Babies – Page 4 – A Family History in Letters

March 26 1954

31 Acacia Avenue

Ottawa

Friday 26th/27? 1954

Dearest Mummy,
I wore my birthday panties today! Wicked, as it’s not yet my birthday, but I couldn’t resist at & they fit perfectly & are so comfy – also, as Linda says “Aren’t they pretty?”!! Cec is back at work so I am sitting up in bed scribbling – your letter mailed 22nd March came this afternoon – isn’t that quick?- and your last mailed 15th came on Monday, so I have 2 lovely long letters to thank you for & also my pretty birthday card – it is sweet & both Lindy & I are most taken with it! I have been meaning to write each evening this week, but Cec has been going back to work nearly every evening & I have been doing things like the washing & ironing – now Charlie is no longer waterproof I feel that his overalls etc. just about double the wash!

However, besides all the little toils we have had some fun – Cec worked very hard all last week in the evenings too (he feels he has so much time to make up for his very short work days when I was ill & also he wants to get results) so we felt we needed a little break & on Tues. we got Claire to come & baby sit & went to the pictures – my first real outing this year!! We went to a cinema over the other end of town as they had two older films on that we wanted to see & we had a simply lovely time. The first film was an English one- Alec Guiness in “Captain’s Paradise” & it was most amusing & well done. The other was a coloured film called “Lilli” with a little French girl Leslie Caron & it was one of the sweetest films I’ve seen for a long time – pretty & a nice story & music & some cute little puppets – I just wish Linda were a little bit older as she would love it. If by any chance it comes to St. V. make a big effort & go as I am sure that you would enjoy it as much as we did. Afterwards, as we were on the west side of town we drove over to Lu & Pete’s for a cup of tea & a little chat as I hadn’t seen them this year either & altogether we both thoroughly enjoyed our evening out. Pete & Lu move into their new house next week- their apt. is rented & we wouldn’t dream of going over that side of town – it takes 1/2 hour’s driving to get there through the city even at night with the streets clear but during the rush hour people say the traffic makes it an hour or even longer. Pete’s work is out in the country further west still, so it is fine for them & their new house is near by.

Besides our Big Night we went on Sunday evening to the Douglases & had a chat & a cup of coffee & one short rubber of bridge. It was nice to get out as it was a miserable sleety, snowy weekend & Cec worked all day Sat. & in the evening too, so we didn’t feel as if it were the weekend at all hardly! I called Phyl up last Fri. & she & “Baby Andy” (Linda still calls him that – nearly as tall as she is & running all over now) came up for coffee in the morning – she & I see each other quite often out shopping & walking with the children etc. & she is so nice – we enjoy chatting together & it is fun to have someone so near. With all the snow through the winter I haven’t managed to get over to see Margie much, but we promise each other we’ll do it more when the weather is better. Do you remember what the thaw was like that year in Eastview?! It is like that now – there was lots of snow this winter & now it is just slush, water running over ice & MUD!
I was telling you about Charlie’s eczema – I didn’t know I hadn’t mentioned it when he was tiny. He always had roughy bumpy little knees & then sometimes behind his knees the skin cracked & “wept” & Dr W. said it was eczema. It was so slight that he just told me to keep it dry (powdered with cornstarch) & keep him cool as heat aggravated it. As soon as summer came it vanished completely when he was out in the sunshine & it didn’t appear until, as I told you, when I got out of Hospital here these cracks had begun behind his knees again. It has spread up the inside of his knees & thighs & on his tummy- mostly round dry red patches, but sometimes he will get at it & scratch until he makes a sore & it is very irritating for the poor little fellow. Dr. W. thought the rubber pants might aggravate it or the ammonia in the diaper & he did have eggs when I was away which we have now cut out, but as far as we & Dr. W. can tell it doesn’t seem to be an allergy. However last week towards the end Cec found on the inside of one of his legs that under a red patch of eczema he now had a lump. We didn’t know what it was but over the weekend it got so big & hard that on Mon. we decided we should take him to the Dr. again, so Cec took him on Monday p.m. while I stayed home with Linda. It turned out to be a deep abscess & because of his eczema Dr. W. didn’t want to cut it as it might spread the eczema all over his body so he is trying to clear it up without that. He gave him a great double injection of penicillin & we are giving him aureomycin every 4 hours during the day & putting hot wet pads on it. It has now got too dark red spots on it, but the hard lump below seems to be getting smaller, so I hope it is doing the trick. It doesn’t seem to bother him very much – he doesn’t cry or wince even if you press it & he is as cheery as can be – but isn’t he the unluckiest little fellow? Margie calls us the druggist’s Best Friend with all the prescriptions we’ve had filled lately & the doctors must like us quite a bit too!! Monday was a bad day for poor little old Charlie because besides the big shot in his little behind I took him to have his hair cut in the morning & he screamed & yelled solidly the whole time! Covered me & himself with an absolute mat of hair which even the vacuum cleaner can’t get out of our coats, but emerged looking a real little boy & a baby no longer!! He looks perfectly adorable with a little topknot of curls on his head & little fat chubby cheeks & somehow his eyes are so much more noticeable now – so mischievous & cute & full of twinkles. He loves to run (crawl!) away when you chase him or take something of yours & dash off with it & chuckles & laughs & has a big joke. He & Linda have such fun together & if one of them has a big joke over something the other one laughs too. Charlie is still as sweet & cuddly & affectionate as ever – he & Linda are lovely sometimes – she will lean forward to kiss him & he puts both his little hands on either side of her face & presses his face to hers & nuzzles up & Lindy will say “Look – Charlie is loving me!” He just loves to take your hand & press it to his cheek & kiss it & if any one of the rest of us kisses he starts making kissing noises & dashes up for his share! Lindy still just puts her face up to be kissed & has no real idea of giving a kiss or a hug, but Charlie puts his little arms around your neck and hugs & really kisses properly! The welcome Cec gets when he comes home is lovely, although at other times Charlie can go all coy & if you ask for a kiss says “No – no-” & shakes his head & giggles!
Our Big excitement this week is that we have bought a stove & refrigerator!
Monday P.M.!
What a weekend! I had just got to this point on Friday when Linda began calling “Mum-mee- Mum-mee-Mum-mee” which usually means a wet bed! And sure enough! So when it & she was all changed etc. I just crawled into mine & went to sleep! She is really very good about staying dry now, but every now & then she gets a spasm & for a few nights she will wet her bed before we lift her – I don’t know if she gets a little chill or what. In the afternoon she will get up & sit on her potty herself, but at night she is too sound asleep. One afternoon it was so funny – she & Charlie usually go to sleep very soon after I put them to bed at 1 o’clock, but this day I could hear them talking & laughing & playing until finally at 2:30 I went up & here was Charlie bouncing around his crib with only his little shirt on & Linda in her bed with only hers on! He had had a B.M. (fortunately very neat & compact!) & with jumping & bouncing had managed to get rid of his overalls & then 2 diapers – Lindy (in sympathy presumably!) had wet her pants & then removed them & put them on the floor! And they were so happy & having such a good time – protested strongly when I repaired the damages & made them go to sleep! That story reminds me of Lindy in the bath tonight- lent forward & gave Charlie’s J.T. a little pull! I said “What are you doing Lindy?” & she said “Just touching Charlie’s little peanut!” (i.e. penis to you!!!)
Well – to return to the fridge & stove & then to our hectic weekend!! We are busy house hunting now- we want a house if we possibly can & if so we must have a fridge & stove. So one evening Lu phoned up that a woman in one of the adjoining apts. was leaving & selling lots of her stuff including a stove & refrigerator. She’d had them in storage for 2 years while her husband was in S. America & now he’d got a job somewhere else & she was joining him & just getting rid of all her stuff as quickly as possible. It sounded a good chance so Cec went out & saw them at the warehouse – the stove is Hotpoint- older – of the type of the one here but less cumbersome & with much newer, quicker elements & an automatic control on the oven. She wanted $50.00 for it & $200.00 for the fridge which is a big (8.8 cu.ft.) Kelvinator, 3 years old, but only used for 1 yr. & in storage since – $369.00 when new. We offered her $200.00 for both, but no she thought she couldn’t let them go for so little, so we gave her $20.00 as a down payment & said we’d take the stove anyway & maybe if she found she couldn’t sell the fridge at her price we would hold our offer open! So the next week – sure enough – she phoned we could have both for $200.00 & there they are sitting in the dining room as large as life.! We are so thrilled as everyone thinks we have got a wonderful bargain- this huge gleaming refrigerator!- and now we have everything we need for a house.
We are working away at the house business – of course my being ill set us back 2 mths. but we want to move at the end of April if we can & not leave it till the very last minute. We have been looking outside the city a bit as we thought the country would be so nice for the children & thought we had found a lovely place with 1 acre of land (grass & trees) just about 5 miles out the Montreal Rd. We had signed a year’s lease & everything when the owner decided he wanted to sell & not lease so it all fell through & I was so disappointed! I was all set to write & tell you of our country estate & was planning to plant morning glories on the porch & have a kitten!! However, we had to start all over again & it was that that made our weekend so hectic. On Sat a.m. we set off with the children about 10:30 & drove out to various small towns & villages outside Ottawa to see what they were like & if there were any signs of house agents etc. We saw nothing worth stopping for though, so home for lunch. In the afternoon we read the ads in the paper & found a few places & Cec drove out to see the location of one & made an appointment for us to see round the next day. Sunday at 10 a.m. off we went with the children away down south of Ottawa to see this house – one of a group of 20 bungalows – only $60.00 a month. It was cute looking & lovely for children with a garden & a playground for the children at the end of the little dead end road, but smaller than the apt. at the Richer’s & no basement or storing space. Also a wood stove for heating & 1 mile from the nearest bus! Not even for the children & the small rent could we do it!! Home to lunch, children to bed; dishes; beds; diapers; children up & off to tea with George & June. The first I’ve seen of them for ages! George is working in Montreal at the moment, home only at weekends & June has a Fellowship at NRC (not in Cec’s department but he sees her occasionally) so they are busy. Anyway – Lindy, who is now fine with the people she knows, got a shy, stubborn fit & refused to enter their house!! Rolled in the snow & yelled & we entered in style with me bearing a screaming daughter! (She isn’t good all the time you see!!) She was talking to June & showing her book 2 mins. after we were in, but of course she had set Charlie off too, so it was really lovely! Home at 6, dinner – children to bed – Cec got Donna at 8- & off we went again! This time to the West End to return things! I had a coat of Lee’s (Cec forgot mine the day he came to get me out of hospital!!) & Lu & Joyce Heywood sent me little food presents when I came home & I had dishes of theirs. We went to Lu’s & found her in the throes of packing etc. & ended by driving her & all their clothes over to their new house & helping hang them up. Then to the Heywood’s & then to Jim & Lee’s & then home! We were TIRED!
I seem to have spread so much I hardly have any room to answer your letters but I must say while there is room that I would just love 1) the stainless steel knives & 2) the new skirt. I am afraid I am very late in writing about the latter, so please don’t worry if there is none of the material left – it was so sweet of you to think of it & I meant to write straight away, but the house hunting is keeping us on the go. The gold like Jean’s sounds lovely, but whatever colour you think is pretty. I really will take my measurements & send them. By the way the skirt is short, isn’t it? Because I don’t think I’d use a long one much. The knives will be a blessing – I have been meaning to get some for months for every day, but have kept putting it off, so we will be most grateful. I seem to be getting presents right & left what with these & my birthday parcels from you & also the Gorray skirt! I shall write about it now – I thought a brown & blue material would be pretty with blue jerseys. Charlie would just love some new overalls too if you are sure you have the time – he wears so many now and I wash them so much they are having a tough life!! The little ones you made him before are so sweet & everyone admires them – they are a little bit tight around his tummy now & maybe still a couple of inches long in the leg but otherwise fine. Lindy is so well off for dresses but for playing in I think a little pair of overalls the same as Charlie’s would be lovely- the ones made out of your dress fit her beautifully except about 2″ long in the leg again – & I think she & Charlie would look so sweet dressed alike! Thank you so much, dear Grannie!
Cec & I were so glad to hear that you & Auntie Moo were going for a little holiday & getting some bathing – we hope you have the loveliest time. It is snowy & icy here again – 10° tonight – curses! I long for spring. Kisses from us all & lots & lots of love from Cyn & Cec

