November 19 1953

Nov. 19th. 1953

Dearest Mummy,

Thank you so much for your air letter of the 12th Nov.- it came on Tues. 17th, so I don’t think it was any quicker than usual. I was so glad to hear of Uncle Fred’s surprise trip to New York – I hope he has a grand time & lots of fun – as you say, he certainly deserves it after all his generosity. I suppose that he would stay in a hotel in N.Y. & go out to visit A. Ettie & the girls. If the weather there is anything like here he will have a pleasant surprise – it is perfectly lovely- mild & balmy & sunny – temps. up to 60° in the day & everyone strolling along as if it were April or May! Hope it lasts, but somehow doubt it!

How very excellent & forewarned & forearmed of you to have your Christmas parcels all ready to send by him! I am afraid that mine aren’t doing so well – I was thinking of the dates to send to England & forgot it would probably take longer to you. However, I have got all the things this week & intend to pack & send them this weekend – I thought Lindy & I might go to town on Sat. a.m. for a little snoop around before I finally packed them- otherwise everything is catalogue bought! Lindy & Margy & I went to the Church Bazaar last Sat. – Lindy talks about it now & says “We girls went to the Bazaar”!! Actually Lindy & I were going alone but I told Margy & she asked could she come along, so we had an outing! I made 4 pies (2 orange meringue, 2 coconut cream) & 2 doz. small butterfly cakes – quite a scramble! – & took them in about 2. Actually none of them saw the light of day as Margy asked for 1 pie & other stall holders came & bought the others 2 mins. after I arrived! I was shattered at the price (50¢ each!). We went later, at about 4.0 & looked around but it was really not very alluring! Sat. was the 2nd day of course, so I suppose the best was gone – I got Lindy candy (fudge) which she clutched the whole time, so that when she got home it was one sticky lump! Also a fish at the Fish Pond (I had to do it though!) & she got a little wee plastic train & then at the sewing stall a new apron for myself & 2 potholders! We had quite a nice little tea though & Linda sat up & drank a cup of tea & ate a sandwich in a very ladylike way! Margie is so envious of my daughter – poor Margie!

We had Jim & Lee over for bridge that evening so I was busy, but managed all right in the end. On the Fri. evening we went to Margie & Cy’s & they had Alec & Phyl & another couple Don & Janet to make 2 tables of bridge. We have been talking of having a little social bridge club among ourselves, but Alex & Phyl feel they are in too many things as it is, so nothing may come of it.

I was terribly sorry to hear the sad news of Jane’s father- poor girl, she will feel so miserable, especially without Bill & the boys to help her at this time. It will be such lonely waiting knowing that her father will be gone so soon. I expect that she is glad that she flew to be able to be with him as much as possible, but poor Janie – such a tragic ending to her happy plans for their leave- she has had such a lot of sadness amongst her family.

It is Charlie’s 11 month birthday today – he is such a cute little fellow – so loving & cuddly & “smoochy”! He can totter along holding by only 1 hand now & says “Daddad” & “Ma ma ma” etc. The great event this weekend is that dear Dan’s girl is coming up! Cec & I finally got browbeaten by our consciences into feeling we had to do something, so have told him we’ll have a tea party on Sun. & have a few from the Lab. to meet her – probably about 10 of us altogether. Will report anon on the results & impressions!! xxxxs from Lindy & Charlie – Lots & lots of love from us all – Cyn.