This is basically a collection of pictures and notes, illustrating the back-and-forth between Cyn and her mother, Carol.
Pictures from Carol: These are very sturdy, matt, and have her comments on the back. The big one was posted earlier, when the pictures were mentioned in a letter. (Nov 1 1950) It is stuck in the scrapbook, so anything written on the back is unavailable.
Carol Alone. Grannie’s writing: “Another of me with Moo cut off- I look rather soft – It’s my hanky I have in my hand and not my teeth as PWV suggested!” Moo & Carol seated. “This was about the best of Muriel – and it’s not good- he made her take off her glasses which was a pity.” Moo & Carol standing- in the shoes Cyn had never seen! “Muriel & self by the variegated hybiscus tree – its leaves are more white than green & the flowers bright red. Moo has her arm around me, & I am looking at a hen going to roost in a tree near by–” “ ‘Noyack’-he couldn’t get in the front steps unfortunately – they are just at the side-” [see pencil marks meant to be steps] “I am sitting at Muriel’s window – my bedroom window is at the right- X”.
Then there is the collection of oddments Cyn mentioned in her letter of November 7th, on three different types and sizes of paper, that she sent by sea, but referring to events she had already mentioned to her mother. (Just in case anyone else needs educating, Cyn was used to having fun from childhood on November 5th, when the English celebrate the failure of Guy Fawkes to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605, with fireworks and bonfires that burn a stuffed effigy, ‘the Guy’.) She never mentions Hallowe’en on Oct. 31, which I would have thought would have been an equivalent event in Ann Arbor.
Dearest Mummy,
This isn’t a letter- it is just a collection of funny things to amoose you!
I thought that you would like to know a bit how Til & Lois’s & the Sutherland’s houses look, and you know what fun I get out of drawing plans! They are both lovely houses in their own ways, but Til and Lois’ is in such a beautiful place it is hard to describe it. The prices – wow!- S’s is $25,000 & T & L $23,000 – millionaires needed!
The other funny little things are the place cards & menu I am going to make for dinner on Sat. night! We are having my pal Edie from work & Cec’s Canadian pal Al MacNamara from the Physics Dept. (he is from Sask – very shy – he came to dinner once before) to dinner & to play bridge. I have decided to make it a Guy Fawkes dinner, & altho’ Cec says they won’t know who he is, I’ll educate them! The place card is supposed to be a rocket exploding, & the menu is a gibbet done on my typewriter! I’m going to try and make a tiny “guy” for a centrepiece – wish you were here to help me!
Dinner will be a bit fattening I fear, but we have been wanting an excuse to get a duck!!
Lots & lots of love from
Cyn
This is to give you some idea of what Til & Lois’ house (1 year old) looks like. It is only one story- no attics or cellar – & is made of wood & painted pale yellow outside. The living room is lovely with two huge windows- the front & back- it is panelled in pine & has a natural carpet & oyster-y curtains. The bookshelves are built in & have a green patterned paper at the back & the new furniture is to be in greens & reds. The kitchen is lovely too with the same reddish pine used for counters & cupboards above & the walls are a beige glass tile & so are the bathroom walls. The kitchen curtains are blue check, the bathroom curtains, mat, shower curtain etc. are grey & yellow, & the linoleum yellow. The bedrooms are nice too, but I’m blessed if I can remember the colours! The little study is sweet, with a green carpet, & they are going to get new curtains. The outside is beautiful of course – all the orchard in front, & at the back the most wonderful view of the river– wooded banks- & it forks just opposite them & goes around a big island. Their bank is still full of bushes and scrub, & has to be all cleared, but afterwards I have persuaded Lois to plant daffodils there, & I think it will be heavenly.
This now, is a plan of the Sutherland’s new house. As you can see, it is much bigger, older & more formal. It is white painted wood outside with green tiles, has big basement, & attics. The sitting room is a lovely big room which they need as they entertain so much – the study is the Doc’s & is painted grey (Gunborg did it). The whole kitchen has been remodelled & is elegant! The walls are a pretty soft yellow-the cupboards around the walls are natural wood, well the tops of the counters are a soft pinky red formica (hard linoleum-y stuff) & inside the cupboards are red painted to match. It sounds a bit odd, but it looks very nice indeed. Upstairs there are 4 bedrooms – the girls have one each- & a bathroom- then the main bedroom (over the front 1/2 of the sitting room) has a little bathroom with shower only, of its own. All the bedrooms have little balconies (on study roof, porch etc.) – very romantic! Apart from the kitchen which they had done, Gunborg is doing all decorating herself – study, downstairs cloakroom, 2 bathrooms etc. & some is old & needs plastering cracks etc.- a big job.
P.S. Little Mary was writing a letter to her Auntie in England the other day & told her they had a chipmunk in the garden – then wrote “He is a doorable”!! Sweet.
By Sea to the West Indies- posted the first week of November, back is postmarked November 23 0r 28…
Cec is busy, so didn’t meet me for lunch, so I am improving the shining hour by beginning a letter to you! He is giving a paper at the Seminar (all the Physics Profs. and Lecturers and graduate students) on Thursday, so you can imagine the work he is doing, and the hours he is keeping. However, he seems quite pleased with what he is doing, so that is one thing.
Typing reminds me, that in your last two letters you have been asking me about those forms which I was to type for you – I didn’t mention it in my last letter, because I sent them off by sea some time ago, and I kept thinking that you would have got them before I wrote to you about them. I have no idea how long sea mail takes (let me know sometime-huh?) but I am sure that you should have got them by now. If not, I am awfully sorry – I thought they would be in plenty of time or I would have sent them by air. If by any chance they are lost, let me have a copy by air, and I will send you off some more by return, if not quicker – I promise.
I have not got your last letters with me, but thank you very much for them. One arrived on Friday last week, and one that you had addressed from Jean. Please thank her for me, will you, because at my present rate of reply she won’t get a letter for years! It was nice of her to write to me. You will wonder if you are ever going to get your letters answered, but I assure you that you will get a shock one day! Next week I am going on a strict diet (!!!) which I read in the paper – lots of eggs and grapefruit etc. and it is only for two weeks, which I think I could stand! Anyway I am going to have to take my lunch with me each day, so that I get the right things to eat, so Cec is going to carry his lunch too, and we are just going to eat at work. THEN I will answer your letters each lunchtime, and you will eventually get a lalapalooza! Incidentally, the money we save on lunches next week, we are going to save to buy a bathroom scale, so that we will be able to weigh progress!! Cec is going to help me to keep it up for a week, and see how I get on- he is going to be strict and not let me eat a cookie each time I feel hungrey! However, don’t get alarmed, because the article said that you were to stop at once if you felt badly or were irratable, so I won’t suffer at all!
Talking about letters, we heard from Connie and Len last week, and they sounded very forlorn. They had been in Ottawa for ten days, and had not got an apartment yet, and seemed quite in the dumps about it – they said that there were plenty of places, but all had snags, some too far out etc. We told Gunborg about the letter, and she said that she wasn’t surprised, that they had always struck her as rather a peevish couple, and very hard to please! We were a bit surprised, but we had suspected that Gunborg didn’t like them very much! However, we think that they are a bit inclined to want to perfection, and the letter did seem a bit grumbly – Len is complaining about his small salary and says that he doesn’t think that things can be any cheaper there than in the U.S. – I might send the letter for you to see when I answer it anyway. Connie puts a P.S. and says that they were living for Christmas when they would see us, so we thought that was rather pathetic, and we felt sorry for them.
I wrote to Winnie Sheedy last night, and sent Geraldine and Peter birthday cards. Cec and I had fun last week buying toys in the dime store for Peter’s birthday parcel. We got him little plastic horses with cowboys and Indians to ride on them, and plastic street lamps which glow in the dark, and one of those funny jointed green snakes which wiggle when you hold it, and a top which you shoot from a gun (plastic) and lots of candy and comics. I enclosed a lb. of icing sugar for Dottie, and 2 pkts. of Jello. I have to get my Christmas presents this weekend and send them off next week, so we will have a shopping spree on Saturday – fun!
Had to stop there & do some work! I am home now & have had dinner & washed up. I have arranged to go with Edie & Dawn from work to the pictures to see Bette Davis in “All About Eve” as our husbands are working, but it is raining so I wish I could stay at home! We have had the wierdest weather lately – the weekend we were at Til & Lois’ & about 3 days afterwards were so beautiful & warm, then the weather broke, & on Saturday we woke up to sleet & snow! It was a dreadful weekend & has been dull & not nice since.