xxx Lindy xxo Charlie.

March 18 1954

Thurs.18th March.

Dearest Mummy,

Your two birthday parcels came yesterday and caused a much excitement amongst the family! Thank you so much for them – of course Lindy was demanding that they be opened & I was longing to peek too, so I compromised & opened the little one & had such fun! Lindy’s little hat is so cute! That’s exactly what she says “Isn’t it cute!”!! She has been wearing it & putting it on & off practically continually since she got it & fancies herself immensely! Cec thinks she looks rather like a “bun on an elephant” because even on her head it is tiny & just sits on the back, but Lindy thinks it is a model straight from Paris! She loves her little Bambi but the hat is the great thrill- each thing (hat, Bambi etc.) she asks “Did Grannie’s little pussy play with this?” You will probably miss your wicked little Spiv badly when you swop with Jean, but life will be much more peaceful for you & you will probably soon get used to Spiv’s Mama. Charlie watched all the unpacking with interest but poor little fellow only got the vests to himself as Linda appropriated the socks! Not that he worries & he says thank you very much Grannie, anyway! We took him to the Dr. on Monday because at his eczema is so bad & spreading & Dr. W. thinks it is aggravated by rubber pants & wet diapers etc. as it is on his tummy & his knees & just above, so he is now widdling around the house with no rubbers on! He hates it when his diaper is wet & will pull it off when he can, but won’t perform on the pot at all – just acts coy & shakes his head! He has never had his hair cut since that first effort & now he has a real mop of golden curls- growing into a bob soon! I keep telling Cec to take him to the barber, but we are both trying to get out of the job!! Linda lets me cut hers but I can’t cope with Charlie’s.
My panties are so pretty & useful Mummy & the facecloths too- & of course I am longing to open my dress! Don’t know how long I’ll resist the temptation!! Thank you heaps & heaps for them all – we loved getting them.
I have an A.M. to thank you for too- I am so sorry that I haven’t got your birthday present yet. I went downtown with Margie on Sat. afternoon but couldn’t see a thing. It was wet & snowy & slushy, so not much of a day for trotting around & I found I got tired soon, so I abandoned the search & knew you’d forgive me if it’s late. Cec & I were out for the first time last Fri. evening to the Calaman’s & had a nice time, so it was really a busy weekend for me! Dear Dan’s wedding is on Sat. so I got them a set of 4 little cut glass salt shakers to be presented when she arrives – I was determined not to spend more than $5.00!!
The babes are sleeping & Claire is here, so think I will snatch a rest! Thank you again for our lovely parcels – Cec sends love & thanks for the cigs. xxx from us all.
Cyn.

