Women's Lives – Page 8 – A Family History in Letters

November 14 1956

As the news of more vaccinations being available in May 2021, we who are older and vulnerable look forward to our second shot as further protection against Covid 19, although we know we will be wearing our masks, handwashing, and distancing for months longer. It is interesting to read about Cyn’s acceptance of the availability of the Polio Vaccine at Linda’s school- free for all children who wanted it, and because of the dire effects of polio, she and all her friends did want it for their children.

As I explained in my first post in this blog, I started reading my mother’s letters because of a conversation with my husband about the polio scares of the 1950s. Although there have been references in Cyn’s letters to friends with children catching it or altering plans because of outbreaks, this letter is the only time she mentions it as it affects her children. The vaccine was available and she made sure her children got it. Please, everyone, when the Covid 19 vaccine becomes available to you, get it! It will protect you, your children, and everyone in your community.

Box 330 R.R.1
Ottawa
Wed. 14th Nov.

Dearest Mummy,
I was all set to begin writing to you on Mon. evening – Cec was back at work & I was all ready & I couldn’t find my pen! I spent a solid hour searching for it & then gave up in disgust & went to bed. Yesterday of course I discovered it under a chair – little Niki had knocked it off the table & thought it was a nice plaything! She is as full of fun & frolic as ever despite her “operation”. We took her to the Vet. 2 weeks ago & had her spayed (don’t know how to spell it) & distemper shots. She was there for 2 days & I told the children she was having an operation & would have a mark, but they were horrified when they saw her as she had quite a big shaved patch on one side & the sewed up scar & to make it look worse all dowsed in yellow iodine! The children wouldn’t go near her for about a day but after that they got used to it! She should have gone back to get the stitches out, but I haven’t had a chance to take her yet as I’ve had both children in bed with bad coughs. They had been coughing a bit for a while but at the beginning of last week Charlie’s really seemed bad and he got a slight temp. & was very watery eyed. His temp. wasn’t much & went down in a couple of days but on Wed. evening Lindy got it & I kept her in bed & on Fri. & Sat. she ran quite a fever & the cough was very troublesome. On Monday her temp was down so she was up yesterday & is beginning to eat a bit although not much interest as yet. She is very sad at missing school but I think I will keep her home this week as she & Charlie both cough still a bit & it is right down in their chests. However tomorrow afternoon at the school they are giving free Polio Shots to the children & you can take pre-school children too, so Fanni is taking her 3 boys & I will take Lindy & Charlie too. Lindy is quite calm about the idea when I told her all the other girls & boys are having it done too, so I think she will be fine with all her friends, & I am very glad to get it done. There are 3 shots all together I hear.
I got a nice long letter from you on Monday for which many, many thanks. It was written on Auntie Muriel’s birthday. I sent her a very belated card, but I hope she has it by now. I was so mad – I wrote a letter & sent a card to Miss Lefroy about a week before her birthday. Sent it Air Mail from Orleans as I was there at the butcher’s. That night the main Ottawa P.O. phoned me that they had the letter & it needed another 15¢. I had asked the woman in Orleans to weigh it & she said it was o.k., so I was annoyed & darn it – they wouldn’t send it back to me to put the extra on but wanted me to come down town to the P.O. with the stamp! I couldn’t as I wouldn’t have the car the next day & to make the trip for 15¢ anyway seemed silly, so in the end they sent it by sea but Special Delivery! Absurd! And it would be ages late.
I hope A. Moo’s side is quite o.k. now. She told me when she was here about it but said not to mention it, but I didn’t realize how much it was hurting her. It was a pity it happened as it must have taken a lot of the pleasure out of the trip & must have been so painful even sitting driving in the car. I was sorry that I couldn’t show them more of Ottawa & felt I hadn’t really taken them to many of the sights, but the one day we had turned cloudy & quite chilly in the afternoon & I thought A. Muriel was feeling the cold. Mill seemed to be in a big hurry to get home but I’m glad they saw more at Kingston.
I’m glad your Bazaar went well despite all the upset, & that you got so much money. I was interested in your young clergymen & his riotous living. The thing that strikes me about all these affairs in St. V. is that the principals – apart from any morals concerned – just seem to lose every scrap of sense & act in the most stupid way imaginable. You would think hearing these tales as I do, that all the people were living in a dream or drugged or something that they go away & leave their children & abandon their marriage vows & make love under the nose of Archdeacons. I am amazed.
Talking of the Archdeacon’s Bishoply paunch makes me think of Cec’s – in reverse! Did I tell you that he has been dieting the last month or so? Not very strenuously but very steadily & he is down to 198 lbs. & is looking very nice. I eat the same as he (mainly no midnight snack!) but I am 122 lbs. – hope to go down a bit though!
You were writing of your hot rainy weather & the belated hurricane, but winter has begun for us. The first weekend in Nov. was lovely – mild & warm & sunny but the middle of last week it turned cold & we had a sprinkle of snow. Last night we had another fall but today the sun was lovely & most of it melted away. I let the children out to play a little & of course they love it. Ugh!
I have decided that either my writing is very bad or your imagination is very vivid! First, transposing Lu’s poor Mother’s amputation to Phyl’s Mother & then in your last you had me puzzled for ages over “Pam’s daughter Joan being a year older than Linda.” I finally solved it PAT Tomlinson’s daughter Joanne! Anyway she is only 3 mths older!
I took the day off on Sat. (felt I needed it after being in the house all week with sick children) & went downtown Christmas shopping. I had debated phoning someone & asking about meeting me for lunch or tea & did mention it to Lu, but with the children sick I didn’t exactly know when I’d get away so I left it. However who should I walk into after about 15 mins. but Margie doing just the same as me! Of course it didn’t help my shopping but we had a nice chat & shopped a bit & had tea!
I have been busy sewing in between whiles & have been making Christmas presents! Lindy’s Halloween sari was a pretty golden silky material, so after she was finished with it I washed it & have cut out & made a little stiff frilled petticoat for Janita (Anne’s little girl),

a petticoat for Leona, & a wide flounced one for Dottie.
I also have cut out one for Lindy, but not made it yet. I have also cut out at & am 1/2 finished some luncheon mats for Nan in a gay white & red material. They are oblong & I have stiffened them & put a backing on & trimmed them with red rick-rack & they look very bright & cheery. I also made little Barbara a little tablecloth, napkins & dolly’s bibs when I made Lindy hers for her birthday, so that is done. I also made myself a skirt from one of the pieces of wool I got at the mills – it is just to wear around the house but looks quite nice. Do you remember the grey & yellow taffeta party dress I got in my trousseau? I have worn it so little but the material is very pretty I think so I have ripped it all up & have a piece of 4 yds out of the skirt. I am going to make a plainer slim fitting dress I think & that is my next job – hope it turns out nicely. I am going to try & do this carefully & well – I am too inclined to be slapdash!
Lindy has just got a new snowsuit and wore it for the first time today. It has brown trousers & a pink jacket with a hood attached & the hood is lined with brown orlon “fur”! She looks very cute & thinks it’s lovely!
I have no idea when Christmas parcels should go but I have your things all ready so I think I’ll get them off this week if I can & try to be in good time this year. I am sending my Father the Reader’s Digest again & will send a small parcel. By the way you asked about it for Cec, but don’t bother – sometimes Merle sends a subscription but he isn’t too keen anyway.
I have heard nothing more from Uncle Fred since he wrote the weekend he spent with A. Moo & the girls – from what he said he expected to be going back about the end of this week, so I expect he found he didn’t have time for a Canadian jaunt, but we were sorry not to see him. I hope the medical check up was o.k.
I am enclosing Dottie’s wedding picture & one or two of the children from the summer. Must stop – I’m getting sleepier & sleepier & more & more incoherent!
Big hugs to you & A. Moo from Lindy & Charlie & lots of love from us all –
Cyn.

November 1 1956

1st Nov. 1956.