I had Edie & Cec’s Canadian friend from the Lab Al (was at Univ. in Sask) to a Guy Fawkes dinner & to play bridge! We had no fireworks though! I sent my menu & place cards in a sea letter at the weekend with a plan of Lois & Til’s house & one of the Sutherland’s new house, telling what they were like. Anyway our dinner was a big success, & we had a nice time – Al is very quiet & shy, but although Edie is quiet, she is very sweet & asks questions & is a good listener- & they both said they had a good time.
On Sunday we walked up to S’s in the afternoon as Gunborg is going away for about a week to stay with friends for a change (has a lady to come & look after the house) but they were out. I wrote to Dottie on Sunday, so I am making an effort! Last night too I did all the ironing & washed my hair, so felt full of virtue!
Had a letter from Cec’s Mummy tonight, & they have sold their house & land, & have bought a smaller one in Saskatoon (they were 3 miles out)- also Russell (21) is engaged & is to be married at Christmas!! Isn’t that a lot of news?!
Must stop- Love to A. Muriel & A.. Ettie (is she staying for Christmas?) & lots & lots for my Thin little Mama!
I took this letter to Til and Lois’ at the weekend to write & tell you what their new house was like, and then we were so busy all the time I never got done.
Now I am at work as you can see & I am rushing this off so that you won’t scold me too much about being late in writing! With being away for the weekend I have been all behind hand with the housework & have been puttering around the last two evenings, & tonight Gunborg & I are going to see Charles Laughton give a One Man Show! He reads bits out of books & does acts etc. & is supposed to be very good.
Well – about our weekend! I took a half-day on Friday, so had a chance to pack & tidy a bit before meeting Cec for the 3:45 bus. We arrived in Toledo at about 6, & Lois was there to meet us in her tiny car & drove us 22 miles out along the river to their new house. It was dark of course, but it is a lovely drive all along the river in the country. Their lot is 200 ft. x 800 ft., so is big, as you can imagine and is right by the river – they even have a little dock! Between the house & the road is an orchard (14 apple trees) & between the house & the river is lawn then bushes etc. on a fairly steep river bank. The house is new (1 year old) & very sweet & small – I’ll tell you more about it in a longer letter- & Til had a great fire to welcome us & it was lovely. We were thrilled with it & so are they, & it was a heavenly warm sunny weekend- has been up to 80° then & since & today (Nov!) is the same. We spent all weekend helping in the garden & having such fun- also Mr. & Mrs. Pasquier came on Sat. & Lois’s relatives on Sunday. We ended by not getting home till 1 a.m. on Sunday & were we tired!!
We got your pictures which Mr. Verrell took & think they are lovely pictures, but that they don’t do you justice! The big one is the nicest we think, but he has taken it from below a bit, so you look as if you had a double chin- you haven’t I’m sure! You have a pretty dress on & shoes which I’ve never seen- I am quite surprised to realize that you have dresses I don’t know about!!
Tell Auntie Ettie I had a card from Mona in Wales- nice! My love to her & Auntie Moo. Must stop now & will write more tomorrow.
Each evening this week I have meant to write to you, but we have had three days of real Indian summer with temperatures in the 80s, and so by evening I have been in a coma! Summer clothes put away long ago of course, so everyone is sweltering as well as amazed and feeling very lazy! I am having a busy time at work this week too, as we are having a conference of the travelling supervisors. They are the people (8 women & 2 men) who travel all round the States & engage the interviewers and train them and supervise their work, & they come back to Ann Arbor two or three times a year for meetings, discussions etc. They are having this conference in another building, so I haven’t even seen them yet, but all my bosses- Charlie ( Dr. Charles Cannell Head of Field Office)- Shirley, (Assistant Head)- Edie (Secretary) – have all been there – so I have been holding the office together – or feel as if I am!
Sylvia – the girl who shares the room with me- has been away most of the week with a kind of tummy flu that is hitting everyone, so I have been All Alone! I feel very important answering the telephone and making momentous decisions on my own- Big Business Woman! I might add that there are hundreds of people milling around in the rest of the Institute, so don’t think my responsibilities were too enormous!!
Cec is in the midst of one of his horrid sessions of hard work, and toils from morning till early morning again – as I leave him still working when I go to bed each night. He has got most of his equipment by now, & besides building that, is working on some stuff for Dr. S. so has more than enough to do.
We got a letter from Len Bovey written on board ship, today, & poor things – he & Connie had both had a hard time the first few days. Len said he was feeling better (3rd day out) but apparently Connie has had “nervous debility” for the last month or so, so wasn’t too good anyway. Len has had unofficial word that his PhD is O.K. so we are very pleased about that and hope they like it in Ottawa. Did I tell you about your friend Charlie being married? I think I did in my last letter – we heard from George Lindsay, who is also in Ottawa now.
Because Cec has been working so, we haven’t done much, but last weekend I had quite a busy time. On Sat. morning Mr. & Mrs. Kaufman took me to the Farmer’s Market, & when I got home I cleaned the flat. Then in the afternoon I walked up to the Sutherland’s and helped her get ready for her dinner party for the Bishop. I peeled potatoes, made carrot sticks & celery curls, made cocktail snakes & canapés, & helped fix the table- also gave moral support! I met the Bishop – he seemed nice, but very Bishop-y! Gunborg was having 10 people, & she had a coloured girl, Viola, in the kitchen, & Anne & Kirstin were to wait on table! I rang up this week to hear how it all went, & Gunborg said it was fine- the food was good- everyone seem to enjoy themselves & the children waited very nicely & were a great asset!
On the Sat. evening, Cec & I went to the Student’s Cinema League, to see “Great Expectations”. I was so delighted to get a chance to see it after all this time, & we both enjoyed it, except the fact that either the film was old & broke, or else the fellow running it didn’t know how! Anyway, in all the exciting parts it faded out & you can imagine the indignation from the students!
On Sunday I had some of the girls from the office to tea. They were all tickled to bits at an English tea, so I asked Edie, (she brought a friend of hers, Arloa, too), Milly & her husband, Jerry, and Dawn & her husband, Bert. Eight was quite a squash in our little room but we all got in! Edie, Milly & Dawn are the girls I go out to coffee with, morning & afternoon, mostly. Edie is my immediate boss & is a very sweet, quiet, nice (single) girl – sweet-looking & wears glasses – she is by far the most popular girl in the whole place I think, because she is so nice & friendly & always the same & always has time to speak to everyone. Milly is a Canadian girl- small & is one of the secretaries. She is quite nice, but Cec &I didn’t like her husband much- (he is a student) he is very dark & Italian-looking & wears a bow tie! He has a funny accent- either broken English or Brooklyn! Dawn is a funny girl & I like her immensely- she is thin & looks slightly Katherine Hepburn-ish, & has Dottie’s downright way of talking & is very amusing too- we both liked her husband too- he is nice & easy-going & friendly & is studying law.
I had egg sandwiches, (with chopped chives) liver pate & cucumber sandwiches, orange cake, fruit cake, cream puffs & shortbread & they all had a wonderful time & we forgot our diets & ate & ate! I made the fruit cake, orange cake & shortbread one evening, & on the Sunday I filled & iced the orange cake, made the cream puffs & sandwiches & shined the silver, so as to do my best for an English tea! All the girls wanted to know who the photo of the “beautiful lady” was in the bedroom so I hope your ears burned!
It is getting late, so I will retire to my squeaky bed! We were going to Til & Lois’ this weekend to see their new house, but have postponed it till next weekend (27th) as Til has a concert on Sunday.
My love to Auntie Moo & to Auntie Ettie if she has come too- also to the cousins.
We are having a wet Sunday afternoon- nice – and I am writing letters and ignoring the chores! Cec was going to go back to the Lab. & do some work, but the rain has discouraged him & he is sitting reading- supposed to be writing letters too! He is busy again at work – building up his apparatus, having at last got some equipment. Dr. Sutherland brought him 2 things (tubes) from England which Cec has had ordered here for months but couldn’t get – so Dr. S. got permission to bring these 2 which Cec had used in Cambridge. Wasn’t that nice?
Talking of Cambridge, reminds me that Cec got a letter this week from George- remember the fair, shy, nice Canadian? He is in Ottawa now working there, having finished his thesis etc. but not heard the results. He tells us that your friend Charlie is finished too & is out at the Univ. of British Columbia in Vancouver, & puts in brackets (married) so I am bursting with curiosity!! Bob Stewart he says is also going to U.B.C., but doesn’t say if he is there yet- I am wondering if Veronica really did have another baby or not. That means that all of his friends have really left Cambridge now, but it will be nice when we are in Ottawa because besides George working there, Cec says that most of the others will be going there fairly frequently, so we will be able to keep in touch with them.
