Thursday 10th May 1951.
Dearest Mummy,
It is a pouring wet, horrid night and has been raining all day too, but my poor little hubby has gone back to the Lab. to work, regardless of the weather. I am so glad that he has nice MacTavish to take him there & back on these night sessions because it makes it so much easier & on a night like this it would be just miserable, & he would get soaked. I have been writing Dottie quite a screed & I am now settling down to a real do with you! I have been having a nice time at home yesterday & today because I have had an upset tummy. I don’t know if I caught a cold on my tum, or if it is a gastric flu bug that is going around (as quite a few people seem to have it) or what, but on Tuesday I didn’t feel quite right & by the evening it began & I felt quite sorry for myself yesterday. Today it is a bit better although I’m still not eating much, but I feel very cheery in myself & and am thoroughly enjoying myself at home! I get one day a month sick leave you know, & I had four accumulated, so I was longing to take them on the slightest excuse, & now I have it I am delighted! I will stay at home tomorrow, as I have yet another appointment at the Dental Clinic to finish having my teeth cleaned, so I would be there most of the afternoon anyway.
Do you remember I told you last week that I had to go to the Fat Girls Class because of the 8 lbs I’d gained? Well, I went last Thursday morning, & there were about 5 or 6 other preggies in the same state as me! A dietician gave us a talk & we were given a diet to follow, & asked questions & had quite a chat. The diet is not too bad- 1 quart of milk a day (skim): 2 helpings of veg.- 1 green leafy & one raw- as much raw as you like: 3 helpings of fruit- some of these are funny- 1 helping of prunes or dates is two– grapes, 12 etc.!: 1 egg: 5 slices of bread or bread substitute i.e.- potatoes, cereal etc.: 6 ozs meat, fish or poultry. No sugar at all!! And no sweet things of any sort of course, but the thing I miss most is sugar in my tea – I have got some saccharine, but it’s just as horrid as it always was! Oh, I forgot, I get 3 teaspns. of butter a day, but no soups or fried foods or cheese – the bread astonished me, as I usually don’t eat nearly so much, but I suppose you have to have more to make up for the lack of other things. I did pretty well on the diet from the time I got it until I began to feel sick-ish- & lost weight too, but of course since then I lost weight anyway & now I have gone down about 6 lbs. in the week! I feel quite pleased, & feel that with that reduction I can surely have sugar in my tea again!! Actually, the last few days I’ve paid no attention to it, but have had nice cups of tea & bread & butter & scrambled eggs & bread & milk! Gunborg was making us laugh at the weekend when I told her about the diet etc. because she felt very strongly that it was all wrong – how could we be happy contented mothers if we were frustrated in all our little desires & get enough to eat? But actually, although it is partly so that you won’t be to tub-like after the baby is born, it is also so that the baby will be small so that you will have a better time, so it is all to the good in the long run!
Talking about having a nice time at home, we certainly didn’t begin the day very well today, although it could’ve been a lot worse. I got up about 8:30, & was coming back from the bathroom when I heard something dripping in the kitchen, & went in & found the sink just full & overflowing with water! It is silly really as it has a fancy gadget – one way you turn it, it is open – the other way closed, & it is very easy to touch it with a pan or something & close it without realizing. Anyway, that is what had happened & the tap having been left dripping by accident too, we had a minor flood. I pulled out the plug & was just deciding that it wasn’t bad as there wasn’t much water on the floor when there was a ring at the bell & this was Mrs. Kaufman to ask what had happened as the water was trickling down her walls – was I mortified! Anyway, I explained & said I had stopped it, & then I mopped up the floor, & then looked in the cupboard under the sink & of course found it all wet too- I keep all the cleaning things, soap, paper towels, paper napkins cloths etc. in there, & they were just sodden, but had fortunately absorbed a lot of water too!! However, we got that dried up, & set out all the things to dry & got breakfast, only to discover that the coffee tin was just about empty & we had forgotten to get any more! So poor Cec had thin straw coloured, coffee-flavoured hot water for breakfast to add to his troubles!!
Anyway, it wasn’t really bad & Cec was down in the K’s this evening & it hadn’t marked the wall, so we weren’t too conscience stricken! Also I got my cupboard clean & tidied, & spurred on by the sight of all the cleaning things out, I even got rash & cleaned the silver, so it did some good!
