It is a pouring wet, horrid night and has been raining all day too, but my poor little hubby has gone back to the Lab. to work, regardless of the weather. I am so glad that he has nice MacTavish to take him there & back on these night sessions because it makes it so much easier & on a night like this it would be just miserable, & he would get soaked. I have been writing Dottie quite a screed & I am now settling down to a real do with you! I have been having a nice time at home yesterday & today because I have had an upset tummy. I don’t know if I caught a cold on my tum, or if it is a gastric flu bug that is going around (as quite a few people seem to have it) or what, but on Tuesday I didn’t feel quite right & by the evening it began & I felt quite sorry for myself yesterday. Today it is a bit better although I’m still not eating much, but I feel very cheery in myself & and am thoroughly enjoying myself at home! I get one day a month sick leave you know, & I had four accumulated, so I was longing to take them on the slightest excuse, & now I have it I am delighted! I will stay at home tomorrow, as I have yet another appointment at the Dental Clinic to finish having my teeth cleaned, so I would be there most of the afternoon anyway.
Do you remember I told you last week that I had to go to the Fat Girls Class because of the 8 lbs I’d gained? Well, I went last Thursday morning, & there were about 5 or 6 other preggies in the same state as me! A dietician gave us a talk & we were given a diet to follow, & asked questions & had quite a chat. The diet is not too bad- 1 quart of milk a day (skim): 2 helpings of veg.- 1 green leafy & one raw- as much raw as you like: 3 helpings of fruit- some of these are funny- 1 helping of prunes or dates is two– grapes, 12 etc.!: 1 egg: 5 slices of bread or bread substitute i.e.- potatoes, cereal etc.: 6 ozs meat, fish or poultry. No sugar at all!! And no sweet things of any sort of course, but the thing I miss most is sugar in my tea – I have got some saccharine, but it’s just as horrid as it always was! Oh, I forgot, I get 3 teaspns. of butter a day, but no soups or fried foods or cheese – the bread astonished me, as I usually don’t eat nearly so much, but I suppose you have to have more to make up for the lack of other things. I did pretty well on the diet from the time I got it until I began to feel sick-ish- & lost weight too, but of course since then I lost weight anyway & now I have gone down about 6 lbs. in the week! I feel quite pleased, & feel that with that reduction I can surely have sugar in my tea again!! Actually, the last few days I’ve paid no attention to it, but have had nice cups of tea & bread & butter & scrambled eggs & bread & milk! Gunborg was making us laugh at the weekend when I told her about the diet etc. because she felt very strongly that it was all wrong – how could we be happy contented mothers if we were frustrated in all our little desires & get enough to eat? But actually, although it is partly so that you won’t be to tub-like after the baby is born, it is also so that the baby will be small so that you will have a better time, so it is all to the good in the long run!
Talking about having a nice time at home, we certainly didn’t begin the day very well today, although it could’ve been a lot worse. I got up about 8:30, & was coming back from the bathroom when I heard something dripping in the kitchen, & went in & found the sink just full & overflowing with water! It is silly really as it has a fancy gadget – one way you turn it, it is open – the other way closed, & it is very easy to touch it with a pan or something & close it without realizing. Anyway, that is what had happened & the tap having been left dripping by accident too, we had a minor flood. I pulled out the plug & was just deciding that it wasn’t bad as there wasn’t much water on the floor when there was a ring at the bell & this was Mrs. Kaufman to ask what had happened as the water was trickling down her walls – was I mortified! Anyway, I explained & said I had stopped it, & then I mopped up the floor, & then looked in the cupboard under the sink & of course found it all wet too- I keep all the cleaning things, soap, paper towels, paper napkins cloths etc. in there, & they were just sodden, but had fortunately absorbed a lot of water too!! However, we got that dried up, & set out all the things to dry & got breakfast, only to discover that the coffee tin was just about empty & we had forgotten to get any more! So poor Cec had thin straw coloured, coffee-flavoured hot water for breakfast to add to his troubles!!
Anyway, it wasn’t really bad & Cec was down in the K’s this evening & it hadn’t marked the wall, so we weren’t too conscience stricken! Also I got my cupboard clean & tidied, & spurred on by the sight of all the cleaning things out, I even got rash & cleaned the silver, so it did some good!
Yesterday, when I was feeling a little bit poorly, I had a nice treat when your letter mailed on April 30th arrive – thank you lots & lots. I enjoyed myself just sitting back with my feet up on the sofa, reading it, & was glad that you had got my A.M. and also the sea one with “enclosures”. I thought you would be amused at Edie’s letter – she certainly writes newsy letters, doesn’t she? Even more rambly than you & me! I have another one from her, but haven’t answered it yet, so will wait & send it when I have. I will also send the St. V. stamps you asked for, as I have given some around, but still have quite a bunch.
Before I begin answering your letter, I’ll tell you the week’s news, which isn’t much or very exciting! On Thursday evening Cec & I went & did our week’s shopping at a beautiful new Super- Market which has opened near here. It is very deluxe, & has electric-eye doors, which open as you walk up to them! We had lots of fun & and bought all sorts of bargains & each got a free loaf of bread!! At the weekend Cec worked hard all the time – our only excitement was that we got involved in Gordon trying to sell his car! His form of spring-fever is apparently car buying, & he had seen a lovely 2ndhand Buick convertible (i.e. a car that has a top that goes up and down- Gordon loves them!) so he was trying to sell his old Ford. It so happened that Shirley in my office was thinking of buying a 2ndhand car & talked about looking at them, & without thinking I mention Gordon’s. She was all wildly excited & called him up & arranged to go & see it that evening & so forth- then went round talking to everyone at work about it etc. However, by the end of the afternoon she began to get cold feet & wonder if she wanted it, until I wished I’d kept my big mouth shut & never told her! However, as she had no way of getting to the S’s & it is rather awkward, we took her over & she saw the car, but of course she didn’t buy it! We have since heard that all this is quite typical of Shirley- sudden enthusiasm which comes to nothing! Remember, she was the one who got all excited about coming to visit you all in St.V. & then let it drop!! Good job, says you! Anyway, the car story has a happy ending, as Gordon sold his car to a young fellow & has bought the lovely Buick which is a good bargain, & looks beautiful. It is a sort of blue-green – very pretty & extremely well-kept as well as being bigger than the old car, so they are all happy!
It was Gunborg’s birthday on Monday & we went over & took her a card & a box of chocolates. She was looking much better & had enjoyed her birthday, so seems to be quite well again.
It is now Sunday and I am finishing this off. You will wonder what on earth happened to me since Thursday when I began this, but on Friday as I told you, I went to the Clinic (Dental) & the girl scaled & scaled at my teeth again till my nerves were all shattered! They are just young girls – college freshmen – who do it, & the girl who is doing mine is quite cute, but goes on & on- this was my 3rd visit, and it is 2 hours each time, & you know how annoying & nagging all that scraping & digging can be! Anyway on Friday, my nerves can’t have been very strong, & when the inspector woman told the girl to go ahead and do some more, I just couldn’t stood it & said so! I have to go back again next week, but it left me feeling exhausted & all wore out for the rest of the day & Cec sent me to bed early! On Saturday, poor Cec woke up with another bad cold. Isn’t it a wretched shame after he has just got rid of one!? It is all this hard work & not enough sleep which lowers his resistance I know, but he just has to go on, for a bit more anyway. We went to the store, & he slept most of the afternoon & I did chores, & then in the evening as we were both feeling rather miserable Cec said to hell with his cold & we went to the pictures to see “Miranda”! Cec had never seen it, & it was so long since I had that I didn’t mind a bit & we both thoroughly enjoyed it. We were only sorry that the very last shot of Miranda with the sweet little mer-baby was cut out in accordance with American morals!!
Today was a lovely sunny pretty day, so at about 2 we went out for a little drive & called at the S’s to see their new chariot. We ended by going for a drive in it to see a street in A.A. lined with very pretty flowering trees, & then stayed to dinner – I protested, but it was lovely as I didn’t have to do any cooking at home!!
I intended to answer all your letters in this, but as it has got so late now I am going to send it off, & promise that I will answer all the letters & questions & queries this week. I got your nice letter written on the 6th, yesterday & it helped to cheer our gloom- also all the funny, little cuttings & the sweet picture of the little Andrew which I am returning- isn’t he a pet? He looks a bit like Pam I think, but can’t see a likeness to Nicky just in the photo. Will write more about your letter in my next- thank you heaps for it.
Today is Mother’s Day- hope you got your card – I got a lovely funny little one from my hubby. He is snuffly today, but still luffly & feeling more cheery – I am fine once more & go back to work tomorrow.
Lots & lots of love
from
Cynnie & Cec
XXX.
Returned for Additional Postage: Cyn usually put 20¢ or even 30¢ on these airmail letters- obviously 12¢ didn’t cut it!
I got your nice letter on Monday written on your birthday, and was so sorry that neither my letter nor card had arrived in time, but I hope by now they are all there – perhaps even your present too, so that you didn’t have to wait too long.
I have been trying to catch up on some of my correspondence this weekend & week, as I hadn’t written to Nan or Dottie or Irene to thank them for my presents yet, & I was all behind-hand. I don’t know how I seem to have done so little this last month, but the time has flown & I haven’t even knitted or done anything except the usual chores! I haven’t got my letters list down to reasonable proportions yet, but I’m trying!
Since I last wrote it has suddenly become hot and summery. Towards the end of last week it was nice & bright & springy, but suddenly on Sat. the temp was up to 75, & has been the same or hotter ever since. It is a bit too much all of a sudden & it makes me so mad because all the trees & daffodils, tulips etc. are bursting out all at once & in about a week’s time the flowers will be over & the springy–ness gone! Today is heavy & thundery & we had a storm this afternoon, but it doesn’t seem to be much cooler.
Now I know that you will be wanting to hear what happened when I went to the Clinic on Monday – actually nothing much! I had another different Dr. & he poked my tummy etc. as usual & listened to the heartbeats. I asked him about twins, & he said, well, he could only hear one heartbeat, & finally when he was going out of the room I said “Do you think I should give up the idea of twins then?” & he said “I think you might as well,” so it looks as if my twinnies are fizzling out! I was kind of prepared for it, as you said, but still a little disappointed, but mainly because I think that is the disadvantage of going to the Clinic- one Dr. gets you excited, & the next one makes you feel a bit let down when he’s calm about it all! I really did get scolded over my weight though – I knew I was gaining a lot- all in my tummy! – but in the 5 weeks I gained 8 pounds & it was too much! I am to go to a class tomorrow “Diet in Pregnancy” for overweight preggies- I call it the Fat Girls Class & everyone is most amused! I know I have been a bit gay, but it makes me mad because lots of the girls eat much more than I do, & don’t get fat!
