April was the birthday month for the Ewings- Cyn at the beginning of the month and Carol at the end. This letter is the only one from the spring of 1955 surviving, but luckily it deals, not only with the birthdays, but also with arrangements for Carol’s summer visit, and Cec’s business trip to New York, so there is some indication of what’s going on.
17th April. 1955. Dearest Mummy, I certainly hope that my birthday parcel reaches you in time, as I know for sure this will be late! I can’t think how things crept up on me so, except that so much seems to have been happening. Anyway, we all send our dearest love & best wishes for the 22nd even if we are very late about it. One reason I am late is that all last week I was sure your birthday parcel to me would arrive as your Bequia P.C.s to the children came just before Easter, (they loved them by the way & each knew their own & had me read them over & over & show them your window etc.), so each day I put off, thinking it would surely come tomorrow, but no, the Customs must be having a little sit on it.
Thank you so much for all your letters – particularly the last one giving definite details of your visit! We are all so delighted & think it sounds perfect. I intend to write & answer your letters properly later this week, but one thing- Cec & I were talking over your plan of A. Ettie coming & we would just love to have her, but we both think it would perhaps be better for you to come by yourself first. The reason being that the children are looking forward to & expecting you & if you come by yourself I think that in a day they would just be as used to you & have accepted you as if you’d always been here, but if there are 2 strange ladies I think they will be more inclined to be shy & take much longer to get over it. Don’t you think that A. Ettie & Monie might come up together after you’ve been with us a few weeks? They could drive up if they liked & the three of you could go a few longer jaunts than we could do with the children & it would be fun. Anyway we’d love to have both Monie & A.Ettie – together or singly – but we just thought that you coming by yourself at first would be nicer for the children.
Before I use up all the space, I must tell you our doings, as we have been busy! The Appleyards came as I told you & it was very nice. They arrived Mon. 5:30 p.m., Ray left at 11p.m. & came back 8 a.m. Thurs. & they all left at 4:30 p.m. Thurs. The house seemed very full of small children! But we got on fine & on Wed. Cec came home at noon & Joan & I went down town & shopped (a new hat for her etc.!) On the Thurs. Claire came for the last time (you can imagine with all of us there!) & I am now saving up for my sewing machine! On Friday Teddy Blachut babysat for us & we went & had dinner with June & George – leaving to live in Montreal at the end of this month.
Easter was lovely- our first spring weather. I went to early Church & we had the Douglasses & children to tea. On Tues. I did a huge wash & tried to catch up on my chores & on Thursday had a phone call from Montreal – Millie Shapiro who worked with me in A. A. & had a baby boy 2 mths before Linda. She was in M’al with her parents & she & Jerry & Eric drove through for the day leaving baby boy with Grannie! They arrived about 2 & left at 8 & I tried to show them Ottawa in pouring rain & fog!! Fun seeing her. That night Linda sicked up all over the bathroom floor at 1:30 a.m. but is fine again now!
Yesterday we bought a new dining table & chairs for the important guests we expect this summer & feel v. thrilled! This evening at 7 Cec left for New York & tomorrow I’ll begin spring cleaning. Whoops!! Busy did I say? Will really write properly in a few days. xxx & hugs from Linda & Charlie & lots of love from us all – Cyn.
From the summer of 1952 when Carol went back to St. Vincent before Charlie was born, up to this point, she kept Cyn’s letters, so there is a record of the Costains’ lives in detail, once or twice a month, as the babies grew, and Cyn and Cec put down roots in Ottawa. Now that Carol is planning to visit in 1955, the letters surviving become more infrequent- this long letter is the only one from January, although there are references to others, presumably Air Letters, that are missing. After this one, there is one letter from April, then Carol- Grannie- arrived and mother and daughter could catch up on all the years of things missing from letters, and the children could get to know Grannie instead of having imaginary picnics with her picture! I will be able to illustrate those months because of Cyn’s scrapbook, but the letters in 1955 do not resume until after Thanksgiving in the fall, when Carol left for New York to visit her sister and nieces on her way home.
Sat. 25th Jan. 1955. Dearest Mummy, I was busy in the kitchen this afternoon & Charlie marched in, so I said “Hi, boy!” & he gave a great grin & said “Hi, Hyn!” As I was giggling over it I thought I hadn’t told you much about your remarkabable grandchildren lately & that I better get to it while I remember a few of their doings & sayings because they seem to grow & change so quickly. They really play together very nicely now – of course with various fights & squabbles in between! – but they play Mummy & Daddy to Linda’s dollies & will walk around solemnly together pushing the pram. Charlie will look after a baby very carefully when Linda gives him one to hold, & says “My itta (little) baby!” They will walk hand in hand now sometimes, & look so sweet & Linda will help Charlie take his shoes etc. off. Charlie talks about everything now, but still not nearly as distinctly as Linda always did. She spoke so clearly right from the beginning, but he still needs an interpreter! He can’t say “L”s & says “ ‘inda” & even “Hewo” for Hello etc. He has such a sense of humour though & a real chuckley laugh – it makes you just laugh to hear him. One evening he got up on the kitchen chair & was looking out at the lights of the cars coming up the road in the darkness & suddenly he saw his own reflection in the glass & said “ ‘ook! There’s me!” then waved violently “Hi, me!” Charlie still eats very well – particularly his dinner – & he loves potatoes & gravy! When I am getting dinner ready he’ll come into the kitchen & say “Davy tonight, Mummy? Any Davy tonight?” & if I say yes, he gets so excited and rushes to tell his Daddy! Linda is still terribly conservative in her eating & won’t try new things, but she eats a good breakfast & fairly good lunch, although varies over her dinner. They both still drink lots of milk & love fruit & fruit juice. Like Peggy’s little girl, Charlie still has his bottle of milk! He will drink everything else out of a glass & has for ages, but he won’t drink milk, so I haven’t bothered – the Drs. say “what does it matter – give it to him if he wants it” so I don’t mind! We still have Banney and Jonaclo with us – I was most amused to hear that it was quite a Hazell “trait” & that you & Monie both had little friends. I knew it was quite common with children, but don’t you think 2 1/2 years old was pretty young to begin? It usually seems to be children of 7 & 8, so I thought Lindy was pretty clever!! I also think her vocabulary is amazing for 3 years old – of course she picks up a lot of words from books & doesn’t always know quite what they mean, but she uses them quite correctly. For instance one of her favourite remarks at the moment is “What is your problem?” & another “I’m so confused!” Both of these she actually gets from Alice in Wonderland & she loves them! One day Cec was talking & said something was “really _ ” & then he hesitated & Linda said “extraordinary!” & that was just the word he wanted! Last week I promised Mrs. Blachut I would look after Janek & little Daniel (the baby) one afternoon while she went to see a friend with a new baby in hospital. Linda was very thrilled over this & kept asking when they were coming & said “Mummy & Daddy have guests & visitors & I have guests & visitors too!” We made some cookies & she was helping they collect the things for them & when we were ready to begin she settled herself & said “Now we’ll get down to work”! Afterwards I was telling her that she & Janek & Charlie could have a little party with juice & cookies at her table & she was very pleased & said “Oh yes! I want my party to be gay!” Don’t you think that she has an amazing choice of words? I may say that when we came in from a walk this morning she said “Take off your scarf, Mummy – you look just like a little carrot stick!” But she certainly can make me laugh with her bright remarks. One day a few weeks ago I was ironing & Charlie & Linda were playing around in my bedroom (that’s where I iron). I had made the bed, but hadn’t put the coverlet on, & the first thing I knew they had it off the chair & spread comfortably in a corner of the room & Lindy informed me they were having a picnic on it (grass with flowers I presume!) They trotted off to the kitchen & there were all sorts of preparations & finally they came back & settled down with your picture from the dressing table on the coverlet beside them & a little jar with some little bits of bread in & they sat & ate this with great enjoyment & said you were at the picnic with them! Another thing that Lindy said one time which made me laugh was when I had put them to bed for their afternoon nap & said “Night! Night!” just as I was leaving “But Mummy” said Linda “It isn’t Night Night! It should be Lunch! Lunch!”! I always tell her now when we are going out & Anne the babysitter coming & although they both like Anne we have the occasional fuss when I tell them & then in 5 mins. it’s over & they don’t care. Anyway the last week or so Linda keeps asking each day “Are you going out tonight? Or staying at home with the children?”! I think I must have told you about Anne- she is a Dutch woman who lives just down the road & has a little girl & boy just about Linda & Charlie’s ages. She is young & round faced & jolly & so good with the children, so I never feel a qualm at leaving them with her, but she is expecting another baby this summer so I don’t know how long she will feel like babysitting. When we have guests in Lindy & Charlie know all about it of course, which is one of the disadvantages of having all on one floor, but Lindy is very fond of waking up just as they are going & demanding to get up & wave to them. One night she informed me “I like to see my friends go!” I was telling you about Janek and Daniel coming one afternoon – last Thursday it was. Actually it turned out to be a terrible cold day – it dropped from about 15° to 5° below zero during the day & there was a fierce wind blowing the snow into great drifts.
