Dearest Mummy, We all thought of you flying away south yesterday, and hoped that you had an easy, uneventful flight and arrive safely and promptly in Trinidad. Lindy got your letter and package of Betsy McCall’s today and was absolutely enchanted! Sat down at once and began cutting and was very happy. Both Lu & Myrtle told me they had got cards from you – in fact Lu phoned me up particularly to tell me someone had beaten her in sending out their cards- you! I went to town on Sat. afternoon & got ours but I have been putting off doing them- sort of have a scunner against the idea! Today I made my Christmas cake & a Christmas pudding & on Friday evening I made 8 pint jars of mincemeat, so I am quite well ahead in other respects.
In Lindy’s little note you said what a busy time you were having with all the parties etc. I hope that they were all fun & that you enjoyed them despite the rush. We went to the Ramsay’s party on Thursday evening & really had a good time. They had practically the whole department & had their basement all fixed up for dancing with a record player & a little bar & it was a lot of fun. Cec & I felt very hilarious & in a “let’s have lots more parties” mood after it, but unfortunately the Spectroscopy Christmas Party has fallen through, because of lack of support, so we have no prospects! I am disappointed as I think it would’ve been a good thing & fun, but it wasn’t until after they decided to cancel it that everyone became enthusiastic.
I hope that you find Auntie Gee & Auntie Trix well – also Sylvia & the rest of the family. It will seem strange to get back to the Christmas preparations in St.V. after the Christmas preparations in New York. It is still snowy & icy here & tonight is going to be 10° so maybe you left just in time to avoid getting nipped! We went round to Fanni’s this afternoon – me pulling the kids on the sleigh – & my ears nearly froze! We saw the little baby – chubby & pink & cute – another Peter! [Piotr, actually.] Must stop – this is really just to welcome you back to St.V. & say that we are all thinking of you. Kisses from Lindy & Charlie & lots of love from us all – Cyn
Tues.28th Dec. Dearest Mummy, Thank you so much for all our lovely Christmas presents. As you will know from my last letter Cec & I were so intrigued when your parcel came saying “picture”, but we were good & saved it & we were just bursting to open it on Christmas morning! I had imagined it would be a water colour, so it was a complete & absolute surprise to us & we think it is simply lovely. I remember seeing the pictures in wood in England, but how amazing that someone you know should actually make them – & so beautifully too. We were just saying that we would love to know what all the different kinds of wood are that he uses – does he prepare them himself from St.V. wood or does he get “sheets” of wood from England or somewhere? Anyway, we are simply delighted & both thank you very, very much for such a beautiful present.
Lindy has written you a “letter” to thank you for her darling little washing set, but I will enclose it in another of mine. I gave her some little notepaper & envelopes & she has been writing all her thank you letters! Much better than Mummy but she turns out 2 or 3 every minute! Both she & I are tickled to bits over the dear little washtub & pegs etc. & we have the clothesline strung between the table legs! Granny C. sent her some dolly clothes & they are all strung on the line! She loves the 2 little twin babies, but of course wants to take them out & so far I won’t let her! Charlie’s blocks are a huge success with both of them – Linda likes all the pictures & makes a big “castle” (with a very English “a”!) while Charlie likes to knock it down!! Also they love the birdies pecking & are having lots of fun with all their toys from Grannie – thank you so much, Grannie dear. Already Christmas seems ages ago, but we had a lovely time. It was a strange Christmas in some ways – I told you in my last that we had 10 inches of snow a week ago – well, on the Thurs. we had 7 more inches, so you can imagine! It was so deep & Cec got stuck in the car just at the entrance to the driveway & had such a shovelling to do. On Christmas Eve it turned very, very cold & went down below zero so I gave up the idea of going to Midnight Service. I would have had to drive in by myself while Cec stayed with the children & I was scared of getting stuck when I parked, so I just stayed at home. Then on Christmas Day we were all by ourselves – the first time we hadn’t had anyone with us & it seemed quite strange but nice – I didn’t have to worry about having dinner on time or anything! The children were really sweet- Linda was a bit dubious about having Santa Claus in her bedroom so they left their stockings outside & Cec took them in later! In the morning Linda called & here was Charlie taking everything out & Lindy just sitting looking at hers! They came into our bed & looked at them – which reminds me Cec put your wee cutters in my stocking & they were so cute. By good management we got the children to eat breakfast & then see under the tree! Charlie was entranced with the car – sat in it & looked at nothing else all morning! The horse was quite 2nd place! Lindy loved her dolly.
