Commentary – Page 11 – A Family History in Letters

March 5 1956

In this letter, Cyn mentions the fact that in the coming September, Linda will be going to school! The interesting thing about school, is that a new elementary school was being built that year, in Cardinal Heights, the subdivision on the other side of the highway, so that Linda, and Janek, and Joanne, would be in the first Kindergarten class in the new school, within walking distance of their homes. Cyn has mentioned the Sunday school at St. Margaret’s that she has been helping with- and it now appears that the congregation has divided and that they are holding Sunday School classes in the unfinished new school for local Anglican children. I assume that church services are being held there too- it went on for a few years until they managed to get a church built right next to the school. Baby boomers expanding the amenities!

March 5th. 1956.
Dearest Mummy,
My, what a gay time you’re having! Cec & I are enjoying hearing all about it practically as much as you’re enjoying having it! We got your A.M. letter from Bequia on Sat. & loved hearing about all the fun you were having there & are looking forward to the next installment! Thank you so much for writing when I am sure you had lots of things to do.
You will be waiting for the next installment from me too, as I have been very bad about writing lately – the time seems to have flown & I am amazed that it will be Easter so soon. One reason why the past week has flown is that we have been in great demand socially- most unusual! You know how it is – we go months without going anywhere & then suddenly we get all the invitations at once. I told you about going to Mr. & Mrs. Green’s last Sunday night to meet Leonard & then that Leonard came to dinner on Monday so that was quite a busy beginning to the week. Then on Wed. the Dalby’s – a young Canadian Fellow and his wife whom I’ve mentioned before – asked us to bridge & Gundron & Ben Kleman too. Phil Derby & Gudrun don’t play bridge so I played with the men while they played Scrabble. It was quite fun, but she produced coffee very late (also very strong) with huge slices of angel food cake with ice cream & frozen raspberries – lovely, but Gudrun & I both had indigestion next day! Both Cec & I felt quite “hung over” next day – due to lack of sleep, not liquor! This mid-week frivolling is so unusual for me nowadays! On Thurs. I had the car for shopping & in the afternoon the children & I went to Gudrun’s for tea & Phyl Douglas & her family were there too. Both Phyl & Gudrun were most impressed at how much Lindy’s shyness has improved. She is quite self-possessed now with the other children & was away with them having tea which is a change. Charlie still sticks to me, but Lindy is really doing so well now & I think it is the S. School that has helped her a lot, as well as her age & the fact that she is is growing out of it too.
On Friday morning we went round to Fanni’s for coffee & Lindy even stood up to Daniel, so she is coming on! On Sat. morning Margie phoned & begged us to come over that evening as she was so fed up & wanted company, & could we get a sitter, so I called Fanni & she said she’d come. She has been wanting to come as she insisted she owed me a sitting, but I usually get Mrs. Martin. However, Mrs. M is now permanently booked on a Sat. night by the French Dr. in the new house up the road – isn’t that mean? So it is nice if Fanni & I can exchange. We had a nice chat at Margie’s & a short game of bridge, but it was 1 a.m. again before we got home so I really feel dissipated! Margie is due to produce in 3 weeks time, & really looks fine. The Dr. prophesies another boy! Can you imagine – Peter is 3 this month & she is still feeding him! She says he is too lazy and won’t eat if she doesn’t! On the other hand, when the children & I were there to tea one day Peter ate a whole box of cookies quite as a regular thing! He is so disobedient too – 3 or 4 times Margie told him to do things & he just ignored her & Margie just did them for him! Grrr!
Both my little angels!!! have runny noses and croaky voices today, but I hope that neither will get much worse. They have both been so wonderful at throwing off coughs & colds this winter, but I’m hoping they will do the same again & that they won’t get bad. Charlie has been really drippy today, poor little fellow, but quite cheerful.
Besides all our gallivanting I have been quite busy sewing. Or at least preparing to get busy! Mom Costain sent in her Christmas parcel a piece of navy linen-y material left over from something of Leona’s to make Lindy a skirt. It wasn’t very much & I tried this & that but no way could I get it that it wasn’t going to be very short for her, & it seemed silly to make her something that would only last a little while. So I dug out my scrap box & found an old navy & white cotton dress Gunborg gave me & cut a piece from that & made a nice little pinafore skirt like this-