By afternoon our driveway was practically drifted across with snow & I wondered how the Blachuts was, so I wasn’t surprised when at last she phoned me and said “Oh Cynthia – I am stuck in the driveway!” She said both the children were crying & she couldn’t get the car to budge, so I said “well come round & have tea with us instead” & they did & we had a nice time! After they left I flung some dinner on & told the children to watch out of the window & went out to shovel the driveway a bit so that Cec could get the car in. Besides the drift across the middle of the driveway there was another huge one just by the highway & Cec could never have even got off the road, so I shovelled & shovelled for 3/4 of an hour & got a space cleared & it was COLD! I blew my nose on my hankie & put it in my pocket & in a few minutes when I went to blow again it was frozen hard! When Cec came home he had some soup & then went out & shovelled the rest before he could get in – it went down to 20° below that night, but it was -40° at Chalk River where Joan & Ray are! It has continued so cold since then & of course we still have these huge piles of snow as it never melts, but out here it is really beautiful – it never gets dirty & messy as in town & you look out for miles around at beautiful white fields without a footmark or a trace & it is lovely.
Telling you about Fanny getting stuck reminds me of a dreadful day I had last week. I had the car & decided to get a lot of things done, so I dressed the children & we planned to go quite early in the morning. However the people in the apartment below Mrs. Rothwell’s house (Mrs. R was away) phoned to ask if I would let their dog in – they let him out before they went to work and he hadn’t come back when they left. So I put the children in the car & seeing Prince sitting out in the snow I went to let him in. Talk about wild goose chases! That darn dog would not either come near me or the house! He would trot off across the snow on a little path & I would career after him only to find of course that my weight was more than his & plonk! I would sink through up to my waist practically! After about 15 minutes of this I left him to it & returned to the car with snow in my boots, my sleeves & even down my neck! We drove to Orleans to the butchers & then drove to town as I wanted to go to the Customs Office. I got 2 shirts from Harrods for Cec at Christmas, both 16 collar, but one is about 2” smaller on the shoulders, chest, sleeve etc. than the other & doesn’t fit him at all. If I take it to the Customs I get my duty (I paid to get it in) refunded before I send it back. We got downtown & I was parking the car when a helpful man informed me I had a flat tire! I didn’t know what to do as it was getting late, so I abandoned the Customs & as the flat wasn’t quite flat drove to the nearest service station & got them to change the tire. It was cold & windy, so I took the children to a supermarket nearby & we bought a few things, then I decided I’d better just come home as the children’s lunch was due & they were getting fed up, so as soon as the car was ready I just turned & drove home. We have to back into the garage now as the driveway is so steep & slippery we can’t back out, so I was trying to do this & the children were yakking & of course I got agitated & drove into the side of the drive & got the car stuck in the snow! You can imagine! However, I took the children in & later in the afternoon when they were asleep had another go at both the car & that wretched dog & had no success with either! In fact the car got worse as it was on a slope & the only way it would go was the wrong way! Cec & Mr. Blachut finally jacked it up & pushed it over a couple of times when they got home that evening & then sees could yes it in the garage, but I was so frustrated! I don’t seem to have told you much of our doings this year – in fact my letters have been very scrappy I know. Well we have really been out quite a bit – we all went over to Jim & Lee’s on New Year’s Day & had a lovely turkey dinner with them – we tried to make the children go to bed & have a sleep in Jim & Lee’s bed afterwards so we could have some peace but they just chattered & called out so in the end we gave up & came home. Lee is well – very large of course, & fed up with waiting – but feeling pretty good. The baby is due sometime the beginning of Feb. but Dr. Smith thought it might be early – however no news yet. The phone rang this afternoon & I was sure it was Jim with news, but instead it was Ray between trains – had been to New York to a meeting. We had a chat but he had no time to come out – they are all well. Then another night we went to Margie & Cy’s for a Buffet Supper – there were supposed to be others there but no one else could come because of colds or some other reason, so there were just the 4 of us & we had a nice time. The boys had got a “hockey game” for Christmas with balls and little levers etc. & it was a great fun & Margie & I as well as Cec & Cy got quite hilarious over it! Another night we went to the Ramsay’s – Nan & Don, remember them? They had their 3rd daughter in September & have just recently sold their little house & are now in a nice big one but plan to build in the spring I think. They had quite a crowd, 12 or 15 I think, & we played some games & had a very nice time – to my surprise I may say, as I hadn’t particularly wanted to go!! Did I tell you that the 3 new Fellows to the Spectroscopy Dept. came before Christmas? They are all married, one from Sweden, one Australia & one S. Africa. The latter I haven’t met, the Australians are so-so but the Swedish man & his wife are very nice. They have an apt. on Putman St. – just below Acacia – so are near the Douglasses – they have two little boys, 20 mths & 5 yrs, so the older one goes to school with Donnie Douglas. Poor little fellow he could speak no English to begin with so it was very difficult for him, but Mrs. Clayman says he is very happy now. I took the children one morning to Phyl Douglas’ for coffee & Mrs. Clayman & her youngest boy were there & we had a nice little party. Cec & I thought we would be really foresighted one night & we booked Anne a week ahead to come one evening so that we could go to a show as we haven’t been to town for ages. Then of course when the evening came there was nothing that we particularly wanted to see! However we went to see Walt Disney’s “Vanishing Prairie” & ended by enjoying it very much – it is all about animals so I liked it much more than the desert one which was a lot about snakes & creepy- crawlies!