Connie and Leonard will be sailing from Liverpool on Tuesday, and I am going to write & have a letter waiting for them when they arrive in Montreal. I wrote to them when we got back from Canada & wished them a nice crossing etc. & invited them to come and spend Christmas with us, which I think will be fun. Cec had vaguely talked of going to Lee’s for Christmas, and Joan and Ray were very insistent that we come & spend it with them, but with seeing Lee this summer we don’t feel we have to go again, & although we would like to see Joan & Ray again, we would rather spend Christmas at home, and Cec suggested asking Connie & Len & I thought it was a lovely idea. Dr. S. saw Leonard in Cambridge & Len told him they would be here for Christmas, so that seems O.K. Len said in his last letter that Connie hadn’t been well, but I didn’t think much about it. However Dr. S. says that she had a kind of nervous breakdown, but I hope she’ll have a nice time coming over & feel better when she arrives.
Dr. S. himself came back last Monday from England (flew both ways) feeling very tired, and developed a terrible cold & has been in & out of bed all week. Poor Gunborg is pretty well worn out too, with all her work on the house so she hasn’t been feeling very cheery either. On top of all the work of getting the house ready– she has got the job this coming week of entertaining the Bishop of Ely who is coming here for about a week. They knew him in Cambridge – he was a Don or something there before he became Bishop – and he christened the children so they of course are very pleased to have him as they say he is a dear, but Gunborg is in a flat spin at the prospect of entertaining in her present state of chaos! She is having to give a dinner party for him on the Sat. Evening- 10 or 12 people – and has enlisted my aid, so I’ll be buttling for the Bish!
We got two letters from you this week- one mailed on 30th & one on the 26th-, & thank you so much for both of them. I was so sorry to hear that you were worried about us though, because you hadn’t had a letter, but was glad to see by your pencilled note on the back of the envelope that one had arrived. I thought that I had written long before the 22nd, but can’t be sure, as the first week or so that we were back seemed such a muddle. Now that I am organized, I will try and be better. In the first letter I wrote after I came back I know I told you of my raise at work and being on the permanent staff, so if you know about that, there won’t be any letter missing, but you said in your letter about Janie writing to you and your not getting the letter, and I certainly never heard from her either. I have been thinking that I should write and send some little thing for my god son, but thought I would wait till they got home, and now I feel that I might as well wait & send a little parcel at Christmas as we don’t know exactly when his birthday is. The Budleigh Salterton P.O. must have rats or something- Cec suggested that perhaps Bill was still carrying the letters around in his pocket, but surely he’d have found them before now! Tell Janie it wasn’t my fault this time, will you?! What is their new address?
I have just made a coffee cake, & put on the coffee instead of having tea – it seems more like a coffee day! My dieting is fairly good during the week, but is inclined to fall off at weekends, & I don’t think I’ve lost much weight yet! I weigh on Gunborg’s scales & haven’t had a chance recently – all the drugstore scales say different things- one yesterday said 134!! I’m still wanting Patsy’s diet & see what that will do for me!
We have had such a nice week this week. On Monday Cec gave me a surprise! We have begun a new budget since we came back, (saving our money for a car!) and we get $5 each pocket money- bus fares, coffees, stamps, birthday presents etc.! Anyway, when Cec took our week’s money out of the Bank on Monday he told me he had practically spent all his pocket money already as he’d bought something, but wouldn’t say what it was. I’ve been wanting a housekeeping purse, & on getting my P.-money suggested I go & buy one, but when we got to the shop it was very crowded & I left it- only to find when I got home that the surprise was a beautiful red billfold & purse combined which Cec had had for me all the time! It is lovely red leather & has a purse, place for identity card with cellophane cover, place for bills at the back, and a secret place for bills hidden away! It is lovely & I am so proud of it! Just a week or so ago, I got another present- a new band for my watch. The watch was fixed, & Cec got me such a pretty little gold band – tiny hearts & flowers – which goes so nicely with the little flowers on the watch. Aren’t I a lucky girl? Our budget seems to be doing well this time, & with our present rate of saving we hope to be able to get a 2ndhand car by Christmas- won’t that be fun? Probably won’t finish paying for it till Feb. but that won’t be long- then we’ll begin saving for a refrigerator! In Canada they cost at least $300, whereas here you can get a very nice one for $200, & if you have it for over six months you don’t have to pay duty taking it into the country, so it seems worthwhile doesn’t it?
Cyn seated in front, NOT wearing bobby socks!
On Thurs. I was talking to Gunborg over the phone (I have my own telephone on my own palatial desk in my own office- shared with one other girl- at the office now! Important that’s me!) and she said that Gordon’s cold was so bad that he was in bed & asked me to go to a concert that night for which they had tickets. There are 2 series of concerts in A.A. this winter-the Big Series, & the Little or Extra Series- the S’s have tickets for the first, but we thought the Little Series sounded nice & 6 concerts would be just a nice number, so we got tickets for those & our first concert is on Tues. with Laurenz Melchior singing. On Thurs. Gunborg & I heard Helen Traubel sing- she is a great Wagnerian soprano & sings at the Metropolitan Opera in N.Y. She is an immense woman- 6 ft. or so, with a huge bust, but slim hips, so looks top-heavy! We could just imagine her in a helmet & breastplate being all Wagnerian! She sang some German Lieder & negro spiratuelles very quietly & beautifully, but when she stood & bellowed Tristan & the Valkyries etc. we didn’t think much of it!
On Friday I met Cec in town after work & we had dinner, then we went to the pictures. Gunborg & Gordon were to come too, but Gordon’s cold was still bad so Gunborg came alone & we went to see “Kind Hearts& Coronets”. It is an English film you know, & I had hoped to see it, but we didn’t get the chance before we left England, so were delighted when it came here. It was crowded & everyone who has seen it has said they laughed more at it than anything they’ve seen for ages, & we enjoyed every minute of it! It was a huge success – very amusing & well done, & very subtle wit and humour – we all came out feeling very gay, & Gunborg who had been very quiet the night before at the concert, cheered up immensely!
Yesterday, I did my housecleaning & grocery shopping – in the afternoon there was another football game, & Gunborg didn’t want to go, so Gordon, who is feeling a bit better, asked Cec to go, and as it was a nice sunny afternoon and Michigan won this time 27-7, they had a nice time! I gave them a drink when they got back, and Gordon felt fine! Cec got dinner for me, as a treat, and later in the evening we went up to the drugstore and had another Treat- chocolate milk shake! Spoiled!
You were scolding me in your letter about not telling you Anne’s News, but blame her not me! She wrote & told me with great injunctions not to tell anyone etc. so when I wrote back I said could I tell you, & saved her letter to send you all the Cambridge gossip, but now that she writes & says yes to tell you, she has told you herself! Her last letter made me quite cross – I had written all about my job etc. as being my only news, & she wrote back and & said, “Your big news was not news I’m afraid- you’d mentioned it in 2 previous letters- 1 before getting it & 1 after” but as she never answers my letters at all, how was I to know I’d told her! She has told you all the gossip, so I won’t bother to send her letter, but re. the various people – the man Marion Knight is marrying is someone she knew long ago at her home in Blackpool – I think it is nice, as she was a nice girl really & I think John would be O.K. if he had a proper home. Margot’s “Hep” is a funny mousy little man who used to come & see her at weekends & she would always return to him after having been engaged to other people etc.! Sheila’s Bob is a fellow she got to know in Cambridge when I was there & she went to the May Ball with him. He left that summer, & Sheila was on & off with him that winter, & it was supposed to be off when I left, as he was v. serious in intentions & Sheila wasn’t. However her intentions seem to be serious too, now! His photo looks nice, so I hope they’ll be happy- I sent Sheila a card.
I was sorry to hear about your missing Patsy’s boat & not getting to see her off- also not being able to give her the cloth. I hope she has a good trip and keeps her elegant figure till she meets Tony! Cec and I laughed like anything over Alex Hughes flying to Barbados & being so scared – he sounds a dope! And from what you tell me about his being so conceited and bossing Peggy around etc. the more I hear of him the less I like the sound of him. Did the other girls ever say anything to you about him? When you write about them all visiting each other etc. I can’t help thinking of when Peggy got engaged writing pathetically to Brenda “that of course she realized they would never receive her or Alec in their homes” but it doesn’t seem to matter out there much, does it? I was amused about Patsy saying to you & A. Moo about Jean fussing so & never being content – it seems that other people think as I do!
I must stop now & go & cook dinner. I’ll answer the rest of your letters & send it by sea, so that this won’t be too heavy!
Lots & lots & lots of love from Cynnie
[Cec’s Handwriting] Dear Mom,
Yes, we are planning on getting a brand new 2nd-hand car, so sometime! we may be able to drive down part way – Too bad you are on an island. Cyn is ever such an important executive now – no longer licks her own stamps. Bye for now.
