After sending off their cards and parcels to friends and family, Cyn and Cec had a family Christmas to themselves. Cyn will tell her mother about it later, but let the list she sent later give an idea of what was under the tree.
Christmas 1954
Category: Photographs
Spring 1954
Happy Spring 1954 pictures:
Cyn’s scrapbook records several events from the spring of 1954 that she didn’t write to her mother about: a new Costain cousin, Charlie’s haircut, Mother’s Day, and photos of kids at the new house.
June 25 1954
25th June. 1954.
Dearest Mummy,
I said I would write you a great long letter while Cec was away & here it is, he’s been & come back & been home a week & I still haven’t written! Actually I was kept busy while he was away & we gallivanted off in the car, so I really didn’t have much time & since he came back I’ve had to catch up on all the work I didn’t do while he was gone!
Thank you so much for your letter mailed 14th – I got it last Sat. (19) so the mails are being really good now. Cec got your birthday letter before he left & was so pleased with the pictures. I have been scolding him for not taking more – there has been a film in the camera for months & months & it just doesn’t ever seem to get finished- last Sat. I persuaded Cec to get the camera out & then Charlie began acting up & crying & fussing to go in the car until Cec got so disgusted with him that he just put it all away again! However I hope we will get them soon.
It is so nice to have Cec home again & Columbus was terribly hot & steamy so he was doubly glad to get back! He enjoyed it though & as all the Michigan crowd were there he renewed a lot of old acquaintances & of course among the others, saw Gordon. There has been talk & vague rumours about him coming up here all year, but nothing definite till just lately so I didn’t mention it. Now, the idea is that they will all come to Ottawa for 2 days in Aug. on their way home from holidaying at Cape Cod, so that Gordon can see Dr. Herzberg & plan for a future longer visit. I have written & told Gunborg we want them to stay with us (could put the double couch thing with the single bed in the spare room for the girls – us on the sofa & G & G in our room) but have heard no more. It will be such fun to see them again & can hardly imagine how big the girls will be– Anne has graduated, so is going to England for a year at the Perse School in Cambridge where she was before & will stay with her Aunt.
To return to our doings – we all drove Cec to the airport on the Sunday afternoon & Phyl & family were there to see Alec off & Joan to see Boris off & various other families, so there was quite a group – oh & dear Dan – but no Lyn thank goodness! We saw them all away- Charlie’s word for plane is “woo-woo” & “Dada woo-woo” was very exciting!! Cec got a seat at a window & waved to them, so they got a good look & were thrilled, but didn’t much care for the noise of the take off! The day before was a big Air Force Day & Rockcliffe Airport is just behind us so Cec & Charlie sat on the little back porch & watched planes all afternoon! Cec thought it was such fun to have a son who enjoys the same things he does!! Linda didn’t much care for the noise of the breaking of the sound barrier which we’d heard at the rehearsal the day before (shook the house!) so she stuck to me inside mostly!
After the Daddys had gone we went back to the Douglas’ & had a cool drink for a little while & then came home. On Monday – rainy, dreary day – we went to town. The weather has been so weird – as soon as we get a nice day there are violent thunderstorms & the rainy days & then the whole thing over again. We parked the car at Friemans & had apple juice there, then went to the market & got 6 tomato plants & some seeds & then to Woolworths. It was a great success & I was surprised at Charlie- I thought he would want “Up-up” all the time, but no, he toddled along & the only times I carried him were when I wanted to hurry – across roads etc. Unfortunately we had one mishap- when the car arrived for us to go home I lifted Charlie into his chair & George, the doorman, lifted Linda in! Well – she has this mania against strange people lifting her & she screamed & kicked & yelled & nothing I did would quiet her, and she kicked & yelled most of the way home, which was a pity as we had such a good time otherwise.
On Tuesday we drove across to see Lee & Barry & what do you know- Lee is pregnant again! Poor girl – she is feeling pretty rotten & looked awful, but she insisted that we come as we hadn’t seen them for so long. Jim was there as he stayed to do the washing, but he left soon & instead of coffee or anything Lee got an early sandwich lunch & then we left about 1- got there at 10:45. The next day we went to tea with Esther Calaman & the baby – she was so lonesome as John was away too & it was their first parting! Then the next day we went for groceries to a Loblaw’s store and they have wee carts for children as well as the big ones for mummies so Linda was very thrilled! I gardened quite a bit while Cec was away- weeding & planting seeds – & on Wed. evening Mrs. Rothwell had a bridge party for me! As I couldn’t go out, she & her guests came to me & she brought a basket with china, food, coffee & all – wasn’t it sweet of her!? Becky, her daughter-in-law, was there & a girl Flora, young married from down the road & we played the silliest chatty bridge, but it was funny! They are all old Ottawa families, so the conversation was very “Do you remember so-&-so” & “How is so-&-so” but it was fun anyway.