A week ago Sunday we took the children & had tea with Mr. & Mrs. Shoosmith – they have a new house they moved into not long before we moved here & it was the first time we’d seen it – it is very nice. Last week I went out 2 nights running, by myself – such goings-on! On Tues. I drove over to Lu’s & had supper with her about 8:30. Pete is away & Lu phoned & asked me & although it is a long way I thought it would be fun. We had a nice chit-chat just by ourselves, but it is 10 or 12 miles across the city & it was snowing so I didn’t really relish the drive. The next night I went to visit Mrs. Rothwell who had in the lady who lives in the house opposite, Mrs. Cardinal, & her sister, & we all played bridge. Mrs. R. & Mrs. C. are of an age & have known each other since school days I think, so there is great chattering! Our sole venture in entertaining was a Buffet Supper we gave on the 7th. We had Lila (the girl from Cec’s work I’ve talked about); a fellow from Belgium who has been here more than a year but we’ve never had him out before – his name is Dr. Charles Courtois & he is also a Jesuit priest!- ; Phyl & Alex Douglas; Mr. & Mrs. Clayman (the Swedish couple); & Fanni & Teddy Blachut. Cec brought Lila & Charles home with him from work & we had a cup of tea then the rest came at 8, but it meant I had to be all organized by 5:30 – however, I was! With Charles coming & I knew Teddy was a Catholic too & it being a Friday I had to have a fish dish, so in the end this was my menu.
Danish Fish Pudding with Lobster & Mushroom Sauce Spanish Rice Chicken Livers in Bacon Green Tossed Salad Pickles – Hot Rolls Peach Spanish Cream and Pineapple Bavarian Cream Christmas Cake Coffee.
We gave them Marsala wine to drink before dinner & then afterwards played Rumoli & a few had high balls & beer, but mostly ginger ale – a very temperate crowd! Everyone raved about the dinner & I think it was nice too! The fish pudding was a great success – I made 2 & put them on to steam about 6 & had the sauce all made ready to heat up. The Spanish Rice and rolls were ready to heat up to & the chicken livers on toothpicks just take about 10 mins. in the oven, so I really had very little to do at the end. Everyone ate everything & seemed to enjoy themselves – it was just about the end of my Christmas cake which you can see didn’t last long. I was amused at you wondering that I should make one when you didn’t think the children would eat it – what about us!!
Mon. 31st Jan. News! News! Lee had her baby sometime early this morning – another boy – & both doing well. Jim phoned about 10 a.m. & told me – he took Lee into Hospital about 1 a.m. & the baby was born about 7, so that wasn’t too bad – especially as there were no signs till about 9 yesterday evening. Jim says that they didn’t mind which it was so neither are disappointed at a little boy, but of course Cec & I had a giggle & thought they weren’t as clever as us!!! Jim is staying home a few days to look after Barry & then going to work a few afternoons while other friends in the apartments look after him. We talked about it with them before, but with our being so far the side of town it makes Jim’s work very far away so it seemed more of a hindrance than a help to have Jim & Barry here, but I suggested that if Lee doesn’t come out of H’pital until a week today that perhaps they could spend the weekend with us, but we will wait & see. It is still so cold – hardly gets above zero each day, so we are staying in – the children & me, that is! I am sure that Monie & A. Ettie will feel so tickled when they hear of all this winter weather – if it is anything like this in N.Y. they are really missing a hard time. Do you know- Lindy & Charlie have been in bed an hour or so now & Lindy is calling out in a kind of chant- “Mum – mee – I am a little bit lonely – Char – lie is asleep – I am a little bit lonely”! Today she was wailing & whining before dinner & I told her she must be tired, she had better go to bed, whereupon she wailed “I’m not sleepy- I’m worried!” & then later she said she was “missaluble”! I was so pleased to get your last A.M. & hear that A. Ettie & Monie had arrived safely & that you were all having a wonderful time talking your heads off. And such lovely presents too – how nice of them & how exciting! What fun that they are with you in time to see Princess Margaret too – which reminds me I was dreaming all about Cec & I apparently being in St. V. too & getting a gold printed invitation! I have just been reading about Princess M. leaving London today – I hope she has a nice flight across the Atlantic this cold & stormy night – I wonder if she gets agitated too, just like we do when we are off on a journey?! I got Jeanie’s letter last week, but haven’t been to town since so haven’t got her patterns yet. Will probably go on Sat. as I want a few odd things & it’s so much easier to go by myself. If I take the children down it’s all right to go to one place & do one thing but more than that is too much for me! I went downtown about a week ago & got Linda a new snowsuit – actually hers was still all right but Charlie has been wearing Lindy’s first little snowsuit handed down & it was really too small for him & not very warm, so the poor little fellow got her present one handed down again & she got a new one! Actually you can hardly tell as I got dark green again, but there is such a limited choice of colors. Scarlet is a favorite, but Linda doesn’t look nice in it, navy blue is another, but it is so dark for her & makes her look pale & wan. I had thought of brown but saw none in that colour but instead got this one for $14.95 reduced to $8.00 so got a bargain I thought. It is nylon, windproof & waterproof & a lovely thick quilted lining – the little cap is separate & is unfortunately too small so I want to see if I can change it – if not I’ll get a little woollen hood. Your new glamour hair-do sounds most intriguing – my hair is a mess at the moment – you know how it goes straight with the dry air in the house in the winter & the last time I had a cut it seem to make it look worse. Lindy’s & Charlie’s are both quite straight now – but both will wave quite nicely I think when they are a little older. Charlie still creates when he goes to the barber & the last time the barber made quite a hash of it & you know how little boy’s hair grows straight down their little heads & they have a kind of little fringe? – well his is all lopsided & he was really shorn too – not enough left to curl anyway! It is getting a bit darker too – will be Cec’s colour I think, not very fair. About the debate on “to come or not to come” of you & A. Moo I can quite imagine all the discussions! Really I think it would be so nice if you both came – even though you wouldn’t have much money – if you visited all your friends, relations, daughters, nieces, sons-in-laws, nephews etc. etc. you wouldn’t “sit-down” on anyone very hard & as Cec says if we ever can save enough money to visit St.V. we will certainly sit down on you! I think it would probably be much more fun if you came together as you would probably do so much more & visit around more if you have each other for company. In N.Y. for instance A. Moo likes to sightsee (& I know A. Ettie isn’t too keen) & you & she could probably have a good time just going to places together. While you’re here too, I am still so tied with the children it would be nice because you & A. Moo could go quite a few little trips together – a day or so in Montreal – & a boat trip & so on which I couldn’t do & which you probably would never bother to do alone. Tell A. Moo she’ll probably be glad she’s deaf & able to turn off her earphones sometimes when both my children begin yelling!! I do think it would be lovely if you could come though – for one thing the children are really so much sweeter now than they ever will be again. Once they get older & go to school they aren’t nearly so cute & it’s a pity you shouldn’t see them when they are such fun – particularly little old lover-boy Charlie! He is so loving & cuddly & when he gets older he probably will be too boyish to show it whereas now he’s just a real smoocher! (Ask Monie for interpretation!!) This is really turning out to be some letter, isn’t it? I really should have ended on the last page, but as I didn’t here I am with 2 more sides to fill! I haven’t mentioned Lea & Darryl in my last few letters – well, as far as we know they have left Ottawa & gone to stay with Merle & family at Port Arthur. Lea phoned one day saying that’s what she planned to do & we’ve heard nothing else. What precipitated this, was that a week before Christmas & a week or so after Lea got a nursing job at the Civic Hospital & 2 or 3 times had attacks of “hypercardia” I think it’s called. Anyway it is a sudden attack of very rapid pulse & heartbeat which leaves the person quite exhausted & is caused by strain, tension etc. She’s been leaving having them for the last 6 months & told to rest etc. but this time the Dr. told her she just have to get