bear sits on top of his chest of drawers and I hold him up and ask him if he wants to talk to the blue bear. Then I say "hello Bobby," in a high squeaky voice and he knows he is being kidded. He glances at me with a twinkle in his eyes, then he squeals in a high thin voice, very much like the voice I used. Now ain't that cute--I hope you think so cause I do. I think you had better send me some sort of book on child psychology, Pop, cause I find I don't know how to handle him without giving him a good pop on the fanny. He's determined and strong as a little Sampson. He goes after and gets what he wants. He climbs out of and onto anything he wants. He stands up in his high chair, climbs out of his Taylor Tot and on to a chair, coffee table or anything handy. I've kept an eagle eye on him and he has never had a bad fall but he is very careful with himself, when he gets on the edge of something he peers over and hangs on for dear life. So I stay at a safe distance and let him take care of himself and he does a pretty good job of it, but I'm stumped on one thing. I thought I had him trained not to touch certain things when I told him no and everything went fine for awhile then he suddenly started running around grabbing everything he knew he shouldn't--that's about all he bothers to touch now, in fact, and when I slap his hands he tries to cry and sails into it again. So you tell me what I am to do.
Trouble is coming thick and fast for poor Bob. Boys joining up just tell him to come and get their cars from all corners of the state. They are kicking all the shady ladies around from place to place and trying to catch up with them long enough to get a payment or the car is a job for a detective. All of the dealers are twiddling their thumbs wondering what happens next and their isn't any new business, it's all old. So I suppose a year from now there will be a great many changes for a good many people. I guess as long as there is an automobile department, we'll be here, and do far Seattle talks like they mean to keep the thing alive. I maybe told you that Bob got a $25 a month increase but we are buying a bond a month so it just takes care of it nicely. It's just too bad. I guess we'll be middle-age and still be trying to get a start and stick with something. Don't let all this worry you because to date everything is really going fine. And you know I haven't got a worry portion to my brain and Bob instead of worrying gets mad and does something better.
I wish I had something interesting to tell you but we just see a show, play Tripoli every Saturday night, have people drop in and that's about all. Sunday was a beautiful spring day and Blanche and Sid took us and Judy up to Ellensburg to have dinner. Oh, one thing I almost forgot. Mary's father passed away about two weeks ago and he was a very devout Catholic and we attended the funeral in the Cathedral. It was an amazing show. I'm afraid I could never be converted to it. It just doesn't appeal to my comfortable soul. He left Mary a rather tidy little estates--if they can get it from the church. He had been living in a Catholic home in Seattle and they had tied up a good part of it and Mary is taking it to court. So it is going to be very interesting. I'll tell you the whole story when I see you. it's much too long and complicated to put in a letter.
Well, I must close and go to bed. Our new alarm clock says 10:30 and I feel silly going to bed at 9:30 only that rising an hour earlier in the morning makes me give in.
Write soon and tell me all the gossip. Tell Dick and Ellen hello and they had better write. Hope everybody is well. I write to Tom occasionally and get an occasional answer. Good night. Love. Louise
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
January 5, 1942
Dear Mom and Pop:
Well at last I have moment for myself. I have been trying to write ever since Xmas and we have either gone somewhere or had company every single night. It's terrible having the holiday come in the middle of the week, when it comes over a week-end you get the week-end and the holiday celebrations all over with at one time.
I can't tell you how much I appreciate the lovely present--the mix-master. I should say "we" appreciate it--Bob was the first to use it. He mixed up eggnog for Christmas day. He just can't leave it alone--read all the instructions before I ever got to them and now asks me when I'm using it if I do this and that according to the rules. It's just a beauty and wonderful to use. I've made waffles, a cake and, of all things, my own mayonnaise with it already. Thanks so much but I think you should have kept if or yourselves--it's much too nice for someone who doesn't know how to cook. On second thought it may be just what someone like myself needs. Anyway I surely love it. You may regret sending it--Bob says he doesn't need a wife.