Cec was to arrive home at about 3 a.m. Friday, but the plane was grounded in Toronto for bad weather so they came on by train from there which was better really as they had berths & slept & didn’t arrive till breakfast. The children were so thrilled to see him- Charlie all over him at once – Linda quite standoffish for an hour or so, then climbed onto his knee & kissed & kissed him!!
Sat. we celebrated as his birthday & Sun. was Father’s Day, so Cec had a really pampered weekend! Chocolate birthday cake & roast chicken & strawberries & a pair of bathing trunks & books!
The children are awake so I must finish & dash to post this. It is a lovely hot day & I have their paddling pool out. Cec has made them a beautiful big sandbox in the back & they are in luxury! I have begun a “letter answering” letter, but will send it by sea & answer all your questions!
Lots & lots of love from us all –
Cyn
Round Lake August 1953
Once they were home from the holidays, and had the pictures developed, Cyn made a booklet for her mother to show her cottage life. She put her own photos in the scrapbook, continued to write her mother letters, Carman went back home to university, Cec stared working hard, and Carol, on receipt of the pictures, pasted them all in her own photo album featuring her grandchildren! It was a memorable holiday all round.
Summer in England 1953
Although Cyn and her friends in England were occupied with their growing families, they kept in touch. I am publishing only one side of Cyn’s correspondence with her mother here- but all of these women wrote to each other back and forth and it is hard to imagine the volume of correspondence Cyn generated in a year!
While Cyn was experiencing cottage country in Ontario, her friends in England were also on holiday with their children, and sent her pictures. Although some are wearing swimsuits as brief as the Costain children, somehow it looks a little bit colder. Cyn, Dottie, Mary Stewart, and Nan Heslop (Sandy’s mother) knew each other from Newcastle days.
Anne Winnick and Cyn were colleagues teaching in Cambridge before their marriages, and I assume Rosemary is another. Janita is Anne’s daughter, and Rosemary has another Charles!
I don’t know who these two are but they look sweet. Possibly this is from Newcastle, where there was another Bobby Sheedy, named for Cyn’s childhood. friend killed in the war.
I’m sure all the children had a happy summer so long ago!
August 27 1953- # 2
Thursday.
Continued:
Dearest Mummy,
The children are having a simply wonderful time. Charlie’s appetite is about 3 times what it was at home & he just gobbles up all his solids which he didn’t bother about much before. He is pulling himself up to stand now & in his playpen & crib & sits up as straight as a little ramrod without support. He has no sense of caution at all – bumps himself & bangs his head & falls off things – even out of his crib!- & yells for a minute & then grins when you pick him up! Both he & Linda love the water. It is gloriously warm & to begin with they both paddled & Lindy would walk in up to her waist. Then last weekend Cec got an old inner tube from one of the car tires blown up & we all have such fun with it. Linda gets in at & holds on with her arms & we push her or tow her all over- way out of her depth & even waves splashing in her face & she shrieks with laughter! We took Charlie right in for the first time yesterday and he splashed & kicked & was practically swimming – they both screamed their heads off when we made them come in! Barry loves the water too, but doesn’t like to go out beyond his waist even in the tire. Lee & Jim are a grand couple to share with & we are all getting on fine. The big drawback of the cottage is that it is only partitioned inside to about 7 or 8 ft. & curtains on the bedroom doorways, so if one child cries it disturbs everyone. Linda & Charlie just seem to take such short naps in the day & get tired & fretty, & we feel if we could just leave them in a closed off bedroom they would sleep longer.
The bedrooms are very small – we have Charlie’s cot in ours & the bed & about 6 ins. between. Lindy & Barry’s beds are “sofas” in the sitting room, so they go to bed in our rooms & then we transfer them at night. In the a.m. we usually do chores- dishes, beds, sweeping, washing etc. & in the p.m. the children sleep & we have a little rest, then play on the beach & bed, then dinner, children to bed – dishes – & bridge for us. I rinse diapers in the lake after boiling- makes it more interesting! We have a boat & go rowing -all are sunburnt (Cec red back!) & Linda has a little peeling nose!