March 10 1954

31 Acacia Avenue

Ottawa

Wed. 10th March

Dearest Mummy,

I have just realized that I completely & absolutely forgot Ruth’s birthday! Amy will be in a huff about it but anyway I have a good excuse this time!
I am enclosing the negatives I promised – actually, I think more than you asked for, but I couldn’t remember the exact ones but know that you will find the ones you want amongst this lot. If P.W.V. is as generous with copies as he was last time, you can send me one of Charlie alone & Linda alone as I sent them to Mom Costain at Christmas & have none myself!! I am sending the earphone cord by sea as you say there is no hurry & with it what stamps I could find from your old letters – a pity I answered & threw away a bunch in hospital before I got your letter but I’ll try & remember in future.

Thank you so much for your last two letters- one a nice long one answering mine & the other an air letter about the carnival, which we enjoyed as usual! I really haven’t much news as we are leading a quiet and orderly existence but since I wrote last week colds have descended upon us. Poor Cec had a horrible one last week then on Sat. & Sun. Charlie had it & today I have it – so disgusting as the children have been so well & I have been feeling fine. Linda made us laugh – she was asking me if Charlie had got his cold from Daddy & when I said “yes” she ran to Cec saying “Take it back Daddy!” She is so funny lately – I told you what a little mimic she is- well, where she has heard the expression I don’t know, but she is very fond of saying she is “so tired” or if I go & leave her in another room she is “so lonely”. One evening I was sitting reading the paper & she was fussing around & I tried to persuade her to sit down & keep still & she said in such a bored, blasé voice “I am so, so tired of just sitting around doing nothing!” & last night she suddenly said to me with a little grin “Mummy, I am so cross with you for sitting there reading that paper”!!
Cec had two funny stories about her when I was in the hospital. One evening he was bathing them & Linda & Charlie began to squeal & fight over the bathmat as he was getting them undressed. He told them to stop & called Linda to get her vest off & she said “No, no, Charlie wants to throw the mat in the bath” but Cec said “No he doesn’t- come here Linda” & the next thing was Splash! & the mat in the bath! So Cec said “Well – you were right & I was wrong Linda. Has he ever done it before? “& Linda replied virtuously “No, because I wouldn’t let him!”
Another day he was reading & Linda was playing with an old toy telephone which used to be Darryl’s & got left here. She was calling up people & talking to them – “Hello Jim – how is Lee today? I’m very well thank you. How is Barry? Was he a good boy and made his dinner all gone?”
“Hello Margie – how are you? And how is Cy? How is little Baby Peter?”
“Hello Lu? How is Leslie and teeny little Peter? I hope he is a good baby.”
“Hello Joseph – how is Mary today? And how is Little Lord Jesus?”
Etc. etc.!!
He says when he heard Joseph he wondered who this was, but it wasn’t till he heard Little Lord Jesus that he realized Linda had a “direct line”!!
Last week I was making a chicken pie for dinner one evening & instead of ordinary pastry I made what is called here “biscuit dough” (or scones to us!) as it was less fat for me. Lindy was very interested & when Cec came in ran to him & said “Daddy – Mummy’s making pastry for you – it’s got pong in it”. Both Cec & I said “Pong? What do you mean, honey?” But she couldn’t explain & then later she came out to me in the kitchen & suddenly said “Is it scone?” So I of course said yes & that she was a clever girl to remember, whereat she grinned at me & said “My mistake!”!!! She heard Boris saying “Pardon me” when he was coughing one evening & always says it now – also “excuse me” & “thank you” very nicely, so she is quite elegant! She is trying to teach Charlie & when she gives him anything says “Say ‘thank you Lindy’!” Charlie still just says odd words & occasionally a whole lot of gobble-de-gook! He says “There!”, & “More!” & “No” quite plainly now but is awfully cute. His hair is getting so long, but just curls all over his head & it’s really lovely, but I keep telling Cec he must take him to the barber! He is standing alone a lot now & will take the odd step without holding on, but hasn’t really launched out. At last I am glad to say he will hold his bottle alone & is very interested in feeding himself & grabs his spoon whenever he can, but he is awful at drinking out of a glass or cup! Always chokes & sputters or turns the whole thing upside down! What a boy! His eczema has been very bad since I was in hospital- all broken out behind his knees & big dry patches on his legs & tummy & neck & even rough on his face at times. Dr. W. has sent us some ointment, but it seems to get very itchy as soon as it begins to heal & then he scratches & makes it all sore again poor little fellow. But he is really so good natured & contented even with that bothering him- he will play for hours with pans out of the cupboard or toys & is really far easier to amuse than Linda. He doesn’t sleep in the morning now, but both sleep nicely in the afternoon- and believe me, now that I rest when they’re asleep, I get absolutely nothing done! Particularly if I take them out in the morning – we are still having more snow by the way, but it is wetter now & doesn’t last so long, so spring may be on the way!
Did I tell you Dan had left us? At the beginning of this month he moved into his new apt.-“love nest”!! It is heavenly to be on our own again! The wedding is on the 20th & I have just been answering the invitation & sending our regrets! Have to buy a present though, darn it!

I am looking forward so much to my birthday parcels – I am longing to see the dress & try it on & I am sure if it is as pretty & fits as nicely as my housecoat it will be lovely. I think it was sensible to try just one to begin with, but I won’t say no to another later on if you have the strength & energy! Lindy’s little hat sounds a pet and will be such fun I am sure. About the £10 pounds, Mummy – I think I really would like it in my English a/c if that is all right with you- linen sheets aren’t really worth the money over here I don’t think & would be heavy for me to cope with washing etc. also I still have quite a few pairs of wedding present pillowcases never used yet, whereas I would love a skirt! I have found the Gorray address in an Eng. mag. so will write to them I think. Talking of Income Tax money, we hope to get a refund this year – we are allowed to claim on Dr, Dentist, hospital bills etc. even if you have insurance & in a year (from Nov. to Nov.) our bills came to over $800.00!! So we should get some back!
If my cold is better we hope to venture out into society this weekend! So exciting for me! The Calamans have asked us for coffee on Friday evening to see some colour slides of Switzerland & England. She (Esther Calaman) is expecting a baby at the beginning of April- 9 months married, poor girl! I am lending her the baby scales & eventually the playpen. On Sat. we are to go to Pete & Lu’s (Lu = Lucille!) for a little visit – they have just bought a new house out the west side of the city & move at the end of this month, so we are looking forward to hearing all about it. Lindy & Charlie send big big hugs & kisses & lots and lots of love from us all –
Cyn.
P.S. Dottie says Nan is as big as a house!! I now weigh about 115 pounds & hope to keep there.
Got new shoes & slippers for both children last week – $17.35!! Isn’t that awful? But Charlie is catching Linda up & won’t wear hand-me-downs much longer! His slippers are red & Linda’s blue!

March 4 1954

Thurs. Mar. 4th

Dearest Mummy,
Since I got home- over two weeks ago now – I have been meaning to write every day, but the time has just flown! Such a contrast to the three weeks in hospital! I am feeling just fine and full of high spirits – I am just about back to normal activities now, but have a sleep every afternoon & take care not to get tired.

The first week I was home I was in bed all the time except for going to the bathroom, but I was kept busy because Lindy spent all her time keeping me company! She was a little bit shy just to begin with, then she couldn’t have stuck closer if she’d been glue! Charlie was a little shy & very much Dada’s boy for a few days but he soon got over it & it was so lovely to see them again. Lindy & I read Winnie the Pooh & Squirrel Nutkin & played with paper dolls & had such fun. The Dr. came on the Tues. (23rd) & said I was doing fine & could begin getting up a little each day & this week start working around the house. He modified my diet quite a bit, but still no fats, skim milk & no eggs. Claire was here all last week & came on Mon. Wed. & Thurs. this week as Cec thought I could use extra help, but after this she is just going to come once a week.