away or she would be in for a really serious illness & breakdown. The whole business is still incredible – all the time Wendell has been in Ottawa working at this book salesman job (house-to-house sale of encyclopaedias) every penny he has made has gone on payments, gas & repairs for the car he insisted on buying. He’s never paid his mother anything for lodging, never paid for any food, never even bought Darryl Christmas presents – & yet he & Lea just about chain-smoke & neither of them have given that up. Cec & I just can’t understand them & goodness knows what will happen – we feel kind of sorry for poor Merle who has enough bothers of her own. I haven’t heard from Dottie or Nan or anyone since Christmas – I must also write to Mrs. Scott. Thank you for telling me all about poor Mary Egan – what a terrible time she has had. I wonder if Michael & little Anne are paralyzed or what – or if there is hope that Anne with treatment will be all right. [Mary’s husband and daughter seem to have caught the polio virus, which was affecting people around the world in the early 50s. In Canada the Salk vaccine was available in 1955 and on.] I haven’t heard any more from poor Anne in Cambridge, I must write to her again. I felt so mad at Jessie – really she is the limit! I sent her & the children a birthday parcel in Oct. No reply. I sent them all a Christmas parcel. Two days after Christmas a card from her – air mail – posted about Christmas Eve! Then last week a thank you letter from Zinnia & a P.S. Your parcel is on the way! I said to Cec I thought I’d stop sending them presents because Jessie is such a one – I sometimes think the parcels I send are the big attraction! Certainly little Zinnia is very good about writing thank you’s, but I wonder what sort of education & up-bringing she is getting – one letter she wrote about “somethink” & this one is full of film stars & going to the pictures every week etc. A far cry from the Eton & the Upper Ten I feel! Must stop – this will cost a fortune! Love from Us All to You All – A. Moo, A. Ettie, Monie & You – Kisses from the children – Lots of love from Cyn.
P.S. Remember Frank from Australia in Cambridge? Heard from him – marrying a N. Zealand girl next month.
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.
While Cyn and Cec were happy in their new community with their little family, there were tragedies amongst her friends in England, both in Newcastle and in Cambridge. Living so far away and in touch only by letters that took so long, Cyn would have felt miserable and helpless.
7th Dec. 1954. Dearest Mummy, I was so sorry to hear from your letter on Sat. that you had flu. I do hope that you are feeling quite better now & your cheery self again. It always seems maddening to have colds etc. in the summer, so it must be extra trying to have flu in St. V. – bad enough in the snow & cold – & no wonder you felt miserable. Talking of snow & cold we have lots of both now – the snow began about a week ago – we’d had some which melted before that, but this is the light powdery kind which stays & looks so pretty. The children love it & as I have to go out with them, I put in good work shovelling the driveway – good for my figure! So far I haven’t pulled them on the sleigh as the snow is so light & not packed yet but that will come I know! We are all well & fine – I have a cold sore on my lip & an aching arm from washing the kitchen walls yesterday, that’s all!! Cec is still going back every night but it was supposed to be finished last month so I’m hoping it will end by Christmas at least! Your parcels & cards for Charlie came yesterday & I have hidden them! I had two such sad bits of news from England last week that made me feel unlike writing much. The first was from Nan, to tell me that Bill Mitchell, Irene’s husband, had died after being ill just 9 days. He had had what seemed to be indigestion for a while, then got sudden very bad pain & was taken to hospital & operated on. The operation was successful, but complications set in & despite all efforts he died. That leaves Mrs. Scott with the little boy Stephen to look after & bring up – he will be 3 in March. Isn’t that a sad beginning for a little fellow’s life? His own parents give him for adoption & then both his adopted ones die – one wonders how Mrs. Scott will ever manage as she was ill at one time, wasn’t she? Poor Bill and Irene – at least I’m glad for Irene that she went first. The other news was from Miss Smith at Coleridge School telling me that Tadek had been knocked off his bicycle and killed one morning on the way to work. The day before their little boy was one year old. I have thought of nothing else ever since & poor Anne. Life has been so hard for her & this will be such a terrible blow. Having the children to bring up alone will be such a great responsibility, but thank goodness she has them to comfort her. Both Tadek & Bill were such good, nice fellows. This is a sad letter, Mummy, for nearing Christmas time, but you know how I feel & I know you would want to know. Your Lindy & Charlie send xxx. Lots of love from us all, Cyn.
In this letter, we finally hear something about this Bazaar that my grandmother has been preparing for! Both Carol and her sister Muriel (A.Moo) were very involved with the affairs of the church in St Vincent, not only attending services, but doing the flowers for the services, and helping enthusiastically with fundraisers such as the Bazaar. (Cyn will follow their example in the community she has now moved to, but needs to join in creating an Anglican Church in their area first!) All ages must be catered for, so besides Baking Stalls, Jams and Pickles, White Elephant, Handicrafts and Clothing, and, best of all, the Afternoon Tea, it seems that Carol’s task for the Bazaar was setting up some sort of Lucky Dip where children got a mystery prize for their pennies. Cyn’s little cars and doll’s bottles were probably wrapped in pink or blue paper and carefully handed out to the correct gender, or perhaps picked off a tree by the child in person while their mother shopped. A note of explanation about Sea Island Cotton- this was an export of St. Vincent’s that Carol’s father, J.G.W. Hazell, had started in the 19th century and it was obviously considered a high-end product!
Mon. 22nd. Nov.
Please thank A. Moo for her letter.
Dearest Mummy, Thank you so much for both your last letters (9th & 15th). I was looking forward to hearing about the Bazaar & was delighted to know how well everything went & that your tree was such a huge success. You must feel very pleased with yourself after all your hard work & it is so nice that your efforts have been both appreciated & rewarded & makes it all well worth while. I am glad that the little things I sent went well & another time I will know better what to send. I have been busy with my Christmas presents & have them mostly “pretty” wrapped & just brown paper to put on. The last date is 27th, so I have a few days grace & should get them away in time. Like you I am sending you 2 parcels & hope neither gets too battered. Did I tell you we have a new store opened nearby, which we are all thrilled about? It is a super market on a small scale, but has all the necessities & in addition is to have a P.O. I have been longing for it to open so that I could mail my parcels there instead of taking them to Dube’s, but they have been held up – however I hear it is to open this week, so I still might manage it. I have been longing for your Mrs. Larriere this past week! I have been toiling over some alteration jobs & with no sewing machine & no fitter, I have thought of her longingly many times!! The first job was a nylon shirt of Cec’s – his best white one actually, which has been languishing in my cupboard since spring. Reason? In a hurry one morning I put a hot iron on the collar! I felt so badly as it is a good shirt & of course Cec never has enough & instead of getting scolded, he was just sorry for me! So at last I set to & made a new collar all by hand except the final machined edge to make it look professional (I did it on Mrs. Rothwell’s machine) & to my joy it looks fine & Cec was so surprised & pleased when I showed him his resurrected shirt! By the way I got him a new shirt from the catalogue the other day & it is called “Our Finest Shirt” & is made of Sea Island Cotton. It has a great long blurb about how wonderful it is, so I felt that I was supporting home industries by getting it! My other alteration job was for myself. My Gor-ray skirt was such a success & so reasonable that I sent for a brown Gorray pinafore skirt which came a week or so ago. Unfortunately it was too big all over, so I started in & took the top from bottom, ripped underarms, took out the zip & did a wholesale renovation. Took in each side, shortened the waist & the hem & now it looks very nice & I am pleased with it, but with no machine it is a slow job. That is to be our next big buy. I have got a new blouse to wear with it – white with a silky stripe & short sleeves.