Love Cec
[Then in pencil at the start of the letter, Cec writes: PS I just beat Cyn at cribbage & she’s sulking & crying same as she used to. Love Cec.
I still haven’t got around to that long letter answering yours, but I still intend to, so it will be coming! I got yours of the 18th on Monday, & was so pleased to get it & glad that you were having fun painting!
On thinking back, I remember that it is 1 1/2 weeks since I wrote last, as I meant to write again at the weekend, & then got caught up in ironing etc. instead! I also managed to write to Irene for her birthday & send a box of candy- it wasn’t a very original present but I was so horrified when Dottie wrote & told me that she’d had to pay £1 on the waist petticoat I’d sent her for her birthday, that I thought I’d better send something that had no duty on. I intended sending “Les Girls” nylons at Christmas, but I think I’d better ask them if they want them first.
Cec & I have had quite a busy week, & the time seems to have flown, but thinking back we don’t seem to have done much. Last Sat. we went to Mary & Arthur Dockerill’s & chatted & had a cup of tea etc. They have a flat on the top floor of a big house owned by an old Physics Prof. & it is atticy & rather like our Cambridge one, but they have their own shower– bathroom. It is nice although not so modern as this one. On the Sunday, Cec went down to the Kaufman’s & watched a baseball game on television. The K’s had also taken us to the Market on the Sat. morning & among other things we bought a lovely bunch of mauvy gladiolas & on the Sun. we walked over to the Sutherlands & gave them to Gunborg. She is very busy with the house- painting etc. & it really is looking very nice.
Mon. I ironed (also Sun!) & on Tues. Cec & I & Gunborg went to see “Sunset Boulevard” which was very good. It is a film with Gloria Swanson in it as a star of silent days & she acts very well in it – looks awful though, I think!
Wed. we did nothing, but on Thursday Cec & I had hardly arrived home after work, when Kirstin came & asked us to come up as her Mummy was ill, & they had no one to cook their dinner. She was on her bike, but we set off walking & arrived in about 20 mins. to find the kids finishing dinner which was already cooked & Gunborg had told Kirstin to ask us to come later! However, we sat down & ate the remains! Poor Gunborg had been sick & felt v. poorly, but got better, & we saw the girls to bed & left her to have a good sleep.
We went to a big Michigan University football game yesterday afternoon, but M. lost & we were v. disappointed as it was slow & not much fun. We played bridge with Cec’s friend from the Lab. Pete & his wife Mary Jo who used to take me shopping – it was fun.
Must stop now, but will try & write again this week.
I have been meaning to write ever since I got home, but I have been that busy, & even now I have decided just to write this Air Letter, & write a proper answer to your letters at the weekend. I have all sorts of letters to thank you for because I found a lovely swadge when I got home, & then got another nice one with snaps last weekend – thank you so much, honey bun. I have letters dated 15, 21, 29 Aug. & 5 & 12 Sept. so I’ll save them all to answer at the weekend & will bring you up to date with our news in this one, except that I want to tell you that I thought the snaps of Bequia were fun, but was only sorry there weren’t more with you in, & as you say they are blurry etc. which is a pity. But one of Patsy & Tessa is the best as you say, & in it Patsy looks just like Jean I thought & not a bit fat! I am most intrigued at her loss of weight & want you to sit right down & send me her diet!! Since my holiday I have been trying to diet – no potatoes, puddings, pies or cake – only 3 slices of bread a day- no sweets- no coca-cola or sweet drinks – I feel very virtuous, but can’t see any effects yet!
When I last wrote to you we were in Ottawa & I think I must have told you that we had planned to speed things up a bit & get back to A.A. on 10th-, as I had been worried all along about taking more than a month from work, & Cec thought he should be back too, so we stayed a day less with Merle & Lee & in Ottawa & then flew to Toronto on the Fri. & spent till Sunday with Cec’s Auntie & Uncle. They were very sweet to us & we went shopping on Sat. a.m. & Cec bought a new navy Burberry & I got a new winter coat- dark red- quite plain, but with a chamois lining which will zip in & out- lovely & cosey warm! They have a big Exhibition in Toronto every year, so we all went on the Sat. night & saw a beautiful fireworks display as well as other things.
We arrived back in A.A. on Sun. afternoon & on Mon. I went to work- & what do you think? They had a great surprise for me – I am now in the permanent staff at the salary of $2260 a year! Isn’t that something? Cec & I feel so wealthy & so pleased we came back on time!
Our evenings have been busy because the Sutherlands moved into their new house on 15th, so we went along most evenings & helped them pack linen & china & stuff, then on Sat. after the move we went & helped them unpack. To complicate matters, Dr. S. flew to England on Sunday for a fortnight for a conference, so Gunborg is left to cope with things & is very disconsolate. The house still has painters & workmen etc. in, but will be lovely when finished – will tell you more about it later.
Have just been writing to Connie & Len – they sail on the 10th from Liverpool in the Empress of France, so will be in a tizzy now. Must stop- bedtime – Love to A. Moo & Les Girls! – Lots & lots for you
from Cyn & Cec
[Cec’s handwriting] P.S. It’s past her bedtime- as usual. Love C3
Here we are in Canada! We arrived here this afternoon, after our usual Costain mad rush at the last minute, and now having got everything organized we are sitting back in our hotel room feeling that we are on our holidays!
You will notice that we postponed our date of leaving, as Cec had some work to finish for Dr. S. and I was just as pleased as it gave me time to do everything I wanted to, instead of every other thing! I finished work on Friday, and since then I’ve washed & ironed all our clothes, mended them (!!!), cleaned the flat thoroughly including scrubbing all the floors, so I feel very virtuous now! I packed my case last night, & got all Cec’s things ready, but this morning what with washing up & cleaning the very last things out of the fridge etc. we had quite a scramble to be ready at 10:30 when Gunborg very kindly came & gave us a lift down to the bus depot. We got the bus into Detroit, which takes about 1 1/2 hrs, then took another bus through the tunnel under the river to Windsor. We had to get here before the banks closed to get our Canadian money, then we went to the Airline Office & payed for our tickets & at last had lunch & we were hungrey! We thought we would go to the pictures tonight to see “Kind Hearts & Coronets” which we missed in England, & then get to bed early, as we have to be ready to get the bus to the Airport at 6:30 a.m.! We go to Toronto, then change planes & arrive at Saskatoon at 3:25- isn’t it incredible, when it would take us nearly 3 days in the train.
I haven’t written to you properly since my Epic, although I did send a sea letter of funny things from Ann Arbor. In that time we got 2 letters from you, & thank you very much honey. I have them with me, & will answer them in this, or if I haven’t time, will answer them in my next from Saskatoon.
We don’t seem to have been doing very much but the time has flown, & of course I have been busy with my chores as usual. We had a grand day in Detroit with the Sutherlands, & I had lovely time. We drove there in their car arriving about noon, & as we hadn’t been able to book tickets for the Ball Game, we went to the stadium & found we’d have to go & get them at 6 in the evening. Gunborg & I were all for having a nice dinner but with having to go so early to the game, we decided instead to have a nice lunch, & we went to a very nice Swedish restaurant we had heard of, called the Stockholm. It was lovely & cool for which we were grateful as it was a sweltering day (I wore my new green suit) & we had an extremely nice lunch- there was a Smorgasbord first (a kind of hors d’oeuvres- all sorts of dishes hot & cold, set out on a big table, & you go & help yourselves) then steak, and I being adventurous had a peculiar dessert that wasn’t very nice, but I didn’t mind!
After lunch we left the S’s to go shopping, & Cec & I went & saw about our re-entry permits for coming back to the U.S. & then to the Airline & arranged about our tickets & paying in Canadian dollars etc. We had arranged to meet the S’s at 4 o’clock, & it was still early, so we went to the great big store, Hudsons, & shop gazed & didn’t buy a thing! We met the S’s, & they shopped a bit more, then we had tea & finally went out to the stadium. We had to queue till 6 o’clock, then dashed in & got tickets & tore up the ramps & got seats!
In no time for seats were all filled (unreserved) & the game didn’t begin until 8:30, so we had a long wait, but it wasn’t dull because all the players were out practising & we had our programs & picked out the ones we knew from the radio broadcast, & it was fun. We ate hotdogs & drank pop, & it didn’t really seem long to wait. The Ball Game was Fun! Detroit was playing the New York Yankees, & they are great rivals, so it was very exciting, & Detroit won! I stood up & yelled & got so excited right at the beginning that Cec was worried my voice wouldn’t last through the game – I had a lovely time & enjoyed it hugely & so did Cec. Gunborg didn’t think it was very thrilling, so we were a little bit disappointed in her! We got back to A.A. about midnight, & I felt very pleased with my nice day.