Dearest Mummy,
Thank you so much for your last letter of 26th Oct.! It came so quickly & in it you answered my last which had reached you quickly, so it was really up-to-date, but I’m afraid I haven’t done so well this time. It was funny because just a day or two earlier I had got one of yours postmarked August 27 on which you had put “Cardinal Heights” and it had been wandering all over – in it you told me all sorts of things, such as A.Trixie leaving, & getting the pictures & book etc. which I had been in a fog about. By the way, you were in rather a fog too- it is Lu’s mother who has had her leg amputated, not Phyl’s – Mrs. Wright is fine & always asks after you when I see her. We are going out to Pete & Lu’s for dinner tomorrow evening.
You will have A. Muriel safely home now & I am sure that you won’t have finished talking over all the news yet! I am going to write her a rather late birthday note. I got a letter from U. Fred before he went into hospital & he said when he came out (in four or five days he thought) he would be able to make a plan for the rest of his time & would let us know. I can’t say I’m panting with eagerness to see Mrs. Moll, but if she turns up I guess we can stand it! The thing I’m recall most vividly about her is Jean’s story of Mrs. M’s indecent exposure adventure in the London blackout! Did A. Muriel get a big surprise with the breakfast room? It sounds very nice. We use a roller for the walls – we got it back from Margie & Cy after 3 years! We haven’t done any more painting as the weather has been wonderful & Cec has been gardening furiously. He dug out all that bulb bed & he & Ken got chicken manure from the farm & Cec dug it into the whole garden & then we re-planted the bulbs & split up all the lilies, irises etc. & re-planted them. It was a big job as you can imagine & poor Cec disliked it intensely! Last weekend we began on storm windows so I don’t know when the painting will get done!
I have been very busy sewing as Halloween was a Big Excitement this year. Lindy got lots of fun out of it at school of course & they had a little party there yesterday. She wanted to be an Indian lady like Mrs. Narasimham (the wife of our Indian Fellow) as Mrs. N. is a lovely girl & wears beautiful saris of gorgeous colours, so of course this entrances Lindy. I got a remnant of a pretty golden yellow silky stuff & do you remember that old silk blouse of mine, brownish with horses on? I dyed it a pretty poppy red & made a little blouse for her & then we visited Mrs. N. & she showed me how to put on a sari. I fixed Lindy’s hair & put on earrings etc. & she looked very cute – (but not very Indian!) & she was thrilled! Charlie wanted to be a clown & I made him a darling little clown suit with a ruff & a big pointed hat & lipstick on his nose & he looked a honey! I took them & Jimmy (dressed as a lady) & Pat Tomlinson with Joanne & Susan (as witches) on the rounds last night & they came home with baskets of apples & candy! Today Janek had a birthday party & the children went in Halloween costume & had a lovely time. I was so thrilled – Charlie actually went without me & was as good as gold & joined in all the games! The first time! Cec is going to take their pictures on Sat. if it is fine in their costumes.

We just got a card from Joan & Ray & they have a son – Christopher. Otherwise no news from anyone. Must stop my fingers can’t write so small any longer anyway! xxx from the children. Nicki is at the vet’s – we get her tomorrow & she’ll no longer be “she” poor little thing! Lots of love Cyn
Written upside down on the outside: Hope you’re well again.

The weather must have been bad on the weekend because no pictures of those costumes exist, although the little silk blouse and the clown costume lived on in the dress-up box for years. It has always bothered me that Cyn took such care with birthday cakes and Hallowe’en costumes but so few pictures made it into the scrapbooks- women’s work so ephemeral, and seldom recorded for posterity!

October 10 1956

Box 330
R.R.1
Ottawa
10th Oct. 1956

Dearest Mummy,
I have just been writing to Auntie Muriel with an enclosure to Uncle Fred. I got a note from Auntie Muriel today asking for our phone number & I had intended writing to Uncle Fred and telling him how pleased we be to see him, so I did just that and gave him our phone number too. I have a feeling he will get so involved with his business friends that he won’t have time, but it would be fun if he did.

Thank you so much for your letter of Oct. 1st. You had just had A. Moo’s letter written here, but not mine yet, but by now you must have it. I don’t think that I have written since then and you will be having fits at me, but really – what a busy time! I don’t know how it is, but I don’t really seem to recover from one bit of excitement when the next bit pops up! However, before I begin telling you my saga, I must thank you for the book you sent “Antonia” which arrived last week. I read it the last few days and enjoyed it and quite understood why you sent it to me – cordon bleu, wonderful sauces & all! I must say that I thought it was a bit Cinderella-ish, local-girl-made-good etc. though, didn’t you? I must be getting cynical in my old age but all these pure poor maidens with whom handsome lords become enamoured make me feel very “oh yeah?” now! I wonder if you have read “Tender Victory” yet & how you will like it. The film of “The Bader Story” is on this week & Cec & I would so like to see it but I guess we’ll have to wait. Which reminds me, Lu phoned this morning & told me that she had just heard her mother has had to have a leg amputated. She has had the same circulatory trouble that the late King had and apparently one leg went gangrenous. Lu is very worried of course and wonders how she will get on with an artificial leg as she must be over 65 & is a big woman.
Well when I last wrote after A. Moo and the girls were here I must have told you that Charlie was sick. He was in bed a couple of days with a temperature & then was up a couple of days & then developed the runniest, drippiest cold, poor little fellow. On the Fri. we had Santiago to dinner & Charlie didn’t even feel like playing with his bestest friend! With Santiago we had a Dr. & Mrs. Swalen – Jerry and Mary. He is Cec’s new post-doctorate Fellow from Harvard & knew Santiago there, & he & his wife drove up & apartment hunted a couple of days, then went back to Boston & packed up before coming to officially begin on 1st Oct. They seem an awfully nice young couple- both tall with round young ingenious faces! Mary is a teacher of small children – 6 and 7 yr. olds – & hopes to get a job up here & Cec thinks Jerry is going to be good and that they will get on fine. Cec has just had a big new tube (valve) which he invented at an exhibition in Toronto. A technician went down with it & other exhibits & was such a numbskull that he pulled out the cord & then got it back wrong & couldn’t get the thing to work, so Cec got an SOS on the Sunday before the exhibition opened & Brian, his technician, had to fly down to Toronto to fix it up! I think Brian thought this was great fun, but you can imagine Cec’s disgust at the other clot!
Anyway, Charlie just got his cold going nicely when poor Cec got it and it really made him feel miserable. In fact it was the worst cold Cec had had for a long time & little Charlie had it for 2 weeks or more before he was clear. His eczema has flared up to, so we have got a new prescription to put on & have borrowed a sun ray lamp from Ken & are trying that. Cec was so disgusted over his cold as he had arranged to take the last week in Sept. holiday (before Jerry began) so that we could do some painting but he felt so lousy he said it should have been sick leave! He was in bed most of the weekend, but we began painting the spare room (was the children’s room when you were here) on the Monday. We painted the wall opposite the door rather a nice blue – not a pale blue, more like a larkspur or the darker shade of delphinium- and the other walls what is called sand beige, which is quite a nice neutral colour. The ceiling was cream, so we left it & I have hung those pinky–grey damask type curtains which you & I bought for the dining room in Acacia – remember? – & they go quite well. We then moved the children in there & painted all the other room pale yellow – dark blue ceiling, orange wall & everything! You can imagine it looks 10 times as light now, but it took 4 coats to cover the other- Cec cursed that ceiling! It is a rubber base, washable paint & looks very nice, but wasn’t too easy to put on over the shiny enamel. We then began to do the bathroom (a sickly green) the same yellow, but with having to do so many coats we ran out of paint half away & had to order more. We reached that stage on Thurs. evening & on Friday Cec had to go into the Lab. to see about another paper he’s publishing, & with one thing & another that’s where we still are! We must finish the bathroom & then there is the kitchen to do pale blue.
On the Friday evening I went around and had a nice gossip with Fanni & on the Sat. evening we were invited to Margie & Cy’s & had a good chat with them, so we got all caught up with the news! Saturday was a lovely sunny autumn day so we decided to take advantage of it and drive out to a small town Almonte about 12 miles past Carp (actually 40 from here) where there is a woollen mill & Lu had been telling us about the wonderful bargains you could get. We called on Lea & family & had a mid-morning cup of coffee & everyone there was well, except Daryl who was in bed with a cold. The baby, Patty Lu is getting a big girl now & is full of smiles. Lea has just got a new sewing machine – the very latest Singer model of course with every new gadget under the sun! Hundreds of fancy stitches etc. etc. & at least $300 to add to their debts on the TV set & car! We went to Almonte & had lunch there & went to the Mill Store which was lots of fun. A big room filled with bolts of every kind of woollen cloth & tweed – they had blankets too & a few made things – men’s trousers jackets & coats mostly. We got Cec 2 pairs of slacks (1 grey-blue & 1 brown) & I got 3 lots of material- one remnant of 1 yd. (all the material was 58” wide) $1.95 of a nice soft dark & light blue material with a little orange fleck in to make a skirt; another brown $2.50 with red, yellow, orange flecks in for another skirt; & 2 1/2 yds $4.05 of a fine wool & rayon jersey to make a dress. It is a pretty soft aquamarine colour with a little fine grey thread in & is very nice & thin for a woolen material. So we were very pleased with our purchases & the ride was lovely. The trees were just at their best with most of the vivid colours of scarlet & gold. I got some branches & put them in glycerine & water hoping to keep them, but they all dried up as usual.
Sunday School is going on apace & I have so many small children I am having fits! I had 20 & 21 two Sundays, but I am beginning to sort them out & move up the 4 yr. olds etc. & last week I got it down to about 15 & the crying ones had stayed away so I had a nice time! Fortunately I have some help as a teenage girl is coming to give a hand & another lady so we should do all right. Charlie is still leech-like but I hope will improve!
After the painting I began washing the floor in the children’s room etc. getting paint marks off & so on & was hanging curtains & we rearranged the furniture so now it is like this & looks very nice.