with inserts of the patterned material. The skirt has unpressed pleats & is full & the whole outfit looks very fresh & cute with her white orlon blouse. Next I had bought some pale blue pinwale corduroy at S.Sears sale for 97¢ a yd. & got 6 yds (the amount the pattern said) (36” wide) to make me & Lindy each a “jumper” i.e. pinafore skirt. However when I spread it out on the floor I cut out my skirt, then Lindy’s, then a little jacket for her & there is still a piece left big enough to make trousers for Charlie!! I feel like one of these cartoons of women who buy material at a sale & have the whole house & family draped in it! I began Lindy’s little skirt this afternoon & made it just the same as the navy one as it looks so cute. I thought the little jacket & skirt to match would make a sweet little suit in the spring & of course everything I make is made with 1/2 an eye for now & 1/2 an eye for school in Sept.! But it is really fun seeing Lindy’s wardrobe grow under the shadow of my machine – I think I get even more fun out of hers than mine, & she is thrilled at each thing I make! Maybe by the time she is more critical I will be more experienced!
I have been talking about Sunday School but don’t think I have ever told you about our start at the new school. First of all, the day it was to begin (the Sunday after our party) we awoke to find ourselves snowed in! Cec began shovelling the driveway at 10:15 & 11 a.m. he had just cleared one tire track to the road & it was up to his waist in places! Pat Tomlinson phoned & we decided we’d have to give up as we couldn’t get the car out & walking would be pretty tough too & we certainly couldn’t take the children. However we have been each Sunday since (3 times) & it is going fine. I have about 10 little children on my register but happily have only had 6 at a time & that is plenty! I am not taking Charlie at the moment- I told him if he came he wouldn’t be able to hold my hand all the time because I had to look after the other boys and girls too, so he decided to stay at home with Daddy! Lindy is in Pat’s class & is very good & doesn’t bother about me at all now. We still have a few disadvantages- 1) none of our teaching materials have come yet i.e. pictures, books etc. 2) there are no toys for my little ones to play with although we are trying to collect them. I bring things from home in the meanwhile 3) the school is not finished yet & odd jobs are being done all the time, so it means we have never been twice in the same room. In the end we will go into the Kindergarten room when it is done, but we have 3 groups – mine (2 to 3 years) Pat’s (4 to 5) & a Mrs. Dunn’s (5 to 6) so it is quite difficult. Particularly I find it difficult to keep the little ones’ attention when there are other things going on but however I suppose I can’t have everything perfect! Lindy is still very thrilled with Sunday School & of course is getting nicely familiar with the school itself. She has learned the Lord’s Prayer by heart from having me read it a few times & hearing it on the Morning Church Service on the radio. I am enclosing one of her pictures for you which I know will amuse you & Auntie Muriel!

A potluck Lab. party to make up for not having one at Xmas!

