April was the birthday month for the Ewings- Cyn at the beginning of the month and Carol at the end. This letter is the only one from the spring of 1955 surviving, but luckily it deals, not only with the birthdays, but also with arrangements for Carol’s summer visit, and Cec’s business trip to New York, so there is some indication of what’s going on.
17th April. 1955.
Dearest Mummy,
I certainly hope that my birthday parcel reaches you in time, as I know for sure this will be late! I can’t think how things crept up on me so, except that so much seems to have been happening. Anyway, we all send our dearest love & best wishes for the 22nd even if we are very late about it. One reason I am late is that all last week I was sure your birthday parcel to me would arrive as your Bequia P.C.s to the children came just before Easter, (they loved them by the way & each knew their own & had me read them over & over & show them your window etc.), so each day I put off, thinking it would surely come tomorrow, but no, the Customs must be having a little sit on it.
Thank you so much for all your letters – particularly the last one giving definite details of your visit! We are all so delighted & think it sounds perfect. I intend to write & answer your letters properly later this week, but one thing- Cec & I were talking over your plan of A. Ettie coming & we would just love to have her, but we both think it would perhaps be better for you to come by yourself first. The reason being that the children are looking forward to & expecting you & if you come by yourself I think that in a day they would just be as used to you & have accepted you as if you’d always been here, but if there are 2 strange ladies I think they will be more inclined to be shy & take much longer to get over it. Don’t you think that A. Ettie & Monie might come up together after you’ve been with us a few weeks? They could drive up if they liked & the three of you could go a few longer jaunts than we could do with the children & it would be fun. Anyway we’d love to have both Monie & A.Ettie – together or singly – but we just thought that you coming by yourself at first would be nicer for the children.
Before I use up all the space, I must tell you our doings, as we have been busy! The Appleyards came as I told you & it was very nice. They arrived Mon. 5:30 p.m., Ray left at 11p.m. & came back 8 a.m. Thurs. & they all left at 4:30 p.m. Thurs. The house seemed very full of small children! But we got on fine & on Wed. Cec came home at noon & Joan & I went down town & shopped (a new hat for her etc.!) On the Thurs. Claire came for the last time (you can imagine with all of us there!) & I am now saving up for my sewing machine! On Friday Teddy Blachut babysat for us & we went & had dinner with June & George – leaving to live in Montreal at the end of this month.
Easter was lovely- our first spring weather. I went to early Church & we had the Douglasses & children to tea. On Tues. I did a huge wash & tried to catch up on my chores & on Thursday had a phone call from Montreal – Millie Shapiro who worked with me in A. A. & had a baby boy 2 mths before Linda. She was in M’al with her parents & she & Jerry & Eric drove through for the day leaving baby boy with Grannie! They arrived about 2 & left at 8 & I tried to show them Ottawa in pouring rain & fog!! Fun seeing her. That night Linda sicked up all over the bathroom floor at 1:30 a.m. but is fine again now!
Yesterday we bought a new dining table & chairs for the important guests we expect this summer & feel v. thrilled! This evening at 7 Cec left for New York & tomorrow I’ll begin spring cleaning. Whoops!! Busy did I say? Will really write properly in a few days. xxx & hugs from Linda & Charlie & lots of love from us all – Cyn.
A Family History in Letters 