I washed on Tuesday & ironed on Wednesday, so didn’t get around to the spare room & on Wednesday evening at 10 o’clock the telephone rang & this was Mom & Dad Costain down at the station!! You can imagine! We knew they were coming sometime of course & that they had left Saskatoon, but Mom wrote from Merle’s at Port Arthur that they planned to go to Prince Edward Island & they didn’t want to run into bad weather there so they might go straight on. Apparently they decided against it & wrote to me again from Toronto telling us when they were coming & train etc. but the letter has just never arrived! Cec dashed down to the station of course & I just flew at that room! By the time they arrived I had it swept & dusted, curtains up, beds made, towels out, but still that brick bookcase of ours sitting in the middle of the floor – I couldn’t budge it! However, Cec heaved it into place in a minute & all was ready!

They stayed with us till Sunday morning when Cec drove them to Carp in time for church – Cec didn’t attend & apparently neither did Lea! They are coming back here on Friday & will stay till Monday evening when they set out for P.E.I. I was quite glad of this little break in the middle of their visit as being taken unaware I seemed to be running to catch up with myself all the time, you know. We didn’t do much – Lea & family came through on Thurs. evening & Fri. Cec took them into the Council & around the Parliament Buildings etc. & on Sat. Cec & his Dad went to the Football Game. On Friday the Atchisons will drive Mom & Dad in & I’ll have them all to a Buffet Dinner – cold turkey as last Mon. was Thanksgiving Day. Doesn’t it seem an age since last year when you were with us? We had Leila & Santiago again & had a nice quiet day.

Before I finish I must tell you one or two of Charlie’s funny sayings – he is growing up but still talks in his own funny little way & says some amusing things. One day when the leaves were just beginning to turn he pointed to a lovely yellow tree & said “Look Mummy, that tree is getting ripe!” & he tells me that Pussy is “slapping her lips”! He is very observant about pretty clouds & sunsets & stars & so on which I think is nice, but one day he was talking about some pretty little white fluffy clouds & he said it would be nice to be up in the sky playing with them. Lindy then said that she knew the clouds had rain in them, so Charlie said he would just go “squish” & the rain would come spurting out & then he would go “pouff” & the cloud would go popping up & bang God on the nose! I couldn’t help laughing!
I have just had the two of them here in bed with me – Lindy had a bad dream & came in for a minute & then Charlie woke & had to come too! We were all at Andy Douglas’s birthday party this afternoon – they moved into their new house last Wed. so this was our first official visit although I popped over with a cake the day they moved. The house is very nice, but of course they are still quite “camping” as it were & things are still not all done.
I must stop now as it is nearly midnight. The children both send big hugs & kisses. Linda just loves school & brings home pictures she’s painted & sings little songs & tells me stories she’s heard- she really seems to get an immense satisfaction out of it all & I think she is more peppy & stimulated now. I only hope she isn’t catching another cold as she was a bit sniffly just now.
Must stop – just sent Mrs. Allan a “Get Well” card & have a birthday card for Miss Lefroy, so must get it off too.
Lots of love & hugs from
Cyn.

September 13 1956

A bit of explanation about life just outside Ottawa 65 years ago: There were two sub-divisions- not really big enough to be called suburbs- Rothwell Heights, with houses on three levels going down to the Ottawa River, and, on the opposite side of the highway, (the Montreal Road) Cardinal Heights. Two new schools had been built in Cardinal Heights- Fairfield School, a public school, and St Gabriel’s, a private Catholic school next to the new Catholic Church, both of which would have Kindergarten to Grade 8 students, ages 5-13. Linda and Charlie’s next door neighbours, the Hansen children and their cousin Jimmy (who, being older, knew all about school) went to St. Gabriel’s, so they only saw Jimmy at home. Kindergarten was a half day, and Cyn wanted the children to keep having afternoon rests, so she enrolled each in morning Kindergarten. The walk to school was not very long- the problem was the highway! At first Cyn walked them, but as they got used to it, they walked on their own, after she had taken them out to the road and made sure they crossed it safely. Coming home, they had to wait on the far side of the road until she came out and saw them across.
Living on the highway did have its advantages- from this letter, it seems that the Blachuts, returning from their summer in Switzerland, had the bus from Montreal stop at the top of the hill and let them all and their luggage off, so they could walk down into Rothwell Heights to their house, instead of being taken into the city and having to get out again. However, a detour to the Costain’s right on the corner was necessary…

Thurs. 13th Sept. 1956

Dearest Mummy,
I just heard from A. Muriel last night that they are setting out today and will be with us on Sat. so as you can imagine I am in a tizzy! I’ve been washing the kitchen floor! Cec & I had been out to see “The King and I” (which was lovely) & didn’t get the mail till we got came home, so of course I lay awake planning my menus! We have Keith Innis (Keith & Ruth) coming to dinner tonight – he is here for 2 weeks to finish some work – they now have a baby boy. Also in the mail was a letter & snaps from Dottie – will send the latter on for you to see & Dottie says one is for you – they are an elegant couple.

I have been meaning to write all week to tell you about Lindy & school. She started a week ago & I took Joanne too & the 2 of them just walked in & settled down as if they’d been doing it all their lives! Lindy was quite matter-of-fact about it all & just said “Bye-bye” when I walked out – such a wonderful change from her clinging to me last year at this time! Charlie & I went & got them at 11:45 & they came out full of fun. Lindy was tired of course but told me all about it & likes her teacher (Mrs Albrand) who is v. nice, but older, 45-ish – Lindy thought she was going to have someone young. All went well then till Mon. when Charlie & I walked down to meet the girls & here was Lindy like a little ghost – white & drooping! She said she felt tired so went straight to bed with no lunch & woke up about 4 with quite a temp. She slept & ate nothing but had no other symptoms, Tues. the same, but by the evening her temp. was down. Yesterday she had soup & a little bread & milk & got up in the afternoon & today seems fine & eating fairly well, so I think I’ll send her back to school tomorrow. Cec had some bug last week which made him feel lousy so I don’t know if Lindy caught it or if it was just the excitement of school. Anyway, thank goodness it was no more.