I went last Friday & had my teeth cleaned at the Dental Clinic – only $1.00 & a little 18-year-old Freshman girl student did it. But she was grimly determined to clean these there teeth & toiled for 1 1/2 hours & I have to go back next week too! Don’t know about holes – hate to run up any $100 bills, so think I will hang on till Canada!
This is a very dull letter, but thought I’d better write a short note now & try to do better at the weekend. Cec is in a toil mood just now, so I should get lots done! He sends his love, it sends its love & I send my love!
Cynnie
P.S. Cec calls me his Big Old Wife in earnest now!!
Today is your birthday, & Cec & I have just been saying “Happy birthday, Mummy!” I have my doubts whether my letter and card would arrive anywhere near the day, but I do hope that they are not too late. I was most annoyed at myself for not being in time because I had your card and I was all prepared weeks ago, but I kept thinking- oh the 22nd, there’s a lot of time yet- and then the time rushed by. Cec’s family have a plethora of birthdays this month too- his Dad, Russell and Carman all within two weeks. When we were home last summer I asked Mom Costain for all the birthday dates, as Cec never could remember them, so we bought cards & are trying to keep up with them now. Cec says that after all these years of ignoring birthdays they will all be shattered at this sudden remembrance, but I think they will survive the shock! Lee is home in Saskatoon now, with her little baby Darryl, and is doing some nursing while Mom Costain looks after the baby. She says he is so sweet & friendly – it seems such a long time since we saw him that I can’t realize he’s not a year old yet. Lee sent me such a sweet white bunny wool scarf- a little cravat, rather- which she had said she would make me, but she didn’t write so we don’t know what Wendy is doing. She made us laugh though because she just put in a note with the scarf & ended “Twins! Wow – what a man!” Cec gets quite embarrassed when I quote it at him!
I hope that you are having a lovely, lovely day for your birthday and that you are all enjoying yourselves. I expect that you will be having a picnic and a bathe, and having quite a celebration because besides your birthday you will be wanting to have as much fun as you can before the Aunties go. I can imagine what a whirl you must have been having lately, trying to do so much while they are still here – particularly with your bridge every evening! – and probably when they do leave, you and Auntie Moo will collapse with exhaustion and be glad to rest for a little while! But I know that you will miss them both and find things very quiet for a while. Auntie Trix is so energetic that probably a little relaxation will be welcome, but you will feel quite lonely without Aunt Ettie after having her with you for so long. I expect she is eager to get back and see the girls again & get all the news, but she must be sad at leaving St. Vincent.
That reminds me, about your finances, honey. It is so good of Auntie Moo to say that you must be her guest for these months, as you will be so hard up after paying for your ticket, but I know that you have said what a lot of expense she has had lately with visitors and entertaining and everything during these past months, and that you will hate to feel that you are imposing on her, so why not let me send you a cheque on Martin’s for some of the airplane ticket anyway, so that you will have enough left to keep on paying your expenses and not feel stony broke? After all, you are making & getting & doing so many things for the baby which otherwise we would have to get, and you’re making the trip to help us out, so it is only fair that we should share a bit, & it doesn’t upset our finances to send money from England. I can only transfer so much to Canada each year so after this year’s transfer there will still be some in Martin’s, so it will be quite O.K. & if sometime in the future you come into wealth & we are poverty stricken, you can always pay it back!! Write & tell me how much you think & I will send a cheque.
Spring is at last coming to Ann Arbor, but we are having very April-ish weather – one day it is lovely & sunny & blue-skied & the next it is cold or windy or rainy. It poured with rain all last night & is grey & dull today but one or two days last week were heavenly & we girls went out from work & got ice cream cones! Cec is out washing MacTavish now – he doesn’t really show the dirt much, but on the sunny days all the hidden grime emerged, & he did look grubby, so Cec is giving him a wash & brush up!
Talking of ice cream cones, my figure is going to pot – literally! I was so good about not eating too many sweet, starchy things etc. for months but this month I have been sliding down hill rapidly & have made the odd pie or cake or cookies, & have been eating potatoes & gravy, and ice cream cones, & on Sat. we had pancakes with syrup for lunch! I am getting into quite a little tub, & get a shock every time I see myself in the mirror, but my face seems to be the same, & I think most of the weight is around my middle! My waistline is now somewhere just below my bust, so you can imagine how alluring I am! The baby now seems to be quite widely active & is thumping & bumping around at a great rate. Cec felt it the other night & was quite astonished at the big thump! My next Dr. date is the 30th so surely by then I will get to know if it’s one or two! You said in your last letter that you had been preparing me for a disappointment all along, in case it was only one, but don’t worry, I am quite prepared & although Cec is still quite hopeful of twins, I have begun to think it must be only one- two would be fun though!
We had a very quiet week last week – Cec was working on a short synopsis of his thesis which he had to send to Cambridge, & I typed it, & otherwise I was lazy & didn’t seem to do a thing- at least I can’t remember doing anything except ironing! Yesterday we went to the Sutherlands for dinner & then onto a “Theater Club” to which they belong. Poor Kirsten broke her wrist on Friday afternoon roller skating, so it was all done up in a plaster cast & as she had bumped her face too, when she fell, she looked quite sad, poor honey. We didn’t see the girls much though, because after a nice dinner we dashed off to the little theatre – it is an effort to begin a repertory theatre here, & is run by a group of young people in a big room. They have no stage or scenery, but act in the middle of the floor with chairs all around. The only stage “prop” they have is a long chest on which they sit or stand or uses a throne, bench or what have you! The lights just centre on the middle of the floor, so you really don’t notice the other people much, & I thought it was quite good. The play was a Restoration comedy called “The Recruiting Sergeant” so was very bawdy, but it was quite amusing. Gunborg & Gordon thought they over-acted a bit but I didn’t think it was too bad. In the intervals they serve coffee in another little room & after the play audience & actors all stand around & drink coffee & discuss the play etc. You don’t actually buy seats, but but join as members & can take so many guests etc. – it is really rather fun. We left after the play as the S’s were going on to a “house-warming” & as it was pouring with rain, Cec & I were very happy to go home. I tell Cec I am a real stick in the mud now – I just love staying at home!!
Monday.
I meant to say thank you so much for your nice letter which I got on Sat. I always enjoy getting them on Saturdays because I can sit back & really enjoy them. This one was written on 15th &16th & you enclosed Bebe’s letter too- I will maybe get around to writing to her & sending something someday!
I was glad that you had got my typed letter O.K. – it was about my birthday mostly & you were admiring the sound of the housecoat Cec had given me. I wore it in the house this weekend & it was so comfy and nice & yet looked tidy & respectable too- i.e. – didn’t gape in front!! You mention my birthday cards & I have them here to tell you about- they were from Nan & family; Mummy; Zinnia & Sandra; Mrs. Allan; Mr. & Mrs. Pasquier; Dottie; Denis & family; Jessie; Stainthorpes; Irene & Bill; Joan (Cox!) & Don; Peter Burton & John Barton; & a perfectly darling one from my big husband. I also got Easter cards from Nan & Mrs. Allan & also one from Tom & Doris & family, & I don’t think I told you that I got a package from Irene with a rubber lined tartan bag which folds up small & clips or opens out big – she says it is rubber lined for nappies!
Thurs. 26th April.
I have been meaning to finish this letter all week & each evening I have been foiled & you will be wondering what has happened to me. One evening I was tired & fell asleep after dinner & got nothing done, & the last 2 evenings we have been going over to Sutherlands. Gordon was going to Washington this week & came over the evening before he left about some work Cec had done. He said Gunborg had a sore throat so had gone to bed, & he hoped she wasn’t in for a bad cold, so I said I would ring up next day & if she was ill I could go over or help in some way. Well, when I did call next day, poor Gunborg was in bed & felt awful, but she had the girl, Viola there for the day, so I said Cec & I would go over in the evening, which we did. We took a few things she needed- Kleenex, Friars Balsam etc. & I made her a thing to inhale, but she felt very poorly and didn’t look well at all. We took the kids ice cream & I helped Anne make sandwiches for school lunch next day etc. In the morning I went to take them to school, but Anne stayed home with her mother, so she wouldn’t be by herself & when we went this evening Gunborg looked a bit better, although still very throaty & coldy. Gordon comes back on Sat. & the girls have tomorrow holiday from school, so she will have someone around, but she certainly doesn’t look any too well yet, although her temp. has gone down now.
Well, that is my excuse for not getting this off to you long ago- our trips over there have sort of disrupted our evenings, but I’ll finish it now & post it first thing tomorrow. I always begin to answer your letters thoroughly & then never do, but I really will in my next!!
Cec & I had a little drink & a nice big reminisce before dinner tonight- guess why! Three years ago on this very day you & I gave a Housewarming Party & I met my Canadian magazine! We were just saying, little did we know that evening that in 3 years time we’d be as preggy as could be!!
This letter is one of the long chatty ones, but before I begin, I must say that I am shocked at the amount of drinking going on during Cyn’s pregnancy- it’s amazing that my development was not affected! Two weeks before this, their night of celebration in Detroit for Cyn’s birthday included drinks and wine, and now Cec’s present from St Vincent! Apparently it was not until the mid 70s that doctors began worrying about it, and public health advisories began in the 80s. However, alcohol was clearly an infrequent treat in their household, owing to the student budget- a toaster was definitely a more desirable acquisition!
803 Granger Ave., Ann Arbor, Mich.
Thurs. 12th April.
Dearest Mummy,
The starting decoration at the top of the page is my red preggy dress that you were all laughing about! It is quite pretty, isn’t it? Everyone has been very complimentary about it & my suit & say that they are some of the nicest maternity clothes they’ve seen- particularly the dress, as it has a nice neckline & it’s a little bit different. I got a cotton dress last week too – it is green & white – partly striped & partly plain green, & it looks nice & cool. I am definitely into preggy clothes now & can’t do a thing about it! – I suddenly seem to have become much bigger! I decided yesterday looking at myself in the mirror, I looked Stout!! But when we went to Detroit with Dawn & Bert less than two weeks ago, I had to pin the skirt of my mat. suit to keep it on, & now – the first button is getting tight!!