The weather has been gorgeous – cold, snowy & brilliant sun. Lea, W. & Darryl came on Boxing day & yesterday (Cec had to go to work) he brought Lila home for dinner, so we have been quite busy! Got your letter of before Christmas yesterday – so thrilled to know you’re coming in May – never thought there was a chance, you wrote it so jokingly before. Must stop – will write lots more later. Lots of xxx & thanks from all- Cyn.
After sending off their cards and parcels to friends and family, Cyn and Cec had a family Christmas to themselves. Cyn will tell her mother about it later, but let the list she sent later give an idea of what was under the tree.
The inside of Linda’s was in French, but since neither of us could read…
Box 330 Ottawa RR1 19th Dec. 1954 Charlie’s Birthday. Dearest Mummy, I am afraid that I have left my Christmas letter to you very late, but I seem to have been so busy each evening, and I really felt so upset about poor Anne and Tadek that I couldn’t feel cheerful & Christmasy for quite a while. I still think about her so much of course & everything we do I can’t help contrasting with her and her little family, & feeling that we have so much. I had a letter from Anne last week – it crossed with mine to her. She thought I probably hadn’t heard as she realized that Smithy had sent her letter to Ethel Street. She was telling me more of the accident – it was a car coming up behind Tadek which knocked him off his bicycle – it was driven by a Baptist minister & there are no witnesses so he disclaims any responsibility so there will be no compensation. Tadek’s skull was fractured & he was taken to hospital & never regained consciousness but died 3 hours later – Anne was with him. Poor Anne – you know how desperately she feels things – I don’t know how she’ll carry on. It is Janita’s 4th birthday today & yesterday we got a card from her & little Chris to Charlie – so sweet of Anne to think of us in the middle of all her sadness. We had sent a card to Janita too but I’m afraid it would be late, as our local P.O. is still hanging fire – the grocery part of the store has been open for ages but they are still waiting for this, that & the other for the P.O. so in the meantime it is quite difficult to get things mailed & stamps bought, particularly as it has been very snowy.
We had a huge snowfall yesterday – on top of all we had before – and it was very wet solid snow so poor Cec has been shovelling hard for 2 days to get our driveway clear! Our garage being under the house the drive has quite a slope & if there is any big obstruction the car just sticks! One of Charlie & Linda’s presents for Charlie’s birthday was a pair of red snow shovels (quite big!) and so we thought it was silly to keep them one more day when the snow was so gorgeous yesterday so we gave them a day early & they were a huge success. Linda loves the snow – shovels & falls in it & rolls about, but Charlie is still very cautious if he falls down he is so encumbered with boots, snowsuit etc. that he just lies there & yells till someone picks him up. He hates a cold wind & he just cries to go in if there is one – I know just how he feels! Cec was to go down & get the tree yesterday, but the snow was so thick & he was trying to clear the snow all morning, so never got a chance. However I went downtown in the bus & had a good afternoon shopping & did everything I wanted to do. Ordered the turkey amongst other things – I got such a pleasant surprise – a turkey just over 10lbs. cost just over $5.00 – I thought it would be $7 or $8.00. Talking of turkeys reminds me of the beef tongue – 25¢ for the whole thing! But it is quite a joke – Mrs. Blachut & I (we go together, taking turns to drive) have discovered that it depends on which man is serving us as to how much it costs! I have had them twice & paid 25¢ each time but Mrs. B. gets them often & has paid up to 60¢ & 70¢ for them! It was a mess in town yesterday – crowds as you can imagine & ankle deep slush & water. I got my hair cut too & as everyone was really very cheery & good tempered despite the weather I came home feeling very pleased & as if I had done a good afternoon’s work!