The Blachuts arrived back on Tues. so Janek is in Lindy’s class too. They docked in Montreal & got the bus here as the train was later & all went fine till they got up to get out of the bus & the baby sicked up all over! They arrived at my door for help!
Mrs. R had one of her “evenings” last Thurs. – (I must take A. Moo to meet her!) & of course I had to go! She had 4 females & left us to play bridge while she puttered around! We had the Dalbys, the Dresslers (the bride) & the Haydings (fellow Cec knew in Sask. now at Montreal Rd N.R.C.) in last Friday- all people we had to have but were not enthusiastic about! It was o.k. but not too, too gay!!
Thank you for your letter of September 3 – you certainly seem to have had a hold up with my letters – you haven’t mentioned getting snaps yet & from what I can gather you haven’t got the last 3 letters I’ve written – hope they’ve come by now. Must tell you – the blue dye arrived – Lindy asked what it was & I told her and & she said “Do you really want it?” & I said no & explained about making a new cover etc., so she said “But you’ll still write & thank Granny won’t you?” so I said yes & she said Then Granny’ll say, Thank goodness they like it!” Wasn’t that sweet? Actually I used it right this morning – the old cover looked so dreary & I haven’t been able to get binding yet so I haven’t begun the new.

So thank you. xxx Love Cyn.

September 4 1956

Box 330
R.R.1 Ottawa
4th Sept.1956

Dearest Mummy,
Lindy and Charlie send a big hugs & thank you for Lindy’s lovely birthday parcel which was an immense success with them both. Lindy’s little panties & slip are sweet – a little bit big for her, but all to the good & I can easily take up a tuck in the slip. She was very pleased with them, but even more so with her Elizabeth Arden powder! Very luxurious for a five-year-old & you’d think she knew because she is so tickled at having some of her own! She likes the pencil box & pencils very much too & I can see will expect to begin writing the very first day! Charlie was so delighted to find something for him in the parcel and loves his book about the pony.

Mother & daughter yellow dotted swiss outfits made by Cyn!

I think that they both had a very nice “Linda’s birthday”! Lindy was very excited about it this year & kept wondering what she would get! The paddling pool was her big present of course & she got that earlier in the summer, but I made them a tent to go over a card table like the one they saw at Lu Forsyth’s & which they had been talking about ever since. I also made Lindy a little tablecloth with 4 tiny napkins & two little dolly bibs out of the “animal” linen I made their curtains of. She is very pleased with them as she is always having little parties & used to put an old scarf or cloth on as a tablecloth – they look very cute too! Then we got her a big new colouring book & Charlie some plasticine to share & then they also got necessities: – a little corduroy jacket each – Lindy’s a light navy & Charlie’s a royal blue – also a raincoat & hat for Lindy – very cute & glamorous! – pink & black checked taffeta sort of – with a flared skirt & a little jockey cap! She is thrilled with it & longs for wet weather! It is a little big for her but she still looks sweet in it. I also got her on sale a dear little navy blue cotton dress with white & red trimming for $1.77! Linda got quite a few parcels & lots of cards – a pencil box from Dottie; brooch & hair ribbons from Amy; tiny dolly in a carrri-cot from Nan. We had Lila out to dinner on the birthday (with all Lindy’s favourite foods – roast chicken, m. potatoes, gravy, beans, tomatoes, cupcakes & ice cream) & Lila brought all sorts of things – soap dogs, a book to write him, more pencils etc. so it was very exciting.

We had the party on the Sat. & had Jimmy, Joanne & Susan, Sharon (the little N.Z. girl) & Wendy & Shirley. We asked Barry but he had a cold & couldn’t come. On the Thurs. evening I sat down & cut out a dress for Lindy, began it & finished it on Fri. evening & she wore it to the party! It cost me $1.50!! It is pale blue dimity (like voile only stiff & has a self stripe) with white lace insertion – I got the dimity on sale, 2 yards for .98¢ & the trimming cost 50¢ & it really looks sweet – very full skirt & sash to tie at the back.

Jimmy brought her a book; Joanne & Susan hair clips & $1!; Sharon a little picture; Wendy & Shirley a red handbag & soldiers for Charlie. We played much the same games as last year – a peanut hunt instead of marbles & I made fish & put them in the paddling pool & they fished for them & a few other things.

I made her cake a Zoo cake with choc. animal crackers looking out of candy cane bars! Pat Tomlinson & Doreen Moore (mothers) came up to & it was really a big success I think.

Since then I have been busy getting our young lady ready for school & believe it or not, tomorrow is the day! (am writing on Wed. now). Lindy is quite excited but is really taking it all as a matter of course too! We had a letter from her teacher ( Mrs. Albrand) & she is to take an apron (for painting) a little blanket (for rest period) & a cookie for lunch & 30¢ for milk, so I have all these things ready & marked (Cash’s name tapes to the fore again!) Charlie & & I are taking her & Joanne down in the morning & will go for them again at 11:30 – while the weather is nice we will all have the walk & not bother with the school bus. Pat is working again now you know, so that is why Joanne is coming with us. Poor Joanne has her arm in a cast – the very day after Linda’s party she fell & broke it.

I have been having such a time canning today – the children & I went downtown this morning (I bought an umbrella) & I got a basket of peaches, a basket of pears & a huge basket of tomatoes. So this afternoon I canned 10 jars of peaches & 3 of pears & then ran out of jars! I’ve also done all sorts of pickles, raspberries, rhubarb, so that is why, but I have borrowed more jars from Ken so will do the tomatoes tomorrow. After having it cold & wet all last week, this week is lovely of course & today I sweltered!
We were out to Jim & Lee’s on Sunday for dinner & had a lovely time. They are all looking well & Lee gave us a yummy ham dinner. Barry is getting so big – Lindy still loves him dearly, but there isn’t the harmony playing with him as there is with Jimmy! It is either Barry + Lindy against Charlie or the boys against Lindy! Little Dougie is so sweet now – so chubby and full of fun. He is all over the place but doesn’t talk much.
The Sunday before the Spanish couple, Dr. & Mrs. Velasco had us to a Spanish lunch at about 2.0 with a lovely Spanish dish called Paella – a mixture of chicken, rice, herbs, onions & shrimp! It was lovely! We took Charlie’s crib to loan them for their older boy & Charlie is now in Bjorn Kleman’s bed & loves it. The Klemans left on the Fri. & we were all went down to the station to see them off – they were sailing from New York. We got the bed from them & a lamp for the children’s room & a mirror- also a little bedside table & their radio – all such a bargains!
I must stop now as it is midnight & I must be up early in the morning! Tomorrow evening Mrs. R. has insisted I go to bridge – ugh! I don’t want to go a bit as we are not on too friendly terms & I have lots to do at home, but you know what she is!
In your last letter – thank you so much for it – you asked lots of questions (Dottie’s address etc.) but I had answered them all in a previous letter – hope you got it all right. By the way the letter you sent was quite late as you had put Cardinal Heights on it & it went to the wrong place. The address is just Box 330 R.R.1 Ottawa – no Rothwell or Cardinal or Montreal Road – you have been trying to show your local knowledge too much!
Nicki is growing & is so sweet – she is lying on my feet & looks as pretty as can be – the children love her & I have to protect her to give her some peace.
Lots & lots of love from us all –
xxxx from Lindy & Charlie – Cyn.

August 8 1956

Some of the pictures too big to go in the envelope.
Will send later.

Box 330, R.R.1
Ottawa Ont.

Aug.8th 1956.

Dearest Mummy,
Today is Dottie’s birthday so I guess I can do no better than to begin my letter with her address! Voila! Mrs. K. Wilyman. 67 Belwell Lane. Four Oaks. Sutton Coldfield. Warwickshire. I am sure that she will be delighted with the mats if you send them – they are so nice that I think they would grace the most imposing of houses, so you needn’t have qualms about Dottie’s large mansion! She will probably be just as glad as anyone not to have extra things to wash, and all my visitors rave about mine. I sent her one of those kitchen “spice containers”. It is a little wooden thing you hang on the wall with six little pottery drawers, as it were. Each has a little handle & the name “PAPRIKA” “CLOVES” etc. and the picture of a cock on- they are cream coloured & the cock brown, yellow & a little red etc. Actually each one is a shaker when you pull it out, & I thought they were rather cute – I hope she does!