My poor little Cec has got such a bad cold today – yesterday he had a little sore throat, but neither of us thought it was much. However last night he took 2 anahist tablets, but it must have been too late because he woke up with a real sneezy, stuffy cold. He stayed in bed all day, but got up for dinner this evening & is now sitting doing a jigsaw & feeling a bit happier. I do hope that as it came so quickly it will go just as quickly & that he will soon be well again, as colds make him feel so badly, poor honey.
Yesterday he was so pleased & excited about MacArthur though! He was lying in bed while I was getting breakfast & when it came on the radio, he just leapt out, quicker than I’d ever seen him get out of bed before!! Feelings are very mixed, it seems, amongst the people, but the anti-Truman, pro-MacA. groups are bellowing loudly in the papers etc. so you hear most about them. Cec said nearly everyone at the Physics Building he spoke to, was pleased though, & Charlie (my boss) was telling me today that he & all the men in the Institute were pleased, but he said a lot of the girls weren’t! We listened to Truman’s speech over the radio last night & thought it was quite good, but no one around here has much good to say for him – even if they’re Democrats they compare him so unfavourably with Roosevelt.
April 3, Cyn’s Birthday.
I got a nice, long, long letter from you yesterday- begun on 3rd, my birthday, & posted on the 5th. Also, on Saturday we got our parcels! Thank you very, very much for all of them. We were so excited when the parcels arrived on Sat. afternoon, as usually the parcel man comes when we are out, & he won’t leave the parcels, but just a note & we have to go to the P.O. & get them. However, this time it was fine, & we were very tickled because we were supposed to pay 15¢ on each parcel & by mistake the man only charged us 15¢ altogether! They never bothered about the “refined cane juice” at all, and we were so delighted! Cec had a nip straight away, & then before dinner we mixed cocktails & thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! It is scrummy!
Refined Cane Juice!
My parcel was lovely too, Mummy, and I love all the things – the nightie is so pretty, & fits very nicely. I tried it on, & apart from my bulgy tummy, it looked lovely! The little baby jacket is cute! I keep giggling at it because it looks so little & funny & fat, just like the baby will probably!! I rather like the shade of blue – it is a change from the pale baby blue & looks very cheery & nice, I think. And of course I am so pleased to have the baby pillowcases – none of the ones I have are very nice, & I haven’t many anyway, so it will be lovely to have some nice new ones. Altogether it was a lovely parcel – or rather 2 lovely parcels- & we loved getting them – thank you from all of us.
By the way, in your letter of yesterday you asked if I had felt the baby moving yet, & just yesterday I did feel it for the first time! At least, yesterday I felt something odd rather like a series of burps in my tummy & it dawned on me what it was, but I think it has been going on for a little while & I didn’t realize what it was! Anyway, today he or she or they were bouncing around again, so they seem to be feeling quite lively & frisky!!
I have been going to the Mother’s Classes on Wed. evenings fairly regularly – there were a series of 7, & I have been to 5- but they were mostly just repetitions of what I already knew. Of course, if you hadn’t read any books or anything & were just plain iggerant, they would be a lot of help!! I thought the nurse who gave most of the lectures was a bit dumb, but this was the first time she’d done it & she improved as she went along. She reminded me of my Cookery School days- giving demonstrations on bathing a baby using a silly, little doll etc.!!
Since I last wrote I haven’t done very much at all – last night I washed clothes & on Tuesday evening both Cec & I felt so tired when we came home that we had a rest & then went out for dinner! Wasn’t that nice? We went to a place near here & had a $1 plate which was quite good, & I felt so relieved at not having to cook! On Monday evening I went & played bridge with some of the girls. They occasionally think up one of these sessions at work, & one of the girls invites everyone to her place to play bridge, & as I had refused 2 previous do’s, I felt I had to accept this time. This week is actually the spring vacation at the University, so one or two of the girls’ husbands are away (job-hunting etc.) & so they were all pleased, but I was quite reluctant, as by the time dinner is over, I’m usually very glad to have a bit sit & rest! However, off I went, & there were 6 of us – so awkward- but 4 of us played, & everyone talked- all about work- & altogether we didn’t either play good bridge or have a good chat, as it was nothing but “shop” all the time!
At the weekend we had a nice time- on Sat. Cec went up to the Lab. early & I drove MacT. and did all sorts of chores, like washing to the laundromat, clothes to the cleaners, pay the laundry, shoes to be mended etc.! Besides that I went to the bank & changed library books & bought a bunch of daffodils. It was quite hot & coming so suddenly with everyone still in winter coats we were all gasping! Cec came & had lunch with me in town & then we did some shopping- quite unintentionally! I intended to buy another ball of wool to finish my baby jacket, and get your birthday present, and after we’d done that successfully we bought Cec 2 shirts as he is getting rather short & wandered along to a new jewellery store which was having a huge opening sale! They were giving away free bread baskets- little woven oval things for buns etc. instead of a plate you know, so in we went to get ours, & came out not only with the basket, but with an electric toaster too! We saw these nice automatic pop-up toasters in the sale for $12, & as they are usually much more, & will still be more in Canada, we decided to plunge, as we decided the Atkinsons had definitely cut us off without a toaster by now!! We are going to have a big campaign to sell our other electric waffle iron & then we will come out square!! Actually, we didn’t get any extra money out for these extravagances, so we are scrapping along very hard up this week, with hardly any housekeeping money & no pocket money at all! But never mind – we are having lots of lovely toast!!
Monday 16th.
It is now Monday & I am having fits that this won’t reach you in time for your birthday, but I will write violently today & hope that it catches a quick plane! On Friday Cec’s cold was still bad, so he spent the morning in bed, but got up for the afternoon. Millie was one of the girls whose husband was away for the week, so I had invited her to come to dinner. Jerry had gone to New York to have interviews etc. & as it was a bit of a rush trip the Dr. advised her not to go. Anyway, I warned her about Cec’s cold, but she still said she’d come, so we got back from work to find Cec had been trying a little cane juice cure & was feeling quite cheery although still sneezly & snuffly! We had a fish casserole, with mashed potatoes and peas, & a dish of celery sticks, radishes, Sp. onions, carrots sticks etc. & tinned peaches with vanilla pud. afterwards. We sat & chatted most of the evening, then I drove Milly home.
On Sat. Cec felt a lot better, & really was more like himself, but he was still sneezing a bit, so he didn’t go out. I went to the Super Market & to the Library & Cleaners & so on & what with one thing & another that seemed to take most of the day! Jean & her husband Al, had invited us to a party that evening, but as Cec was still so snuffly, I went round & said we’d better not come. They called it a “cooling-off” party, as it was just before they moved from the house they had rented, into a nice new apartment! Yesterday I was really energetic, & did all the cleaning I should have done on Sat. I let Cec sleep & cleaned the rooms & did the stairs & bathroom & felt very virtuous! Then in the afternoon I mended his slacks & sweater which I had put away to do for ages, so altogether I got lots done. We had asked Gordon & Gunborg to come in during the evening, to sample our cane juice, & they came about 8:30 & we had a nice chatty evening! We mixed the rum with Rose’s Lime Juice & it was very good. We hadn’t seen each other for quite a while, so it was really nice to be with them again & we all enjoyed ourselves. We had a jigsaw out on the table which we had been doing, & of course Gunborg got enthralled & could hardly drag herself away! We are finishing it now – at least Cec is, & I keep stopping to look & put in an odd piece! We have both been at work today & Cec really seems to have got rid of the cold marvellously quickly & I haven’t caught it – touch wood! I was quite looking forward to having a mild touch of the sniffles, so that I could stay home for a few days, but of course it probably would have developed into something much more, & I wouldn’t have enjoyed it at all!
I must begin & stop now as it is nearly my bedtime, but before I do both Cec & I hope that you will have a lovely lovely birthday & many, many happy returns. We will be thinking of you & sending best wishes on the day & will drink your health in cane juice! I am afraid that your parcel will be late but we hope you will like your present & have lots of fun in & with it! My love to the Aunties –
And lots & lots to you,
from
Cynnie & Cec.
MacArthur’s resignation.
Cyn had a story about being British, living in Michigan, and walking on eggs when it came to American politics. (She had practice from visiting her American relatives.) It must have been in April 1951, when General Douglas MacArthur was dismissed from his command of the Korean War (since President Truman and other world leaders had no desire for World War 3) and came home to address Congress. Cynthia was driving in a car with colleagues from work when they must have heard part of his speech on the radio:
I am closing my 52 years of military service. When I joined the Army, even before the turn of the century, it was the fulfillment of all of my boyish hopes and dreams. The world has turned over many times since I took the oath on the plain at West Point, and the hopes and dreams have long since vanished, but I still remember the refrain of one of the most popular barrack ballads of that day which proclaimed most proudly that “old soldiers never die; they just fade away.”
And like the old soldier of that ballad, I now close my military career and just fade away, an old soldier who tried to do his duty as God gave him the light to see that duty.
Good Bye.
Cyn, revolted, kept quiet, not sure what the attitude of the others might be until a woman in the back seat said in a drawl, “Don’t it just make you kinda wanna throw up?”
And so say all of us.
Ironic that I am posting this on the eve of the American election now in 2020. As Canadians, we just follow Cyn’s example, keep our mouths shut, cross our fingers, and wait in suspense.
I have not written to you this week, although every evening I intended to. I have two lovely fat letters to thank you for, and all sorts of activities to tell you about, as well as some earlier letters to answer, but somehow the time has flown. First of all, thank you so much for your letters, and for the sweet birthday card – the parcels haven’t arrived yet, but we are eagerly awaiting them, and are most intrigued and amused at the contents of Cec’s parcel, and hope that it comes through quite safely. They seem to be very good about not charging duty here on the whole, so we will hope that it continues. Your timing for your letters was wonderful- last Saturday there was no letter from you as there usually is, but one arrived on Monday with the card in it, and then another actually on Tuesday on my birthday! Quite a lot of people hit the time marvellously, so I had a big mail, and although I opened the cards and letters as they arrived, I saved two parcels- one from Nan with a lovely pink square scarf with pictures of Britain on- and another from Jessie Aldridge and the little girls with earrings and a hankie and a perfumed flower. I got masses of cards, but will wait till I get home and can tell you exactly who from, as I am doing this at work as you will gather! and might forget someone. I had a lovely birthday – it began on Saturday and lasted until Tuesday! It began on Saturday because we really celebrated that day- do you remember me talking about a girl called Dawn at work? She is lots of fun, and she and her husband, Burt, came to that tea party I had, and we have played bridge with them. Anyway, it was their wedding anniversary on the 5th. and Dawn’s birthday on the 6th. so we decided to combine all three celebrations last Saturday and have an evening out! They have just bought a new car, so they drove us into Detroit, leaving here about 6, and getting there at 7:30. We went to a cocktail lounge and had drinks, and then we went to a lovely French restaurant which they knew of – it is called the Pontchartrain, and is really nice. It is not very big, but was all old oak panelling and a sort of intimate atmosphere! They specialize in good wines as well as good food, so we had a wonderful time! I began with French onion soup, while Cec had shrimp cocktail, then we both shared a duckling with sweet potatoes, green beans, stuffing, gravy, etc. With that we had a half bottle of a white wine, Chablis and it was delicious. After that I had no room for dessert (the little wretch is pushing my stomach at the moment, and makes me feel very stuffed after eating) although Dawn and Burt had apple dumplings and brandywine sauce! We had coffee and sat and gossiped, and then drove back to Ann Arbor and went to a club of Burt’s for a final gossip before going home, but we all enjoyed ourselves so much and felt that it was a really successful celebration. Since then, Dawn and Burt keep thinking of other really wonderful restaurants in Detroit and planning other expeditions!