The other thing I was going to tell you about was the Valentine Party which I really think was a big success. I had all the girls leave their food in the cold room downstairs & Lila had made a lovely centrepiece for the table – a big red heart with white frill around and BE MINE on in sparkles & little Cupid’s hovering over an old-fashioned lady & man kissing! We chatted & had drinks & then had games I had arranged – by the way it wasn’t a surprise for Cec – he knew all about it, but just he had no work to do for it!! We played the “Book Titles” game where you draw & then a form of charades where a man & a woman’s names were picked out of a hat & then they drew a slip telling them what to act out for us to guess – i.e. my name & Alex Douglas’ were drawn & we picked Bonnie Prince Charlie and Flora MacDonald; Mrs. Herzberg & Jack Shoosmith did Bluebeard & his 8th wife; somebody else Grace Kelly & the Prince of Monaco etc. It was quite fun. Then another game was a Magazine Treasure Hunt & each group was given scissors, a pile of magazines, & a list of things to find i.e. 1) a wedding ring 2) a bouquet of flowers 3) a love nest etc.! By this time it was 11 p.m. so we got the supper ready & what a banquet! The main trouble was that we had too much! I had told each to bring one ordinary family size dish but so many brought 2 or 3 dishes! I made a big dish of assorted meats (ham, salami, boned stuffed chicken, spiced beef); Mrs. Herzberg hot rolls; Joan Stoicheff, tea, coffee etc.; Phyl Douglas a moulded salad; Phyl Dalby a tossed salad; Mrs. Shoosmith peanuts, chips etc. for earlier; Mrs. Narrasinham was to bring 1 Indian dish, but brought 2 of rice & 1 of veg! Mrs. Velasco also brought 3 or 4 different kinds of snacks & Doreen Moore & Nan Ramsey each brought 2 huge trifles! Oh – I forgot, Gudrun brought a lovely hot fish casserole too. You can imagine how we all stuffed! Fortunately I persuaded everyone to take their leftovers home, so we weren’t left with all the surplus! Everyone really seemed to have a good time though & enjoy themselves & the funny Swiss Dr. Dressler said as he left “Thank you very much Cyn, I enjoyed myself much more than I thought I would!” !!
I must stop now as I want to include Lindy’s picture – will write again soon. Love & hugs from us all – Cyn.

February 28 1956

By February 1956, Cyn and Cec had already decided on their summer holiday, and had started to make plans for it. They had written to their friends in Ohio and Michigan and asked if they could visit as a family in June when they drove down to Cec’s annual Spectoscopy Conference in Columbus, Ohio. They hoped to stay with Gunborg and Gordon Sutherland in Ann Arbor and with Til and Lois, the teachers Cyn had lived with during her US exchange year, in Toledo, and see their friends in the area.
Gordon Sutherland, Cec’s professor at Cambridge and his wife Gunborg, had become good friends with Cec and Cyn during their years at the University of Michigan, and in the early new year 1956 the science community heard that Gordon would be leaving the University of Michigan and returning to England to become the Director of the National Physical Laboratory. Cec called to congratulate him, and got in return a post card of the University of Michigan Stadium (annotated by Gordon to point out that its seating capacity of 97,000 would be raised to 100,000 next year!) of thanks:

A.A. Feb. 6th 1956
It was so very nice of you to telephone your congratulations. This is to give you my warmest thanks & to let you know that it is now official & was probably published in the London Times today. We look forward very much to your visit in June. Leonard Bovey will be here this weekend.
Yours ever
Gordon.

Carol knew the Sutherlands from her visit when Linda was born in Ann Arbor, and also Leonard Bovey and his wife Connie, who were friends and colleagues from Cambridge days whose son Christopher had been born just after Linda, but had moved from Ottawa back to England a few years earlier. Leonard is obviously on a business trip to North America this February.