At last we have real Ottawa summer weather – you know! It has been so cool this summer though that I feel I can’t complain too much & it really has been nothing like as humid as parts of last summer were.
I am enclosing some pictures – not too exciting! Some as you can see at Til & Lois’ – in fact all of them except the one of Gunborg. We have one or two others taken at the Sutherlands but they were very poorly printed so Cec has taken them back to the shop. All the pictures are taken on Til & Lois’ big porch & Linda is very busy threading beads!

I am also enclosing a drawing of Lindy’s which I know will amuse you! Linda calls it her “little boy” & is very proud of it & says I may send it for you to see but you must send it back – I don’t think that’s really necessary! It is getting very faint, but you will see that she has put teeth & fingers & toes on him – the first time she has gone into such detail. And not content with that she has also drawn his little penis, which she thinks is very funny! So do we!

I think I last wrote to you just before our Anniversary – well we had such a nice time. With getting the lamp & curtains etc. I hadn’t got Cec anything, but he got me a darling pair of baby doll pyjamas – blue – and they are very cool & comfy. I must say I look rather funny in them, but they also have a pair of ordinary pyjama trousers as well as the short ones so they will be very useful. In the evening we with Alec & Phyl went to the Klemans & had drinks & then went out to the Island & had a Chinese Dinner. It was very nice & as it was the first Chinese food Gudron & Ben had had it was quite an adventure for them & they liked it very much. When we finished it was about 10:30, so Alex suggested we go across to the Gatineau Club, one of the night clubs over in Quebec & see the 11 o’clock floor show, so off we set & got there to find it was a big night as they had a special star. This was a woman called Lillian Roth – maybe you haven’t heard of her, but apparently she was a big Broadway star in the early 30s [and film star] & then became an alcoholic & was finished. However she joined the Al. Anonymous & got put right again & began once more to try & get going on the stage but found it pretty tough going. In the meanwhile she wrote her life story “I’ll Cry Tomorrow” & it was made into a film & she made a big comeback on one of the TV shows

& is now doing all right. We were quite intrigued to see her & very pleasantly surprised really as she must be in her middle 40s, but is slim & cute & doesn’t look at all ravaged by her experiences! She has a face like Dottie with dimples & although her voice isn’t too good now she has lots of personality & was fun. We were home about 1 o’clock & all felt we’d been really dissipated!!
We had the Klemans over for the afternoon & dinner on Sat. – only 1 1/2 weeks till they go now & we will be so sorry. Phyl & I got Gudron to make a list of their furniture & price etc. & have passed it around to everyone we know & got most of the things sold. We have bought the older boy’s bed for Charlie – they brought it with them from Sweden & it is just a small blonde wood bed with mattress – & we are lending the crib to the Spanish couple for their older boy! We also bought a garden chair & a little bookcase & their radio – our old one is just about defunct! Gudron sent over a bag of toys for the children so they have been having fun!
Last weekend was a holiday weekend – first Mon. in August – & Merle & Dixon [Cec’s oldest sister & spouse] drove up from Toronto on their way home after their Summer School there. [They were doing Teacher Training- with their degrees they could teach during the school year if they did the teacher training courses in the summer.] They were to come on the Fri. & leave on Tues, spending 2 days with Lea [Cec’s other sister] & 2 with us. For some reason I thought they’d go to Carp first, & got the house all cleaned but was going to bake on the Sat. morning, so of course they arrived on Friday evening! However, it didn’t really matter & we had a very nice visit. They went to Carp on the Sunday afternoon & were driving home afterwards – the boys have been in Saskatoon. Cec’s Mom & Dad are coming to visit us all this fall – they are letting their house & going to Merle’s first then to us & Lea’s & to Toronto & Cec thinks they might even go out to P.E.I. where the old farm is just sitting, not being used or anything. Dad has been thinking of moving to somewhere with not quite such severe cold in the winter as he has trouble with his nose & sinuses, but none of us really knows what their plans are.
On the Monday after Merle & Dixon had left Ken called us to say we could come & pick a row of his raspberries so Cec & I went down with baskets & picked for an hour or so in the broiling sun, which as you can imagine was quite unusual exercise for us! The raspberries were just lovely & we ate & picked & picked & ate! In the afternoon I canned 8 pint jars and made just a little jam – 4 or 5 small jars – & we had big platefuls with cream for dinner – yummy! Wasn’t that lovely of Ken? He has been keeping us supplied with wax beans & young carrots & Jimmy’s Granny has been giving us the most delicious young new peas. Aren’t we lucky?
I began this on Wed. & it is now Sunday and we are having such a funny day. Lindy seems to have some tummy bug as her tummy feels funny she says & she doesn’t want to eat, but she is very sleepy & had a long sleep this morning & now is in bed again just lying playing & Charlie has gone to sleep! We planned to drive over to Boris & Joan’s this afternoon to see their new house (they’ve been in a month or so now) so Cec phoned Boris to say we couldn’t come because of Lindy, only to find that Boris took Joan to the Hospital about an hour ago & is now sitting waiting for news!
Talking of this tummy business though, there seems to be a lot about amongst the children & last Sat. night while Merle & Dixon were here Charlie was sick – but I was so happy I got him to the bathroom in time!! He was a bit peaky the next day but recovered very quickly, so I hope it’s the same with Lindy. By the way, your parcel to her arrived last week & we are saving it – it is so funny – Lindy is quite ready to save it for the day, but Charlie is busting to open it!
On Thursday evening it was very hot, so I suggested to see is that we might all go to the Drive-In Movie Theatre! There was a film showing called “The Far Country” with James Stewart & of course we thought of Nevil Shute’s book & thought it might be it so off we went! The children were so thrilled but of course it would so happen that the cartoon was the silliest thing going & the movie turned out to be a shooting cowboy thing about the Klondike! Linda hates guns & bangs etc. so she didn’t much care for it & it really was very stupid, but anyway we went!
Cec is out trying to think up some way of killing ground hogs [large cat size, but solid rodent] – do you know we have 3 or 4 down the hill now & not only do they eat all our flowers but they are eating all the green tomatoes too! We are at war with them!

Cec has tried to smoke them out of their holes, gas them, tried to get poison for them & so far no success. We also have skunks & our dear little chippies [chipmunks] of course. Charlie is very fond of the groundhogs too – when Cec chases them away Charlie will go & call down the hill “It’s all right, you can come out now – Daddy’s gone “!!
Must go now & do something about a chicken for dinner. Thank you so much for your nice long letter about your visit to Jean’s & your dashing around with A. Trix (by the way – ^{when is she going?!!} I wonder how your finances are holding out with all the coming & going etc.) I was so pleased to hear about Sylvia expecting – hope everything will be O.K.
Must stop – the children send hugs & kisses & lots of love from us all –

Cyn.

June 26 1956

As always, Cec’s birthday and Father’s Day were the same week as the Columbus Conference. So the family celebrated while on holiday!

26th June 1956.

Dearest Mummy,
I hope you haven’t been wondering too hard if we got home safely. We certainly did, & really enjoyed our holiday immensely, but it was nice to be home again! We got home on the Sun. evening & had to begin taking off storm windows & putting on screens straight away! It has been so cold we hadn’t done it before, so Cec stayed home most of Mon. & we did it. Then on Tuesday I had a huge wash – eleven shirts amongst all other things! And the garden is a jungle!

To cap it all on Fri. afternoon Cec called to say he had a phone call from Paul & Angie Routley. They are now in California but had flown east to visit their homes & were in Montreal & coming to Ottawa for a few days so of course we invited them to come to us. The house was in a mess as I hadn’t done much so I dashed around – washed & polished both bathrooms & down the stairs – fixed their bedroom – cleaned the sitting room etc. Ooof! Got all my cleaning done in a hurry though!

Paul and Angie arrived on Sat. morning & looked just the same after 3 years! That evening we got together all the group we knew them – 14 altogether – & had a party here who was quite fun. On Sun. they went and visited around & then came back to dinner & we had Lila too. On Monday Paul went in with Cec & Angie stayed here & in the evening we had Alex & Phyl over & had a good time. They left yesterday morning & I did another huge wash (7 sheets this time!) & by late last night Cec & I could just get up enough strength to creep to bed!! It was lots of fun though but that’s why I haven’t written! Will write soon again & tell you more of the trip & thank you properly for your letters.
Hope all goes well with you & A. Trix – also the domestics! Hugs & kisses from the children & lots of love from us all – Cyn.