Hotel Pontchartrain, Detroit.
After our late night, we slept late on Sunday ofcourse, and all day I was so nice and lazy & Cec kept saying, “Don’t bother to do that – it’s your birthday weekend!” So I took no persuading! Actually on Tuesday we didn’t do much, except that we had lunch in town, and went shopping for Cec’s present to me. I told you, I think, that we had decided that a summer housecoat would be a nice useful idea, so we went looking for one, but found that all the full length ones weren’t what we wanted, but the shops had lots of what they call shortie house coats, and we finally got one of those. It is supposed to be dress length, but on me it’s a little longer, and as the girl in the shop said, it is really more sensible than a long one as there is less danger of tripping over it, and it will be so nice to wear around the house in the summer, and beautifully cool. It is made of a very fine seersucker, so won’t even need ironing, and is in a pretty pattern of all shades of blue in a sort of plaid design on white. It has short sleeves, and a big wrap over, which ties on the inside and then fastens on the outside with a velvet ribbon through two loops. It looks very nice we think and I am just delighted with it – all the girls in the office think it is lovely too! I got a size too big for me so that I would have plenty of overlap, so I am going to have to take up the waist a little, but that is all I have to do – I certainly can use it, as my winter housecoat has turned from a double breasted coat to a single, and is bulging again!
In both of your letters you were asking what we thought about your plane ticket etc. and so before I get too far on I must answer all your questions. Cec and I both think with Uncle Fred that it would be best for you to get the return ticket. For one thing, as you say, it will save you a little money, and if you do it through Hazell’s it will be so easy and simple for you. Secondly, if you are short of money I can easily write you a cheque on my Martin’s bank account, whereas in Canada we can’t use that money, and we may not be too rich for a while until we get settled. (of course after that we will be just rolling with money!) Another thing is that, the kind of accommodation we get in Ottawa will make such a big difference in the comfort and the length of your stay. We would like to get a house as soon as we possibly can, but we may not manage it for a while, and if we are all scrunched into a little apartment, you may be glad to get away from us all before too long! However apart from all these reasons, you probably could get the ticket extended if you wanted to, and even if you were going back by a different way, I don’t think it would make any great change in your ticket. Have you found out yet if you will be able to get your allowance in Canada? I was writing to Mr. Aitkin a little while ago about selling my bonds, and getting them gradually sent to Canada, and I told him that you were coming to superintend the arrival of your first grandchild, so that he would probably be hearing from you in the near future re. the taking of money to Canada! I know Auntie Muriel had difficulty when she was in New York, but it might be a bit better in Canada, and now the two dollars are even it will be all right for you when you visit Auntie Ettie. Doesn’t it make it seem close to be talking like this? And us without a dish washed! Or in other words not a thing done about moving or anything! We always manage anyway, so we’re not worrying! You were asking if we thought August 1, would be a good time for you to travel, and as far as we can plan I think that will be fine. We want to have some place for you to sleep when you come, so I don’t think you had better come much sooner, and as I am positive that the baby will not be a month early, a week or so later would be all right too, I think, as we will need a little time to house hunt etc. when we arrive in Ottawa, and we won’t be leaving here until the middle of July at the soonest as far as I can see. I forgot to tell you that I had my visit to the Dr. at the Clinic last week as I told you, but was quite disappointed, as it was a Dr. I hadn’t had before and he was not nearly so nice and interested as the previous ones had been. He just dashed in and out and didn’t even listen for heartbeats, and when I asked about the twin question he just said it was too early to tell, and that anyway I didn’t look very big. So I was rather discouraged, and after Bren and Jeanie’s similar experiences, I am beginning to give up hope of twins – I am sorry about it though, except that we will probably all find one is quite enough for us to cope with for a while! I don’t go to the Clinic now until April 30, so by then should definitely find out something-the little thing should be kicking around soon now, but I haven’t felt anything yet! Must stop- will answer letters at the weekend.
I am beginning the Herculean task of going through a whole mass of your old letters & trying to answer them! I am in the middle of a letter to you, but forgot it at work, so I thought that I would have fun to myself & catch up on these- something which I’ve been meaning to do for ages! Cec is up at the Lab. & I have just had my evening cup of tea, so here I go!
In one of your letters from the bungalow you were telling of Pip’s “family” & Cec & I were most amused at the story of his love life, & how he now takes no notice of his wife & children. [I’m assuming we are reading about a cock and hen here.] He is obviously a rake & not at all suited for domestic life, so it is just as well he doesn’t live too close or his poor wife would get disillusioned! Your drawing of Pip before & after plucking made us laugh too – some slight resemblance to the Costains before & after haircuts!! At the moment my hair is quite long & needs cutting, but the last time I had it cut, when the Boveys were here – the girl did it so badly it was straggly for weeks, so I’m kind of shy about getting it done again!
You were saying you had finished Bebe’s tablecloth, & I am sure that it must look lovely. I am sorry I won’t see it, but I know that Bebe will think it is beautiful & it will be quite unique among her presents. I still thought that Cec & I would send her something, but I haven’t managed it yet. We still haven’t sold our electric waffle iron yet, so are still saving Millie’s $5 – we thought if we sold the former we could put all the money together & get a toaster! If you recall, the Atkinsons promised us a toaster, but it has never materialized, & we have gradually begun to lose touch! I owed Mrs. A. a letter for ages, but it is her birthday on Sat. so I am sending a card & have written a note telling of my “condition”!!
I am glad that you were able to alter the pale blue dress from your Christmas parcel & make it fit & look nice. I thought the colour was pretty & would suit you, & I hope it will wash well. I must get cracking & shorten my preggy clothes because I will really have to begin wearing them soon. I am popping out more each day & in the evenings I feel so much fatter than in the mornings!!
You were mentioning hearing from Miss Lefroy & Chris in some of your letters, & about AGL’s sister having flu. Miss Lefroy didn’t catch it. Flu seems to be quite prevalent in some places over here, but so far most of A.A. seems quite healthy. Our supervisor (Survey Research Centre) in New York was writing to tell us how many of the interviewers there were ill with flu, & what a bad bug it was, because the people who caught it once were finding that it recurred 2 or 3 times & they were ill in bed more than once.
I was interested to hear that Arthur was busy in England trying for jobs, & wonder how the Sierra Leone one turned out. You said no more about it, so it must have flopped & probably just as well as the climate isn’t good as you say. I finally wrote to Bren a week or so ago, but she will probably tell you anyway!
There were 2 things you said you would send me & so far have forgotten- you will have to push all the odds & ends in an envelope like I do & just send them off! The first was the cutting about Bebe’s wedding, & the second was Father O’Brien’s letter about my Father. I am glad that you finally heard from Fr. O’B. & hope that he will write again sometime. Certainly from the two letters I’ve had, my Father seems much more contented & placid than I’ve heard him be for a long time. Very muddly sentence, but you know what I mean! I will write to him this weekend for his birthday & will try to get a parcel off.
Do you remember writing to tell me about waking up early one morning & watching the boy milk the cows? Cec & I roared with laughter over his washing the cow, then milking into the same pail! The whole scene sounds most idyllic even if not hygienic, & we think it is lovely! Did I tell you I drink skim milk, so it’s not to get too fat!? I don’t like it much & call it my Scum Milk!! In the same letter you gave me a great scolding about my grammar, gran’ma!! But I don’t care – you can’t expect me to think too hard when I’m busy hoarding gossip & news for you!! To skip back to milk- you were asking what a Milk Shake was – well it is milk (a little) & ice cream (a lot) & a flavouring (i.e. choc syrup) all mixed around violently in an electric mixer till it is all frothy & bubbly – yummy! I haven’t had one for quite a long time, but may get one as my Saturday treat this weekend! We will treat you to a Huge one just as soon as you get to Ottawa & I bet you like it! Cec & I keep thinking of all the things you will like & that it will be fun for us to do when you arrive & we have quite a list already! Don’t get alarmed, we are not planning wild excitement with me just about to produce (!), but little ordinary things like shopping in a super-market will be fun when you are there. I was most interested to hear of all the excitement about Alastair Fraser & his new bride, and I am so sorry that you missed seeing them. Perhaps by now you will have done so & can tell me all the details!
In your last letter you were telling Aunt Ettie going to Barbados- I hope that she had a nice flight & enjoyed her trip. Cec & I were intrigued at hearing about Jean & Peter & the others flying over the Soufrière [St. Vincent’s volcano] & getting such a good view. It was a grand idea for Peter, as I don’t suppose he’d ever get a chance to see much of it otherwise. I remember Margs telling of a crowd of them climbing up one time, and wondered if people still did that, or if it is too busy bubbling now.
Cec and I laughed about all the twins you keep hearing about in the Hazell family now that we have brought the subject up, & Cec is most amused to find that there are some proper as well as improper twins in the family!! By the time you get this letter Auntie Trix will be with you & I hope that the nightie material was all settled & that I wasn’t too late in telling you all about everything. I hope that you all have fun with A. Trix – she will certainly stir you all up & make you bustle anyway!!
Talking of the twins, Cec & I are most curious to know what girl’s name you have chosen! We have chosen one too, but won’t tell you yet! As for a boy’s name – we are stuck! Everything I like, Cec thinks it’s awful, & vice versa! We can’t even think of any nice matching twin names, but I suppose we’ll manage in the end!
