Monday 10th March
Dearest Mummy & Daddy,
It has been a lovely sunny day today with quite a feeling of spring in the air, so I do hope that you are having some fine weather too, and that things will be getting better now.
I am getting quite excited about the Broadcast, which is tomorrow, so by the time you get this letter, it will be all over and finished with. It is at 1.20 in the afternoon here, and I am to go to one of the other schools in the city for a rehearsal at 11 o’clock, and then to have lunch with all the radio people & the mayor etc. before the broadcast. I got the script today, and my part is not very much, but instead of just having to read it there are parts which say “Enlarge on this”, so I hope that I’ll be able to think of something at the right time!
Thank you very much for your lovely long letter that I got on Saturday, Mummy – I was so pleased to get it, but sorry to hear about your having still more snow storms. I was also sorry to hear that Daddy still had a sore back, but you said that it was improving, so I hope that it is really better now.
I don’t know if you have had a letter from Alma since I last wrote, but I got one last week telling me that Aunt Maggie had died so I expect that you heard too. She said that she died very quietly in her sleep, so that is a comfort anyway. I must write to Alma but I haven’t done so yet. I was sorry to hear that little Mrs. Johnny was still poorly, but it is a good thing that Mr. & Mrs. Simon have come to stay with her – it will be much nicer for her, and relieve you of a lot too, Mummy. Please give her my love and say that I hope she’ll be better soon.
Last week I wrote on Wednesday & told you about the Mother-Daughter Banquet & getting paid $5 for it – and it continued to be my lucky week, because I got a present & a prize as well. On Thursday I went to dinner and to speak at a meeting of the Salesian Club. I was taken by a teacher from DeV. called Olive McHugh- she is about Lois’ age & small & friendly & I like her & we had tried to arrange to meet sometimes & never managed it. Then she asked me to this club of which she is a member. It is a Club for Catholic girls & they have a lovely old house as a clubhouse where some of the girls have rooms & live, & all of them use for meetings & for private entertainment if they wish. We had the dinner there- about 40 girls (i.e. from 20 to 40 in age) & then went into another room where I talked to them about Cambridge & Easter in England, & they all seem to enjoy it & seemed very pleased. Then the president presented me with a little box all tied with ribbons & inside with a lovely gold link bracelet – wasn’t that sweet of them? I was so pleased, as it is really pretty & I thought it was so nice of them.
On Friday evening Mrs. Atkinson gave a Baby Shower for Ruby the English bride who is staying with her. I was going to buy something but Til said she had some baby clothes put away that had never been used, so we got them out & I washed & ironed them & packed some up elegantly & took along- 3 little woolly jackets, 1 pr. booties, 1 bonnet & one pink wool cot cover. They had about 14 people there & they all took presents, so there was a goodly haul! Among others there was an English bride from the Isle of Man, who had twin daughters last November. Her husband was a Lt.Col. but is now out of the Army, & she is a lovely girl – reminded me so much of Mary Stuart in both appearance & ways & I really enjoyed meeting her. I hope I’ll see her again. We played games & ate ice cream & had tea, & it was midnight before I got home – I had no idea that a shower was such a party!
On Saturday Til & I were invited to a luncheon given by two teachers from DeV.- Mildred Schmidt & Miss Lerche. Lois was invited too, but was at the airport. All the guests (10) were DeV. teachers and we ate an enormous meal, that made me feel extremely sleepy, & then played cards all afternoon!- they suggested bridge, but fortunately ended up with something else that required less brain! On Saturday evening Til & Lois & I went down to a Show in town called the Sports & Home Exhibition – you know the type of thing. We had fun watching men demonstrate wonderful gadgets & peelers & slicers, & caught celluloid fish to try & win a free washing machine, & came home footsore & weary!
On Sunday I spent a quiet restful day until teatime when Mr. Atkinson called for me about 4. We went with Ruby & her husband Fred, to see their house (it’s nearly finished) & then to tea at the Atkinsons. Afterwards another friend of theirs, called Howell Thompson, came in. He’s about my age I think, was in England, France etc. during the war, teaches Agriculture at a Vocational School near Toledo, & originally comes from Tennessee – sometimes I couldn’t understand what he said! After we talked a bit, Mr. A. & Fred & Howell suggested bridge & made me join in- fortunately I got Mr. A. as a partner & he was very good, so I just sat back & didn’t do much!
Now it is getting late, so I must go to bed. Til & Lois & I spent this evening in the house listening to the radio etc. so it was nice. I do hope that you are both keeping well & not getting colds. Take care of yourselves –
With much love from
Cynthia
A Family History in Letters 