May 2 1956

True, Cyn’s 41st birthday was the month before, but I’ve already posted her mother’s card! This was from me!

2nd May 1956
To
4th May.

Dearest Mummy,
At last I am thanking you for my birthday presents! Actually they didn’t arrive as late as it looks, with my writing in May – they arrived the very day I posted your last letter – but that was bad enough, wasn’t it? Someone must have been trying to hatch them out! Anyway late or not, they were very welcome and it was really nice having them to look forward to! Thank you so much for my lovely mats. I do like them & of course we have already been using them. Everyone I show them to likes them just as much as I do, but I don’t think anyone would fall for them at $5.00 – my friends are poor like us! It is so nice to have eight too & I know that they will all be used to bits. I am still reluctant to part with my old ones, battered as they are. It was sweet of you to send me the panties too – very much needed! Of course Cec laughed & called them bloomers, but the fact remains that they fit my posterior a lot better than the tiny briefs! The children were just delighted with their books & “Henry’s Wagon” particularly is a great favourite. If you remember it at all, on the last page the little boy is all painty & he says “Bessie – I’m a little messy”! & the children think this is the funniest thing they ever read – they go into gales of mirth over it & are always quoting it!

Besides my birthday parcel & card we all want to thank you too for our pretty Easter cards & little presents which arrived at the same time. The children love “Puppy Pals” & I love my little notes which I have already been using. You will probably have nearly forgotten all these things as it is such a long time since you sent them but we are enjoying them just the same!
I am sitting in bed writing this – my favourite desk! – & snuffling away. The children got colds last week – not bad & they went very quickly, but we had a few busy days & they both seem to freshen them up this week & today I have it. It is no wonder as we have had the coldest, most un-spring like weather. On the few occasions the sun does shine, everyone thinks “Oh at last” & then it is gone in a minute. It was the wettest April ever recorded & imagine – our crocuses are just blooming & one or two brave scillas and nothing is growing it’s so cold. Summer time began last weekend but we are doing no gardening yet.

The last time I wrote was nearly 2 weeks ago & I was getting ready for my party. I finished my dress & everyone was very complimentary & I think it looked all right! I wore the black velvet cummerbund (I bought to go with that black lace skirt) & black accessories, but I’m still not too keen on the colour. I have worn my grey & black striped suit quite a few times & am very pleased with it – everyone thinks I’m so clever – me too! The party was kind of queer! Not our fault & the food was a success! I had drinks with cheese straws & cheese canapés; fried chicken, asparagus au gratin, salmon mould, tossed green salad, melba toast & butter; chocolate soufflé or mince pie & whipped cream; coffee. The queerness was due to the fact that everyone seem to be coming or going or gone all evening! To begin with Cec went downtown to pick up Pete & Lu & Santiago at 7:45, so I expected everyone about 8.0. Teddy & Fanni arrived then, but poor Cec had to wait nearly 3/4 of an hour as all the others were late, so they didn’t arrive until nearly 8:30. Then Teddy & Fanni broke the news that their wretched female guest was arriving by train at 10.0 & Teddy had to go & get her! However, we all got going & after a while began dinner, but before dessert Teddy had to get up & go, & then we’d all just finished our dessert & were having coffee & I cleared away when Teddy came back with Miss Hughes (I told him to bring her) so I served them dessert & coffee & we all sat back & then not long after they finished Pete & Lu said they had to go. It was just after 11, but apparently they didn’t want to be late, so of course Cec had to take them & Santiago & the others left too. Cec said later “What a mess!” & I felt so too – we never had time to sit & enjoy ourselves which was so annoying.
I had cleaned & worked so hard getting ready for the party that last week I just sort of sat back & let things slide! Pat & her girls came up to tea one day, & we took them with us in the car to the Library another day & then one morning we went to Margie’s to see the new baby. Of course Lindy had been longing to see her so she was very thrilled, but just saw her for a minute as she was going to sleep. Margie looks fine now & her parents were leaving this week as everything seems to be going well.
On Friday the children got an invitation to little Wendy Ramsay’s birthday party on Sun. so great was the excitement. I went downtown on Sat. to buy birthday presents for them to take & I got Lindy a crinoline! She has been longing for one, so I got her a little white nylon net waist petticoat & she wore it under Gunborg’s pretty red & white Christmas dress. I also got Charlie a new suit as his little brown suit is too small & he needed one for the summer – it has navy shorts & a blue shirt and he was just as tickled as Lindy! On Sunday we all went off to S. School (Charlie comes regularly now – tags along after me all the time, but is very good) & then had lunch & rests & got ready for the party. They set off with Daddy very pleased, holding their presents & full of excitement – Daddy was to leave them & call for them later & Lila was to be there! After a little while I heard Cec driving back & glanced out at him & here was Charlie with him! In he came, very red eyed & weepy & lip going down & his Daddy disgusted at him! Apparently they got in & got their coats off & all was fine when it suddenly struck Charlie what was really going on & he began to howl to go home! He was quite happy to be back although rather sad at missing the birthday cake! However Lindy had a simply wonderful time & Nan said she was as good as gold, so I’m glad one member was a credit to the family! S. School has really made an enormous difference to Lindy, so I hope it will do the same for Charlie – in time! About the S. School I am trying to get an assistant as I have about 10 nearly every Sunday now – about 20 on the register – & it is very hard to try and keep track of them all. If one wants to go to the bathroom & I take her, they all want to come too! So I’m trying to get a high school girl to come & help with them – I still make all sorts of cute things for them & we had a darling little model for David & his sheep & now we are doing Jesus at home in Nazareth & I have cut out pictures for that.
On Mon. I was at the dentist again & have one more time to go – Friday. They are all fillings but none bad – so far I haven’t had to have any injections to help me along. Charlie says he’s going to show the dentist his teeth on Friday but we’ll see what happens! Tuesday we had the car & shopped & went out to Orleans & got meat etc. I got some for Doreen, the New Zealand girl & took it round – she is just due to have her baby & is sitting waiting to depart! She is going to the St. Marie de Montfort Hospital on Montreal Road near here so I’m interested to hear what she thinks of it. Phyl & Alec Douglas & family have just moved out to one of the houses on Research Rd. (where Doreen Moore lives) behind the Montreal Road N.R.C. They are building this summer & had to move from Acacia, so have gone there in the meanwhile. It is v. crowded for them – only 2 bedrooms – but also just $40 a month rent! Fanni & her 3 boys are off to Switzerland on Sat. – Teddy will follow in 2 months time & they will all come back in Sept. They have let their house & Teddy is staying with friends. I don’t envy poor Fanni one bit – the thought of that ocean trip & then the train with the three boys makes me shudder! It is just about arranged that we leave on our trip to the States at the beginning of June & call at Ann Arbor on the way, as the Sutherlands are packing up around the 20th. We will really only be away for 2 whole weeks, but with 3 weekends, so I think that will be long enough for us all & yet give us time to visit. I keep planning what clothes we’ll take, but if the weather doesn’t improve I’ll have to change my ideas!
Did I tell you that all the Canadian Civil Servants got a pay boost? Cec’s is $500.00 a year & he will get another ordinary raise in June so it all helps! We are going to try to save the raise!
I have always meant to comment on the West Indian curry lunch you had when you were with Ford & Mill etc. at Bequia – it sounded very intriguing, but I don’t think I would ever have the nerve to make it “sight unseen” as it were! I’ll have to try it first! Actually I don’t care for curry too much, but maybe I just have never tried a good one – certainly I’ve never had one with all the exciting side dishes. I make one or two Chinese dishes now, but “American Chinese” really! I want to get a Chinese cookbook!
I am reading your old letters & come across the comments on Ken & Cec working out a fire alarm system – there are lots of them on the market – Cec & Ken just wanted to save money & make their own! Cec helped Ken make his & fix it, but we didn’t get ours yet! You also ask (re. Gordon Sutherland’s job) who is Director of N.R.C.- well, it is different – Dr. Steacie is the President of the Council, but the Council Members themselves are all from all over Canada (universities etc.) Dr. Herzberg is the Director of the Physics Division with a special affection for the Spectroscopy Dept!
Talking of babies, you were asking which June’s was – a great big boy apparently, so George should be pleased about that! I got a note from her & all seemed to be going well, but we don’t correspond regularly.
Cec was very interested about Angela Kellman not being allowed to get a job – he thought it was all baloney & he asked a few other fellows & they never heard of such a thing, but he says he will phone up tomorrow & find out for sure.
I have been meaning to thank you so much for your good intentions over giving me £10 for my birthday which were foiled by the British Gov’t! Aren’t they silly? Cec wondered what they would have done if you’d just sent me a cheque & I’d sent it to be deposited. Anyway it was very sweet of you to think of it. Sometime what I would like is a nice twin set – any colour except red! Actually if you got Nan or someone to buy it & mail it to me as a present I wouldn’t have to pay duty, so would really be much nicer for me than my ordering it from a shop. I would love little button up cardigans for the children too, as the little old blue ones have been so useful, but I don’t mean to bankrupt you! My boosum is 34” now!
You certainly seem to be having a general exodus from St. V. just now, but I hope some nice people come in their places! Have you seen any more of the young Hatch couple – the girl sounded v. nice, but you don’t say much about her husband. Is your stamp friend Mr. Turton coming back or is he leaving all together? I was very interested in all the scandal & wonder if any more has happened about the Webb woman – I can’t understand these females that leave their little children- I read “Anna Karenina” the other day & she made me sick. Always gawping on about how she loved her son & then going off & leaving him. So it’s not just St.V. – it’s in Russia too.
It is now Friday & I have got my teeth all finished thank goodness. Linda had a touch of earache last night & as it was a miserable rainy day Cec came home & stayed with the children while I went. They were quite sorry to miss the jaunt as they love to go in the bus & afterwards we usually have lunch in town. They sit & play in the dentist’s waiting room while I am having my teeth done & are very good. On Mon. my appointment was an hour & they just played & chatted together all that time.
Yesterday I made Charlie a little pair of shorts out of the famous blue corduroy & I have begun a little jacket out of it for Lindy, so she will have a little suit with the skirt. This is it & this is the nylon orlon shantung I made my other dress of.