I don’t know if I told you that a little while ago we were having such nice bright springy weather- well this week has just turned around & been horrid again. We had rain, sleet & snow, & we are all so disgusted. It is slushy & muddy & of course everyone thinks it is much nastier after the foretaste of spring. Above our window at work there are pigeons nesting & on the sunny days they just sat there & cooed & sounded so contented- now we never hear a cheep out of them!
In one letter you were asking if I had ever heard anything from Hugh, but I never have since we got the MixMaster. I wrote then, & sent a card at Christmas, but we didn’t even get a card, so I wonder if he is overseas or not. He hasn’t been attached to a battalion recently & was doing work on guided missiles, so maybe he is still in the US. Did I ever tell you about Til’s son Bill (in the army now for sometime) being sent to Panama? They have to do so much overseas service if they’re in the regular army & this was his – isn’t he lucky? His wife joined him & they had a baby (girl) out there & they were to stay for a year or more,, but in Til’s last letter of a week ago, they are back again & going to Texas, I think. It was Lois’ birthday last month & I sent her 2 little silk neck ties which are fashionable here & Cec sent her a lovely new adjustable spanner, as the 2 of them have such fun fixing things when we are there!
I have just come across the little bit of cloth like your housecoat from A. Moo, & I don’t remember if I ever told you how pretty I think it is. The colour is such a nice becoming shade of pink & with the white pattern looks lovely & cool & fresh. Cec & I were talking about what I wanted for my birthday the other day & decided that I really needed a cotton housecoat or dressing gown, so Cec is going to give me that. I only have the pink silk one Til & Lois gave me to match that nightie & it doesn’t meet, so isn’t very respectable, & certainly won’t nearly meet this summer! Also I will need a dressing gown in hospital, so might as well have one all summer.
We had a letter from Jim & Lee Gander the other day – remember them? They are in New York now, & Jim is taking his Ph.D. at Columbia. His mother is staying with them & helps look after the baby (over a year old now) while she has a very interesting job at the Univ. Library. We haven’t written to tell Joan & Ray our news, but must do so soon & enquire how they are getting on. They will have the baby here as they will be in the U.S. at least till late summer, if not for another year. Ray’s mother was coming over to visit, but I don’t know if she will be here for the baby’s birthday or not till later.
Do you know, I haven’t heard a word from Anne since the news of the baby? And I have written to her 3 times! I don’t know if she is offended because I didn’t thrill enough over the baby, or if she is just engrossed in it or what, but my last letter was telling our baby news, so I’m just going to sit back & wait.
I have always meant to answer your request re. your little Parisian purse & have always forgotten. You do just what you like with it, honey – I don’t want it to give to anyone, & you give it away or keep it as you choose.
March 23rd. 1951
It is now a week later, & also Good Friday, as you’ll see, but I sent off a big fat envelope last weekend, so I am continuing this at my leisure! I have been bad about writing this week, & apart from an air letter to my Father for his birthday, haven’t written to anyone. I haven’t really done anything else either, so I can’t give you a list of my achievements! I got letters from Amy & birthday card, & Anne- at long last & very thrilled about our twins – but as usual making me mad because she never said one word of thanks for 3 letters I’ve written her, nor answered anything I’d said! She is back at work again (on 1st March) & her mother is looking after the baby, who is doing fine – she mentioned she hadn’t written to you! I also got Easter & birthday cards from Nan & Mrs. Allan, & an Easter card from Tom & Doris Allan & the boys, but apart from that, it doesn’t seem at all like Easter. The weather is still cold with patches of dirty snow lying about & we were at work all today & go on Monday as usual, so there is nothing to make us feel Easter-y – except that last night Cec & I were out shopping at the Food Market & Cec bought me a gorgeous, huge pot of daffodils, which look so beautiful and like spring and Easter all rolled into one! It has a dozen or more great big flowers & more buds coming and after not having seen a flower for so long, it is the most heavenly surprise to both of us whenever we see it! Haven’t I a nice husband?
I am going on with answering some of the questions in your older letters now – I have 2 nice new ones to thank you for – 1 A.M. mailed on 12th March- & 1 by the Lady Nelson mailed on 22nd Feb- but I won’t answer them yet, because if this letter doesn’t show any signs of getting finished soon, I’ll write an Air Letter & answer them! One thing – in the sea letter you sent me two of the things I asked for- Bebe’s wedding cutting & Father O’Brien’s letter – thank you so much- & also for Pam’s funny letters! Cec & I haven’t done the game yet, but I’ll let you know how we get on!
In one letter you were asking about how much the Auto Bridge games cost- they are only $1.00 & if Pegs would really like one we would be very pleased to send it- a small return for the loan of the wedding veil! We can also get you & A. Ettie some refills if you still have fun with it, but I know the novelty wears off a bit, & we haven’t looked at ours for ages!!
You were writing of books you had read- amongst other “The World My Wilderness” by Rose Macauley. We got that in our Book Club (from Dottie) but didn’t like it much, but another one we got called “A Town Like Alice” by Nevil Shute we liked very much. You also said you’d read one of Lloyd Douglas’ – did you know that he just died recently? He used to be a minister at one of the churches in Ann Arbor, but was out in California for many years. I don’t read a very great deal now! We get the “Saturday Evening Post” every week, & “The Reader’s Digest”, & our Book Club book, & once in a while I go to the Library or buy a $.25 murder, but I am busy a lot of the time! (can’t think what I do!)
I have been laughing to myself again over your confusion at my thinking all the beautiful crocheting of my Christmas present was your work! I didn’t really consider anything else, because you had said that you & A. Moo were crocheting presents etc. & of course I know that you could have done it. I am just as pleased that you didn’t toil your little fingers to the bone over such fine work, & whoever did make them they are lovely! I’m saving them till I have a nice table, as I told you, & it is such fun to think that you will be at their christening in Ottawa- something we didn’t realize at the time, did we? I am reading away at all your letters & enjoying them over again before I burn them – it always seems such a shame, but the box I keep them in is BULGING! I have just been admiring your drawing of the Christmas decorations once more & thinking how nice the room must have looked. The Christmas cards on the staircase were a grand idea – we stuck ours onto red ribbon with scotch tape this year, & hung them in scallops to the picture rail & they looked very nice too, & lots of people admired them- saved so much dusting too!
I have always been so ashamed of myself because you asked in one letter ‘way back, if I would send you a pen, & as I had already sent your Christmas parcel, I left it for the time being, & then poor Mummy had to buy one for herself. I am so sorry, & will do better over any other commissions you have for me – I must get organized over your birthday parcel – I know what I want to get, but haven’t shopped yet! It is 11:30 p.m. & Cec will spank me if he comes back from the Lab. & finds me not in bed, so I must say night night! Will write more tomorrow!
Easter Sunday.
Dearest Mummy,
Happy Easter! I hope that you have had a nice Easter – we have had a nice quiet day, without doing much. I went to Church at 11 o’clock & then we had a breakfast cum lunch (my 2nd breakfast!) It has been a nice sunny day, but still very cold, and a day or so ago there was quite a gale, & the remains of the wind are still icy. We had ham for dinner, so are both sitting feeling stuffed & I am afraid that when I go to the Clinic tomorrow I’ll have gained about a ton!
In one of your letters a while ago, you were asking about the Survey Research Center, & who, what & why they interviewed! Well, their main employer is the government, & what happens is that some gov’t department (or any big business or firm for that matter) wants to know what people are thinking about a certain thing – for instance one of the surveys was “Public Thinking on Atomic Energy” another on “Life Insurance”, another on “Housing” etc. – then they get together with the S.R.C. & decide how many interviews they want taken, and how much it will cost, & so on. Eventually one dept. of the Center makes out a questionnaire incorporating all the things they want information about. In the meanwhile, the Sampling Section (where Dawn & Millie work) get huge maps etc. of all the cities & towns & country places where we interview all over the U.S. (called the sample points), & from the maps they pick out streets etc. The interviewers then go to these areas & first of all “list” all the houses & dwelling units in these areas & send these lists back to the office, & from them are chosen the exact houses & places where the interviewers must go to take the interview. It is called “picking a random sample” & is all done very carefully – if the interviewer can’t get an interview at that exact address for any reason (illness, refusal etc.) he writes back & tells us, but isn’t allowed to substitute another house. When he asks the questions in the interview he writes down verbatim what the respondent says, & afterwards adds what is known as a “thumbnail sketch” i.e. a short description of the person, the circumstances etc. When the interviews are sent back to the office they are carefully numbered & checked then sent to the Coding Section, where coders read them & kind of give marks to each answer & finally from these marks or codes, the analysis & report is made out (mostly long tables of statistics!) & sent it off to whoever wants it! Now you should know all about surveys!!
You asked about Edie one time – I think I told you I got a letter from her in Los Angeles, & she just loves it there. She is not a bit of a career girl type- she is little & quiet & we all think would make a grand wife for someone, but so far has had no luck. I’ll send you her letter sometime, because it is quite fun.
In one letter just after we got MacTavish you were calculating how much we paid for him & said $850.00 was about £177 but Cec says you must have been calculating by the W.I. dollar. At the present rate of exchange £1 is $2.20, so that makes McT. worth over £300, & he is such a good & beautiful automobily he is well worth it! I was wicked last week! On our way back to work in MacT. in the afternoon I picked up a whole bunch of girls from the office & gave them all lifts, & when we got there, I parked the car & we all climbed out & buzzed into work. That was at 1 o’clock, & at 3 o’clock I was downstairs & one of the men who had just arrived said to me, “Did you leave the engine of your car running?” “Oh no” says I “I’m sure I didn’t” & dashed to look, & sure enough here was poor MacT. still put-putting away! I rushed out & turned it off of course & everyone laughed at me for wasting gas, but the agony came at 5:30 when Jean & I went to go home- MacT. wouldn’t start! The heater had been on as well as the engine & had run down the battery, so we were stuck! Jean phoned her husband Al, & he came & picked us up & we went & got Cec, & then came back & pushed MacT. out of the parking lot with the other car. There’s a hill outside & MacT. started on that, & so Cec drove to the gas station & the man charged the battery for us & I paid out of my pocket money! Cec is so nice – he just laughed at me & wasn’t cross a bit!
I have been wondering if Peter is better now & back at work, or if his leg is still bothering him – also what happened to the poor clergyman who had polio – if he is still in St.V. or has finally got back to England. There is a magazine article by a man who has to live in an iron lung after having polio, & I was amazed at some of the things he tells. Apparently, although he is paralyzed, he still can feel things & the discomfort of a wrinkle in the sheet under him, or his hand placed in an uncomfortable position, can be agonizing. It is amazing how the poor man can stand so much.