Tues. 28th Feb. 1956.
Dearest Mummy,
We were so delighted to get your nice long letter yesterday & to hear of all the fun you were having with Mill & Ford [Cyn’s cousin, Milly and Ford Pembleton from New York]. I knew that they would be the nicest guests possible, but it is so lovely that you are having such a good time too- a sort of holiday for you as well – & of course they are both so enthusiastic over everything that it must make it extra nice for everyone. I am sure that you will have a wonderful time in Bequia & I am most curious to hear all about the Soufriere & how you get on.
I am afraid that I have been a long time in writing – I sent a lot of odds & bob’s by sea one day, but I meant to write you a long letter & somehow it got put off, so this is to tide you over in the meanwhile. I seem to have been busy – nothing special, but this & that! The party was a big success but I’ll tell you all the details in the long letter & the S. School is doing fine. There must be about 60 – 70 children altogether, but of course all divided up we don’t see them all – thank goodness! I have about 6 tiny ones – between 2 & 3, & that is enough at first.- We are not really organized yet, but it is beginning to get going now & will do well I think.
Who do you think we had to dinner with us last night? Leonard Bovey! He dropped a note after Christmas saying that he might see us in Feb. & I wrote saying to stay with us if in Ottawa, but he actually stayed with another couple, the Greens. They had a “do” for him on Sun. evening to which we were invited & then last night Cec brought him home to dinner. He looks much the same, but his face is fatter & – shh! – a little bald spot! (Leaves tomorrow- has been all over U.S.) He had pictures of Christopher & Connie & the baby – the latter prettier than Christopher was, although he looks a nice little boy now! Connie had a bad pregnancy & has more migraines etc. now, so doesn’t seem to be in the pink exactly. I took Charlie for his annual check up with Dr. Whillans yesterday (everything fine) & then dashed home & got dinner for Leonard, so I was busy – & pooped at the end!
On Sat. we had the most awful weather of the winter – a storm with the highest winds ever recorded in Ottawa & freezing rain. Ford & Mill will love hearing this!! All sorts of damage & power lines down etc. – we had no electricity for 3 hours, but fortunately it came on again in time for dinner. Everything is now sheeted in ice & it has been cold since but sunny. How nice when spring comes!
I will write again soon – hugs from Lindy & Charlie – they are both well & full of fun. Lots of love from us all – Hello to the Pems – from Cyn.

February 19 1956

A reminder note about the family members mentioned in the letters of 1956. The previous letter referred to Lee, Wendell and Daryl Atchison. Lena was Cec’s second sister, older than he, and trained as a nurse. When Cyn first met them in 1948, they were living in a manse in small town Ontario, Wendell was the minister, and Lee worked as a nurse. Daryl is now 5, and after some family- and money- troubles, with Wendell being a salesman, he seems to have a new charge: they are now living in Carp, a village near Ottawa, and Lee is expecting a baby.
Cyn’s father had been hospitalized in Newcastle after his separation from Carol a couple of years before Cyn’s marriage, and remains in an institution. Carol and Cyn had lived in Cambridge where Cyn taught, and where Cec met her while getting his PhD. Now his youngest brother, Carman, who seems to be as brilliant as Cec, has also won a scholarship to Cambridge, (although in a slightly different field, radio astronomy) and has married Leona. The 23 year-old newly-weds are experiencing life in England, and had enjoyed a visit from Pete Forsyth, a friend of the Costains from Saskatoon, with whom Carman had worked the summer he lived with Cec and Cyn in Ottawa.

Box 330
R.R.1 Ottawa
19th Feb. 1956
Dearest Mummy,
I am sending you this funny “mixed bag” by sea. Cec promised to send you one of the re-prints of his last paper when they came out, so he brought this home a week or so ago & solemnly presented it to me to send to you! I hope that you are much, much wiser when you have read it through! I am also enclosing the letter of my Father’s which you asked me to return. I had a short note from him a little while ago saying he’d got the first Reader’s Digest & thanking for it. The other thing I’m sending is an article on the Queen’s visit to Cambridge which I found in a New Yorker. It is a very pedestrian account I think – you or I could have made it much more interesting! – but I quite enjoyed reading it & thought you might.

We heard from Peter Forsyth that he had seen Carman & Leona & then on Friday we had a letter from them. They seem to be getting on fine – Leona got her R.N. exam in Nov. & has a job 4 days a week at a Chronic Hospital not far from Chesterton Road. Carman is playing in the Ice Hockey Team & they are both enjoying life. Pete said Carman’s work was going very well & that they were pleased with him.