It is a bit like this- very full skirt. I am getting pretty quick at making things now which is good as you know how my interest can wane!
Must stop as it is late & I have to add a bit to Cec’s letter to his mother. I didn’t hear from you last week so ‘spect I’ll get a letter from you tomorrow just after I mail this.
The children send hugs & kisses – they are just as sweet as ever – at times! And at other times they’re awful!!
Lots & lots of love from us all – Cyn.

I was charmed by Cyn’s mention of Cec and their landlord Ken fixing up a home-made fire alarm, even though one could be bought commercially. In those days, of course, there were no smoke detectors so I don’t know what they came up with (I was only 4 so have no memory) but it reminded me that Cec’s ingenuity was not confined to his Lab. Thirty years later when he had achieved his long-held ambition to have a swimming pool in the back yard, he spent a happy month clambering about on the garage roof with black hoses, installing his own passive solar water-heating system, to his great satisfaction. And I can put this laptop down on the coffee table he designed and made for us and remember all sorts of his clever projects through the years- sandboxes, a doll’s bed for Christmas 1955, and in the future as we grew older, a swing, a teeter-totter, badminton courts, vegetable gardens, and, working with his dad one summer, the final touch to the outside patio- a stone barbeque for summer parties.

April 20 1956

20th April. 1956.

Dearest Mummy,
I got your letter of the 15th today & thank you so much for it. I was wondering how you were getting on all by yourself and knew that it would seem very odd to begin with, but it is amazing how soon you get into a new routine & you are so busy with your May Fair that I expect the first strangeness will soon pass. It will be nice if you & A. Trix get out to Mrs. E’s house – it will be a change & you will get some bathing. A. Trix is a boss of course, but she is lively & will keep you on the hop!
Now for news – yes, Big News from Dottie! She is engaged & going to be married very soon & is terribly thrilled & lyrical about life! Isn’t it wonderful? I am so delighted & happy for her. She met him when she was down in Birmingham staying with Grace Spellar, & he is a widower, with 2 boys & is 44 & tall dark & handsome, so it all sounds eminently suitable, doesn’t it? His name is Ken – isn’t that fate! Apart from these details I didn’t gather with much more as Dottie’s letter was short & sweet, so of course I am yearning to ask 100 questions. Oh – and I forgot – Marjorie is engaged too! They are both such marriageable girls that it isn’t any wonder, but it is so nice, isn’t it! I feel really pleased about it all.
I heard the news on Tuesday & told Margie, Lu & Willa at our Ladies Outing! We went to the French Buffet (where we went with Phyl & her mother) & ate & ate & then went to a Honey Dew & sat over a cup of coffee & talked & talked! I had on my stripey skirt & jacket & hat & all the girls were most complimentary & I felt so tickled. Didn’t cost me a penny, m’ dear!! Did I tell you Cec & Pete went to Montreal last weekend for the Radar Officer’s Reunion? They left at 8.0 on Sat. morning so the children and I drove Cec down to the station and saw the train! They came back at 3:45 on Sun. afternoon after having had a good time, so it wasn’t a very long stay! I had to take Charlie to Sunday School of course, but he wasn’t too bad although stuck to me like a leech of course! However he liked it apparently as he says he’s coming every Sunday now!
On Mon. I cut out & began a dress for myself – some yellowy-greeny nylon orlon shantung I got a while ago. I’ve just finished it to wear tomorrow night when we’re having Fanni & Teddy, Lu & Pete & Santiago for a buffet supper. I want Lu & Fanni to meet & as Fanni & the boys leave for Switzerland at the beginning of next month there’s not much time. The Blachuts were having an unexpected visit from an English girl friend of Teddy’s brother, so we asked Santiago to even the numbers & now they get a telegram the girl isn’t coming till Sun.!! Will tell you about my dress in my next – can’t decide whether I really like it!
Will be thinking of you on Sun. Lots & lots of love from us all – hugs from the children- Love from Cyn.
P.S. Lindy has been a little devil this week – hope it’s a phase!

Leaving the question of my behaviour aside- I was actually very sweet- I thought I would remind readers about Cyn’s close friend Dottie Burton, whom she hadn’t seen since she left England in 1950. Dottie and Cyn had met at their domestic science college and had spent the years becoming great friends as well as learning to teach. Dottie knew Cyn’s Newcastle friends too, so they shared social events, and Dottie may have been the first one of their circle to marry- one of the men they played tennis with! But the war intervened. Dottie’s husband died in 1944, leaving her with their son Peter. Now in her early 40s, Dottie has met and is marrying Ken Wilyman, and creating a blended family which was more unusual in those days than it is now. Cyn is delighted at her happiness and that of her sister (?) Marjorie. Dottie was my godmother, was lovely to visit whenever we turned up in England, and supported the idea of this publishing project. I’m only sorry I didn’t start it while she was still alive- she died in 2014 in her hundredth year.

March 5 1956

In this letter, Cyn mentions the fact that in the coming September, Linda will be going to school! The interesting thing about school, is that a new elementary school was being built that year, in Cardinal Heights, the subdivision on the other side of the highway, so that Linda, and Janek, and Joanne, would be in the first Kindergarten class in the new school, within walking distance of their homes. Cyn has mentioned the Sunday school at St. Margaret’s that she has been helping with- and it now appears that the congregation has divided and that they are holding Sunday School classes in the unfinished new school for local Anglican children. I assume that church services are being held there too- it went on for a few years until they managed to get a church built right next to the school. Baby boomers expanding the amenities!