How have your “pore feet” been lately? As the weather has been cooler, they probably have been better, but I hope that they are easier altogether. I’ll get you some more felt-stuff if you want it.
How is my Mrs. Costain rose getting on? I hope that she is putting forth as her namesake is- I expect it to produce twin blossoms!
We read in the paper last night that the Cambridge & Oxford boat race was a fiasco yesterday, as the Oxford boat sank after 3 minutes! Did you read about it? It must have been terrible weather as they stopped the Cambridge crew from finishing, so it may be rowed over.
I have gone through all your old letters way back to Bequia, so had better stop now! I got another lovely letter from yesterday, posted on 19th, but I will answer it & the one before in my next, & will get this mailed tomorrow. I go to the Clinic tomorrow, so I will write soon again to let you know what the Dr says.
Night- night- my love to the Aunties, and lots & lots for you
from
Cynnie
P.S. you said on your last letter did I save the stamps for Peter – some I do, & some for Milly & some for the mailman!
[Cec’s handwriting] Dear Mom
In a letter from home Mother tells me I have twin cousins – which I had forgotten, & also my grandmother had twin cousins– so we still have hopes, in spite of the Hazell’s false symptoms. Cyn is being a good girl – when I make her behave, at least. It’s a wee bit difficult to get her to bed by 10:30 – It’s now 11:45.
This is the baby nightie pattern – and as you will see they are all kinds, shapes & sizes!! After I got it home, I discovered some were meant to be dresses, but as they are all more or less the same, what does a little thing like that matter!!
Actually A & E are nightgowns, but I don’t like the drawstring effect much, and don’t think it is really necessary. E is better but what do you think of that kind of opening? I think it would be a nuisance to put on & off over the baby’s head, & I think the best & simplest pattern to make would be C- what they call a Kimono. I would put it on the baby with the opening at the back of course, & it would have to have either buttons or tapes to fasten at the back of the waist, but otherwise I think it would be fine, & so much simpler than the others. The nighties I saw already made were on this style too, so it seems quite usual over here, & I know Dottie had some for Peter which she used for ages. She put a good hem on hers & put about three tucks on the shoulders to let out as he grew bigger & I think that is rather a good idea, as well as making the nightie roomier!! Anyway, honey – there it is – you use the pattern or not, just as you choose, or if Jeannie or someone has a better one, you use that. Just make whichever you think will be best & I know I will like it – and do use the machine! Don’t sew your fingers to the bone for the little rascals and machine everything you possibly can- also ignore all the “embroidery” guff in the pattern – I’d far rather have a patchwork quilt!!
Tucks!
Cec has gone to watch an Exhibition Ice Hockey Match tonight with Arthur Dockerill. I decided not to go, as it’s cold & not very comfy, & anyway it is a pouring wet, horrid night. I was glad for Cec to go & hope he has fun because he goes back to the Lab. every evening now between 8 & 9 & works till 12, & it is time he had a little jollification. He spends most of the weekends at the Lab. too, so last Saturday evening I took my knitting & a nice murder book & went & sat with him up there while he made things & worked. I don’t know how much he got done, but I began making a baby slipper (out of one of Anne’s pulled out vests!) and after knitting & knitting, decided that it was practically big enough for Cec to wear as a bed sock, so pulled it all out again!
On Saturday morning I had a good time to myself! Cec gave me a whole lot of money, then went to work & just left me to shop & spend it all!! During the last two weeks, I seem to have popped forth immensely, & while I haven’t put on much weight at all, I am beginning to find that I just can’t wear some of my clothes as the waists are too tight. So I wandered around town, in & out of shops, asking for Maternity clothes – which of course made me want to giggle!! I ended up very pleased with myself with a dress & a short sleeved suit – the dress is red – nothing modest & retiring about this preggy ma! It is actually a pretty pinky– red rayon (I’ll see if I can snip a bit when I turn up the hem) & has a little pattern of tiny black prancing horses! It has cap sleeves, & a kind of a little stand up Chinese collar & a cunning arrangement of elastic at each side of the waist. The suit is grey- rather the same material as the grey suit I brought home from America. The skirt is just one great straight piece of material, with pops & buttons at the waist to adjust it as you want. The jacket is unlined & has a round collar with one button & a flared back. I got the two for $18.00 & was very pleased, as all the suits I saw in other shops stores were $15 & more by themselves- this was 8.95 & so was the dress. Later on I’ll have to get one or two cotton dresses, but that should do me. I also got a new suspender belt (necessity!)- the largest size they have- 30” waist! I thought I could take it in & let it out as required!! Cec liked all my purchases, but we laughed like anything, because of course the minute I put on maternity clothes I look about 8 months gone, & it doesn’t help that both my things are too long & need taking up! Cec had the idea that I could wear a belt over the baggy jacket for a while, & it does look better, so I may do that.
By the way, I had letters from Nan & Irene on Monday – both very tickled & amused at our news. There was to be a Sewing Bee at Pam’s the next night, so as Cec says, it was a good thing I wrote to everyone at once. I had a funny letter from Winnie today too & she is just “charmed” with the idea! Charmed seems to be a new word for her & everyone was charmed! She mentioned the cable & your answer, as if they were in connection with my letter, but Cec & I don’t think she could possibly have got it by then. Anyway, as usual she skips around so in the letter that she could be writing about practically anything! Cec is home & sending me to bed, so nighty-night till tomorrow!
March 15th.
This is the day after tomorrow now. I brought this to work yesterday thinking I would steal a minute to finish it, but I was busy all the day & never got to it. Then in the evening I went to my “Mummy’s class” so got nothing else done. I missed the Mothers Class last week because on Wed. evening Cec & I & all the Sutherlands went to see “The Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo”. They were in Ann Arbour for this one performance only, & danced at one of the big cinemas, & a few weeks ago we saw it advertised & thought it would be nice to go. We asked the S’s & they thought so too, & as the children get so little chance to see anything like that they decided to take them too. This company used to be a very famous one, but has gone down a bit, so I wasn’t expecting too much, but there was one famous ballerina, Danilova, that I was very interested to see as she is about the last of the ballerinas actually trained in the Russian pre-revolution school to be still on the go. Actually, it was very good, & we all enjoyed it. Danilova was only on once, & altho’ she must be getting on, she didn’t look it & was lovely – she didn’t do anything strenuous, but what she did do, was beautiful. The rest of the company it was all right too, altho’ they were very handicapped by a small stage. It was a little Mary’s first visit to the ballet & she thought it was lovely! We were tickled because she was absolutely entranced with the beautiful scenery, which was really just some very ordinary backdrops!
Anyway, because of the ballet I didn’t go to the class last week, but it was on Maternity clothes mainly, so I didn’t think I’d miss anything vital. This week was on the Layette, & a lot of the shops sent things up for us to see, & so it was quite fun. Elaine (the girl I know who also goes) & I were most amused to see that none of the things were pink or blue! Some white, but mostly yellow (some pretty, some a bit vivid) and a little pale green! The thing that I looked at & listened most eagerly to, was about the nighties & apparently I decided right! The kimono ones are the best (worn opening at the back) the nurse says, so isn’t it wonderful what common sense will do!! Amongst other things, there was a bathinet, which you said Auntie Ettie mentioned. The nurse didn’t advise getting one, as she said that they were awkward to use & difficult to keep clean, as well as not lasting very well. She suggested that an ordinary enamel baby bath, set on a table was far more useful, so in that case it seems silly to spend a lot of money on a bathinet, doesn’t it? By the way, Milly (who is Canadian) was telling me that anything sent between U.S. & Canada & vice versa, isn’t charged duty or anything if it is less than $5. Anything over 5 is dutiable, so that is interesting, isn’t it?
Thank you very much for your nice letter which we got last Sat. It was the one about the Mauretania being in, & Cec & I loved reading about it all. By the way – I have a prospective visitor to you-I have been doing propaganda for St. Vincent!! The other day I was in the other room talking to Shirley & Jean. Jean is the girl who has Edie’s job – she is young & pretty & married & they live near us, so we have been giving each other lifts, so that we don’t have to take both cars. Her husband, Al, works at the big Kaiser Fraser auto works on the way to Detroit & is in the Engineering Dept.- he takes their car every other week, so that week Jean comes with us. Then when she has the car, we go with her. Shirley is the assistant boss – at first I didn’t care for her very much as she is rather reserved, but I like her more & more as time goes on. She has apparently had a very sad time the last few years, with her Mother being ill for sometime & then dying, & then her brother had a very serious operation, & recently her Father has been ill & in & out of hospital. Her home is in Detroit, but she has a nice flat here, which she used to share with an aunt. However the aunt has left A.A. now so Shirley is looking for a roommate as the flat is expensive. Anyway – after all this long explanation!- we were talking about leave & Shirley has 2 months leave saved up which she must take before July 1st, so Jean & I were suggesting all sorts of places she could go to & of course I said St. V!! Shirley was thrilled with the idea, & really got interested & we spent most of the afternoon with me telling glamorous tales of the tropics (fact & fiction)!! She was interested in flying & is going to find out fares etc. but the main thing is that she must get someone to share the flat before she goes as she can’t afford to keep it alone, so she is concentrating on that before she makes any plans! It would be in May for about 3 or 4 weeks if she did go, & I really I think she would love it & I would like her to have a good time as I don’t think she has had much fun or had many exciting vacations – but of course it is all very vague & might never come off.
I am enclosing 2 pictures taken when the Open Day was on before Christmas, remember? They are supposed to be of the display we made, but also have all the Field Office staff on, so you will see what everyone looks like! It is awful of me, but quite good of everyone else except Bob Peebles. Charlie is the Boss- a really nice man & Shirley is his assistant – the picture really flatters Shirley a little, but mainly because she usually doesn’t bother with her appearance much. Bob P. is the head of the travelling supervisors, Lyons does editing of training materials etc. & then Edie was Charlie’s secretary & now Jean is. Sylvia & I are the two clerks! Sylvia is the girl with whom I share a room. She is Norwegian descent, & looks at it, being very big out-of-doors-type as you can see, but at times she just about drives me crazy! She is careless & can be very lazy & incompetent & also very dumb, so you can imagine how patient I have to be – then I go home & tell Cec all about it!
By now it is Friday (16th) as I didn’t get this finished yesterday! I heard from Dottie on Wednesday – a nice letter – & from Amy yesterday, so all my letters are answered & I have to begin writing again! Amy’s letter was all right, but full of slush about you & her being resigned to anything that “made for the happiness of our darling daughters”!!