Jessie Forsyth came that weekend to say goodbye, as she was leaving. We won’t see her in Sask. as her home is in Medicine Hat, but we will see Pete & Lu.
Last week we were busy at the office, & one evening I even did 3 1/2 hrs. of typing at home for one of the men- got paid of course too! Then we suddenly got a card from Joan & Ray Appleyard saying they had been driving out West & were returning to Yale via Ann Arbor & hoped to see us on Thurs. So of course, we were tickled to bits, but they didn’t actually arrive till Friday mid-day. They look just exactly the same (Ray thinner) & had with them a couple Bid & Denis Manon with whom they used to play bridge in Cambridge & used to call the Porkers – I didn’t know them. They had been driving most of the night, & got lost, & the car broke down, so they were in a dirty, sleepy condition when they arrived. We all had lunch in town together, then Cec took Joan & Ray back to the flat while I went back to work. The Manons went to a hotel, but I asked them to dinner & we had quite a successful meal of steak with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, tossed salad & cantaloupe. We asked the S’s over for a drink afterwards & we had a very nice evening. Joan & Ray slept on our sitting room sofa which pulls out into a double bed, & said they slept very well, then after breakfast set out at about 8 o’clock to collect the Manons & go to Niagara & then back home. They are going to stay in Yale another year – they were both asking for you & sent their love.
We have been to the movie & are back & going to bed now. We didn’t see “Kind Hearts & Coronets” as it was a long way away, but went to see “Stage Fright” instead. It was quite good, but there was a stinker on with it, which we sat through to see the beginning of the other!!
Will write soon again from Saskatoon.
With lots & lots of love from us both
Cyn & Cec
So Cyn and Cec were on holiday starting in Windsor, and there also in Windsor Ontario, was a red-haired 4-year-old boy who would grow up to marry their daughter!
Cyn may have been nervous about meeting her in-laws for the first time, but she also was interested in seeing more of Canada, going West, and then visiting more of Cec’s relatives, as well as their trip to Ottawa where they expected to be living in the future. And I’m sure the Costains liked her- Carman would spend a couple of summers living with them, and when Merle and Dix moved to Ontario in the 60s, the two families became close, and shared quite a few more holidays!
I have already posted most of these photos that Cyn sent Carol to illustrate earlier letters when she was telling her mother about the events. She put the duplicates in her Scrapbook but unfortunately she didn’t copy the ones she thought were poor, so there are no pictures of Dr. Sutherland.
Sunday. Aug.13
Dearest Mummy,
This isn’t a proper letter. It’s just to send you some snaps & some other funny things to amuse you! The snaps are mostly of the Sutherlands, so that you can see what they are like, & I have numbered them on the back.
This is Anne- the oldest one- & is good of her- taken in their back garden.
This is little Mary & Gunborg, taken on their porch. The canvas screen behind is to keep the sun out on a hot day. It is good of them both I think, but Gunborg says it makes her look like the Crown Princess of Sweden- all nose & teeth!
This is the 3 girls – Kirsten on the left – it is cute of little Mary we think.
This is Gordon (Dr. S.- we have been told to call him Gordon) & Gunborg at their front door. It isn’t very good, but will give you some idea of how they look.
This is me with Arthur & Mary Dockerill on the picnic we went with them. Notice our picnic basket prominently displayed! We took one with Cec on too, but forgot to turn it, & took a squirrel on top!
This is our pet squirrel, Blossom, taking a cherry from me. We are on the Campus.
This is Blossom again with a plum! He is halfway through it, but finds it rather heavy to hold! Isn’t he a pet?
I must stop now, as I am verybusy! I have just done a Big Wash of all our things to go away, & we have just had tea. Now I must clear away & begin dinner. I have all the ironing to do, the floors to wash, the house to clean & the packing to do, before we leave on Tues. morning! I was just saying to Cec how nice it would be not to have to think of what to have for dinner for the next 4 weeks!
I have been meaning to tell you for a long time, that I went to Woolies to get you some rubber washers, but came away foiled! There were some like what we had in England, but they were for garden hoses, & had all different sized holes in the middle. The wash basin kind were different- like sort of rubber buttons. Anyway Cec said if you could send an old one, it would be the best thing.
The little map is to show you where we are flying on our holiday. From Windsor to Toronto, then to Saskatoon. We go from there to Regina by train, then fly from Regina back to Toronto, then to Ottawa, then to Montreal, then back to Toronto & Windsor.
In the Epic Cyn keeps referring to, she is replying to two months worth of letters from her mother, and since she’s writing it over a 10 day period, some of the events she mentions overlap with her other letters. Carol had left England after 30 years, having separated from her husband now hospitalized with dementia, and gone home to St. Vincent to live with her sister Muriel (Auntie Moo). She had visited other sisters and their children and grandchildren living in the West Indies first, and now is writing to Cyn and Cec, mentioning cousins in the extended Hazell family that Cyn has never heard of, and again referring to the family martial upsets and divorces with ones she is closer to. Carol’s brother Fred is the owner of the family business, Hazells, and hosts a holiday on the island of Bequia which she enjoyed immensely. His 4 daughters, Jean, Brenda, Peggy and Patsy, are frequently mentioned as well.
As their first Wedding Anniversary approached, Cyn and Cec were still getting wedding presents. Hugh Brown, who the Ewings had known during the war when the American Army was stationed in Newcastle, had been great friends with Cyn, had introduced her to his family during her exchange year in Toledo, and now sends her a belated gift they are thrilled with. Although Hugh had left the army when Cyn had last seen him in 1947, it now seems, perhaps because of the Korean War, that he is once more a high-ranking officer. The missing wedding present sent by Cyn’s cousin Brenda from Burma shows up eventually, because it is listed, last, in Cyn’s Wedding 1949 notebook!
A Hazell cousin: Bill Otway’s family.
Saturday. 22nd July.
Dearest Little Mummy,
Here I am beginning right away with my Epic! I have just been inquiring of Cec how much paper he has as I only have 3 sheets & he says how much am I going to write, but I say, oh hundreds as I have hundreds of letters to answer! I have left the dirty dinner dishes in the kitchen & abandoned my ironing & I’m just going on writing till I don’t have another thing to say!
I am beginning now with your letter written on 14th May- ‘way back! You were saying you had just been in St. V. 4 weeks – does it seem ages & ages ago now? You are writing in it of getting “I Capture the Castle” from A. Ettie & how much you enjoyed it. After your recommendation I got it out of the library & both Cec & I loved it & thought it was a gorgeous book, although I don’t think the end was as good as the beginning. It is Dodie Smith’s first book & I remember reading criticisms of it in the Eng. papers, as she is a well-known playwright – do you recall seeing “Autumn Crocus” long, long ago at the Jesmond Playhouse? That was by her & was very well known- it was about a middle-aged school teacher who went for a holiday to Austria & fell in love with the hotel keeper. He was big & handsome & jolly & friendly to everyone, & she didn’t realize that the big, fat cook was his wife, & that he was just nice to all his guests, & she had quite a heartbreak, poor girl! Before I began work, I read quite a bit & one book I meant to tell you about was called “Marmee, the Mother of Little Women”& was a biography of Louisa Alcott’s mother. I was very interested, particularly that L.A.’s father was one of the first great educationalists in this country, but was very idealistic & impractical & for years had no money, as his school in Boston was closed because he accepted a coloured girl as a pupil. It was the Mother who went out to work & kept the home together, & the 4 girls seem to have been very like Little Women except that the real Amy seemed nicer, & was really quite a famous U.S. artist eventually, married a French man (much younger than herself!) & lived in Paris! As I told you, Dottie sent us a Book Club sub. for my birthday & we have had 3 books by now, 2 of which we like immensely. The first one was called “The Kon-Tiki Expedition” & I thought it sounded awful, but it turned out to be a grand adventure story although it is all quite true. It is about 6 Norwegians & Swedes who sail across the Pacific from Peru to the S. Sea Islands on a log raft to prove that the original inhabitants of the islands came from Peru. It is most exciting & very well told. The book we didn’t like much was Rose Macauley’s “The World my Wilderness”, but this month we got “A Town like Alice” by Nevil Shute, which is lovely & if you can get it I am sure you would enjoy it. It is about Malaya a bit, but mostly Australia, & is so interesting & nice. It made us think of Frank of course – he will be in Sidney by now of course, & we mean to write & send him those snaps. I also thought of Mary & Michael Egan & I do hope they’re happy out there – I wrote to Mary & sent her a cable to the ship, & had an A.M. from her from Port Said yesterday. She said she was v. miserable about leaving England & doesn’t even know if they have a home in Perth yet, but she seems quite cheerful now.