My Harrods dress is still hanging fire. I was quite annoyed at Willa as she left it well over 2 weeks & when I phoned & asked her she said no, she’d decided it was a little too tight. There is one other girl who says she’d like to try it, but after my success with the pinafore dress I feel ready to rip it up & try my hand at it too. Since I last wrote nothing much has happened. Cec had an official holiday on the 11th but went back to work just the same. Lea phoned about 4 & asked if they could come out to dinner that evening so of course I said yes. I only had sausages but made scalloped potatoes & scalloped tomatoes & corn & then a coconut cream pie so it spread! Things continue awkward with them, but at least Cec & I feel that Lee & Wendy are happier together now than they have been. Cec is still working all the time- every week night, Sat. afternoon & even last night. I had the car last week during the days & one day the children & I went to Joannise (still like to go there) another day out to Orleans to the butcher ( a beef tongue .25¢!!) & another to town. The latter was fun but exhausting! Linda won’t go in a lift so we climbed 4 flights of stairs to Freiman’s Toys (me carrying Charlie) then down, then upstairs again 2 to the Ladies!! Had a fellow from Cec’s Lab. to dinner on Friday – Canadian Chinese, Hin Lew, very nice. On Sat. went to Pete and Lu’s for a late supper & had a lot of fun. They have all new furniture etc. in their sitting room – we gasped!! xxxx from Lindy & Charlie – Love from us all – Cyn
Dearest Mummy, Don’t know how I got so behind-hand with writing to you – the time seems to fly & I have been Christmas shopping which takes me many evenings poring over the catalogues!! However it is mostly done now, just one or 2 little things I want to get in town & then only to wrap, pack & mail them!! I don’t know what you will think of your present – at least it is original! Cec says the colour doesn’t suit me but perhaps the sun will fade it & anyway I hope it suits you!! When I am a little more organized I will maybe send you a list of what I got to send people in England – some people, like Bar & Joan Cox I am dropping off the present list & just sending cards to- it seems crazy to send presents when I don’t even write to them except at Christmas! Well your Bazaar will be all over & I hope that it was a huge success. You worked very hard over it & I am sure that you must have had a great sense of achievement when you saw all the stalls arranged nicely & everything ready & I do hope that you were pleased with the results & that all the children enjoyed having something to spend their pennies on! I forgot to tell you when I was writing about Christmas that one day Linda said to me “Mummy, I think I’d like Santa Claus to bring me a new dolly” & little old Charlie came trotting up & said “ ‘anta Claus, ‘orsie!” so he has cottoned on to the meaning of Santa Claus pretty quick! Carol Appleyard had a lovely little rocking horse that played a tune as it rocked, so of course this was a big hit with Linda & Charlie & Charlie has remembered! We don’t think we can rise to such an elegant animal, but the catalogue has a plainer model for about $6.00 so we are contemplating! Talking of your Christmas present, don’t be disappointed that the mesh panties aren’t included – I will send them maybe for your birthday if you can last that long! (Do like A. Moo!!) but you can’t get summer things like that till the spring, so I thought I’d better wait rather than send you a substitute type which you mightn’t like so well. Had I had my “Ladies Night” when I last wrote you? Anyway I know you I told you I was going to have it & it passed off very well. I like Mrs. Blachut, the Swiss lady very much. She is slim & tall & dark & quite vivacious – in her 30ies somewhere. Mr. Blachut is nice too, but very formally polite you know, in the Polish way, but she is very natural & easy to get to know. Her name is Fanny & we now call each by our 1st names & it always makes me want to giggle thinking of the expressions about “your Aunt Fanny”! He is another Tadek, but she calls him Teddy. Flora, the girl married to the Englishman is nice but a bit odd! Very thin & gawky with deepset dark eyes & a big beaky nose – about 24 to 26-ish I should think. She talks on in a vague way, but not having children she isn’t up in the general mothercraft chat! Elaine is the English woman & she seems nice too – she hates cooking & loves gardening – but of them all I like Fanny best. Shirley Aitken (Hughes) is nice too, but a bit aloof I feel – I don’t know if it’s her manner or if she really is! She looked quite tummy-ish the night she was here, so either her muscles have gone to pot or she’s that way again! We had June to dinner a few evenings later, & poor girl. I do feel sorry for her. George has the most impossible job & they never seem to be able to settle down to a decent normal life with him dashing about all the time. He is more or less transferred to Montreal now & after Christmas when June’s Fellowship with the Council ends they will be moving there. June hates the thought of it as she is just beginning to like Ottawa and of course Montreal is so French & much more city-ish. We have been seeing quite a bit of Betty & Al McNamara lately. I introduced Betty to the little butcher out at Orleans & last week I had the car so the children & I went over and had coffee with Betty & then we all drove out to the butchers – it makes quite a nice little trip & the children love the car. They both go in the back now & are quite grown-up & independent. Cec & I went over to Betty & Al’s on Friday evening for bridge & coffee & had quite a nice time, but golly! both Cec & I think Betty is getting more & more like her Mother all the time! We feel quite sorry for Al (probably he doesn’t mind at all!) as the parents are over at least once a week & they go to the Burroughs on Sat. or Sun. & Betty just seems to quote her Mother continually! What Mother says is introduced into every conversation & as you’ll have gathered we don’t think much of Mother’s opinions anyway! Father is such a nice interesting little man, but he never gets a “quote”!! Their house is quite nice – actually quite big – sitting room, kitchen & 2 other rooms down & bathroom & 2 bedrooms up, but they’re not using upstairs as they have no need to & no furniture anyway. It has been all re-painted which is nice & the heater in the sitting room isn’t obtrusive. They are allowed 1 year there ($40.00 a month rent) & then must move, but they should have saved a bit & got organized by then. The Big event last week was that Linda & Charlie were invited to their 1st Birthday Party! Fanny called up about Tues. & invited them to come on Sat. as Janek was 3, so you can imagine! I was a bit dubious about how they would get on without me, but in the end Fanny asked if I would come too as there were to be a few Mothers there & she asked if I’d help give them tea while she was busy with the children. So I was there too & I don’t know if it was a good thing or not! On the Friday we went shopping & got Janek a paint box & Lindy a pair of party shoes! She has always had just the little brown lace up ones, so I got her a pair of black kid with a strap & buckle & a crisscross on the toe.