You would laugh like anything to see me – I have knitted a cute little baby jacket (it was supposed to be for Milly but we’ve done a deal & I am keeping it & sewing her a dress instead!) & I just finished it yesterday. Now I have to crochet down the front & neck etc. & you should see me struggling with dc’s & ch’s & so on! It doesn’t look very even but I’m hoping when it is washed it will look better!! Now you’ll tell me that I should have let you teach me long ago!
I forgot to tell you that on Sunday I have invited Shirley to dinner to meet a Frenchman!! He is a research student in physics, & Cec was talking to him one day about Paris etc. & he had been to England, so they had quite a chatter. They also waxed eloquent about food & cooking, & as Shirley is also very interested in food & cooking, I thought I’d get them together & let them taste mine!! I’ve been planning the menu-!!
Hors d’oeuvres variés
Chicken & mushroom casserole
Baked potatoes
Green beans
Milanaise soufflé
Coffee
I think it sounds impressive & should taste nice, but it’s really very easy –sh! – don’t tell! As you will gather I am feeling fine now, & have really got over all the tiredness etc. & I am just as energetic as I ever was!! I also feel very happy & cheery & so does Cec, so despite his working hard & going to the Lab in the evening we are very contented & pleased with ourselves – isn’t that nice?!!
I really don’t think I have anything else to write about – I am doing this at work, last thing on Friday afternoon, & strange to relate there is no wild rush of work or anything. No one seems very ambitious, so I’m just going on writing and writing. Next weekend is Easter weekend, & did I tell you, we get no holiday!! I am horrified & feel definitely that this is an uncivilized country & keep telling everyone so! Apparently you can go to Church on Good Friday if you want to, & then come to work, but there is no official holiday. I have told Denis in a letter, because I am sure he would be so delighted to hear how the tables have been turned on me!
My love to the Aunties & cousins, with lots & lots for my little Grandmama-
from
Cynnie.
Baby jacket in same style, but Made in England not by Grandmama! With smocking…
Just after we had mailed a whole ream to you on Sat. morning, another lovely fat letter arrived at noon, & we were so pleased! Thank you very, very much – we loved hearing all about your visiting day around the island & Lady B.P.’s visit, but must tell you to take great care of our Grandmama, & not go getting scraped by anymore buses!
By the same post we got a letter from my Father – quite nice & chatty & not complaining either (I wrote to him yesterday & told him about the event)- and also a letter from Frank. He sounded just the same funny fellow- not engaged or married, but very fed up with boarding-house life in Sidney, so says he is looking for a widow with a house!! He had heard from Al & says that he & Barbara seem to be getting on all right & that Barbara likes S. A. It was nice to hear from him again. I was glad that you’d heard from Mrs. White – Mary wrote to me after Christmas & told me about the baby & house etc. & seemed very happy & to like Perth very much, but it was Winnie told me about Mrs. White going out there- she is a brave little woman, isn’t she? It seems such a long way to go, & she is always ailing in one way or another. However, you’ll probably be coming to just as hectic as a household as she is! – one thing- we won’t be feeding the twins sherry this Christmas?!! (Silly Winnie about the cable!!)
Now, before I go any further – about the nighties! I went & “shopped around” today – didn’t have much time as Millie & I sneaked 1/2 hour away from work! – but we went to a big store with a good baby dept. They had two kinds of baby nighties- one was a kind of fine cotton stockinette – very thin & stretchy I thought – with a drawstring bottom, & cost $1.50. The other, which I would have chosen any day- was a white flannelette – very plain, with an opening all the way down (the other was a pull-over-the-head type which I wouldn’t have,) – it had a little lace around the neck and sleeve I think, & cost $2.95. Now the present exchange is about 7/- to $1.00, so it seems to me that to buy the material & make them will be very much better. I got a pattern, which I will send by sea (it is just a plain style- & it is supposed to take 1 3/8 yds. it says.
I thought tho’ if you made shoulder tucks & a good hem, they would last so much longer than the bought ones & be much much nicer too. I think if A. Trix can get Dayella it would be just as good for me as Viyella & a bit cheaper I think, & over here it isn’t necessary to have such warm things – all the nighties etc. are cotton of some sort, & only the little knitted jackets etc. of wool- & blankets & so on, of course, but even some of those are cotton. I haven’t been able to get an illustrated baby layette book yet, but will send a layette “list” in one baby mag. They say about 3- 4 nightgowns & 3-4 kimonos or sacques, but I am just going to have the open up nighties to do for both & think I should have 6 – does that kill you?!! I thought four Dayella ones, & 2 crinkle cotton, as it will still be v. hot in Ottawa in Aug. – & by the way, I am going to pay for the material if you make them – it’s a bargain! I’ll send a cheque on Martin’s in Cambridge & will never feel it!!
Have to stop now- Cec has gone back to the Lab. & I promised to go to bed at 10:30! Good preggy ma! Will answer the rest of your letter later, but want to send this off straight away.
Lots & lots of love from Cyn (Just 5 1/2 months!!!)
[Cec’s handwriting, with an arrow pointing to ‘Grand’:] you always were that!
Dearest Grand Mummy,
Cec & I have been laughing because I have a Craving! At least I call it a craving, but Cec says that I should choose something much more exotic & this is such a nice, easy, pleasant, little craving- guess what? Nothing but a nice cup of tea! I have had one every evening since Saturday & do enjoy it so much, & feel slightly wicked at having it, which makes it very much more exciting!! I haven’t touched coffee since before Christmas, & for a while used to retire from the kitchen when Cec put his on to perk, but now the smell doesn’t worry me although I still don’t feel inclined to drink it. At first I didn’t care for milk much either, but the Dr. told me to try gradually & the taste would come back, so I began by putting chocolate syrup in it & drinking chocolate milk & now I can drink it straight! We get skim milk for me, so that I won’t get fat & also it has all the nutrients I need- I am supposed to have a quart a day, but so far only achieve about 1 1/2 pts- a glass for lunch, one for dinner & one before I go to bed. Cec suggests I take some in a thermos to work & I think I will as I don’t seem able to drink it in the early morning. I have continued all along to have tea for breakfast, but haven’t been drinking my orange juice lately as my tummy seems a bit too acid at that hour. At mid-morning at work Milly & I have tea (share 1 tea-bag!) but we have no milk so I really don’t like it much! In the afternoon we eat apples, so do our best to get our vitamins & keep our weight down. Millie is 2 months further on than me & is having her baby in June at the Maternity Hospital here. Her husband, Jerry, is the one I didn’t care for much at first, but I like him better now & they are a very devoted couple. Millie is only an inch or two taller than me- if that – and used to be about the same weight, but of course is quite a bit more now! She is well into maternity clothes, and I was saying to Cec that I would have to get something this month – I don’t exactly show- I don’t think! – but the waists of skirts & zips of dresses are getting slightly uncomfortable! I am most pleased because I don’t know if you remember me telling you that I altered the skirt of my brown suit some months ago as it was too tight!? Anyway, when I altered it, in making the ‘ips bigger, I also made the waist bigger I found when I was finished, but of course couldn’t be bothered to redo it – and am I glad now! It’s just right & quite comfy!! (I only gained 3/4 lb. in 5 weeks between my 2 visits to the clinic.)
I forgot to tell you, when I was talking about foods etc. that there are really very few things I don’t want to eat & we are on a fairly normal diet, except I don’t eat much that is starchy or sweet. The funny thing is, that the foods I don’t like the idea of, are all things we had around Christmas- turkey, stuffing, baked ham etc. & poor Cec is so sad because he loves them all!! However, I will doubtless recover & he hasn’t pined for them too much yet. The nausea & sick feelings I had earlier on are all gone now, but I still need lots of sleep & feel lousy & tired if I don’t get it. I have indigestion quite a bit, but that is to be expected, I imagine, & it is better than it was too. I told Cec that I must tell you that you would be horrified if you heard me now – you were disgusted when Cec taught me to belch loudly, but now I far & away outdo him & reverberate through the house!!! Cec says it is good for me, because otherwise all that wind would stay inside of me & make me feel much worse! [Cec’s handwriting: I sometimes wonder what our neighbours think!]
So far I don’t seem to have done anything except tell you about my symptoms, but you were asking how I was, so I thought I would give you a blow by blow description! When we got home tonight we were delighted to find a letter from you written on Feb 21st – we do enjoy your letters so much & get such fun out of hearing what all the aunties and cousins say, & all about everything. Thank you very, very much for writing us such lovely letters so often – we look forward to them each week, & when we come home & find one lying on the doormat Cec is just as pleased as me. I have not been very good about answering your letters lately, but will try to do better now, especially as I don’t have to spend so many evenings sleeping! Cec is very sweet & is washing the dishes for me now, so that I can write to my Mummy!
Talking of letters, we heard from Cec’s Mummy this week, & were quite disappointed as she wasn’t as wildly excited as we are! Of course this will be her fifth time of being a Grandmama so it’s nothing new to her, but she took it all quite calmly – even the idea of twins! I finally got around to writing to everyone N/C – & mailed them (air) this week, so now you can go ahead in your letters! I saved them & posted them all at once, so hope they arrive together & no one is hurt – I wrote to Dottie; Nan (asked her to tell Mrs. A.); Irene; Amy & Ruth; Denis, Dorothy & Winnie. I owed both Denis & Winnie letters, so wrote a combined effort, & I owed Ruth a letter so wrote to her & Amy, via Amy. I also had sent Ruth a birthday card, & have a present for her which I have ready to send- it is a very pretty cotton sports shirt – it is plaid in soft pinks, greens, mauves etc. & has a white piqué trim on collar & short sleeves – I’m hoping, being cotton, there won’t be a killing duty this time. When I was writing to everyone in N/C, Cec & I talked about telling my Father the news – I didn’t know whether to tell him so soon or not, but as Cec says, he might hear from someone else, as he seems to hear things somehow- so we think it would be best if I write & tell him now. I’ll probably write this weekend, & I am collecting some chocolate mints, tins of biscuits etc. to send a parcel for his birthday. We are also going to send a little parcel to Joan (Cox) with a tin of meat or so (for Joan!!) & some cat food for poor Spivey!! The people at 37 de Freville have been very kind about sending mail onto us etc. also, so we are sending them a box of candy to share & feel we will have discharged all our obligations!!