Little Charlie had a nice birthday I think – he isn’t very conscious about things yet, but he knew something important was happening! When Cec & I said “Happy Birthday” to him at breakfast this morning I asked Linda if she would said it & she replied “Oh I said it to him in bed this morning!” She was very excited about everything & chose a card with a little boy on for him & helped me make the cake etc. The milkman set was a huge success – all it is, is a little red wooden crate with a handle & in it 6 little white wooden milk bottles, but Charlie just loves the real milkman! He always watches for him & I keep some little empty glass jars in one of my bottom cupboards & he plays that these are milk bottles. Well, I saw a little toy in some child’s house a while ago – a little wire crate with those little cream jars (glass) that you get cream in in the best restaurants here, so I sent off to tour the toy shops about a month ago, but no one had ever heard of such a thing! Finally I mentioned it to Esther Calaman (the girl with the baby to whom we’ve lent the playpen) & she had seen something of the sort in a little hardware store near her & got it for me. It was worth all the trouble as Charlie was entranced & has carried it around all day & given everyone milk. It was very sweet this morning – Linda took it away from him & wouldn’t give it back so finally when we took it from her & gave it to him she howled & was mad. Charlie watched her a while & then said “Linda not happy?” & when Cec said no, he said, “Make Linda happy!” & went over & gave her his precious milk bottles! They are beginning to squabble now of course & Charlie comes in tears saying “Linda bammed me” so yesterday Cec said “Well if Linda bams you, you should bam her!” So Linda then said indignantly “But then I would cry too!” Lindy has just invented a name “Miss Rabbit Mosing” which she either calls anyone or makes up someone to fit & Charlie has taken it up & it is so funny to hear him in his funny little deep voice, saying “Help me, Help me, Miz ‘Abbit Mosing!” To continue with Charlie’s birthday he wants me to thank you so much Grannie for his lovely blue T-shirt, his little book & the pretty birthday card. The T-shirt is sweet & he put it on straight away & looks so nice in it with his blue eyes just as blue as the shirt. The little Indians are cute too. He dressed up in it with a nice little pair of brown short trousers (with a bib & straps) which Lea Gander gave him ages ago & with blue socks & brown shoes & he looked a pet. Linda had on your last Christmas present – the pretty pink dress with blue smocking. She looks lovely in it now – before it was a tiny bit big but now it is just right, & she looks like a little doll. She wears her sticky out taffeta petticoat under it & it makes it even cuter. The little book you sent is a great favourite already – especially as it has in “The Owl and the Pussycat” which Cec recites to Linda sometimes – as there was a bit in the middle he never could remember, this is a big help! Thank you very much dear Grannie & a big, big kiss from your boy. Both he & Linda were saying good night to your picture & the Queen’s picture hanging on their bedroom wall tonight. Besides the milk bottles Cec got the children Sewing Cards which I don’t remember ever seeing before but Cec says they had them as kids. They are pictures with holes punched along the outlines & there are things like coloured shoelaces to thread through the holes [heavy cardboard dolls, as I remember them, with clothes to ‘sew’ on] Linda can do it quite nicely but Charlie likes to put the laces hanging around his neck best! Cec thought it might distract him from unlacing his (Cec’s) shoes which he is very partial to! The book for Charlie was about a puppy – he is beginning to listen to stories now but isn’t nearly as interested in books as Lindy. For her I got a dear little book of Prayers for Children. It has sweet illustrations of children & has all sorts of little prayers & graces etc. as well as The Lord’s Prayer, The Lord is My Shepherd, Gentle Jesus etc. I had been trying to explain God & saying prayers to her & a book seemed a good idea & she has been very interested in it. I made Charlie a white cake with chocolate filling, white boiled icing all over, & then round the edge choc. cigarettes to make a fence & inside some chocolate covered animal crackers! I wrote Happy Birthday Charlie in blue & he had 2 blue candles! Boris & Joan came to tea & brought little ice hockey sticks for both & a ball, so we had fun! We all just hope the sticks won’t be used as weapons! With not getting the tree we haven’t got our decorations up yet, but hope to do so tomorrow. One thing we have hung up is our Christmas stockings! I made them of green & red felt & they look very nice & are much admired! They are hanging in a line over our picture window so:
The names were written in white pipecleaner, which also featured in the decorations.