To go back to your letter, I loved hearing all about the 2 church “Fairs” you went to- the first one rather low with a loud band & jigging locals, & the other very refined!! Cec wants you to make a family tree with all the relatives on! I told him it would be practically a life’s work, but we do get confused over all the cousins mostly – at least Cec is confused over everyone, & when it comes to your cousins I am confused too! I also keep forgetting the names of Jean & Bren & Peggy’s children- it’s a good thing Patsy hasn’t any to confuse me more!!
I enjoy hearing about all the servants you have to wait on you, & love hearing of having a boy to carry this & one to carry that etc. Doris & Clarice (despite varicose veins!) sound nice & I laughed over the spider in the shower, but shuddered as well! I don’t at all like the sound of the beetles & lizards – we had quite a lot of Maybugs – hard backed flying beetles – earlier & they used to bonk- bonk– against the screens at night, but thank goodness we have screens!
You asked whether we had duty to pay on bringing any of our stuff in (the 8 boxes) but we didn’t although we were doubtful as some of it wasn’t a year old which it is supposed to be. You were saying that you laughed over Mrs. A’s warty teapot – well– some weeks later I invited Mrs. Kaufman up for a glass of sherry & to see the flat as she hadn’t been in since we came. She admired everything – in fact in the bedroom she looked around & said “Well, this looks just the same” then in a depressed voice “but nicer than when we had it”!! I showed her the china & glass cupboard etc. as she kept asking about my “English china” & blow me down, but the only thing she admired was Mrs. A.’s warty teapot!!! She is a funny woman. Her 2 daughters & their husbands came up to see the flat one day & the 2 husbands were much taken with your photograph & admired it.
I was very interested to hear all the domestic details about A. Mil & U. Fred & Joan & Jack. I am sorry about the latter, & feel that A. Trix may have something to do with it as you say. Also about poor Basil Hutchinson & his matrimonial troubles – he does seem to have had a hard time.
I was awfully sorry to know that old cheque had caused so much bother. I hope Kirby finally got it straightened out. I am inclined to think that it would be a good idea to let him look after your Income Tax etc. As you say, it was bad enough before when we were both in England, but now it is so difficult that I think it would be worth letting him take most of the return, to get rid of the worry.
You ask in your letter if I have ever heard from Hugh & got the promised W.P. Well, a while ago I had a short note from him asking if this was our correct address, as he had written to the University & got the letter returned. So I wrote after a while & last week a HUGE parcel arrived, & Cec & I were so excited & rended it open & what do you think it was? A beautiful Sunbeam Mixmaster! We were absolutely & completely overwhelmed, & of course think it is wonderful. We straight away washed it & used it to make waffles & squeezed orange juice on the juicer attachment & had a lovely time. Wasn’t it sweet of him? I wrote & thanked him, but haven’t had a reply – I was wondering if by any chance he would be sent out to Korea.
If you were writing about our budget & food bills etc. – well, since the Korean War the prices have been going up & yesterday at the store steak was $1.10 a lb, & pork chops had gone from about 70¢ to 95¢. Coffee is going up to 87¢ a lb so it doesn’t look too good – I am horrified when I think of my meat bill for the week is $5.00 or more ( i.e. 25/— 30/-) & I used to think Claude & I were being devils if his bill was 7/6 a week! You will be glad to hear that our milk bill is down to $6.00 now, as we have cut out cream for the summer, as I don’t use it in my coffee, & Cec uses the top of the milk, so that I won’t get so fat!! I am trying not to eat so much!
The Sutherlands are wondering about building a house after all now, as building costs are very high. Gunborg has a legacy in Sweden which she is getting over next month & they were going to use that, I presume, but now they think if they can find a decent house they might buy & just keep the “lot” which they can always sell later if they want. The trouble is that they need a bigger house than the usual type (Dr. S. needs a study & the girls are getting big all to share 1 room) so they haven’t had much luck yet.
The Sutherland girls.
I am now on to your letter of 23rd May telling about the new Air Service etc. By the way, the accountant at work, called Arnold, (or Arn usually!) is a keen stamp collector, so your St. V. stamps are going to him at present & he is very pleased. He buys all the new US issues too & has sheets of them. It is such a funny office – everyone calls everyone by their Christian names – the office manager is Don, & Miriam’s boss is Dick & so on. I said it was very “matey” & they all laughed like anything as it was a new expression for them. But I like it & am pleased that I am still there. Don asked me a week ago whether I would be in A. A. long, & when I told him he was quite pleased that I’d be here so long. Then on Monday he told me I was to work in the Field Office for a while (Boss is called Charlie) & the job will probably last 6 months, so if they are willing to let me have my holiday it looks as if I may stay. We plan to go to Sask. on 15th Aug. & fly from Windsor, Canada (just across the river from Detroit) as we can pay our fares in Canadian dollars then. Flying isn’t much more than train, especially as we would have food, berths etc. on train, & as we won’t have so very long, it will save us nearly 6 days travelling. We will stay at Cec’s home, then go to Regina to stay with his older sister Merle, & then fly to Ottawa & Montreal where Cec has business before coming back to A.A. In Montreal we will see his younger sister Lee & Wendy & their new little son. We will probably be away about three weeks, but I thought I would stop work on the 12th & take a month so I’d have a few days either end to wash clothes & clean etc.
The new office I’m in, the Field Office, is the one that looks after all the interviewers all over the U.S. who do the “Gallup Poll” type of interviewing for the Surveys the Institute do. The interviews are more thorough & scientific than the Gallup ones, but the idea is the same, & this week we have been getting ready to send out a huge no. of questionnaires (2000) to the interviewers for an interview on Atomic Energy. It is quite intriguing, but my part has been very minor – I spent 2 or 3 days stamping each questionnaire & numbering them etc.! The Office Messenger called Tim & the Stockroom man called John, helped me – the former has his B.A. & the latter his M.A.- Tim and I have long discussions on modern literature!
I am now onto your letter of May 30 and it is Sunday. This morning we slept & slept & slept until 12 o’clock- it was lovely! Cec’s pills of course, make him sleep, & I have felt tired this week, so we both enjoyed the long lie in! We got up & showered & washed our hairs, then had a breakfast – fresh orange juice, bacon & eggs (two eggs for Cec) toast & coffee! We get such fun out of the juicer on Hugh’s mixer – usually we use the frozen orange juice, which is just as cheap if not more so than having fresh oranges. The frozen is in little tins about 4” x 1 1/2” & you keep it in the freezing part of the fridge till you need it- then you put it in a jug & add three little cans full of water (makes over a pint) and it is just like fresh orange – not a bit like that baby’s stuff in England. Since breakfast (!) I washed up all the dishes, made the bed & changed the sheets & did the laundry up ready to go on Tues. In the meanwhile Cec had a baseball game on the radio- Detroit v. the New York Yankees & it has been very exciting! Cec loves listening & I am beginning to know what is going on, & to know the players’ names. We support Detroit who are top of the whole League at the moment, with Yankees only 1/2 a game behind. They just won this afternoon so are now 1 1/2 games ahead!! We have it all arranged with the S’s to go into Detroit for the day on 1st Aug. We have to go to the Airline Office & get our cards fixed for going into Canada, & then in the evening we are going to the big stadium to see Detroit play against the Yankees again. They don’t play just one match against each other, but lots during the season, but because they are so close to each other in the League it is very exciting! Is everyone in the West Indies very interested in the WI test matches? I know they are being played & that is about all. Do you remember last year how excited Cec & I were at the May Week Boat Races, because St. John’s boats were doing so well,? I wrote & asked Connie & Len to let us know about them this year & they sent us papers etc. & Lady Margaret (St. John’s) was head of the river this year! They made a bump every single day & The Times said they were the best crew on the river for years & everyone was expecting them to do great things at Henley. All the other Lady Margaret boats did wonderfully too, so it must have been fun. Remember you & Jessie F. watching!!
I am so glad the parcel of the dress arrived safely eventually, & that you liked it although you had to alter it. I knew it would be too long, but I couldn’t quite remember what size I used to get you & thought too big was better than too small. Cec & I were quite sorry you were going to rip up the apron as we thought it was so cute!! You ask whether I can still get into my going away dress, & that is O.K., but I think I’ll have to let out the waist of my yellow & grey taffeta – remember my white jersey “bitchy” dress with bright colours in? I had it cleaned, so what with that & my avoirdupois I bulge back & forth & can’t wear it!! Lots of girls at work, however, tell me they gained weight during their first year of marriage, then lost it, so I hope I’ll do the same! And not go on & on like Nan!
I was interested to hear of Pat Galloway’s baby being 3 weeks premature- h’m! Also of Margs & Monie trying & not succeeding! They must take after the Simmons & not the Hazells – remember Jean saying that the Hazells were so prolific- a man just had to look at them & they were pregnant!!! As you say about Bill & Owen, it must depend on the man & the way they look!!!!!