Yesterday was snowing hard. I sat down with the Catalogues & the telephone & had a lovely morning’s shopping! Their spring sale is finished at the end of this month, so I ordered some materials which they had on sale – 2 yds. yellow broadcloth to make jackets for the sundresses I’m going to make of the white & yellow material I got last summer! 3 yds. gingham to make shorts for the children & maybe a little blouse for Linda; 3 yds. yellow orlon/nylon shantung (45 inches wide) to make a best summer dress for me! Aren’t I ambitious?! I also bought a hand embroidered pillowcase for June’s baby; a pair of frilly nylon rubber panties for Connie’s baby; & 2 prs. plastic panties with pictures on for Fanni’s baby. Also a pretty maternity smock for Ruth’s birthday! The latter is a “big” present – partly because Amy sends such generous (& expensive!) presents to the children & partly because I feel sorry for Ruth after Amy’s accounts of their poverty!! The smock is a summer one – sleeveless, of white cotton with a flower pattern, & has a nice little collar & bow & big patch pockets – I thought it might boost her morale!
I have just had a long, long chat with Lu [Forsyth] on the phone! We talked mostly about sewing & all our big plans for our future wardrobes! We were giggling wildly because Lu was talking of “sheaths” & “caftan coats” & all the latest ideas from Paris, and I was holding forth on my summer colour scheme being pale blue & yellow with black accessories & after our dearth of clothes during the last few years we had to be amused at our big ideas! But we are both enthusiastic & even if just 1/2 our plans are realized we should do pretty well!
I must stop now as I have to write to Auntie Muriel & do my accounts! Will write to you by airmail this week anyway, so you will get it long before you get this. Today Linda told me I was the prettiest of all the Sunday School teachers! Wasn’t that nice!
Hugs & kisses from the children & lots of love from us all-
Cyn.

Christmas 1955

This Christmas the family was healthy and happy and had invited two of their favourite ‘singles’ from the Lab- Lila, and Santiago, a Fellow from Spain- to come for dinner. Both of them were good with the children who were happy to show their loot off! I had the ironing board I had apparently been wanting, and a doll’s bed and linens made by Cec and Cyn, I think. The doll was hard plastic and she walked, and Charlie had a selection of mechanical vehicles including a train.

Cyn made lists, of course, so thank yous could be written, and Carol properly informed.

The neighbours were not on Cyn’s Present List but I wouldn’t be surprised if they’d received jars of Cyn’s festive mincemeat!

December 1955

This month is such a busy one for Cyn that her mother doesn’t get to hear all the juicy details about the celebrations until the New Year. In her two previous letters Cyn writes about her preparations for Christmas – in fact, her packing of parcels to send outside of Canada happened in November to make sure they got to their destinations in time- but there is no doubt she enjoyed ordering the children’s toys from catalogues, and making her Christmas cakes and pudding, more than writing the 80 Christmas cards they sent!

Before Christmas, of course, there was a family celebration to be held: Charlie turned three!

Grannie sent a card and present, they had a cake for tea with the gifts, and now the children are old enough, they went out to dinner, a thing the cook always appreciated!

Charlie’ birthday was always the start of the holiday season for the children, with a big share-able present- in this case a wagon – wheels they could drive/ride around the unfinished basement with the tricycle when it was too cold to go out!

October 31 1955

Box 330
Ottawa R.R.1.
Monday 31st.