Cec got us all big straw hats & Lindy looks a hoot in hers. We are taking lots of pictures to send you. Forgot to tell you, we have tame chipmunks too- they are so sweet & eat peanuts from our hands.
Lindy & Charlie send big xxxxs & lots of love from us all – Cyn.
August 27 1953
Round Lake. Thursday. About 27th (?) Aug!
Dearest Mummy,
I am so sorry that I haven’t written for such a long time. I brought a whole scad of writing things up here & this is the first time I have even had my pen out! I sort of imagined myself sitting back with nothing to do but read & write while the children played contentedly in the sand by themselves, but of course it’s not a bit like that! However, it is a glorious place & we are having a lovely, lovely time, so what does it matter if we don’t have much “sitting back” time!
The lake is big – about 7 miles across & even longer I think- it reminds me of Ullswater or some of those in the Lake District & has one or 2 little islands in it. The nearest town is Pembroke 24 miles away & only one little store near her, so you have some idea how isolated it is, but the milkman calls 3 times a week which is nice. There are pine woods all round the lake & our cottage is built in the midst of them – then a sandy track (not really a road!) then the beach & lake. It reminds me of Millie’s & Ford’s camp, but being right on the lake it is even nicer & the cottages are spread out & mostly empty now, so we are very private. The cottage itself is adequate but not fancy – we have a wood stove for cooking & a pump over the sink & a little “house” up the hill! It has electricity though, & there is a beautiful fridge & lamps & a hot plate which is nice.
The weather on the whole has been perfect. We drove up on Sat. 15th & that night it got very cold – Cec & I sat under a blanket & huddled in front of a little electric radiator all evening! Next day Lee & Barry arrived (Cec went into Pembroke & got them from the train) & Jim didn’t come till Wed. as he had work to finish. Between Sun. and Wed. it was dull & cold, mostly, some days bright and sunny, although at night it was icy! However, we kept the stove on all day & it was all right although Charlie’s 6 a.m. feed was a chiller! After Wed. however it got warmer & warmer & is now around 85 – 90 in the day & just nice & cool at night. It was sweltering this morning but now a wind is blowing & the lake is all waves. Carman came up on Fri. evening & stayed till Mon. afternoon & enjoyed it thoroughly & on Sat. afternoon Joan Gallagan (the pretty girl who was Dr. H’s sec at N.R.C.) came with her sister Kitty (their home is in Pembroke). They brought corn & we had hot dogs & had a nice picnic & bathed & had fun.
I am going onto another A.M. as I haven’t told of what fun the children are having.
Lots of love- Cyn.
August 9 1953
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.
July 23 1953
23rd July
Dearest Mummy,
Just a very hasty note as Cec is coming home early & I am going to make a lightning dash downtown to look at the Sales! I was to go on Sat. but it was so hot – ever since I last wrote we have been in the 90˚s & only down to 70- something at night, so it has been pretty juicy — or rather I should say we have been juicy — oozing in fact!!
We are all fine & well except that little Charlie has a slight tummy upset with the heat I think & is only eating milk. We got Lindy one of those little plastic paddling pools yesterday & she is so cute in it. Your parcel of “Mrs. Mike” & Lindy’s fairy book arrived yesterday – thank you lots & lots. Lindy will hardly part with her NEW book!
Just got the news at noon that Lu Forsyth had a son this morning! Only 2 hrs labour- pretty good!! Boys are the fashion just now, aren’t they?
Must dash, but will write very soon.
Hugs & xxs from us all –
Cyn.
July 14 1953- By Sea Mail
14th July
Dearest Mummy,
This is a couple of pictures Dan took, printed, enlarged, & mounted for me (I have copies.) He thinks they are wonderful, but we don’t think there’s anything super about them except that Lindy is having fun & they show our “back” as it used to be- no nice trees now. They were taken on Sunday a.m. when Cec had dressed Lindy etc, so so she is not poshed up!! It was early June I think & the bits of girl visible are Leslie Crabtree!!
I am enclosing the “corners” you asked for- can’t think why I didn’t get more than one pkt. but will send more when you need them.
Lots of love,
Cyn.
Cyn was having a busy summer and it is obvious that her lodger, Dan, can do very little right in her eyes now. The pictures are bigger than the snaps normally were, and are unposed and spontaneous, which Cyn doesn’t seem to like, but I think show a fun moment in time! Dan’s picture of Charlie captures a charming moment too. This was written on the same day as the air mail letter that arrived in Kingstown, St. Vincent on July 24th, but I’m sure it got there much later!
A Family History in Letters 