Cec just interrupted me there by saying he was hungry in a plaintive voice, so I stopped & made him a huge peanut butter, sausage & lettuce sandwich & a glass of milk so that should hold him for a while. I had a little snack too!! I must go & get dinner soon – we are having fried chicken, peas, potatoes, sliced tomatoes, then cantaloup melon. Come and have dinner with us?
I have been meaning to ask you whether Arthur got the job in Trinidad or what he is going to do? Just about the time Bren was coming to St. V. we heard on the Canadian radio that a Lady boat had gone aground somewhere, & we wondered if Bren was on it, but you didn’t say anything I don’t suppose she was, or perhaps she flew as you said she may do.
In this letter you say something about us coming to the pictures again, & I’d written it was a long time since we’ve been & you were amazed as you thought we’d just been to see “Cinderella”. We laughed, as it was 6 weeks previously that we saw “Cinderella”, so we weren’t being such constant picture-goers after all! Have you been to the St. V. picture house yet? I bet it will be an experience! Your cocktail party sounds as if it were a great success, & I was tickled at everyone’s interest in the 2 new married couples – did you pin Romeo & Juliet on their backs or were you tactful?!
I am now onto your letter of June 6, so I am progressing! We have had dinner, & I have washed up & ironed a dress for tomorrow! I intended to do all the ironing today, but it is so hot that when I do anything at all I get hot & sweaty all over, so I have left it! That is one disadvantage of having an upstairs flat – although ours isn’t so bad as some– but it gets hot during the day & then when it is lovely & cool outside in the evening it is hotter than ever in our flat & doesn’t cool off ‘till nearly morning. The fan is a great help, but when we have it on in the sitting room & I am working in the kitchen it is a bit of a nuisance to move around.
I was glad to hear that you got £6.10 for the stamp album & are giving it to the Church Fund. Rosemary’s father offered quite a fair price after all then, didn’t he? You also are writing about sending Joan Cox a cable in this letter, & it reminds me that I have never written to her since she was married. I sent her nylons by A.M. for the wedding & she replied a day or so before, but as I haven’t yet sent her anything else yet, I have been delaying writing till I did. Money is such a problem!! I had just packed Dottie’s & Sandy’s birthday presents – Dottie a waist petticoat- white silk (rayon) with a frill round the bottom & Sandy a little pair of blue cotton pants with straps & a little red, white & blue cotton shirt – what is the date of his birthday anyway? And while we are on the subject of birthdays, what is the date of my little godson’s birthday? Have you heard anything from Jane & Bill from England? I expect they will be coming home soon now. Anyway, to go back to Joan’s wedding, I asked Anne & Connie if they had seen it or heard about it to let me know, but I haven’t heard from them yet.
Did I tell you that Connie & Len are probably coming to Ottawa in October for a year? Lennard hopes to finish his Ph.D. then & thought of going to Ottawa or the U.S. but Dr. S. advised Ottawa- we heard this from Dr. S. & haven’t heard definitely from them. Poor Cec is still struggling along with no equipment yet, but it is beginning to trickle in. However he has been working on another thing this past month or so which he says will be of use to him, so he is doing something, but it is terribly annoying for him.
I was interested to hear of Ian Hazell’s wedding, & what had happened to him. Which reminds me, that all these months I have meant to write to Rangin in Canada & have never done it, & now I wonder if she is still there or has gone back to Norway. I was also interested to hear about Alastair Fraser in Jamaica & this new thing he has discovered there- it all sounds very clever.
I loved hearing about my “Mrs. Costain” rosebush, & hope that you are taking good care of her! I am now onto your June 13th letter, & you were saying how much it was raining, but by your last letter that seems to be over & you seem to be having lovely weather. I was glad that during the rainy days you had fun doing your snapshot albums & wish I could see your “bridal book”. The two days Cec was away I did a little more on our Scrapbook but I am way behind now, & will have to try and get a good “do” at it someday. I had thought of taking it to Canada for Cec’s Mummy to see, but if we are flying it will probably weigh a ton!
You remember the pictures of Bremas you sent me? Well Gunborg goes to a class in Sculpture, & they have just got a new teacher who sculpts animals beautifully, so Gunborg is going to do Bremas & his mother! She has done a sweet little clay model of the mother lying on her back & little baby bear climbing over her tummy, & will do a bigger one next! I think it will be cute. A week or so ago, Gunborg gave me a present of a lovely Swedish cookery book. She has one, & when I was helping her with that tea long ago, I admired it, & she wrote to Sweden & got her sister to send one for me. It is all in English & has the most beautiful coloured illustrations – I am so thrilled with it.
Mary and Gunborg.
You made me laugh in one of your letters because you said Gunborg always seem to be tired according to me. Well very often she is, as she can’t stand the hot, clammy weather any more than I can, & keeping the whole house & cooking, ironing etc. for 5 people is no joke, but she has just got a coloured girl who comes in twice a week, so she has a bit more leisure. However, meeting her she isn’t a bit a tired dreary person – she is vivacious & talkative & a lot of fun. Dr. S is Scottish & therefore more reserved, but has a great sense of humour – we are always tickled because Gunborg will sometimes make teasing remarks to him & (when we are alone) put her head on his shoulder etc. & he laughs & looks embarrassed! She told me that she knew him for a year & saw him nearly every day (she was living with a married cousin in Cambridge) & he took her out & to shows in London etc. & never even held her hand all that time! She says she was terribly in love with him & she thought it was dreadful! They are both darlings, but Cec and I think Dr. S. would be most shattered sometimes if he knew the things Gunborg told me!!
I haven’t heard anything from Til & Lois since they went down south, but think they may be home before we leave. Last time we were there Til gave me 2 plants- an ivy & another traily plant a bit like a Virginia creeper leaf. They are on my kitchen windowsill & I am so pleased as they have some nice new leaves since they have lived with me. I also have an apple seed, & an orange seed, & a maple seed in 3 tiny pots but they don’t seem to be doing very well! Also a sweet potato in water & it is sprouting lots of green leaves!
I am onto your 21st June letter now, written with your pretty pink & silver pen! Isn’t that lovely? You certainly do well with pens from gentlemen as you say & it was nice of P.W.V. to give you such a pretty one. How is his “liaison” going or don’t you hear of such indiscretions in polite society?! Perhaps now that you were there to show him a good example he will return to the straight & narrow path! I liked hearing about Peggy and Jean’s houses & also Peter’s “farm” with all the little piglets! You don’t mention Peter much– how do you think he is getting on here – does he like it & is he looking any better? I do hope Jeanie produces a boy this time – give her my love & tell her I’m crossing my fingers for her! I think your little chickies & kitten sound sweet. I was tickled to bits about the little wee thing flying to his Auntie Cyn – which reminds me that Lee’s cat had kittens too, & one of them was Cec’s birthday present, so we have 2 kitties “in absentia”!
I wonder if Doris has got her clock back from the burglar- poor Doris, what a fright she must have had.
Bren’s little Tessa sounds sweet, & the sunshades she brought you from Burma very glamourous. Do you remember she wrote me from Burma that she was sending us a W. present & it never came- – I wonder whatever happened about that. I would like to have Chris’ letter about Bidsy’s wedding – it must’ve been some splash. I had a letter from Amy last week with a card for our Anniversary & she told a little about June Kirk’s wedding but not much. Amy’s letter was very nice, but not much news. I also had a nice letter & very pretty card from Auntie Moo, & she is saying how glad she is that you are having such a lovely time at Bequia as you have such a dull life with her!! Dull – it sounds uproarious to Cec & me!!
You were saying about whether I ever hear from my father now – I haven’t heard a word since I came over here, but I write nearly every week, & have just sent off another parcel of sugar lumps & mints etc.
I liked hearing about your new dress – it sounds nice, & with such a good, cheap dressmaker it is hardly worth while your bothering to make things yourself. Over here the dresses are so cheap ready-made that it isn’t worthwhile having them made. The girls at the office are all very smartly turned out with pretty clean cotton dresses every day, so I am kept busy washing & ironing the few I have! I got another one last week for 3 dollars- it is very thin muslin-y cotton – grey with a white pattern & tiny red spots & red buttons down the front, & has a square neck. It is getting to the end of the summer season now, & I am thinking I might try to get a summer suit in the sales as I will need something for travelling & I only have four cotton dresses & the blue cotton skirt & blouses. So far I have had 2 cheques, & get another tomorrow, but as Cec isn’t teaching during the summer term he doesn’t get paid of course, so besides my pay we only have the regular allowance from Canada, & as we will pay our rent while we are away & want to leave some money in the bank, we still aren’t rolling in dollars! With me at work, we spend a bit more too- prices going up as well – & also bus fares & sometimes lunches when we don’t take sandwiches. Ordinarily, we take sandwiches, & have such fun – we eat them on the Campus, i.e. trees & grass around which the College buildings are built – & we have made friends with the sweet little squirrels! One particularly, with a lovely bushy tail, we call Blossom, & although he is shy, he will now take things from our hands. We have discovered they all love cherries! They hold them in both hands & gobble away till the fruit is all eaten & then crack the kernel & eat the nut! For fun one day, we gave Blossom a plum, & he could hardly carry it, but he staggered away with it & sat at the bottom of the tree & ate it & then asked for more!