Dearest Mummy,
Peace – with the children asleep in bed! I washed & polished the bathroom floor & down the stairs this morning, so I was a busy woman and glad to sit down & put my feet up for lunch. The children were supposed to be playing outside but were out & in, you know! We took down bread for the birds & I cleared up the garbage that your old friend the skunk upset again! The weather is lovely just now – sunny & mild, but we’ve had quite a bit of rain & the bottom of the hill at the back is all wet & swampy. One morning last week we woke to snow & I was so disgusted! The children were thrilled of course but practically as soon as I had them all snow-suited & booted & out, it had melted!
Thank you so much for your letter all about your weekend at Marie’s. High life, indeed! I had to giggle over Marie & Bebe hunting & told Cec these were my huntin’, shootin’ & fishin’ relatives! It sounds lovely – the farmhouse & country, I mean, but somehow a bit depressing. With Marie there all by herself I suppose. The theatre must have been lots of fun – as you say, ages since you saw a stage show. Also very satisfying to the curiosity to meet Bebe & all her family etc. Is she still a glamour girl or has she let herself go like your daughter? All those martinis! – I can’t say I envy you – horrid drinks I think!
We have been very quiet & abstemious & hard-working! Yesterday we began covering the sofa – having set ourselves a deadline again by inviting some people for a buffet supper on Friday! In the morning I took Linda to S. School & also Pat Tomlinson with Joanne. On Sat. Cec went with Ken up into the Gatineau & helped him bring back lots of little fir trees. He is replacing all the ones that got killed in the drought & Cec got a few for us – he put 3 little ones by the gateway in the bed the bulbs were in & another one on the grass near the house where there used to be a clump of poppies & they look very cute. I went around to Fanny’s on Fri. evening & we sat & sewed & chatted – her baby is due any minute or overdue I think – she says Teddy doesn’t believe in it anymore! I have made the little skirt for Janita’s Christmas present & I’m making Anne one to match. The material is very gaudy – grey & green with rivers & fishermen & Mounties & moose! I have also made the youngest Ramsay daughter a frilly pillowcase which I must deliver sometime.
We got lots of news from various people last week. First of all a parcel for me from Carmen & Leona of a very pretty red handbag – with not a word enclosed, just their address outside! We were so frustrated! However 2 days later a letter came & they seem to be settling very nicely. They enjoyed the crossing & only had one rough day. They shook me to the soul by saying they took a taxi from London to Cambridge – £7!! They found when they arrived the flat wasn’t ready but Mrs. Moore had got a furnished house for them nearby for 3 weeks. The lady next door to it had them in to tea & Mrs. Moore had them to dinner, so everyone seems to have been very kind to them.
The next news we got was a “change of address” card from Hugh Brown! Just changed from one APO number to another, so we have no idea where he is, but I must write & find out – funny if he’s in England too.
On Friday morning we had a phone call from Joan & Ray wanting us to buy them an electric dryer! They had seen an ad. in an Ottawa paper, so Cec went to the shop & got it for them – we’re just sorry it wasn’t for us! They are well, but we hadn’t much time to chat.
Today is Hallowe’en & we have a pumpkin Jack o’ Lantern sitting on the windowsill. Linda is quite excited about it, but doesn’t want to go out – just stay at home & hand out apples! Dorothy Jane has been talking about it on the radio & I think Linda is a bit wary of all the witches & goblins etc.!
I thought that I might go downtown tomorrow with the children & buy a hat! Or at least look at some – how I will succeed with the children’s assistance, I don’t know! So far, the weather has been so nice I haven’t worn my coat much, but it can’t last too much longer. I think it will be very nice if you stay with the Sims. till Thanksgiving – after all, two Thanksgiving dinners won’t harm anyone! Even though it is late it will be even more excuse for not staying with A. Trix! Talking of her there is a letter from her or A. Gee which I am enclosing, also one from my Father – I hope the latter won’t be too miserable. Cec intends to get the colour pictures today I think, so I’ll enclose them too, if he does.
I think that is all the news, so I had better stop & cut out some sofa cushions. Lindy & Charlie still miss you & talk about you a lot – they are just the same – sometimes sweet & sometimes horrid!
Lots & lots of love from us all – Cyn.
P.S. Fanny had another boy this evening – a Halloween boy! No pictures yet.
Love Cyn.