She was absolutely thrilled with them but believe it or not just yelled in the shoe store! I don’t know how or why, but she is terrified of any man touching her or coming near her even, & although I say I’ll put on the shoe, she still makes a fuss. I usually have the shoe man come out here & it’s still the same performance. Anyway on Sat. a.m. I bathed them & washed their hair & after their afternoon sleep dressed them in their best. Charlie blue & white Viyella romper suit from England & Linda in the little blue georgette dress with white lace insertions that Mary Egan sent her. Underneath she had a frilly taffeta petticoat (from Til & Lois) that made her dress stick out & a blue bow in her hair. They really did look sweet – just 2 little dolls – & so pleased with themselves! Well, off we all went & found 16 small children there – ages 1 1/2 – 8!! My 2 were just stunned! And so many of the children were the big fat round faced type you know & my 2 little blossoms looked like little frail small flowers in amongst them all!! They had tea first & as long as I was around things went quite all right, but as soon as I disappeared into the room with the adults one or the other came after me! They knew none of the other children except Janek, who of course was so excited he knew no one & anyway 1/2 or more of the children were Swiss or Polish & talked their own language! The worst moment was when everyone sang “Happy Birthday” – Linda burst into tears & howled! You know how she has always hated noise & I don’t think she had ever heard a lot of people singing before! Afterwards they played games like Blind Man’s Buff etc. which the little ones didn’t even notice. They just played around with toys etc. & mine were quite glad to come home with their balloons & I was exhausted! Really rather a doubtful pleasure, but I think 16 was a lot for their 1st venture! Next year we will begin having small parties here & they will get used to them – I hope! On Sunday afternoon Boris called up to say they were going for a walk around our district so could they drop in & so of course we were delighted & asked them to stay for dinner – roast pork, applesauce, baked squash, green beans, mashed potatoes, gravy, Tenby Cream & Joan brought a cake! We had a nice evening & Boris was very tickled with his godson – he says he has a million dollar smile! Gunborg said she thought Charlie had the most devastating personality of any small child she’d ever seen. He is still as cute & affectionate as ever & will go to all our friends & put up his face & say “Kiss me” & then “ ‘Ug” (hug!) – he even wants to kiss the milkman & bread man for whom he has a great affection! He talks a lot now of course, but not so clearly & doesn’t enunciate so well as Linda always has – he needs an interpreter! One night Cec was at work & Charlie woke up & yelled. I did everything I could think of & kept asking him what was wrong & he kept saying something & getting nearly in a frenzy because I couldn’t understand. This went on for about 1/2 hour & I had smacked him & left him & had to go back 2 or 3 times when Linda finally said “I think he wants a jellybean!” I ask you!!! He then said through sobs “Yes – bellybean!” – I gave him one – he said “Nank you. Bye Bye” & everything was fine!! At the moment he is the politest little boy you could wish to have- he says “Nankyou” & “Pease” without prompting at all – long may it last. He is also the laziest little lump – he turns his big blue eyes on you & says “Help me Mummeee” or raises his arms & gives a big smile & says “Mumee carra me”! If you refuse the lip goes down and great tears well up & he sobs his heart out & of course you feel a brute!! Lindy & he are now really beginning to have great fun playing together – they seem to me to be very imaginative for such young children – they play going in street cars & trains & driving the car of course & Charlie loves to be the milkman. He has always loved since he was about 7 or 8 mths. old giving you ‘pretend’ things- he will take your hand & carefully pretend to put something in it & you of course have to thank him. The other day he was pretending to pour tea in a little cup & Cec said “Mind, you’re spilling it!” & Charlie just roared with laughter — spilling pretend tea! I don’t think I have ever told you of Lindy’s little imaginary playmate have I? Soon after we came to this house Lindy told me that she had a little friend & her name was Banney! She lives in Linda’s closet & has a little brother called Jonaclo. Her mummy is called Joan and her daddy is Big Jonaclo! We have Banney with us all the time & whatever we do Banney does too – for instance Banney got party shoes too & went to a party of course! Banney is sometimes naughty – Linda will give a sudden slap on air & then turn to me & say “Banney was going on the road!” & of course whenever I say “Don’t suck your fist Lindy” or some other “Don’t”, the reply is “Well Banney does!” Lindy is quite intrigued with the “comics” in the evening paper now – like you she likes Ferdinand (the little man in the funny hat – remember?) & one about a dog & another about some little girls. Each evening Cec reads her these & then later on she gets the paper & reads them to Banney!! You can imagine how funny it is sometimes & Lindy also loves to make up words. She’ll come into the kitchen & ask “Where is my gunshi?” So I reply “Oh I threw it in the garbage!” & she says “Why?” & I say “It smelled so horrible!” & we both begin to giggle! I must stop now – it’s after 11- Cec is at work of course – every week night he goes back now, but we hope the end is in sight as he is writing a paper on his work now to be ready for publication at the end of this month & then we can all relax! We are having cold frosty bright weather but no snow yet. I take the children out a walk each morning as it’s so nice then & gets dark in the late afternoon. We have spent nearly 3 weekends on our storm windows – taking down screens, washing windows, washing storm windows & now painting the wretched things! Just have one or 2 more to do though. Thank you so much for last A.M. of the 1st – meant to send A. Moo birthday card but forgot till too late – please give her my love & belated good wishes. Glad you had such nice farewells for the Coutts, such a pity they’re going but hope you get someone else nice. Must stop. Lots & lots of love from us all. xxx from Lindy & Charlie – Lots of love from Cyn.
P.S. Had letter from Anne. Jessie F. back from Jamaica- not married yet. Trying S. Africa next!
But first, a note enclosed with oddments sent by sea:
A sea note!
14th Oct. Dearest Mummy, These iron-on patterns might be of some use to you. You will probably wonder why I got funny birds, but most of the patterns here were very ugly & in this type were all in these rather strange colours, so the flowers looked queer. I am enclosing a few of your stamps I have lying around – I have lots more, but still on envelopes – will send them to one day! I am just going to wrap up your earphone batteries to mail – just got one cord – hope that is O.K. Cec is at work (10:30 p.m.) & I intended to write more letters, but my eyes are closing on me so I think I will retire to bed. Lots & lots of love – Cyn.
Fri. 29th Oct. 1954.
Dearest Mummy, A nasty cold rainy day, & the children are having their afternoon nap, thank goodness! Thank you so much for your last A.M. – it was the one you wrote in a hurry, remember – & it got here on Mon. Since I last wrote I have had a ceaseless round of activities!! Or so it seems to me! Actually nothing hair-raising, but much more than I usually do! On the Thurs. of last week Lea (Atchison) & I went to the movies to see “Three Coins in the Fountain” which we both thoroughly enjoyed. It was quite an ordinary story of 3 American girls working in Rome but it was in beautiful colour with lovely shots of the city & was very pleasant & romantic! Of course Lee was additionally interested with Wendell having been there, & she enjoyed getting out for a little fun, so we plan to do it again.