This is a very rough drawing but it gives you an idea. Cec & Bunny’s socks are green with red on, & Lindy, Charlie and mine red with green on. I have made my Christmas cake (by my old Cooking School recipe) but not iced it yet & want to make some gingerbread men. We will be spending Christmas Day by ourselves after all. We asked the Ganders but not long after they came to see us that Sat. (2 weeks ago) Lee had a lot of blood from the rectum & although Dr. Smith didn’t think it was too serious she is taking things quietly & staying at home. We have invited Lea & family for Boxing Day – we felt they could hardly leave Mrs. A. on Christmas Day & also, mean as it may sound, we didn’t want to spoil our Christmas & really they are not cheerful company. They came out last Sunday, Lea & Daryl in the afternoon & stayed to dinner & Wendell later & Lea had quarrelled with W. & she told me it all of course & although I am on her side entirely & agree with her & think she has a wretched time, it doesn’t make for a jolly party. I don’t think we have been anywhere or done anything since I last wrote – Cec has just about finished writing his paper & it will be off his mind before Christmas. I have been up to the ears with Christmas cards & letters – thank goodness they are all over.
She’d already sent 13 parcels off in November, and included this page for Carol in this letter.
Hard to read, but not as bad as bits of the letter!
Thank you so much for your letter (A.M. form) received yesterday Mummy- I do get one every week & always look forward to them. I know I should answer them more particularly, but I really mean to – please say to Jean when you see her that Charlie would be delighted with Charles’s suit! How exciting getting all ready for A. Ettie & Monie’s visit – they will be all in a thrill getting ready for it too! Your new Christmas kitchen floor must be very nice & such a help. By the way I have ripped up my English dress & by this-ing and that-ing think I can fix it – will let about 8 inches in the skirt to make it look decent & countless other things- take out pockets, shorten bodice, shorten hem etc. etc. – doubt if I’ll get it done for Christmas! Must stop – bedtime – I do hope that both you & Auntie Moo have a very, very happy day on Christmas Day. We will all be thinking of you & you can imagine just the 4 of us attacking our turkey! We are so intrigued with your present to us – it has arrived safely & is put away. Hope ours to you is in time. Hugs & kisses from Linda & Charlie & lots & lots of love from us all – Cyn.
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.
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.
Cec & I are waiting to see the New Year in & atlast 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!
Card from Costain grandparents.
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
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 &
This is the 2nd A.M, so if you haven’t read the first one you should have!
When I last wrote last, did I tell you that Dan’s famous girlfriend, Lyn was due to come up on a visit? Well, she arrived 2 weeks ago & stayed till last Mon. – not with us! We were very uninterested in the whole thing, but finally our good nature got the better of us & we told Dan we’d give a “Tea” for them on the 1st Sunday & he could invite some of the Lab. to meet her. I told him 6 (with us 4 making 10 + the children) and he invited 7 but otherwise it was arranged smoothly!
On the Sat. Lindy & I went down town in the morning – “we girls again”! Did I tell you that she keeps saying “We girls went to a Bazaar & the boys stayed at home”?! We went in the streetcar & had “juice” at the Honeydew & did a little shopping in Woolworth’s & had a fine time. We got Lindy a little book (The Three Pigs) & a little Santa Claus candle & a little squeaking duck for Charlie & she insisted on carrying them all herself & was very important!
Anyway after we got home & fed the children & had lunch & had a little rest it was about 3 & I thought I would begin my baking for the tea next day, when who should walk in but dear Dan & the girl! They sat & sat until I had to give them tea & then stayed until after 6- I had to go & feed the children & even then they hung around. Consequently our dinner was late & then I had to begin the baking & I was clearing away at 11 p.m. I was mad! And the girl! She is tall & skinny & bends in the middle; has blonde hair & very thick lensed glasses; a big nose & no chin or forehead – & Dan talks of her as a gorgeous blonde! Ugh! Also she is completely dumb! Cec & I broke our necks to make conversation & they sat on the sofa & muttered at each other – such remarks as “This is married life – think you can stand it?” – from Dan – so rude – but we think they are a pair. Most American girls, with or without looks, have personality, but she is just a nonentity. The tea on Sunday was fun – Phyl & Alex were there, Boris, Chris & Rudolph & a new English fellow, Dr. Calaman & his wife (Swiss). I had hot cheese scones, sandwiches, shortbread & Pecan Kisses & they all ate lots & enjoyed it. Lindy & Charlie were sweet – Lindy in the pretty white dress Irene sent (just fits now) & Charlie in blue cord. overalls (Margie gave him) & a white shirt- Linda very shy, but Charlie beaming at everyone. Dan began by trying to act the Big Host to everyone, but Cec & I quelled him!