Now that Carol has been to Ottawa for 4 months, Cyn has less explaining to do about her friends and her house, and Carol knows what her grandchildren are like too, but a few words of explanation seem in order.
In New York, Carol has a choice of places to stay- with the Simmons sisters and their families, and their mother, Aunt Ettie, on Long Island; the third sister upstate a bit; as well as her sister-in-law Marie, and her daughter Bebe, who seem to live the high life with martinis on occasion! Staying in New York for a month seems to make it easier to avoid a long visit in Trinidad, where her elderly sisters Trix and Gee live, on the way home to St. Vincent.
I wasn’t surprised to hear that it shook Cyn to the soul to hear of the 23 year old newly-weds spending the equivalent of her monthly rent in Cambridge 10 years before, on a taxi from London to Cambridge! When she went up to London to see a show with her friend Hugh Brown (a major in the US Army, thus the change of address) back then, there were trains for 12 shillings.
And finally, the CBC had a radio program for children called ‘Kindergarten of the Air’ where Dorothy Jane entertained Linda and Charlie in those pre-TV days.

October 1955

As the autumn approached, Carol made arrangements to return home to St. Vincent- gradually. Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second weekend of October, so she had a Thanksgiving feast with the Costains, and then arranged to fly to New York to visit her sister and nieces until after the American Thanksgiving at the end of November. Dressed in our coats from Harrods, we went to the airport to say goodbye to Grannie.

And as soon as Cyn got her bread-and-butter letter from Long Island, the letters started up again!

Box 330
Ottawa R.R.1.
Sunday.

Dearest Mummy,
Thank you so much for your letter – I thought that I would wait until I heard from you so that we wouldn’t start off with crossing letters. Cec & I were so pleased to know that you enjoyed your visit & think that we are so happy – we think so too! We all loved having you and Lindy & Charlie talk about you all the time & keep saying how sorry they are that you have left. I think that they must really miss you as they have nearly been driving me crazy – hanging around me and yak – yak – yakking!
We were so glad that you had a nice uneventful trip – it is nice that it is so quick – by the time we were home we reckoned you would be in Montreal, and before Cec was back again you would be with A. Ettie & Monie. So nice not to have a long dreary time in between.

As you can imagine we have no real news! However, Cec took Charlie to Dr. Wilson on Wed. & we were most relieved as Dr. W. says he is absolutely fine – no signs of trouble at all. We were also pleased as Charlie was a bit tearful at the thoughts of going and set out with Cec very doubtfully, but when he actually went into the Dr.’s office he was very cheerful and stood up on the table and said “I’ll show you where it hurts” & ended up by being great friends with the Dr. Another step forward in the right direction was on Friday I had the shoe man call with new shoes for them. Linda insisted beforehand that she wasn’t going to see him & was going to stay in her bedroom all the time. I said nothing, and when he arrived she just came & sat beside me & let me try on shoes with no fuss & even let the man feel her foot!! Charlie made no objection of course & it was all most peaceful & pleasant – for the first time in at least 2 years! Charlie got little brown Oxfords & Linda a brown pair with two little straps & buckles on top & she is very proud of them. $14.00 worth!!
The “animal” in the children’s room made a recurrence 2 or 3 nights ago – at least Linda insisted he did! Anyway for peace we moved them into Grannie’s room & they are tickled to bits! Linda is in your bed & Charlie on the couch & they think it is great fun. Actually we have decided we may make the change permanent as it is a slightly bigger room, so we will move their furniture in in a little while. Also Ken has told us if we want to paint any rooms & change colour schemes he will supply paint & brushes etc. so we will do that room & their present one I think – not just this minute though! Also do the pink in the kitchen.
I have been doing Linda’s little pinafore dress & just have the hem to hem! Also have remodelled one of my “shift” nighties! I have bought material for skirts for Christmas for Anne & Janita – called “Canadian North” & very colourful with deer & squirrels & canoes etc. Also the nightie for Nan (white with mauve flowers!) & one or two other Christmas presents – including Charlie’s train! Miss Lefroy’s Tissuette came & I put Kleenex in & will mail it tomorrow.
Cec has had a long busy weekend cleaning windows, taking down screens, painting storm windows & putting them up. They are nearly all on now except for a couple on which the paint was still wet. I don’t seem to have done much but dillyed & dallied & Lindy & I went to Sunday School this morning.
We have been having some nice bright colder weather with the frost for a couple of nights, so we have a festoon of green tomatoes across the kitchen window. I picked a bunch of the last zinnias & some chrysanthemums before the frost & took them & a little plant to Gudrun. Reminds me, heard from Gunborg last week – all well & had a wonderful time all over Europe. Re: plants – the small ivy pots in the kitchen have had a set back – Charlie knocked off one & Linda knocked off another! So far remembered to water everything!