On Fri. Cec was to go to the bank & phoned me in the afternoon that he hadn’t gone, but might go at 5. I had the car so finally we arranged that the children & I should go & pick him up then we’d all go down town & go to the bank & have dinner. We went to just an ordinary little restaurant on Sparks Street but I was thrilled not to cook dinner & we had fun. The children were both very good & slightly subdued as of course it was dark & Charlie hadn’t seen the bright lights of the city before! However when we left & were walking to the car they both just bubbled they were so full of fun & Cec & I just roared at them! Linda was jumping up & down saying “Look! Look! A streetcar! Lovely streetcar! Horrible streetcar!” & Charlie was shaking his head & yelling “Horribee! Horribee! No! No! Horribee streetcar” & they would both shriek with laughter! Such children! On Sun. we had Mr. & Mrs. Shoosmith to tea. I don’t know if you remember hearing of them when you were here. They are an English couple – (45 to 50)- who came to Ottawa about a year before we did. He is a technician & works for Dr. Herzberg & is very nice – the wife was v. discontented at first but much better & nicer now. They have one son, now in University & have recently built new house, so we had quite a nice time talking gardens & houses! On Mon. morning Betty McNamara (now moved into a house not far from us) drove around for coffee. Afterwards we drove out to Orleans the little village where a good butcher is & we both bought our week’s meat. We had a nice chat & it will be nice having them fairly close. On Tues. night I had a Ladies Night! Since Mrs. Rothwell has had me over a few times I felt I should reciprocate, & I asked Mrs. Blachut, Mrs. R., Flora Wansborough (lives down the road, married to an Englishman), Mrs. Aitken, (Mrs. Hughes’ step-d.) & Mrs. Duffield (English, married to Can. & have 4 boys- lives nearby). All came except Mrs. R, who was going away! Cec said I was lucky as it would have been her party! We had Marsala (wine) to warm us up & chatted & then had coffee, snakes & meringues! Quite pleasant, but a little strange as none of us knew any of the others well & I was the only one to have met all before. On Thurs. (last night) Cec brought June home to dinner with him. She has been 3 or 4 months in Eng. & is just back. Saw Geo. one day, then he to Calif- coming home 2 days & then flying to Eng. so poor girl is fed up! Loved her time in England & still would like to live there but told Cec & I a long story of an appalling English couple she’d met here who loathed Ottawa & were so critical & the girl wept all the time etc.!! So June is changing for the better!! Must stop – Hugs & kisses from us all – xxx from Lindy & Charlie – Lots of love – Cyn.
Dearest Mummy, I have been trying to settle down to write you a long letter for simply ages, but somehow I always seem to be on the hop. These evenings when Cec goes back to work I never seem to get anything done- by the time the children are in bed & dishes washed etc. it is about 8, then Cec goes into work anytime from 8:30 – 9:30 so I feel I can’t settle down to anything till then, & afterwards the evening seems just about done & I might as well crawl into bed & read a little & go to sleep! Lindy & I want to thank you so much for her perfectly beautiful pyjamas! They arrived yesterday & we are all so thrilled with them – they fit her very nicely indeed – not too big & floppy, but nice & loose & plenty of room for her to grow. She is so tickled with them & had a great time choosing which pair to wear first – the ones with the little animals won & she is wearing those now – I am so delighted to have them at it as it is cold, miserable, wet weather & she just had cotton ones. I had no idea you had got all 3 different materials – they are so sweet that I really can’t tell which I like the best – thank you very, very much for making them & sending them, Mummy dear – they are a real boon. By the way I mailed the batteries & cord last week – hope they don’t take too long – I still think I got the best of the bargain!!
Yellow crayon, perhaps?
Thank you so much too for your A.M. of the 4th Oct. which came on Sat. – so quick it seems. You were writing about being threatened with a hurricane, which fortunately had passed by, but I wondered if it was the same big one which came up through the U.S. & hit Ontario on Fri. We had terrific winds on Fri. night – trees & high tension wires blown down etc. but Toronto had a terrible time with the rains & floods – nearly 100 people dead. [Hurricane Hazel, October 15th 1954.] Our only damage was in the garden – in the spring Cec transplanted a lot of chrysanthemum cuttings along one side of the lawn & they have grown big & bushy & are just in flower – not particularly pretty (Cec is disgusted in fact!) – pucy-pink single daisy type – but they are so thick & covered with flowers they look very nice. Anyway the wind snapped whole bushes off by the root & we found them rolling around the garden, so the chrysanthemum border looks very moth-eaten now! You must be having such a busy time over the Bazaar – I have forgotten when it is, but you certainly deserve to have a big success after all your hard work. I sent some “Iron-on” Transfer Patterns by sea last week – I don’t know whether they will get to you in time to be of use or not. Did A. Ettie sent you some nice things for the Bazaar? The parcel postage is awfully high, but how nice that you have 2 new dresses!! What are they like? Talking of dresses makes me think of the “Print Bundle” I sent – I thought you might give a piece to Doris to help compensate for her burgled material, but maybe if A. Moo is buying a piece for her Christmas you think that will be enough. Charlie, the little pig, is howling his head off. They are having their afternoon nap & he woke & cried & I went & potted him & put cream on his eczema, but he will not shut up! He is really tired too as this morning I took him to get his haircut & he howled all the time of course & exhausted himself! His ex. has been so raw & irritable lately & someone told me a Dr. they knew advised taking children off homogenized milk & putting them on dried skim milk & 4 babies she knew had tried it & it cured the ex. so today I got some dried milk & a big shaker & have begun to give it to him. He gets plenty of fat now in the rest of his food so I don’t think it can hurt him & it is worth trying anything. I have cut out tomatoes & citrus fruits as they made his face blotchy, but it doesn’t seem to have made a bit of difference to his legs. I am glad you wrote to the C. of Justice about the Memorial & said I would agree. As you say it seems a pointless thing to spend so much money on, but there is no point in opposing him & giving him something else to get agitated about. I wondered if A. Annie would write to him about Uncle Field. I had a letter from her about 2 weeks ago – I must reply sometime. I am glad that he left the farm etc. to Arthur’s boy even if he won’t ever farm it himself – much better than to the Australian family & also to Leta & children as after all he knows the rest of his nephews & nieces very little on the whole. I never thought of him leaving me anything till you said he hadn’t & then of course I thought, “Well it would have been useful!” But poor old fellow, he certainly didn’t know me very well. You were asking about Lindy & Sunday school – well, I have attempted it, but when it came to the point she wouldn’t go! This girl down the road, Pat Tomlinson, is taking her little girl Joanne, & I thought “Oh goody” & was all enthusiasm – & so is Lindy if it is in the dim distant future!! But when it is “today” she gets all scared &, so I haven’t forced the issue. Actually she & Joanne don’t seem to cotton to each other at all, I don’t know why, but anyway I thought I would leave it for a little while & then try again as goodness knows she is shy enough without it getting any worse & I hope she will grow out of it naturally – & SOON! She still howls when even the shoe man comes with new shoes for her & I have to put them on etc. but one victory we’ve had is that she now doesn’t mind getting her hair washed & doesn’t cry over it! Since I last wrote not much has been going on. Cec of course is still going back most evenings & this past week was the first in ages that he hadn’t gone back some of the time. I don’t know if I told you in my last letter that we were having Chris, our Danish friend, to spend a last weekend with us. He is so nice that we were very