After my parents were married in 1958, they started the long, long trip by car from Michigan to New Mexico. My mother stayed there until 1960. These are the letters that my grandmother sent to my mother during that time. Other letters in this series are here. When this letter was written my Greatgrandma Mary was staying with my Grandmother.
Dear Ones:
Thank you for your letter Mickey*. You don’t know how it did brighten the day and yet I could just bawl and bawl, but mom is around and she sees to it I don’t.
(my grandma and her mother)
Did you say Lucy* had hay fever. Oh Oh that’s bad.
Well Maryrose, I have sent out three boxes of books by Railway Express collect, insured for $300. Thought I’d try it and see which way is the best. I sent three out Thursday. Also I sent two packages by parcel post. One was all books I think. The other had the grater that Grandma bought and a shirt of Pete’s that was left in the closet. I just looked for your Spanish Books and they don’t seem to be here, so I must have sent them unless they are the ones upstairs. I’ll tackle them as I am able. My back and gallbladder are sure going to town.
Dad hasn’t worked until today. Detroit called about 10 o’clock. Dad went to the Chevrolet, he said to fix some leaks and he didn’t know when he’d be home. Oh well. Oh yeah, when you shipped those 3 boxes and the trunk, was the man able to find Tierra Amarilla? The man who helped me found it but the shipping point was Espanola, so that’s the way they were sent. I also found out Tierra Amarilla has a 3rd class post office, and we can send a package weighing 70 pounds to 100 inches combined girth.
Mom made 2 dresses, one for Joanie and one for Agnes.* Their birthdays are coming up very soon. We had a much needed rain last night, all night, and until about 9 o’clock. As usual we have about 4 acres of alfalfa hay cut down. Calvin can start plowing for wheat now.
I took your wedding pictures in for Father Donahoe* to see. He thought they were beautiful. I am mailing them to you Monday morning, someone may come over (to see them) Sunday.
How about making an even deal, the pictures cost $67.00 and the extra for the Bridal Part is $13.50 making it $80.50 and that is about all you could get for the Dodge. If this is OK with you I’ll get some insurance on it. Too risky to drive with no insurance. I am enclosing the title, will you sign and I can notarize your signature. I will have to send it in for change in ownership, Kurtz can go ahead and put some insurance on it.
Calvin is going to Paul and Opal’s this weekend. Dad had a good time but Ivan, Elmer and someone else didn’t come. God Bless you and keep you both,
Mom
*Mickey was apparently my mother’s nick name! When she had surgery last spring, the nurse asked her how they should wake her up and she said, “Mickey.” My sister and I both looked at each other and were bewildered! We told her to use “Maryrose” instead. Now I feel kind of bad about that.
* Lucy was my dad’s sister. She was really, really mean to my mother. When I was in my 20s I was afraid to meet her! But she was all hunched over with osteoporosis and not so scary by then.
*Joanie and Agnes are mom’s first cousins. I met them once when I was little.
* Father Donahue was grandma’s employer- she was a church secretary!
* Opal, Ivan and Elmer were my grandpa’s siblings.
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