Margie just phoned to ask if you had a good trip & we had a long chat. Cy is due on Wed. or Thurs. & she is all busy getting ready.
Must stop & get to bed – I had meant to write lots of other letters but of course didn’t. Cec & Lindy & Charlie & I all send lots of love & kisses – Cyn. P.T.O.:

Hope you have a nice time with Marie.

Others’ Children in the Summer

It is likely that Cyn got photos of her friends’ children with their Christmas cards, but she put them in her scrapbook in amongst her fall events, although they have a summer vibe. No doubt she sent pictures of Linda and Charlie looking one year older as well!

First, however, her friend Anne sent pictures of the previous spring and summer, before her husband’s tragic death in Cambridge.

The summer of 1955, they seem to have gone to the beach! Cyn, enjoying her new sewing machine, was busy making mother-and-daughter skirts for Anne and Janita for Christmas.

Meanwhile, in Newcastle, the Sheedy boys were getting older too.

And Nan and Dick Heslop were obviously proud of their daughter!

Back in Canada, after their working summer, Merle and Dix sent a picture of their boys, John, Lorne and Bruce.

These would be the cousins we were closest to, but it would be a few years before we met them.

Science in September 1955

While the Spectroscopy Section was busy at the NRC, their friends in Chalk River were gaining international recognition. Canadian atomic research was to result in the development of medical isotopes in the 50s, CANDU nuclear power reactors in the 60s, and Ray Appleyard’s continuing visits to New York, to the UN.

Meanwhile at home, Cyn got some modern technology that she’d been wishing for for years!

Out in Saskatchewan, another Costain scientist, Cec’s youngest brother, Carman, completed his Master’s and, following in his brother’s footsteps, was headed for Cambridge to work on his PhD in the field of radio astronomy. During the summer of 1953 when Carman had stayed with them in Ottawa, they had gotten to know him and Cyn’s knowledge of rooms, landladies, and houses in Cambridge was now put to use on his behalf. And he was not going alone!

Carman and Leona were visiting Ottawa before sailing to England, the family would get to meet the bride, and Carol would get to meet yet another of Cec’s family.

September 1955

The National Research Council where Cec worked had permanent staff members: Dr Herzberg, the head of the Physics Division, with Alec Douglas, Boris Stoicheff, Don Ramsay, Cec and others; and also Fellows who came from all over the world for 2 years and then usually returned to jobs at home. This meant that an unspoken part of the staffers job was being helpful to the newcomers and making sure their families were getting on well.

For Cyn and Cec, that meant entertaining, and once the summer holidays were over, they held an evening for their friends (possibly wanting Carol to enjoy the people she’d been reading about in Cyn’s letters for the past 4 years, as well as the outfit- Cyn’s skirt was her gift!)

Cec’s camera came out, showing drinks and hors d’oeuvres,

friends and Carol dressed up,

Phyl Douglas and Carol (Grannie to us, Mummy to Cyn.)

Alec Douglas, Joan Stoicheff, and a wife…

ladies smoking elegantly,

physicists chatting happily,

Charlie saying Good Night to his godfather, Boris Stoicheff.

and the children in pyjamas insisting on saying goodnight as part of the entertainment.