Yesterday, when I was feeling a little bit poorly, I had a nice treat when your letter mailed on April 30th arrive – thank you lots & lots. I enjoyed myself just sitting back with my feet up on the sofa, reading it, & was glad that you had got my A.M. and also the sea one with “enclosures”. I thought you would be amused at Edie’s letter – she certainly writes newsy letters, doesn’t she? Even more rambly than you & me! I have another one from her, but haven’t answered it yet, so will wait & send it when I have. I will also send the St. V. stamps you asked for, as I have given some around, but still have quite a bunch.
Before I begin answering your letter, I’ll tell you the week’s news, which isn’t much or very exciting! On Thursday evening Cec & I went & did our week’s shopping at a beautiful new Super- Market which has opened near here. It is very deluxe, & has electric-eye doors, which open as you walk up to them! We had lots of fun & and bought all sorts of bargains & each got a free loaf of bread!! At the weekend Cec worked hard all the time – our only excitement was that we got involved in Gordon trying to sell his car! His form of spring-fever is apparently car buying, & he had seen a lovely 2ndhand Buick convertible (i.e. a car that has a top that goes up and down- Gordon loves them!) so he was trying to sell his old Ford. It so happened that Shirley in my office was thinking of buying a 2ndhand car & talked about looking at them, & without thinking I mention Gordon’s. She was all wildly excited & called him up & arranged to go & see it that evening & so forth- then went round talking to everyone at work about it etc. However, by the end of the afternoon she began to get cold feet & wonder if she wanted it, until I wished I’d kept my big mouth shut & never told her! However, as she had no way of getting to the S’s & it is rather awkward, we took her over & she saw the car, but of course she didn’t buy it! We have since heard that all this is quite typical of Shirley- sudden enthusiasm which comes to nothing! Remember, she was the one who got all excited about coming to visit you all in St.V. & then let it drop!! Good job, says you! Anyway, the car story has a happy ending, as Gordon sold his car to a young fellow & has bought the lovely Buick which is a good bargain, & looks beautiful. It is a sort of blue-green – very pretty & extremely well-kept as well as being bigger than the old car, so they are all happy!
It was Gunborg’s birthday on Monday & we went over & took her a card & a box of chocolates. She was looking much better & had enjoyed her birthday, so seems to be quite well again.
It is now Sunday and I am finishing this off. You will wonder what on earth happened to me since Thursday when I began this, but on Friday as I told you, I went to the Clinic (Dental) & the girl scaled & scaled at my teeth again till my nerves were all shattered! They are just young girls – college freshmen – who do it, & the girl who is doing mine is quite cute, but goes on & on- this was my 3rd visit, and it is 2 hours each time, & you know how annoying & nagging all that scraping & digging can be! Anyway on Friday, my nerves can’t have been very strong, & when the inspector woman told the girl to go ahead and do some more, I just couldn’t stood it & said so! I have to go back again next week, but it left me feeling exhausted & all wore out for the rest of the day & Cec sent me to bed early! On Saturday, poor Cec woke up with another bad cold. Isn’t it a wretched shame after he has just got rid of one!? It is all this hard work & not enough sleep which lowers his resistance I know, but he just has to go on, for a bit more anyway. We went to the store, & he slept most of the afternoon & I did chores, & then in the evening as we were both feeling rather miserable Cec said to hell with his cold & we went to the pictures to see “Miranda”! Cec had never seen it, & it was so long since I had that I didn’t mind a bit & we both thoroughly enjoyed it. We were only sorry that the very last shot of Miranda with the sweet little mer-baby was cut out in accordance with American morals!!
Today was a lovely sunny pretty day, so at about 2 we went out for a little drive & called at the S’s to see their new chariot. We ended by going for a drive in it to see a street in A.A. lined with very pretty flowering trees, & then stayed to dinner – I protested, but it was lovely as I didn’t have to do any cooking at home!!
I intended to answer all your letters in this, but as it has got so late now I am going to send it off, & promise that I will answer all the letters & questions & queries this week. I got your nice letter written on the 6th, yesterday & it helped to cheer our gloom- also all the funny, little cuttings & the sweet picture of the little Andrew which I am returning- isn’t he a pet? He looks a bit like Pam I think, but can’t see a likeness to Nicky just in the photo. Will write more about your letter in my next- thank you heaps for it.
Today is Mother’s Day- hope you got your card – I got a lovely funny little one from my hubby. He is snuffly today, but still luffly & feeling more cheery – I am fine once more & go back to work tomorrow.
Lots & lots of love
from
Cynnie & Cec
XXX.
A Family History in Letters 