I have enjoyed having telephone chats with all the “girls” & when I was in bed Phyl Douglas & Esther Calaman came to see me. On Sun. Cy was coming over to see his car (in our garage) so I said for Margie to come too & have a cup of tea. Then just as I was getting the children up who should arrive but Joyce & Les Heywood & their 3 girls, so when Margie & Cy & Danny arrived + 4 Costains, we were a houseful!! We all had tea & cheese scones & it was fun. Last night we had Alec & Phyl up for a game of bridge so I feel we are getting back to normal again. Poor Cec has a horrid cold but the children are wonderful – eating well & plump & cute. Charlie’s eczema is a bit worse, but he is teething which seems to aggravate it.
Have 2 letters to thank you for & also earphone cord to send so will write again very soon. Lots & lots of love from us all,
Cyn.

February 13 1954

Ottawa Civic Hospital

13th Feb. 1954

Dearest Mummy,
I am so pleased with myself because tomorrow I am going home! Dr. K said Monday, but when I asked him if I couldn’t go home tomorrow as a Valentine, he laughed & said all right. So tonight is my last night in the hospital & I am feeling quite excited & restless! Looking back on the time it’s very difficult to think of each day as they were also exactly alike that no one stands out from the other- some of them seemed a week long at the time, but now it is just difficult for me to realize it is the middle of Feb. when I took ill in the middle of Jan. When I go home I am to stay in bed for a week, but can go to the bathroom – no more bed pans thank goodness! Then the next week I can begin getting up & gradually doing things. It seems an awfully long slow process & I would never have believed it before. I have to stay on a special diet till about the end of April (no fat & high protein) & not one drink for 6 months & then only an occasional sip for a year! What a liver can do to you! However I am thankful that the worst is all over now, and Dr. K. has been very kind & at least all this treatment etc. should prevent me from having a jaundiced outlook!! Dr. K. says I have been a very good patient & Cec says he’ll beat me if I don’t do exactly as I’m told at home, so it looks as if I’m going to have to go on being a good patient! Claire is still coming next week & probably a bit while I’m getting on my feet.
I have your letter mailed 1st Feb. to thank you for & Cec says there is another one from you at home – he just dropped by for a minute on Fri. from work so I didn’t have it with him but I will get it tomorrow. I was so delighted to hear the news of Nan’s baby. I wrote to her yesterday & do you know, I don’t owe anyone a letter! Of course in 3 weeks I should have cleared up the arrears (spelling?!) but everyone here has been so good about writing & sending flowers & mags. that I have been kept busy writing thank you notes as well and writing in bed isn’t the easiest of occupations! I had lovely daffodils & yellow tulips from Phyl & Alex & a beautiful cyclamen plant from Nan & Don Ramsay which I hope to take home with me. I got a cute note from Boris cut in the shape of a heart with “To my Valentine” on. Did I tell you that he & Joan got engaged at the beginning of the year & I think plan to be married in May? I am kind of sorry I don’t like Joan more but maybe we will like her better as time goes on & anyway we would try to like anyone for Boris’ sake as he is so nice. It was so funny though, when I first came in here there was a little nurse just finished her 3 yr. training- she was only on this ward a couple of days & just before she left one day we got chatting & discovered she used to work at NRC & we knew lots of the same people. Not only that but after she left, she met Boris & was his girlfriend for quite a while I gathered & she was very keen, but from what she said I rather think Boris’s mother didn’t approve & they parted. She is engaged to be married this summer to a young Dr. & is all over it, but I was so mad she was moved as she was all set to tell me the whole story!
To return to your letter & Nan’s baby, I am so pleased as quite a few people have mentioned in letters (Mary Stuart, Dottie etc.) that they thought it would be a good thing if Nan & Dick had more children & certainly now that Sandy is going to school this year, Nan shouldn’t be too busy. I expect she would like a girl as you say, (but on the other hand not everyone can be as clever as me!!!!) but probably Sandy would like a boy to play with – so I don’t suppose they mind too much. Talking of children you were asking if Charlie was walking yet- well he has taken the odd step when he wasn’t thinking & will sometimes walk from the sofa to the table, but he isn’t exactly walking yet!! Tottering maybe! He howls loudly if we sit him on Linda’s potty chair so we’re not bothering. One reason he howls is that his little bottom is so slim & tiny that it threatens to slip through the hole & he doesn’t feel safe! He doesn’t have a little round fat smacky bottom like Lindy & her Mama! Charlie says quite a few words now but he doesn’t have quite as clear enunciation as Lindy had right from the beginning. He says “ca” (car) “bye-bye” & of course our names & “cook-cook” (cookie) “mi’k” for his bottle & when he is finished his dinner I always used to say to him “Charlie made it a-a-a-all gone!”& he now repeats the exact intonation of the “all gone” but it sounds more like “a-a-a- ba”! Lindy is just as precise & exact in her words as ever & sometimes if Charlie says that & there still some left she will say “It’s not really quite all gone”! She uses the future tense “Shall we go upstairs, Mummy?” & is even beginning to differentiate between my accent & Cec’s & tease me about it!! She sometimes says “Mummy says apple sa-uce”or “Mummy says toma-ato but Daddy says tomayto”! If I say “agen” she always corrects me & tells me it’s “again” & it’s really so funny! She’s a great little mimic & one day told me “Lee says ‘Berry – Berry’ but Jim says ‘Barry” (the latter in a big deep voice!) & it wasn’t till then that I realized Lee did say “Berry”!
Talking of Lee I had a note from her & she seems to be feeling well again. After the mis. they took her to hospital for a “tidy up” but she was home the same day I think. Apparently she had a bad dose of flu before Christmas & the baby hadn’t developed since then so it was probably a good thing she did mis. She says now that she feels better than she has for months. Poor Margie has both Tommy & Danny down with measles now – doesn’t she have the worst time! And she has been so sweet writing to me 3 or 4 times a week, as if she didn’t have enough to do. Joyce is feeling better now but has had a long miserable time with sinus trouble. Cec had Cy come over & keep him company one Sat. evening & last Sat. Pete & Lu came, so he enjoyed that – he says the house seems too empty when the children go to bed. Les & Joyce have 3 girls- the smallest is Lois, about 3 mths. older than Charlie.
I was sorry to hear about Sam Dorman- I didn’t know he was so ill. Imagine him gone & old Auntie Phine hanging on – isn’t it strange. I was glad to have news of Janie & Billo- poor kids, what a sad time they are having & they must feel so badly at having to be apart just now. I was sorry for the poor cousin in London, Ont. who had all his plans spoiled- such a shame after having waited so long & made so many plans.
Which brings me to your plans for our W.I. vacation this year. I am afraid it is all a daydream because we just couldn’t possibly afford it. You know Cec has only been working for a bit over 2 years & we started those 2 years with nothing – not like a young couple who have savings for furniture etc. In that 2 years we’ve had 2 babies, bought furniture, had 2 operations on Charlie, big dentist bills & now on top of it all, this business of mine. The insurance pays some of the doctor bills & hospital, but not all & on top of that we pay Claire $5.00 a day, so we just have no spare cash. Before we can plan a big trip, we must have some sort of financial security & savings in case of emergency, which we haven’t got now. We have planned to join a Savings Group which will take so much out of Cec’s pay each month, so that we can gradually save for a down payment on a house & Cec says maybe in a couple of years we can plan something. He was saving some of his vacation & carrying it over, so that when the time came we could have a nice long stay, but I’m afraid it’s now being used up looking after babies while wife is ill. I know that you long to see the children, but actually they will enjoy a trip much more when they are a little older & even now we’d have to pay for Linda as it under 2 they go free on Airlines. I certainly wouldn’t like to come without Cec – imagine not having my husband to show off to everyone!
Talking of showing off my husband reminds me of your little story of Pegs & Jeanie not hitting it off too well these days. I feel kind of sorry for Peggy – although probably if I knew them well I would like Jean better. But I think Peggy has a bit of an inferiority complex & I can’t blame her. If I had 2 older sisters just loaded with looks & charm & a younger one bouncing with self-confidence, I’d probably feel the same, & Alex doesn’t seem to be the kind of man who would boost her ego much. Altogether I feel poor Peggy can’t be too happy, but I hope things smooth over & she and Jeanie make it up, because as you say she has no one of her own age to be a real friend.