The same evening as our Tea, poor Cy & Margie had such a time. Cy has been doing quite a lot of woodworking lately & got a power saw. He is making beds for the boys amongst other things & on the Sunday evening just went down to make a little bar to keep Peter off the stairs & had such a bad accident. Cut off part of his ring finger on his left hand, part of his little finger & cut the other fingers. They had to rush him to the hospital with a tourniquet on & have an immediate operation. He was in hospital 4 days & is at home now with his hand in a cast. They have had such a bad time lately, we felt so sorry for them – a little while ago they had a polio scare with Tommy but fortunately it was O.K.
Last Fri. we had Pete & Lu for dinner (8 o’clock) I had an Italian meal (+ your red- checked tablecloth & candles) with Mazotti (noodles, pork, mushrooms etc.), salad, cheese rolls, then Zabaglione – (beaten eggs with wine & sugar!) and Marsala wine to drink- yummy! It was a big success! Tomorrow Boris & Chris are coming to dinner – roast pork! Last Sat. we went to Alex & Phyl’s to play bridge & this Sat. to Jim & Lee’s- Claire sits for us.
Must stop & take my cakes out of the oven – they look gorgeous!
xxxs & hugs from your babies- as Lindy would say “I want a big kiss”! With lots of love from us all – Cyn.
I didn’t write last week because I seem to spend so many evenings packing up & sending off parcels & as a matter of fact I just sent the last 2 today! Last Thurs. was supposed to be the last day & I got all of them away by then except Anne’s & my Father’s. The latter has always was difficult & I ended in sending small tins of chicken, salmon & sausage; cheese; grey woollen gloves; 2 packs patience cards & a crossword puzzle book. I have some mints etc. still & thought in a week or so I might send them with a tiny Christmas cake, as he doesn’t like to get too much at one time. My Christmas cakes, by the way are in the oven now! I have had the things for about 2 weeks, but to get such a major operation over with the 2 children around is something, but Claire was here today so I got everything prepared & mostly done this afternoon & then finished them & put them in the oven after dinner. I got 3 square cake tins (big, middle, little) & it filled them all. This year I am making what they call over here a “White Fruit Cake”. Lee made one last year & it was delicious, so I thought it would be a change- it has sultanas, almonds, red & green cherries & pineapple in (some recipes have peel) & Lee’s was so moist & yummy – hope mine are too! Would you like the recipe? Thank you so much for the Mincemeat recipe – I shall make that next week — will make the whole quantity & may give a few jars around.
Talking of Anne’s parcel – it was late because I was sending Janita a tiny “doll in pram” like I gave Lindy for her birthday & I made a mattress & pillow & coverlet for it. Anyway, I had a letter from her yesterday & they have a son – Christopher Jan – born on the 28th & weighing 9 lbs. 7 1/4 ozs.. She apparently had a very quick time as she went shopping in the afternoon- went home, had tea then went to the hospital & had the baby at 7:40 in time for supper! Was writing next day full of fun! She actually mentions Tadek in this letter, so I was pleased!
I have 2 nice letters to thank you for- written on 16th & 23rd Nov.- but I’m not going to answer them this time as I have quite a few bits of gossip to tell you & will have to spread onto a second A.M. as it is! Before I go onto those tho’ I want to tell you about your parcel – I do hope it won’t be late for Christmas, but the difference between sending direct or via N. Y. (quicker was nearly $1.00, so I sent in direct & hope! I sent 2 old shirts & 2 old dresses & don’t give them away without looking carefully in all the pockets as there are 3 presents for a good girl there! Amongst your presents are 2 “multiple” presents – you’ll know what I mean when you see them– & I thought you could keep what you wanted from both & then probably could use the rest as small gifts sometime. Very mysterious!! I sent A. Moo 2 packs of cards, but was very disappointed as I chose such pretty ones in the catalogue & then they sent such dull looking things & there was no time to return them – they are so annoying over their “substitutes”.
I had such a silly sort of cold over the weekend – all in my throat & voice. It has gone into my head a bit now but is much better, but unfortunately Lindy started it yesterday & was quite miserable & this evening Charlie sicked up a little & was quite a bit fretty, so it looks as if it will do the rounds- however it doesn’t seem to be bad. We had snow on Tues. & Lindy was thrilled but it all melted & is much milder now.
A Family History in Letters 