Bobby enjoyed Christmas and we enjoyed him. He had gotten down to practically nothing in the way of toys and clothes since I was making him wait for Xmas to replenish his supply. The Teddy bear was darling and is decorating the top of his chest of drawers. I let him hold it when I'm with him but it's too cute to let him tear to bits. He likes it because it's so colorful. Colors fascinate him. And thanks too for the little suit, it's very pretty and he was certainly in need of it. I hadn't bought him clothes for sometime and he is too big for practically everything he owns. Santa Claus brought him a Taylor-tot, Kiddy car with all the trimmings, a high-chair and odds and ends in toys. The little girl, who tends him gave him a big ball and Judy gave him a little toy gift dog made of oil-cloth. The Leonards were pleased as punch about the pink bear you sent to Judy. I shouldn't tell you but we plan to have their pictures taken together with their bears and will be sending it along soon. It was nice of you to remember her. They all gave us some little gift--we practically belong to the family--and we just couldn't begin to give to all of them so we remembered Blanche and Judy only. We made several calls Xmas day and spent that evening at Leonard's and had supper with them. I almost forgot our own Xmas. Bob gave me three lovely pairs of nylon hose and a .25 defense bond which I can either cash in a couple of months or keep, which I plan to do cause we have been wanting to start buying a bond a month and it is a good time to get started. As a matter of fact the bank took a vote of its employees and sort of pushed thru a plan for each one to spend 10% of his salary for a bond each moth. But we meant to anyway and it's a good thing--I'd like to get this war in the bag. So far our business has gone alone as usual but their will soon be some drastic changes--no tires, no automobiles, no gas, etc. It sort of hits the automobile dept. pretty hard. However, we aren't worried. The bank is absorbing two of Bob's men and Bob will have to run his own dept. Practically alone with a stenographer or two--but it's still a job.
I don't know why but I always get around to talking about the war. I was telling you about Christmas. I gave Bob a hunting coat and Bobby gave him a pair of house slippers. Bobby gave me a bottle of cologne and bath powder. So we had a very nice Christmas with only one flaw and that was being so far from home. Tom sent Bob three lovely hankies and me a table cloth which is very much California. It is a heavy linen in bright color and will be very pretty with my pottery. Speaking of dishes I just can't wait to see your new set, it sounds very pretty. I haven't even seen the dining room set yet. I'm serving warning on Bob that the war gets any closer I'm going to S.L. and he thinks I'm fooling but I'm not. What I started to say is that I may get to see it all soon.
Pop. I'm sorry about the books being such a muddle. Maybe it's all my fault for ever setting them up the way I did. Maybe I'm the only person who could possible ever get them straightened out. Don't tell Mr. Williams when he sees who did it. I'd certainly be happy to help you with them if I were there. I'll have to confess they weren't any too easy for me to balance at the end of the year either and it was my baby. Well, I hope by this time it's all figured out and forgotten and you are busy with a swell new year. And if you are serious about the apple picking job you won't be able to keep from helping to harvest the crop this year if you will just come up into this country. I expect I'll be drafted into the hop-picking corps. I'll have to put Bobby in a sack on my back and you won't be able to tell me from the Indians.
Mom, I have had all I can do on the little quilt done for sometime but just postponed putting it in the mail. I'll have it to you in a few days. Will you please buy a little dollar white baby quilt to pad it with. I think you can get one about the right thickness at Penney's. And also buy the backing for me. I will send a dollar or two and leave the selecting of the quilt for padding and backing to you cause you probably know more about it than I do. They told me that the little light weight quilts are just as easy to quilt and wash without matting inside. As for the backing you use your own judgment on it, I haven't any idea what to even suggest. His little room will be pretty with the blue bear on the dresser, the quilt on the bed and I have red, white and blue seer-sucker drapes at the windows and the whole room is his.
I am sending a picture of Bobby and Billie Cahoon, son of the Studebaker dealer here. I may ask you to send it back if I can't get another print made, the negative belongs to Mrs. Cahoon. It was taken in their home. Billie is three months younger than Bobby. Thought I'd tell you so you would know which one was our young giant. He's the one who looks like a bull in a china closet. But he's cute.
Must close for now. Tell Dick and Ellen I will write tomorrow or next day without fail. Write often and make them long. Thanks again for the lovely presents. Much love, Louise
Well at last I have moment for myself. I have been trying to write ever since Xmas and we have either gone somewhere or had company every single night. It's terrible having the holiday come in the middle of the week, when it comes over a week-end you get the week-end and the holiday celebrations all over with at one time.
I can't tell you how much I appreciate the lovely present--the mix-master. I should say "we" appreciate it--Bob was the first to use it. He mixed up eggnog for Christmas day. He just can't leave it alone--read all the instructions before I ever got to them and now asks me when I'm using it if I do this and that according to the rules. It's just a beauty and wonderful to use. I've made waffles, a cake and, of all things, my own mayonnaise with it already. Thanks so much but I think you should have kept if or yourselves--it's much too nice for someone who doesn't know how to cook. On second thought it may be just what someone like myself needs. Anyway I surely love it. You may regret sending it--Bob says he doesn't need a wife.