I was very interested in your letter all about the Archbishop of York’s visit – he wasn’t the one who was at York when I was – it was the big fat one- William? – he died anyway I know. I saved your Gov. House invitation for the scrapbook – I’ll maybe do some of that next week. Tell Auntie Moo that my Italian meal was de-e-e-licious! You used to like things like Spanish Rice & the Mazzotti is much the same type of thing only with noodles instead of rice & meat & mushrooms & tomatoes etc. The Zabaglione is beaten over hot water, so it’s thick & fluffy & you eat it with a spoon – I’m sure you would like it – you can either have it warm as we did or chilled.
Talking of the scrapbook reminds me I haven’t sent the negatives you want yet, but I haven’t forgotten – I just haven’t had a chance. I will send them when I get home. Thank you so much too for the £10 you put in my account in England – I think I will send Harrods my measurements & get them to make me a really nice “Gor-ray” skirt & get maybe a nice jersey to match for the spring! Do you remember the old Gorray skirt I had (blue/grey/rust) & the rust twin set (children’s department!). I think the latter was from Harrods too, & anyway they all lasted for years & something like that will really boost my morale!

I think you should take your Income Tax money & you & A. Moo take a little holiday at the beach. Why don’t you? You both love the bathing so & haven’t had a holiday for ages.
I am so sorry I still haven’t done anything about the cord for your ear phone either- your letter came just about the time I took sick & I forgot all about it but I will get Cec to phone when I get home & I will Air Mail it. I hope it hasn’t inconvenienced you as I’m so glad that you’re used to the Aid now & find it a help. Goody goody for no more duty on the batteries!
Well it is nearly my bedtime now & the nurse has brought in my “snack”- sandwich & juice, & as supper is at 5 here, I am glad of it & the Dr. keeps telling me I must eat a lot! Tomorrow I will be sleeping in my own bed & all my little family nearby – such a nice thought!

Lots and lots of love from Cyn.

February 1 1954

                                    Mon. Feb 1st. 1954

Dearest Mummy,
Here I am at last to write that lallapalooza I keep talking about! You’re always so worried about this word lallapalooza & what it means – I’m sure you must have heard me use it a hundred times- just a real big whopper that’s all! I am feeling lots better now – I am still a bit yellow but the last 2 days the nausea has just about gone & I am eating fairly normally although no ravenous appetite as yet. The Fat Free diet isn’t bad except that eggs are out & of course anything made with fat. I get lots of fruit & juice & lovely lovely skim milk!
I had a wonderful surprise yesterday afternoon – there was a knock at the door & in walked Cec in a white hospital gown about 10 sizes too small for him! Apparently they have decided to let him in once a week, but it was so nice seeing him & getting all the news, although he had written me a nice long letter during the week & told me all about the babies. They seem to be getting on fine- Claire came in Wed. Thurs. & Fri. of last week & will come in all this week except Tues. so Cec can go into the Lab & not miss any time. The children are very good with her, Cec says & of course he gives them their breakfast & is home at 5 for their dinners. When he came yesterday Alec & little Nancy Douglas had gone up to sit with them (they were asleep when Cec left) but as Linda loves Nancy I don’t think there would be any fuss – & afterwards they were all going down to have dinner with the Douglases. Dr. K. hasn’t been in to see me the last couple of days (he told me he had a confinement due) but when he comes I want to ask him how long I’ll be here – it will be a week tomorrow since I came in & 2 weeks since I took sick. As usual Cec has heard of all sorts of people who have had jaundice & how long they were ill etc. so we feel lucky Dr. K. caught it so early with me. On Dr. K.’s advice Cec called Dr. Whillans about the babies & the risk of infection & he said to bring them over & he gave them each a shot of gamma globulin – it doesn’t prevent it but makes the attack very slight if they get it, so that is a relief. Cec sent me in a huge bundle of books & mags. last week so I have some thing to keep me going- also the Forsyths sent me a lovely big bunch of gladiolas and Mrs. Herzberg some beautiful red carnations – wasn’t that nice of them? I am trying to get all my Christmas letters written too but writing in bed is kind of awkward so I haven’t got them all done yet-4 to go I think.
Now at last to tell you a bit about our Christmas doings – although Christmas seems so far away now. To begin with little Charlie’s birthday which was the Sat. before Christmas. Of course he didn’t care, the little lamb, but we told Linda about it & she & I went to Dube’s during the week & got him cards and a present from her – the Kitten Wheel which he got triplicated at Christmas! It was Cec’s morning in bed, so we waited & had Charlie’s birthday after Daddy had his breakfast. We all gave him cards & besides Linda’s kitten wheel there was your book. Cec & I gave him “useful” things – a nice blue & white long sleeved T-shirt, a feeding bowl with compartments like Lindy’s, and a pair of red mittens with appliquéd snowman on. He took them all in his stride of course, but the funny thing was that he seem to know at once that the things were his & when Lindy went to take anything he made a grab & hung on! They’re pretty good about toys though & will give things to each other very nicely, but once in a while there is a tug- of-war & a battle! We went out & got the Christmas tree that afternoon so although I had made Charlie’s cake I hadn’t time to ice it & so I left it until the next day. Then on Sunday just as we were going to have tea with Charlie’s lovely blue & white cake with one candle who should arrive but Boris with a lovely big red truck for Charlie! He hadn’t been able to come over on the Sat. so just dropped in on the Sun. & it was so nice we had the cake & tea all ready.
On Monday morning Cec stayed home from work & we took the children down to Freiman’s to see Santa Claus! I can’t say it was a huge success as Charlie seemed very tired before we hardly got there, but the Santa was very nice & when I took Lindy up talked to her nicely. She had been saying for weeks that she was going to ask Santa for a carriage to put dolly in, but of course she didn’t say a word & I had to tell him, but afterwards she was talking about what Santa Claus had said!
I thought I done pretty well & had very little to do that last week, but golly – those few little things to make for the carriage & the doll & fixing the tree & so on & putting the cards on the bannisters seemed to take so long that every minute was taken. Cec came home early one afternoon & I went down town & shopped for a few last minute oddments for the children’s stockings & so on. On Christmas Eve Cec had a 1/2 day which was nice. I had planned to get all the Christmas dinner ready, but of course didn’t! However I got some things ready – my menu was- Cranberry Juice Cocktail, Roast Turkey, Stuffing, Gravy, French Beans, Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce, Relish dish (celery, radishes, olives, pickles, etc.), Orange Cream, Coffee. I made the cranberry juice & cranberry sauce & the orange cream – I decided to have the cream instead of Christmas pudding as I knew the children wouldn’t eat it & none of us are madly keen & I had planned to make a mince pie & have it hot with hard sauce & coffee around 10, but actually I never got it done & we were all stuffed anyway! Talking of stuffing I had planned to get the turkey all done of course but didn’t have a moment so I left it till the day- it was 13 lbs. & just a nice size. We put the children to bed and hung up stockings for them, but Linda really didn’t know what it was about & wasn’t excited which was just as well as they went to sleep nicely! Cec & I put all the presents under the tree & wrapped up ours & filled the stockings etc. Phyl & Alec were having “Open House” from 8:30 on & had asked us down. Dan of course had been invited too & we thought maybe when he’d been we could pop down for a minute, but oh no! – he was down on the dot of 8:30 & stayed till about 1:30 when everyone else had left – an old trick of his we’ve noticed before! So Cec went down for about 1/2 an hour & then when he came back I went down for a little – I took Phyl a jar of “our” mincemeat by the way & the raves & compliments I’ve had about it since! The nicest mincemeat they’ve ever tasted etc. Lucille & I swapped a jar to try each others (hers is the sweet kind) & Cec thinks ours is by far the nicer, so it has been a big success. After being at the Douglas’s I got ready & went over to St Margaret’s for 11:30 Service- it was just crowded to the doors, but I got in right at the back & a boy gave me a chair. It was very nice & so many people – even some in the Church Hall.
On Christmas morning the children didn’t wake up till 8:30 & we were glad after our late night- I must tell you though, when Cec sneaked into the children’s room to substitute the full stockings for the empty ones Lindy woke up & said “what’s that?” We just said “nothing” & she went to sleep again, but Cec said he was going to have to brush up on his Santa Claus technique! We took them & their stockings into our bed & they looked at their toys & Lindy licked a few of her candies but really they weren’t very interested! So we took them downstairs & had breakfast – dear Dan joining us! – & and then went into the sitting room with the tree & the presents! Lindy was at once taken up with her doll’s carriage – I don’t think she really would have cared if she hadn’t got anything else – she just loved it. The doll’s house doesn’t intrigue her 1/2 as much as I thought it would & she doesn’t play with it very much, but Charlie is rather fond of it & often sits & takes all the furniture out & then puts it back again or else carefully brings each piece over & gives it to you! Lindy handed out the presents & I sat & made a list on the spot of what was from who! Dan was in on all this & we had got him a shaving brush from Lindy & shaving soap from Charlie (we knew he had only about 2 bristles in his old brush!) so we felt we did our duty. All this time we had no idea if he had anywhere to go for Christmas dinner so we decided that if he said nothing & stuck around we just tell him we were having dinner at 5 & assume he was coming. However, he informed us during the morning that Shoosmith was coming at 12:00 to take him on a round of drinks & that 2 fellows from the Lab. were coming for him later to take him out to Christmas dinner, so were we relieved! I then set out to cope with my neglected turkey, but the children seemed tired & a bit cross, so I fed them & we put them to bed & I started in again- now nearly 1:00 when the 2 fellows from the Lab arrived to take Dan out to dinner. Cec got them a drink (in the meanwhile, thank goodness we had cleared up the mess in the sitting room & cleaned it) & I went in & was sociable for a little while. Then just left them & returned to my poor old turkey when in arrived Shoosmith & his son John (18) & another man from the lab! All very merry & full of Christmas cheer – not come to take Dan out for a drink at all, but to come in for a drink! So there I was again! In the end I took all the bread etc. into the sitting room & sat & made my stuffing with 7 men all making merry around me & of course the poor old bird was hours late getting in the oven! That’ll learn me to get it stuffed on Christmas Eve next time!! The children woke up at 3:30 & I just had time to dress them up prettily before the Ganders came. Lindy had on the pretty little pale blue georgette dress trimmed with white lace that Mary Egan sent her & a blue bow in her hair & she looked so sweet. Charlie had on his pale blue & white Viyella rompers that I got him from England & you couldn’t have seen two prettier little children anywhere I’m sure! Dinner of course wasn’t ready anywhere near 5, but I had canapés & Cec made drinks & we gave the children juice & crackers & they were fine. Lindy & Barry played away & had a grand time & Charlie was full of fun & chuckles. I had fixed up Linda’s little table for her & Barry & they were greatly taken with a pretty paper tablecloth & Santa Claus paper napkins – our table I had decorated with candles & our aluminum fruit bowl piled with little presents with a red ribbon to each place & glass Christmas tree balls. We were all so hungrey that everything tasted wonderful & we all ate enormously! Barry had a drumstick & Lindy a thigh & they tucked into them at a great rate. The drumstick just about finished Barry but Lindy had potatoes & jello & banana! Afterwards they played a little & we put them all to bed very sweet & happy & good. Jim & Lee & Cec & I just sort of sat around & talked & then Cec took them home around 10:30.