sorry to see him go – particularly as he just loved being here & would really have liked to stay. We were sorry he didn’t find a nice girl as he is so easy & good in a house & sweet with children, but he didn’t have any dates, & no girl in Denmark as far as we know. He will be in England now I think – he is spending about 4 days there. The weekend here was kind of queer! To begin with it poured with rain & was wet & cold & miserable. Then on the Sunday just after we finished a late breakfast the entire electric power went off, which is just disastrous for us – no furnace, no oven, no fridge, no water (electric pump)! You can imagine! I couldn’t even wash the dishes & I wanted to make a cake, & I had a duck to roast & stuff for dinner & an apple pie to make! Well, by 1 p.m. it still wasn’t on, so Cec trotted out in the rain in the back & built up stones & made a little fire! We heated soup & milk for the children & I got them fed & to bed, then soup & coffee for our lunch & I made sandwiches, so at least we didn’t start! The wretched power didn’t come on till 3:30 & of course then I had to 1/2 kill myself to get everything done – at least, I never did get that cake made!! We were at Lee & Jim’s for bridge the Friday before & they are both looking very well now. Lee’s baby is due the end of Jan. or beginning of Feb. so she is showing now but she’s feeling fine – the first 3 – 4 mths she was miserably sick & nauseated & lost weight etc. but now she is all right. You know they are a funny couple!! For the past 2 years they have been talking of buying a house & they have money borrowed from relatives for a down payment. They have looked at houses uphill & downdale – one week they decide to build & look at lots & house plans & talk to builders etc. – then next week they decide to buy an older house & answer ads & go to estate agents & put names down on lists etc. Long before Pete & Lu began house hunting they were at it, & very busy too- going to see houses on weekends & in evenings, but always some little thing was wrong, till we all got just sick of hearing about it! The last thing was they thought they’d get the builder of Pete & Lu’s to build them one the same & they were looking at lots etc. & now it has all fallen through & they have signed a lease on the apt. for another year! It will be crowded with the baby I’m sure, & although it is not too much housework for Lee it is a 3rd-floor apartment which means stairs up and down & baby carriages to get up & down etc. I don’t know – people are queer, aren’t they?!! Lu was out here one evening with another Sask. girl called Willa Woods. They were on their way to a butcher in a little village called Orleans. (Remember my letter with the postmark? It is the place where we nearly bought that house in March) about 3 miles past us, so I invited them to come & have coffee afterwards. (Incidentally, I go to this butcher too– they are good & v. reasonable!) We had a good chat & I think Willa is going to buy my silk dress from England – she looks very nice in it & took it home for her husband to see! Al & Betty McNamara were here to dinner a week ago on Friday. Al has his PhD. from Sask. now & is finished there, but instead of working for Pete as expected has taken a job at N.R.C. which annoyed Pete as it was through him & for him that Al got a job at Sask. & could go there. However it doesn’t concern Cec & me so we keep out of it! The Dept. Al is in is at the N.R.C. on Montreal Rd. so it’s very close to us & they have been lucky enough to get an N.R.C. house close by at $40 a month- just for one year & a few disadvantages like no heat except for an oil stove in the living room, but for a young couple with no children it gives them a nice start. They will be quite close to us & were moving in last week so I expect we will see a bit of them. Al isn’t so shy & I like Betty so they will be a pleasant acquisition to our social life!! Last Monday was Thanksgiving here & we had a roast chicken & a delicious lemon chiffon pie. We had no guests which seemed seemed strange, as we usually have someone in to share the celebration, but it was quite fun to be just by ourselves & Charlie sat up at the table too & thoroughly enjoyed himself. Now he goes to each chair at the table & says “My place? My place?” & is quite crestfallen when we say “Your place” & lead him to his little table!
On Friday Cec & I got Anne our Dutch woman to babysit for us & went to see James Stewart in a thriller called “Rear Window”. It was very good & we enjoyed it & enjoyed having a little outing. In addition, on Sat afternoon Margie & I took off & went downtown for tea & a spree so I have really been stepping out!! We went just to look, but Margie saw a very nice dress & little jacket reduced from $15 to $10 & it was just what she wanted so she tried it on & it fitted her beautifully so she bought it & I had to lend her $5.00! If Willa buys my dress, I too will go shopping!!! On Sun. Lea Atchison phoned to see if we were doing anything & she & Darryl came over for dinner & Wendell came later. Lee seems a bit better but the situation is very difficult. Mrs. A. has always been a very possessive domineering mother & now her husband is gone she can hardly bear Wendell out of her sight. She has a very bad heart condition which she holds over him & I really feel sorry for the poor fellow. Lea is agitating of course for them to get a place of their own & the mother begins having heart attacks at the mention of it, so what’s to do? He has a job as salesman for some book company but it is on commission so that isn’t very steady, but he works very hard at it. Lea thinks she will nurse again & really I think it will be best as she sits there, doing nothing, bored stiff & she and Mrs. A. getting more & more on each other’s nerves. It is getting near midnight so I had better go to bed – Cec is at work & I don’t know when he’ll be in. I still have some letters of yours to answer so will try & write a long sea letter soon. Hugs & kisses from Lindy & Charlie (took him to get his haircut today – howled of course but looks very sweet). Lots & lots of love from us all – Cyn
P.T.O. A Charlie story- One day Bunny, our (big) pussy, was feeling playful & jumped at Charlie’s arm & nipped it- Charlie didn’t mind & just pushed her away, but Cec scolded Bunny who went & lay down on the floor. So over trots Charlie, lies down beside her & says to Bunny “Say ‘Sowwy!’ Say ‘Sowwy!’”!! A Linda story- yesterday morning I was getting Linda up & hugged her & said “Oh you’re sweet” so Lindy gives a big grin & says “I’m sweet as sour medicine!” We have such beautiful, clever, children!!!
Just a note about the Ewing family that Cyn mentions in this letter: Her father, Gordon Ewing, or J.M.G.E. as she sometimes refers to him, was institutionalized with dementia after her mother had left him and come to live with Cyn in Cambridge, and although both Cyn and Carol had since left England, they remain connected through lawyers and money matters. Apparently he wants to spend money on some sort of Memorial and they agree not to oppose it. A more serious matter is that one of Gordon’s older brothers, Field Ewing, who had run the family farm in Ireland, had died. Cyn had had a letter from her Aunt Annie, but is not sure her father will have been told about it. Cyn is happy that the farm will go to ‘Arthur’s boy’, a cousin who seems to live locally, rather than her cousin Leta who also lived in Northern Ireland but had married and had her own life, or the Australian cousins that they had lost touch with. And she acknowledges that she has had very little connexion with her Uncle Field since visits in her childhood, and letters! However, in the 1980s, the Australian cousins got in touch! A Mr. Ewing started exploring his family’s roots, and through the Irish descendants, got Cyn’s name and actually came and visited her and Cec in Ottawa, and, I think, Leta in Ireland. Cyn gave him her Ewing heirloom tea cup and saucer- the one I thought ugliest in her collection as a child, and was cavalier about breaking while dusting until I learned its Victorian history- she had it mended- and he gave her the Ewing genealogy he had worked out after he added her children to it. When Cec and Cyn visited Australia in 1990 or 91, they visited his family and enjoyed the connection to her distant cousins, but I was in Vancouver, Charlie in Ottawa, both of us working, and we did not keep up the connection, and sadly, I can’t find the Ewing genealogy either.
A Family History in Letters 