Bobby enjoyed Christmas and we enjoyed him. He had gotten down to practically nothing in the way of toys and clothes since I was making him wait for Xmas to replenish his supply. The Teddy bear was darling and is decorating the top of his chest of drawers. I let him hold it when I'm with him but it's too cute to let him tear to bits. He likes it because it's so colorful. Colors fascinate him. And thanks too for the little suit, it's very pretty and he was certainly in need of it. I hadn't bought him clothes for sometime and he is too big for practically everything he owns. Santa Claus brought him a Taylor-tot, Kiddy car with all the trimmings, a high-chair and odds and ends in toys. The little girl, who tends him gave him a big ball and Judy gave him a little toy gift dog made of oil-cloth. The Leonards were pleased as punch about the pink bear you sent to Judy. I shouldn't tell you but we plan to have their pictures taken together with their bears and will be sending it along soon. It was nice of you to remember her. They all gave us some little gift--we practically belong to the family--and we just couldn't begin to give to all of them so we remembered Blanche and Judy only. We made several calls Xmas day and spent that evening at Leonard's and had supper with them. I almost forgot our own Xmas. Bob gave me three lovely pairs of nylon hose and a .25 defense bond which I can either cash in a couple of months or keep, which I plan to do cause we have been wanting to start buying a bond a month and it is a good time to get started. As a matter of fact the bank took a vote of its employees and sort of pushed thru a plan for each one to spend 10% of his salary for a bond each moth. But we meant to anyway and it's a good thing--I'd like to get this war in the bag. So far our business has gone alone as usual but their will soon be some drastic changes--no tires, no automobiles, no gas, etc. It sort of hits the automobile dept. pretty hard. However, we aren't worried. The bank is absorbing two of Bob's men and Bob will have to run his own dept. Practically alone with a stenographer or two--but it's still a job.
I don't know why but I always get around to talking about the war. I was telling you about Christmas. I gave Bob a hunting coat and Bobby gave him a pair of house slippers. Bobby gave me a bottle of cologne and bath powder. So we had a very nice Christmas with only one flaw and that was being so far from home. Tom sent Bob three lovely hankies and me a table cloth which is very much California. It is a heavy linen in bright color and will be very pretty with my pottery. Speaking of dishes I just can't wait to see your new set, it sounds very pretty. I haven't even seen the dining room set yet. I'm serving warning on Bob that the war gets any closer I'm going to S.L. and he thinks I'm fooling but I'm not. What I started to say is that I may get to see it all soon.
Pop. I'm sorry about the books being such a muddle. Maybe it's all my fault for ever setting them up the way I did. Maybe I'm the only person who could possible ever get them straightened out. Don't tell Mr. Williams when he sees who did it. I'd certainly be happy to help you with them if I were there. I'll have to confess they weren't any too easy for me to balance at the end of the year either and it was my baby. Well, I hope by this time it's all figured out and forgotten and you are busy with a swell new year. And if you are serious about the apple picking job you won't be able to keep from helping to harvest the crop this year if you will just come up into this country. I expect I'll be drafted into the hop-picking corps. I'll have to put Bobby in a sack on my back and you won't be able to tell me from the Indians.
Mom, I have had all I can do on the little quilt done for sometime but just postponed putting it in the mail. I'll have it to you in a few days. Will you please buy a little dollar white baby quilt to pad it with. I think you can get one about the right thickness at Penney's. And also buy the backing for me. I will send a dollar or two and leave the selecting of the quilt for padding and backing to you cause you probably know more about it than I do. They told me that the little light weight quilts are just as easy to quilt and wash without matting inside. As for the backing you use your own judgment on it, I haven't any idea what to even suggest. His little room will be pretty with the blue bear on the dresser, the quilt on the bed and I have red, white and blue seer-sucker drapes at the windows and the whole room is his.
I am sending a picture of Bobby and Billie Cahoon, son of the Studebaker dealer here. I may ask you to send it back if I can't get another print made, the negative belongs to Mrs. Cahoon. It was taken in their home. Billie is three months younger than Bobby. Thought I'd tell you so you would know which one was our young giant. He's the one who looks like a bull in a china closet. But he's cute.
Must close for now. Tell Dick and Ellen I will write tomorrow or next day without fail. Write often and make them long. Thanks again for the lovely presents. Much love, Louise
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