We didn’t really have many holiday frivolities to tell you about. Cy & Margie asked us over to a late dinner on the Sun. after Christmas & we had a nice quiet time the 4 of us. Cec & I had debated about having a party sometime, as we thought it would be probably our last chance as our next abode won’t be likely to have such a nice big sitting room, but we decided instead to have two evenings with about 6 people each evening. We went to quite a lot of pains not to have all Lab. or all Sask. people together, but in the end Lu got some kind of breast infection (she was just weaning the baby) & they couldn’t come, so by the time we juggled around they weren’t so well assorted, but it couldn’t be helped. On the Tues. after Christmas we had Mr. & Mrs. Hughes (from next door) Dr. & Mrs. Calaman (he is an English fellow & his wife is Swiss) from the Lab., & Chris (the Danish fellow) & Kevin (a fellow from Dublin) also from the Lab. We had drinks & chip dip (potato chips to dip into soft onion-flavoured cream cheese- everyone loves it) & we played “Rumoli”. It is a nice easy kind of gambling game that we played with poker chips & it was really a grand idea as everyone enjoyed it & it is very easy to learn & no skill involved! For supper we had lobster tartlets (hot) & toasted turkey sandwiches, olives rolled in bacon & grilled, & stuffed celery & radishes etc. – afterwards hot mince pie or fresh fruit salad & coffee of course. Everyone seem to enjoy it, & Cec & I congratulated ourselves particularly on the Rumoli because during supper & after Mr. Hughes quite got into form & monopolized the conversation with tall tales about his early days in Canada etc. & no one else could get a word in! Just at the end it didn’t matter but if we’d had no game & he’d begun earlier it would have rather cramped the evening!
On New Year’s Eve Cec & I just decided we weren’t going to bother trying to make any plans – it is so difficult to get sitters etc. so we just sat at home & had a nice little Celebration together – nothing like your gay time!! On the Sat. after we had Cy & Margie over & Stuart & Willa Woods – they are from Sask. and he works in at the Council- he came to dinner with us once at Ethel Street you may remember. We did pretty much the same, played Rumoli & so on & had fun. This time we had cocktail sausages on sticks, mushroom tartlets & sardine rolls & I made little “Petit Fours” with 1954 on & had those with Christmas cake.

I forgot to tell you that we went to the Gander’s for a turkey dinner on New Year’s Day. Jim had won a turkey at bowling, so although I felt it was a lot for Lee she insisted that we should come. We went about 4:30 & had a very nice dinner at 6. Afterwards we put the children’s pyjamas on & bedded them down in Jim & Lee’s bed – this was Charlie’s first experience of a bed & he thought nothing of it, but he was so tired he soon went to sleep. We had a nice game of bridge & at about 10:30 Charlie rolled onto Linda’s side of the bed & they both woke, so we popped on their snowsuits & they were full of fun & enjoyed the trip home!
I think that is the sum total of our holiday doings, but we did have one other funny evening. It was about the 2nd Sunday after New Year’s & we thought we’d try out my new Meat Thermometer so I got a nice sirloin of beef & when I had the dinner all cooking I said to Cec, “You know, this is such a lovely big dinner we should have someone to share it” so we called up Chris & he said he’d love to come & Dan came in from skiing & in the bigness of our hearts we asked him too! The dinner was grand – roast beef (done to a turn!) roast potatoes, cauliflower, Yorkshire pudding, pickles etc. & then small mince pies & Christmas cake with coffee. We put the children to bed & washed the dishes & then thought we might play bridge – and I got Dan as a partner! He was terrible! Screamed with joy if he got a good hand; howled & moaned if he got a bad one & then bid on it; overbid me on every occasion so that all night I played 2 hands- one in which he left me in a 2nd bid & one of which he put me up to 5 clubs without a card in his hand! When he didn’t get the bid he didn’t pay any attention to the playing & just threw cards away, so you can imagine what an evening it was— we always end our kind impulses to him by loathing him more than ever!
It is now Thurs. 4th Feb. so I’ll stop this now & mail it before it gets too huge. I feel fine now but Dr. K. says I must be in 3 weeks still. The days are so long with nothing to do, but at least just about half the time is over.
I will be writing again soon – hope you can read all the scribble.
With lots of love & kisses from
Cyn.

