P.S. Finished “Mrs. Mike” & cried & cried!
Aug. 9th. 1953
Dearest Mummy,
Thank you so much for your lovely, lovely parcel which came last week – it was like a lovely big surprise dip or a great big Christmas stocking & Linda & I had the most gorgeous time opening it. I hardly know where to begin and thank you for it because there is so much & all such fun!
First of all I saved Lindy’s black dolly & the towels for her birthday, so she got the two little blouses on the day we opened it & she insisted on putting them on straightaway! I have a little pair of navy blue shorts for her with a little navy & white seersucker blouse, & your little blouses look so sweet with them as well as her jeans. I also think I will make her another little pleated skirt for the winter – red perhaps & they would look so nice with that too. They both fit her perfectly & are nice & long, so don’t keep popping out & they are both such cute little styles – I think you are so clever to make them out of your “oldies” & they are a great success I think. I like both the little red check & the blue one – the shade of blue is very pretty & suits her well. Lindy also loved the book you sent about the three little elephants, with the cute little elephants attached. Although it isn’t such a pretty little book as the flower fairy one, I really think it appeals to her more – she likes a story that you can read or tell her & she likes stories of animals too. Just this last week she asks questions by the dozen – “What’s that?” “Where is Carman?” “What’s Daddy doing?” & even “Shall we go for a walk & see the pussy Mummy? Shall we?” Don’t you think that was sweet?
Lindy also just loves her basket from Auntie Moo & the hankie from Auntie Trix – also the little jersey for Charlie from Auntie Moo. Please thank them for me & tell them that I am writing, but will send them by sea. The little T-shirt you sent Charlie is just the sweetest thing I ever saw I think! It fits in perfectly now & makes him look a little precious. I put it on yesterday with Linda’s old blue overalls all fixed up & you never saw such blue, blue eyes & he just grinned & looked so pleased, you’d think he knew! The wee swan with the tiny baby is such fun. Of course Linda commandeered them at once, but Charlie loves them when he can get them & likes to sit & hold the little baby in one fat little fist! Since I last wrote he is sitting up beautifully — all of a sudden seemed to decide he could do it! He sits up in the pram on the porch & watches the cars go by & thoroughly enjoys himself. He also sits in Lindy’s table & I have to strap him well in as he has heaved his way through twice! The pram is a wreck with his activities — I don’t know what Lea would say if she saw it! He once poked the hood & “mattress” apart & rolled right out onto the porch floor & another time got his legs right through a split in the side & stuck halfway with his legs & bottom out and & his head & arms in! Isn’t he a horror?! He is trying to crawl & gets backwards a bit! Before I forget, Lindy was playing with A. Moo’s basket the day the parcel came & took it & her baby in her arm & said she was going shopping. So I said to get me some bacon at the store & Cec said to get him cigarettes & she grinned & said “Bacon- cigarettes” & trotted along the passage. The next thing we heard was the screen door banging at the back so I rushed to look & here she was down the steps & setting out for the road, so I called Cec & he caught her up just as she got to the road & was looking a little doubtful! So he went with her to the corner store & bought her a sucker, but I can see we’re going to have to be careful of the commissions we give her!
And now for all the things you sent me, Mummy! I am just delighted with them one & all! The basket is so pretty & will be both useful & ornamental – it is so sturdy & such pretty colours too, as well as being an unusual shape. I look forward to taking it on my trips to the shops when I don’t have a pram to plonk everything in! The breakfast cloth & napkins are just exactly what I like & I have had them on the table for breakfast every morning since they came! They are so bright & Cec says they cheer the whole room up – the tablecloth is exactly right for the table & the join and flaws you talk about aren’t in the slightest bit noticeable. I do like a nice small tablecloth like this – so nice to wash & iron. The white napkins are absolutely what I need & I do like them so much – thank you very very much Mummy & for the nice initials too- I like having them different! I shall use them my first dinner party! The talcum powder is very welcome – I’ve been using Lindy’s of course! – but it’s so nice to have some of my own! Cec is delighted with his tie & his share in the other things & enjoyed seeing them all nearly as much as Lindy & me! We also loved all the little cards & instructions & Lindy went round saying “Where’s my birthday card?”!
We celebrated Linda’s birthday yesterday & all had a lovely time. We decided that it would spread out the excitement more if we had it now instead of waiting till we were away & also that she would probably enjoy it more at home. We got her a dear little red & white tricycle – just a wee one (but not wood- a real tricycle) – & a little red wagon (Richard has one & she loved it ) & a big beach ball & a book (the latter was a request!!) Cec & I could hardly wait till Sat. to give her the things, we were so excited!! When she woke in the morning, we went in & said “Happy birthday, Lindy” & gave her the book & she was just enchanted! She was so thrilled & kept saying “Lindy has a birthday book!” & when she saw Chrissy out of the window she kept calling “Look Chrissy – a book”! After breakfast we took her in the sitting room where we had all the presents & she just stood and said “O-oooh!” Then she ran to one & the other “A bicycle a (for) Lindy” “A wagon a Lindy” “A big ball a Lindy”! She didn’t know which one to go to first & it was such fun to watch her! Then she opened the parcels & was really so astonished at the black dolly!
The towels are known as “Lindy’s very own towels” & she has one in the bathroom now – they are sweet, Mummy & she loves having her own things. The tiny wee straw hat & purse are so sweet- I also gave her a wee tiny dolly and a little wicker pram (25¢!) (made a mattress, pillow & blanket for it) & the hat & purse just fit the dolly! Amy’s parcel had also come with a very pretty little blue & mauve lawn dress for Lindy (with pants) & cloth book for Charlie. Also their christening present for Charlie – a really lovely napkin ring with his initials & the coronation hallmark & Queen’s head! My high chair to Ruth was evidently a lapalooza so I don’t feel overwhelmed! By the way, Amy asked me to send her last letter on & I will, by sea, but the reason was that her mother had a Coronary thrombosis & was taken into “The Green” & died very quietly a few days later.
I must stop- it is 12! I made Lindy a choc. cake with white marshmallow bunnies on & she loved it – she calls it a “party cake”! We all send lots of hugs and kisses & thanks for all our lovely presents. XXX Lindy & Charlie, Love from Cyn.
A Family History in Letters 