Blossom.
Did I tell you that Mrs. Pasquier was going to Europe this summer? Mr. P. wasn’t going, but she was going with a v. rich friend who was paying for the whole trip – they were going to England- Denmark- Paris & I don’t know where else. I didn’t see her before she left, but had a long letter from the Q. Mary, & then last week a card (Bridge of Sighs) from her in Cambridge! She had gone for a day & met Anne & were sitting together on the Backs writing to me – wasn’t that lovely? I am so glad she went there even for so short a time- she thought it was beautiful.
This is your 4th July letter, so I am really getting up to date now. I was amused that your writing about how “the old order changeth” & how everyone in St.V. black & white have cars now, while you & Aunt Moo walk – it’s the same here too. As I told you there are quite a few coloured girls at work – & I get on quite all right with them. Lois is one who is working half time & getting her degree as well – she is middling colour & says her mother was from Bombay so must be 1/2 Indian. Eva is another & she is quite black, but very thin & sharpfeatured – she is picked up in a huge new shiny black Buick every day but I stand & wait for the bus!
Thank you for the offer to make me thing is, Mummy, but at the moment I am O.K. I am growing out of cami-knick’s etc., but panties are so cheap here (50¢) that in a way it doesn’t seem worthwhile making them, & as you say my fat podge size makes it difficult to know the right size!
I laughed at your letter when you are remarking at the snaps I sent- the oil cloth on the kitchen table is a necessity as it is painted a dark ugly brown & we got the oil cloth at once to disguise it – sometimes I put a tablecloth on! The high heels I’m wearing that you remark on, are my wedding white shoes & I put them on specially for the photo! Usually I wear my old “sloppy Joe’s”! You ask about my size in getting dresses now, & I get a 10 or 11 instead of 9, so it isn’t too bad- 9 is too tight over my boosum! The 10 & 11 I shorten but that is all. The grey one with lace that you asked about- the lace is kind of imitation crocheted lace, if you know what I mean!
I heard from Dottie about poor Pete’s glands, but hope they are o.k. now. I was interested to hear about Joan in Aberdeen – I must try to find out from Dottie what the trouble is. Amy & Ruth & Charlie seem to be doing themselves proud over holidays this year don’t they? I hope Dottie & Bar have a good time together, & that Bar is feeling better.
Your next letter of 9th July, was posted from Bequia, & Cec and I have both enjoyed your letters about your holiday there so much. It all sounded such fun – a beautiful lazy free life with all luxuries, mod. cons. servants etc.! – just suit us – no pioneering – just the lap of luxury!! Next best thing to being there with you was reading about all the good times you had, and we truly did enjoy hearing all about your doings. Your island outfit – i.e. sand shoes, gay skirt & big hat sound very sensible & I hope that there is a snap of you in your get up, so that we can see! The bathing must be heavenly, and I love to hear about you getting really sunburnt – one thing in your letter really did make us laugh though, & that was when you were describing the black sand, but clear sea, & ended up “Get me?”!! Tuts! We chuckled over Patsy’s flirtation & your threatening to spank her, then ending up by being sympathetic to her! Sounds as if she should be sent back to hubby, leaky house or not! How did the crocheting get on? Not very fast I’m sure, with all the fun & writing great nice long letters to your children! But never mind, I’d much rather have letters about lots of fun than a luncheon set! There were 3 different sized mats- 1.) 9 3/4 ins. across 2.) 6 1/2 ins 3.) 5 1/4 ins.- that of course, is after they were pressed out, & the measurements are a bit approx. as the edge has points!
I was most tickled at Bren & Patsy deciding they came from humble origins, after all this time! I am glad Tessa got better & so Bren was able to come after all, and that you all were such a jolly party. It is a pity that Uncle Fred isn’t carefree & jolly all the time, but he seem to have been a wonderful host, & Cec & I loved hearing about all the food & picnics & everything! We were sorry about your sore behind, but couldn’t help laughing too! The plan of the house & the bay gave us a good idea of the place, & I am always interested in what the houses are like.
You asked me in that letter (15th July) to send Irene’s snaps for you to see, but although she told me she was sending them too, they haven’t arrived yet.
And now for your very last letter of 23rd July- I am actually catching up!! In it you were writing of our 1st year of marriage & saying it was the most difficult, but if so, we’re not a bit worried! We’re not anyway, but we’re still the same as in our “courtin’ days”, & we haven’t been cross with each other or had a squabble yet! The only thing we moan about is our rolls of fat, & as we both have them we don’t mind so much! It’s a good job we weren’t with you in Bequia or we’d have put on lbs. more with all the gorgeous lobsters & things! One of my jobs at the moment at the office, is to make out file cards, forms etc. for new interviewers who are being hired for us all over the States for the Surveys which are beginning now. I feel most interested in them, because amongst other information they have to tell me their age, height, weight, colour of hair, eyes & complexion, & I typed out an identity card for them & send it back with a nice letter of welcome from the chief! It makes it so much more interesting to know that Miss Lavinia Derryberry has brown eyes & blonde hair & is 27, & Mr. John Miles Jr. is 34, married & has green eyes, fair hair & a ruddy complexion!! Anyway I was telling Cec that lots of the men were 6 feet. & over, but none of them weighed as much as him! (206 pounds now!) But I had to add that all the women were taller than me, and lots of them weighed much less!! He was very gallant and snorted “Bean poles!”
You were asking about Mary Jo & Pete & their new house – it is on Granger Ave. too, but higher up as it is quite a long Ave. They moved in last week- we haven’t been since, but while they were still in the throes of cleaning etc. we took them ice cream cones one afternoon! They are both v. nice – they both come from Baltimore & speak in a v. strange way. Mary Jo still comes for me on Fri. night to shop, so I am all set.
You were also asking about the S’s house & since I began this letter they have bought one. It isn’t very far from here, but we haven’t seen it yet, and they don’t get possession till Sept. It is 20 years old, has 4 good size bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, sitting room & big porch, dining room, study & kitchen & downstairs lav. so it has everything they need, so they felt they should take it although it needs re-decorating inside & out & gutters mended etc. It cost $25,000 which seems a lot, but a lot of the houses they looked at were over $30,000 & to build would be even more. The Petersons house was about 1/2 that I think but they did a tremendous a lot of work on it themselves. Before I forget, Gunborg is pronounced Goon-bore!! (Approx!)
I was interested to hear that Margs & Bill may yet come out in the Autumn, but hope A. Ettie gets there safely anyway. I too, hope Monie & Owen have a wonderful time in Eng. & that Monie isn’t disappointed.
My “little blonde”, Miriam, is getting married on 27th Aug. Her parents have come around & everything is fixed for the wedding & she is so excited now & counting the days!
I was interested to hear that you thought my letters were being opened – not that I think anyone but you would get much fun out of them. I’ll be more careful, but the thought of ME sending DOLLAR BILLS!!! I laughed & laughed- dollar bills – as if I could. The Sutherlands thought it was ever so funny too!!
Any news of Jean’s babe yet? Our two new nephews are called Bruce Costain (Merle’s baby) and Stewart Daryl (Lee’s.) The latter is to be known as Daryl which we don’t much like, & Lee made us laugh by saying in her letter “I don’t think Wendell (her husband) cares for the name”!
I laughed over you were telling Bren & Patsy about my “hungrey boy” & that reminds me that one night it was very very hot & Cec & I were lying on the bed sweltering, and Cec felt & said “Have you got the sheet over you? “& I said “Yes, I’m keeping my bloody liver warm” & we both shrieked & roared with laughter! Did you ever tell A. Moo about that? I tried to tell Gunborg one evening & laughed so much I don’t think she really knows what it’s all about!
I hope A. Moo’s hearing aids are back & that she is well – my love to her & to the girl. I am enclosing the rubber bands, but can’t get greaseproof paper- it’s all waxed here. The nearest thing is a little sandwich bags or there is some marvellous aluminum foil paper which is lovely – shall I send you some of that?
It is now 2nd Aug. & and I have at last finished this effort. We went to Detroit yesterday & had a lovely time, but I’ll tell you all about that in my next A.M.
A Family History in Letters 