March 5th. 1956.
Dearest Mummy,
My, what a gay time you’re having! Cec & I are enjoying hearing all about it practically as much as you’re enjoying having it! We got your A.M. letter from Bequia on Sat. & loved hearing about all the fun you were having there & are looking forward to the next installment! Thank you so much for writing when I am sure you had lots of things to do.
You will be waiting for the next installment from me too, as I have been very bad about writing lately – the time seems to have flown & I am amazed that it will be Easter so soon. One reason why the past week has flown is that we have been in great demand socially- most unusual! You know how it is – we go months without going anywhere & then suddenly we get all the invitations at once. I told you about going to Mr. & Mrs. Green’s last Sunday night to meet Leonard & then that Leonard came to dinner on Monday so that was quite a busy beginning to the week. Then on Wed. the Dalby’s – a young Canadian Fellow and his wife whom I’ve mentioned before – asked us to bridge & Gundron & Ben Kleman too. Phil Derby & Gudrun don’t play bridge so I played with the men while they played Scrabble. It was quite fun, but she produced coffee very late (also very strong) with huge slices of angel food cake with ice cream & frozen raspberries – lovely, but Gudrun & I both had indigestion next day! Both Cec & I felt quite “hung over” next day – due to lack of sleep, not liquor! This mid-week frivolling is so unusual for me nowadays! On Thurs. I had the car for shopping & in the afternoon the children & I went to Gudrun’s for tea & Phyl Douglas & her family were there too. Both Phyl & Gudrun were most impressed at how much Lindy’s shyness has improved. She is quite self-possessed now with the other children & was away with them having tea which is a change. Charlie still sticks to me, but Lindy is really doing so well now & I think it is the S. School that has helped her a lot, as well as her age & the fact that she is is growing out of it too.
On Friday morning we went round to Fanni’s for coffee & Lindy even stood up to Daniel, so she is coming on! On Sat. morning Margie phoned & begged us to come over that evening as she was so fed up & wanted company, & could we get a sitter, so I called Fanni & she said she’d come. She has been wanting to come as she insisted she owed me a sitting, but I usually get Mrs. Martin. However, Mrs. M is now permanently booked on a Sat. night by the French Dr. in the new house up the road – isn’t that mean? So it is nice if Fanni & I can exchange. We had a nice chat at Margie’s & a short game of bridge, but it was 1 a.m. again before we got home so I really feel dissipated! Margie is due to produce in 3 weeks time, & really looks fine. The Dr. prophesies another boy! Can you imagine – Peter is 3 this month & she is still feeding him! She says he is too lazy and won’t eat if she doesn’t! On the other hand, when the children & I were there to tea one day Peter ate a whole box of cookies quite as a regular thing! He is so disobedient too – 3 or 4 times Margie told him to do things & he just ignored her & Margie just did them for him! Grrr!
Both my little angels!!! have runny noses and croaky voices today, but I hope that neither will get much worse. They have both been so wonderful at throwing off coughs & colds this winter, but I’m hoping they will do the same again & that they won’t get bad. Charlie has been really drippy today, poor little fellow, but quite cheerful.
Besides all our gallivanting I have been quite busy sewing. Or at least preparing to get busy! Mom Costain sent in her Christmas parcel a piece of navy linen-y material left over from something of Leona’s to make Lindy a skirt. It wasn’t very much & I tried this & that but no way could I get it that it wasn’t going to be very short for her, & it seemed silly to make her something that would only last a little while. So I dug out my scrap box & found an old navy & white cotton dress Gunborg gave me & cut a piece from that & made a nice little pinafore skirt like this-

with inserts of the patterned material. The skirt has unpressed pleats & is full & the whole outfit looks very fresh & cute with her white orlon blouse. Next I had bought some pale blue pinwale corduroy at S.Sears sale for 97¢ a yd. & got 6 yds (the amount the pattern said) (36” wide) to make me & Lindy each a “jumper” i.e. pinafore skirt. However when I spread it out on the floor I cut out my skirt, then Lindy’s, then a little jacket for her & there is still a piece left big enough to make trousers for Charlie!! I feel like one of these cartoons of women who buy material at a sale & have the whole house & family draped in it! I began Lindy’s little skirt this afternoon & made it just the same as the navy one as it looks so cute. I thought the little jacket & skirt to match would make a sweet little suit in the spring & of course everything I make is made with 1/2 an eye for now & 1/2 an eye for school in Sept.! But it is really fun seeing Lindy’s wardrobe grow under the shadow of my machine – I think I get even more fun out of hers than mine, & she is thrilled at each thing I make! Maybe by the time she is more critical I will be more experienced!
I have been talking about Sunday School but don’t think I have ever told you about our start at the new school. First of all, the day it was to begin (the Sunday after our party) we awoke to find ourselves snowed in! Cec began shovelling the driveway at 10:15 & 11 a.m. he had just cleared one tire track to the road & it was up to his waist in places! Pat Tomlinson phoned & we decided we’d have to give up as we couldn’t get the car out & walking would be pretty tough too & we certainly couldn’t take the children. However we have been each Sunday since (3 times) & it is going fine. I have about 10 little children on my register but happily have only had 6 at a time & that is plenty! I am not taking Charlie at the moment- I told him if he came he wouldn’t be able to hold my hand all the time because I had to look after the other boys and girls too, so he decided to stay at home with Daddy! Lindy is in Pat’s class & is very good & doesn’t bother about me at all now. We still have a few disadvantages- 1) none of our teaching materials have come yet i.e. pictures, books etc. 2) there are no toys for my little ones to play with although we are trying to collect them. I bring things from home in the meanwhile 3) the school is not finished yet & odd jobs are being done all the time, so it means we have never been twice in the same room. In the end we will go into the Kindergarten room when it is done, but we have 3 groups – mine (2 to 3 years) Pat’s (4 to 5) & a Mrs. Dunn’s (5 to 6) so it is quite difficult. Particularly I find it difficult to keep the little ones’ attention when there are other things going on but however I suppose I can’t have everything perfect! Lindy is still very thrilled with Sunday School & of course is getting nicely familiar with the school itself. She has learned the Lord’s Prayer by heart from having me read it a few times & hearing it on the Morning Church Service on the radio. I am enclosing one of her pictures for you which I know will amuse you & Auntie Muriel!

A potluck Lab. party to make up for not having one at Xmas!

The other thing I was going to tell you about was the Valentine Party which I really think was a big success. I had all the girls leave their food in the cold room downstairs & Lila had made a lovely centrepiece for the table – a big red heart with white frill around and BE MINE on in sparkles & little Cupid’s hovering over an old-fashioned lady & man kissing! We chatted & had drinks & then had games I had arranged – by the way it wasn’t a surprise for Cec – he knew all about it, but just he had no work to do for it!! We played the “Book Titles” game where you draw & then a form of charades where a man & a woman’s names were picked out of a hat & then they drew a slip telling them what to act out for us to guess – i.e. my name & Alex Douglas’ were drawn & we picked Bonnie Prince Charlie and Flora MacDonald; Mrs. Herzberg & Jack Shoosmith did Bluebeard & his 8th wife; somebody else Grace Kelly & the Prince of Monaco etc. It was quite fun. Then another game was a Magazine Treasure Hunt & each group was given scissors, a pile of magazines, & a list of things to find i.e. 1) a wedding ring 2) a bouquet of flowers 3) a love nest etc.! By this time it was 11 p.m. so we got the supper ready & what a banquet! The main trouble was that we had too much! I had told each to bring one ordinary family size dish but so many brought 2 or 3 dishes! I made a big dish of assorted meats (ham, salami, boned stuffed chicken, spiced beef); Mrs. Herzberg hot rolls; Joan Stoicheff, tea, coffee etc.; Phyl Douglas a moulded salad; Phyl Dalby a tossed salad; Mrs. Shoosmith peanuts, chips etc. for earlier; Mrs. Narrasinham was to bring 1 Indian dish, but brought 2 of rice & 1 of veg! Mrs. Velasco also brought 3 or 4 different kinds of snacks & Doreen Moore & Nan Ramsey each brought 2 huge trifles! Oh – I forgot, Gudrun brought a lovely hot fish casserole too. You can imagine how we all stuffed! Fortunately I persuaded everyone to take their leftovers home, so we weren’t left with all the surplus! Everyone really seemed to have a good time though & enjoy themselves & the funny Swiss Dr. Dressler said as he left “Thank you very much Cyn, I enjoyed myself much more than I thought I would!” !!
I must stop now as I want to include Lindy’s picture – will write again soon. Love & hugs from us all – Cyn.