January 21 1954

21st Jan. 1954. Dearest Mummy,

You will be wondering what on earth has happened to me & that promised long letter all about our Christmas doings- by the time you get it you will be saying “Christmas? When was that?”! But actually one thing after another has come up just as I was settling down to write & the last thing that turned up was ‘flu – which is what I have now! Actually it is just about over and I feel much better today, but it has been such a queer kind- no cold or a sore throat, just aching & chills & a temp. It began on Tues. & when Cec came home from work I went to bed & have stayed there ever since. Cec has kept house & looked after the children & had such a busy time, poor fellow, but he does it very cheerfully & the children are pretty good. Yesterday my temp was up to 103 so Cec called the Dr. & he said it was a type of virus going around & just to drink a lot & take pain pills for the aches & certainly I feel miles better tonight & temp just 99- only hope none of the rest of the family get it.

It seems to be a bad week for other families too- last week baby Peter Garrett had an upset tummy & was a bit sick, but Cy was away & Margy was by herself so I went over & spent an evening with her. We didn’t think Peter’s illness was infectious but perhaps it was flu as Margy has had a stomach flu this week & has been quite upset too. Do you remember Joyce & Les Heywood who are up at Chalk River? Les has just got a new job in Ottawa & they moved down last weekend, so Cec phoned him yesterday and poor Joyce has flu too, so aren’t we a sad bunch?

Last but not least, poor Lee has just had a miscarriage. We feel so sorry for her as she wanted another baby very badly, then on Christmas Day she told me she was expecting in June – actually I had already known for about a month but was very surprised & pleased! As you can imagine in all those apts. together the gossip is colossal & as soon as it’s known anyone wants a baby they are just asked “How goes it?” each month! So Lou phoned up saying “isn’t it lovely about Lee” & then discovered Lee was going to wait until she had seen the Dr. before telling me as she’d told me of 2 false alarms before! Anyway the poor little baby is gone & Lee & Jim must be feeling so sad. Apparently she had a bad cold & touch of flu last week & went & washed the bathroom walls & it was just too much. She began the mis. last Friday but it only happened yesterday.

This is such a cheerless letter & I have so many nice long newsy ones to thank you for, but once I’m not wobbling about in bed I’ll really write a whopper! Lindy wanted to kiss me good night tonight & I said no- better not, as I had germs. So she said “Grannie got germs?” & when I said no she gave your picture a great big kiss & hug! Charlie’s great joy in life is going upstairs – he loves it & is mad at the gate at the bottom! Both of them are sweet & pretty as pictures! and send big hugs & kisses to Grannie- with lots of love from us all.

Cyn.

January 7 1954

My. pandemic Xmas jigsaw- nothing to do. with 1954!

7th Jan.1954

Dearest Mummy,

I was going to begin a long letter tonight, but writing this list has taken so long that I know I will get nowhere if I begin. We are bidden to the Herzberg’s tomorrow, so I think I will send this off as it is & write you of all our Christmas doings at the weekend. With having two long weekends of 3 1/2 days each at Christmas & the New Year I thought I would get so much done, but on the contrary – I got nothing done at all, & in between & since I have been scrambling to catch up! Of course we got up later & played with the children more & had visitors & went out, so I suppose I really hadn’t much time left after feeding everyone! The Christmas weather was disappointing with cold but very little snow but by New Year the temp. dropped way below Zero & snow has been snowing down! Everything is lovely & white & pretty & Lindy loves it!

Thank you so much for your lovely letter begun on Christmas Day, Mummy- it was sweet of you to write & I was so pleased you’d got our parcel- I feel I have neglected you over the holidays but will try to make up with a lalaplooza soon.

Lots & lots of love from Cyn.

What follows is Cyn’s Christmas List of presents sent and received, and her comments on them, in chart form. I am going to post pictures of the charts rather than trying to reproduce them- with 4 in the family, it gets more complicated. She doesn’t mention cards, but she sent them off earlier, and hung those they received along the bannister.

The only presents I remember from this long list is ‘Squirrel Nutkin’ for me, (one of my favourite Beatrix Potter’s) and the wooden boat with sailor skittles from the Heslops for Charlie. It was sturdily made and versatile and lasted long after all the other things were lost in memory.

December 31 1953

31st Dec. 1953

20° below Zero last night – brrr!

Dearest Mummy,

Cec & I are waiting to see the New Year in & at last I am managing to write to you. Somehow we seem to have had such a busy 2 weeks although we have done very little besides stay at home! Before Christmas I kept saying to myself “I must write to Mummy & tell her about Charlie’s birthday, otherwise I’ll forget all about it in telling about Christmas” & here it is nearly New Year & I hardly know where to begin!

Anyway, most important is that we had a lovely Christmas and to thank you so much for your beautiful & exciting parcel. It arrived in plenty of time, but of course we waited & put it under the tree on Christmas Eve & didn’t open it till Christmas Day. I was so intrigued to see what my housecoat was like & I am simply delighted with it. It fits me quite perfectly & I love the material – it is so soft & silky–feeling & such an attractive pattern & a big change for me as I haven’t ever had a navy & white dressing gown. I think the style is very attractive- Cec makes cracks about the low décolletage of course, but as long as I wear it in front of him & not Dan it shouldn’t matter! Thank you very, very much Mummy dear for such a lovely present & Cec asked to thank you very much too for his expensive cigarettes- he was very pleased & found them most useful over the long weekend.

The children’s presents were all so cute and such fun. Both of Linda’s little dresses are sweet – the pink one with the pretty blue smocking is really lovely & as you remember it is just the nice soft shade of pink that suits her. It is big enough to be still a good size for her in the summer & I know she will look sweet in it. Actually, the dress that everyone exclaims over is the adorable little blue one – it is so sweet & unusual & everyone remarks on how cute it is. Lindy is most intrigued with her “pretty party dresses” & sends a big kiss for her Grannie. She loves her new toothbrush with Donald Duck on, & keeps trying it on her dolls! The two little cow dolls are such fun & she loves them – she doesn’t quite understand the “cow” bit, but likes it that one is a girl & one a boy! I must admit that Lindy plays with all of Charlie’s presents, but that just doubles the appreciation as he loves them too!

First of all, his book for his birthday is a huge success. He loves it & knows it is his & keeps a good hold on it! It is in his bed & he sits up & looks at it & turns the pages like a little old man! You must be a mind-reader to send him a pillowcase as a pillow is to be his first New Year’s present! All the toys are such fun – the funny ball intrigues him greatly & he likes to poke his finger in the holes – Lindy blows the train whistle with great gusto & I love the wee Punch & Judy. A rattle for George indeed! Cec says do you think we’ll be caught that way again??!! But aren’t we glad now we were! Thank you so much for all the lovely things, Mummy – they are all just what we like best & it was so sweet of you to go to so much trouble & send us such a thrilling parcel. I will write a long letter very soon to tell you all about how we spent Christmas & what we did & all our presents etc., but now a Happy, Happy New Year dearest Mummy, to you & Auntie Moo

Xxxs & love from us all- Cyn & Cec,

Lindy x Charlie x

December 16 1953

31 Acacia Avenue. Ottawa. Ont.

16th December. 1953.