Before I answer your letter, I’ll bring you up-to-date on our doings this week. Last week I think I told you that we were having some nice weather for a change, & we had a lovely weekend. We went & shopped for our groceries on Fri. evening & on Sat. I cleaned the flat & cleaned the silver (and how it needed it!) & got snacks ready, as we were having Cec’s friend from work, Pete, & his wife Mary Jo in for bridge (they are the ones we had dinner with near Christmas with the cute little girl Jody). Cec spent the afternoon washing & polishing McTavish & he looked just beautiful (i.e. McT. looked beautiful- Cec always does!) The Pete’s came around 8:30 & we had a nice evening of bridge – Pete had a lay down Grand Slam in the first rubber though & we never recovered from it!
On Sunday we slept – of course! – & in the afternoon as it was nice & sunny went out for a drive in McTavish & took some snaps of him, so hope they will turn out all right & will send you some. On Monday morning I had my second appointment at the Mat Clinic & went at 8:45 & then onto work. This was a much less thorough going over than the first time & I had a different Dr. – there are apparently 3 Drs. & you have whoever is on duty at the time. Dr. Johnson was the first one I had & this one is Dr. Bivens, but the thing that impressed me very much with both of them was how kind & friendly & interested they seemed. I thought being a Clinic they would be inclined to rush you through, but they seem to give you plenty of time & really make an effort to put you at your ease & make you feel that they were taking a personal interest in your case. Dr. B. told me the results of all the tests they had taken the previous time & everything was O.K. – x-ray negative- blood count normal- haemoglobin normal – RH factor positive etc. etc.- everything ordinary & normal. He spent quite a while poking my tummy & was very interested in the twins proposition! The thing is that my uterus is apparently larger than is normal for the time I’m supposed to have gone – so either, the baby is a month older than we think, which doesn’t seem likely, or else it is twins! In case the baby was a month older than expected Dr. B got his short stethoscope & listened for heartbeats, but could hear none yet. He says that next time I go back ( Mar 26) he should be able to hear them & that soon after that they’ll give me an x-ray to make sure! He told me not to make plans yet, but that it seemed quite likely! (I only gained 3/4lb. in the 5 weeks- the Dr. said I was good!)
On Monday evening, Millie was having a girls Bridge do, but what with the visit to the Clinic & then work I felt tired so begged off & spent a lazy (sleepy!) evening! On Tuesday, after much sleep, I felt better, & in the evening washed jumpers & stockings & socks & finished my N/C letters! On Wed. evening I went to a Mother’s Class!! They run the series of classes (7) & the clinic advises you to go- Millie had just finished her lot, so I began this one. One of the fellows at work, Bob Bruinsma (he used to give me a lift sometimes before we got McT.) had told me a little while ago that his wife, Elaine, was expecting too (in Sept.) & we chat about her symptoms etc. She wanted to go to these classes too, so Bob took us both up & brought me home which was v. nice of him as McT. broke a spring on Tues. & is in the garage- sob! sob! The class was quite interesting- we saw a film which was good, but the nurse woman who talked seemed silly to me & didn’t speak well, so I didn’t think much of her! This class was on conception etc. – next week is the hygiene of pregnancy – & they have ones on the layette etc. etc.
Cec is chasing me to bed, so we’ll say nighty nighty & finish this tomorrow. Sleep tight!
Friday.
Cec has gone up to the Lab. this evening to work & has made me promise to go to bed at 10:30, so I am hurrying to finish this! We went to the store this evening & bought all our groceries & then when we came home we had our monthly finance meeting & wrote cheques & balanced our account etc.! We thought we might finish paying for McT. this month, but we have decided to wait till next month, as it makes no difference to the bank, & we just might need some money for something, so it is no good letting ourselves get too short.
Did I tell you that I had a little letter from Milly about a month ago? She enclosed $5 for us to buy ourselves a wedding present – wasn’t that sweet of her? I wrote & thanked her & told her our news, but wondered if she would hear first via St. V!! I had a letter from Janie today with congrats etc. & it made us laugh because she said that she & Billo would love to see their little Half-Pint overflowing!! She enclosed some snaps of the boys & they look very sweet – the little one toddling around now. Talking of cousins, poor Monie – what a disappointment to have Owen home for so short a time. She must be so fed up with all the long waiting & then so often a disappointment at the end of it, but I am glad that she will see him in Baltimore before too long. Margs must have been busy with Allan ill too- I expect he is a real big boy now, at school & everything – I can hardly imagine how they all have grown up.
I loved hearing of all the things you are busy making! You are so energetic & put me quite to shame as I have really done nothing yet – I am knitting this little jacket but promised it to Milly before my news was public so I must keep my word!! Your baby jacket will be sweet I know, as the ones you used to do before were always very cute, but I am entranced with the idea of the little patchwork quilt! I think it is lovely & I am so glad that you remembered it – as a matter of fact I was mentioning the idea to Milly & Dawn a little while ago & saying what fun I thought it would be, but of course I have no bits & not enough time anyway. I can imagine it would take an age, but don’t worry – just persevere, & if you don’t get it done just bring it to Canada & we’ll finish it there – the babies will probably be in a clothes basket to begin with anyway, so we’ll have time! Don’t let anyone laugh at you – I know the twins will love it & I do already!
Cec & I laughed ourselves silly over all the conflicting advice you are getting from the relatives & hope that you’re not getting too confused with it all. It is very sweet of them all to take so much interest but it is funny that they all have their own ideas. About the vests, I am going to solve the problem of hand-knitted versus bought ones, as over here the babies wear cotton vests, & I shall buy some little wrap over ones here! Jeanie forgets that the houses here are so much warmer than in England & all the baby books (and people too) say cotton vests. I hope Bren hasn’t got wool for them – anyway we could use it for something else. Talking of vests I have never been able to wear the two woollen ones Anne knitted for me – it is just too warm indoors & you begin to tickle madly, so I was seriously thinking of pulling them out & knitting baby things. It seems a shame to undo all her work, but better than just leaving them there to get mothy. I haven’t heard a word from her since the baby was born, by the way.
Please thank Auntie Mil for the offer of a little dress – I should love it, & if it was a 6 months size it should be all right. I seem to remember Dottie turning some of Pete’s baby dresses into rompers, so if it is a boy (or boys) I could always do that! I should love to try my hand at a smocked baby dress, but don’t know whether I’ll ever have the time.
I was interested to hear of the Polish Dr. & his wife moving to St. V. & I am glad that he is doing well, and that people like him. Poor Peter must be having a bad time with his leg, but they must be thankful that there is a competent Dr. not far away. I hope that you all enjoy your day visiting around the island & don’t return home too worn out with such a plethora of social activities!! I hope that you liked Lady Baden Powell’s speech too & were able to hear well – I’m glad that you still use the earphone occasionally to keep in practice as it were, but I think that as long as you get on all right without it in everyday life, why worry! And it is much easier for you, not to be bothered with it I know.
I am glad that you wrote & told little Mrs. Johnny & hope she is tickled with the news & feels able to make the shawl. I don’t think anyone I know will offer to make another, & I am not worrying as the Layette Books here never mention shawls but use blankets and “flannel receiving squares” so I can use those when the shawl gets wet!! Anyway, if we have to bundle both twins in it, we’ll need something else to help out! I’m going into town tomorrow & will get a baby nightie pattern & will write again soon. Take good care of Granny now! Lots & lots of love & hugs from us all
from
Cynnie & Cec.
Received in this condition at the St.V. P.O., but the letter inside was quite unchewed!
I was going to write you a great long screed, but instead I fell asleep after dinner & although Cec waked me as I’d requested, it took me about an hour to come to! Now I have finally washed the dishes but it is 9:30 & near my bedtime again! This sleep business is really amazing – I just zonk! out, & get nothing done at all, but everyone says that it passes after a while, so let’s hope it won’t be long!
I have three letters to thank you for & did we enjoy them!! The first I got last Thurs. noon when we came home for lunch & when I saw it I tore upstairs & ripped it open full of excitement, only to find that you hadn’t got ours yet! Actually, I hadn’t got one from you the previous week & this was it, delayed somehow. However, it was fun to get & we enjoyed reading it. Then the next day, Friday, we rushed home again- & there was another letter & this was it! We dashed upstairs & I read it aloud to Cec while he got lunch ready & we laughed so much & got such a thrill because you were so excited! We are so delighted that you are coming to be in the fray, & Cec has decided that if it is triplets you can have one – nobody else, just you!! We don’t know why you are against the twin idea – we think it is lovely & anyway we think that it would probably be much easier for me to have 2 little weasley, measly twins, than 1 big bouncing effort!! Shirley at work keeps asking me how Squidget & Midget are?!!
Today at noon I got your next nice letter & it was lovely. Thank you very, very much for writing a lot – we like it- the more the merrier! I am absolutely overwhelmed with all the offers of knitting and baby things – it is gorgeous & I think everyone is very sweet to be so thrilled & energetic. I will find out more about the layette etc. & write full details as soon as poss.- thought I’d buy a nightie pattern & send you! As you will gather, I told at work & also Dr. and Mrs. S. & have written to Cec’s family. At the weekend I was going to write to everyone in N/C, but ended by not doing so well. On Fri. evening we went to an Ice Hockey game with the Dockerills, – the Univ. here v. Toronto Univ. & Michigan won. We then went to the Dockerills & had tea etc. so were late home & so slept late Sat! I cleaned & we went shopping & then at 7 p.m. met Dawn Hendrix (a friend from work – her husband was away for the weekend) & we went to the pictures to see “Whisky Galore”. It was called “Tight Little Island” here, but as we missed it in England we were longing to see it & it was gorgeous- funny, so that we laughed & laughed! Afterwards Dawn came back & we had snacks etc. & she stayed till 2 A.M.- I was dying of sleep! Sunday I did write various letters – poor Mr. Cooper for one- he wrote me just before Christmas (sea mail) and told me Katie was very ill, & said he hadn’t your address, but then you told me you’d heard of Katie’s death & had written. I also wrote Denis, Dorothy & Winnie, but I’m holding it till I get Nan, Dottie, Irene & Amy’s done! I intended to continue the good work Mon. evening but slept till 10!! Last night we went to a v. good movie “Born Yesterday” which was most amusing- A.Ettie will have heard of the play in N.Y. What do you think – I had a note & cheque for $5 from Mill- wasn’t that sweet of her? Wedding present she said- must write to her tonight. Will write a real do at the weekend! My love & thanks to Aunties & cousins. Cec is back at the Lab. but would send love to Grannie –
With lots & lots from your little
Mummy+ [Cec’s handwriting:] the old man.
P.S. What do you mean “there are no twins in the Hazell family”?
Love the tone of indignation in the Postscript! However, she was quite right, until (spoiler alert) one of the New York cousins had grandchildren.
A Family History in Letters 