Dearest Mummy,

This is to be my Christmas letter & I do hope that it isn’t going to be late – I know that I have left it much longer than I intended, but the days seem to have just flown & on Mon. what should I do but get what I presume is this “24 hr. flu”. Anyway I was quite sick & upset tummy all day & departed to bed the minute Cec came home & slept till next morning – felt much better & gradually recovered until today I feel fine again. It was so sudden as I was as perky as could be over the weekend & Monday morning & then at about 11 o’clock I wilted! Linda had a little bit of diarrhoea yesterday & isn’t too interested in food, but I hope that otherwise the rest of the family haven’t been infected.

What a way to begin my Christmas letter though! But it is to explain the lateness if it is late, & anyway it brings all our dearest love & best wishes to you & A. Muriel & all the family. I heard from Ruth today (written on the 11th) that they already have my parcel so I hope they will be as prompt with yours. Since I last wrote we got 2 nice air letters from you – one dated 1st & one 5th – and thank you so much for them. I was so glad to hear that Uncle Fred was having such a good time in N.Y. – by now he will be back home again I expect – or at least on the way – & you will all be looking forward to hearing all the news. Both Charlie’s birthday parcel & your big parcel via A. Ettie have arrived safely with no duty. I haven’t opened them yet as I just rush them down to the basement as quickly as I can past Lindy! As most of my shopping has been done through the catalogues all sorts of parcels have been arriving & she can’t really understand why we don’t open them! She is getting quite thrilled about Christmas though, even though she doesn’t understand quite when it is to be or what is to happen. She loves to find pictures of Santa Claus in the mags etc. & quite of her own accord, when we told her about Santa Claus bringing presents & asked what she would like she said, “Santa Claus is going to bring me a little carriage like Richard’s to push my dolly in”! Richard (has a baby sister by the way) has a little “push chair” actually – very small & rickety & we have got Linda a darling little pale blue wicker work pram made by the Blindcraft School, so I hope she is pleased with the exchange!! I am going to make a little mattress & pillow & cover for it & we have got her a new baby doll with a little suitcase with its clothes in it! She is getting much fonder of her dolls now & is beginning to quite enjoy playing with them, but of course she can’t really dress & undress them properly yet. We have also got her a little tea set (she is still a regular little tea-pot & loves her tea) & a doll’s house! The latter is a tin one with plastic furniture – complete for $3.00!! It is so cute tho’ & when we were up at the cottage she saw a sort of cowboy ranch house one of the boys had & was entranced with a little beds etc. so we thought she would love it. Of course we are having the greatest fun of all!

I got Lindy a “Christmas Book” a little while ago to help her understand a little bit about Christmas & she loves it. It has in a very simple little Christmas story with a picture of Mary & the Baby in the stable & as she loves babies she is very pleased with Baby Jesus! There is a carol too about all the animals – the cow gives his hay for a pillow& the sheep wool for a blanket & doves cooing him to sleep etc. & she likes this & talks about Baby Jesus in quite a familiar way – in fact one day she got so familiar she was just calling Him “Jeez”!! I have been singing her “Away in a Manger “& this is her favourite song at the moment & she asks for “Little lord baby Jesus”. She is trying to sing all the time now everything and of course it is the funniest sweetest thing as she has no idea of tunes & just sings the words she likes or remembers, but up in bed you can hear her singing away. Also in the book is the poem “The Night Before Christmas” & amongst other things “Jingle Bells” which also made a great hit – unfortunately she can’t say the word “bell” very well – she says “bewel” & when she sings it sounds just like “Jingle Bowels, Jingle Bowels”!!

Charlie has just lately began to “talk” such a lot. He says “Ma-ma” & “Dada” & “Dinda” quite clearly & gobbles all sorts of complicated sentences! He says “There!” & will shake his head very definitely for “No” if you ask him a question or if he wants it he will give his head a little nod & say “Da”! He understands a lot that you say to him now & he & Linda have a great game of giving things to each other – Charlie will get a little toy & crawl over & give it to Lindy – she says “For Lindy” & then gives it back to him “For Charlie” & this goes on & on! Usually until Linda decides to keep it or gets fed up & then Charlie gets mad & yells! But she is really so good with him on the whole & will run & kiss him & he will pat her & just beams when she plays with him. He is getting very interested in books now – not the contents as far as we can make out! – but he loves to sit & turn the pages & is very careful really. Linda will usually let him look at her books now & although he sometimes will crumple a page he doesn’t tear them, so he will be so glad to get a book of his own from Grannie for his birthday. Lindy has it all decided that Mummy will make a “little party cake” for Charlie’s birthday, so I must get busy & she & I are going to Mr. Dube’s to buy him a birthday card & a present! Actually I am going to dash down town tomorrow afternoon while Claire is here & want to get him a little dish like Lindy’s & some mittens & a little T-shirt. We have got him a little wooden “push roller” with bells in, so think that will do for Saturday!

Since I last wrote I don’t think that we have done anything very much. My Christmas cakes look very nice & as they are mostly cherries I thought that I might put a little one in a small tin & send it to my Father with some mints etc. just at Christmas, so that he won’t get it till after he’s finished the things in the other one. I made my mincemeat last weekend & it looks nice too – I made the full quantity as I thought I might give Claire a jar in a Christmas “bag”. I couldn’t get the green seedless grapes but had to get red ones & seed them – so annoying!

I had Boris & Chris to dinner about a week ago & they brought me a lovely big bunch of daisy chrysanthemums. Wasn’t that lovely? I was so delighted because I really never even think about having flowers in the house now & your gorgeous descriptions of all the lovely flowers you & A. Moo have sound so lovely but so completely “other-worldly” that I don’t even compare them with here! But it was so nice to have them even if they did die in a week with the old heating. We were over at Jim & Lee’s for bridge on the Sat. evening (5th) & last Sat. evening we were invited over by Pete & Lu & they had Jim & Lee there. The latter party was a little bit awkward – at least we felt it so – it was the first time Lu had had Jim & Lee over & we just sat & chatted mostly about people, but the trouble was none of us all knew the same people! The Ganders & Forsyth’s knew people in their apartment blocks; the Forsyth’s & Costain’s knew Saskatoon people etc.; the Costain’s & Ganders knew Cambridge people! So one couple was always left out!! Cec is more convinced than ever that it is better to do something when people come in – preferably bridge! Chris & I played Boris & Cec the other evening and did quite well! Did I tell you that we have invited Jim & Lee & Barry over for Christmas dinner with us? We also asked Chris (he is the Danish fellow) & he may come depending on the Swiss Rudolph who had made some sort of tentative arrangements with him. What Dan is doing I don’t know – we were hoping he would go down to his girl’s but he said nothing so far, so we are beginning to be afraid he’ll be here & we don’t want to have to ask him to spend the day with us! Last year you may remember we invited Chris & Boris to our New Year dinner & at the last moment Dan announced his date had been broken & we had to include him & he quite spoiled the party-monopolized the conversation & brought out silly puzzles till I was fed up with him.

I must finish on this page or the letter will be too heavy as I want to include 2 pictures with our love. They are Lindy’s 2nd birthday colour pictures – with the indoor colour film you got us by mistake, remember? They were disappointing as these two are the only good ones (we used Carman’s flash lamp) & even in these Lindy doesn’t really look like herself. Charlie was in some of them, but has moved each time.

Lindy & Charlie send big big hugs & kisses – Lots & lots of love from us all &

Merry, Merry Christmas, Grannie

from

Cec & Cyn, Lindy & Charlie.