In 1958 my mother got married and moved across the country. These are the letters written to her, mainly by her mother, between 1958 and 1960. Others in the series are in my del.icio.us file.
December 12, 1958
Our Very Dears:
We received your very lovely letter yesterday Maryrose, and we all got such a thrill out of it. I don’t think anyone ever waited for time to pass as we have lately, and with time getting short for some of us, that is something to wish time to pass quicker. Eh?
First of all let me tell you that we went downtown yesterday and bought a Westinghouse Electric Roaster at Hubbard’s and they are shipping it out today. It will go out by Railway Express, and we figured that Hubbard’s would know how to pack it so that it will get out there in good condition. It is one of the delux models, you can do everything with it, and in the bottom of it there is a little sliding tray that gives you an enormous amount of information as to time and temperature for every kind of food. You can bake in this thing too. If we could afford it we would have gotten you a toaster too, but you’ll get that for your birthday, one of those Hostess Tray Toasters. I hope you like the colors in the Roaster.
Our shopping is just about done. We didn’t have too much to do, it just doesn’t seem like Christmas at all around here. Calvin tries so hard, but it seems like more than half the fun is gone since you are not here. We always had so much fun this time of year.
Calvin wanted a hi-fi set, so I gave him some money towards one and yesterday he bought one at Hubbards. It is an RCA Victor and it has the plug for the stereo addition. It is very nice, and sometime after the first of the year, he will get the additional box, the stereo box.
Dad’s ankle is getting well slowly. If he stands or walks on it very much it swells up so he keeps it bandaged up. He tickles me so. When you were at home he just kinda took things for granted. Now it seems your being home is on his mind so much. This other night he said “Just think, in a few days Maryrose will be in her room again, it will be like old times, and yet it won’t but it will be so nice to have her there won’t it.”
Calvin too. So often we speak of the baby and of course we say that you will be living too far away for us to enjoy the baby much, and Calvin will say, “Well yes, it is too far away, but I am so glad that she is happy and it feels so good to think of being an Uncle actually instead of a make-believe uncle to somebody else’s kids.”
I called Mrs. Sunstedt day before yesterday and she is progressing slowly. She isn’t going out yet, but when you are home she wants us all to go over for an evening. Oscar and Nancy will be home and maybe Betty. Sunsteds were supposed to go to Betty’s for Christmas, but with her getting so sick they can’t. It will be a long drawn out illness. Of course I don’t understand why she should have gotten so anemic since she is always baking things to build her blood up. She proceeded to tell me what all you you should take for your benefit and the baby’s so I just agreed with her and let it go at that. I do believe that your Doctor should know what you need. There are so many things that we want to ask you when you get here, so be prepared to have your ear pounded a lot!
Are you having as much snow out there as New York is? Think of it – 6 1/2 feet! That is not all of New york, just Otsego, New York. I think we are having a much more severe winter this year than last.
Did you know that we do not have a newspaper? The Journal has been out on strike for two weeks now. I never realized just how much we liked having the thing around until we have had to do without it. Calvin and I passed some of the pickets yesterday, and I said to one of them, “When are you going to settle this thing so we can have our paper again,” and the man said, “Oh one of these days,” and Calvin said, “Well I sure miss Joe Palooka. The man roared and said, “Boy you sure got a lot of catching up to do haven’t you.”
There are rumors that perhaps the strike will be settled soon. Now the New York papers are striking. I think people are so silly sometimes.
Boy we got our tax statement yesterday. Our taxes were doubled last year and this year they are just about doubled again. I wonder what they will be after they pave Irish Road next year, and then pave Bristol Road in 1960. No wonder so many people sell their houses and buy a house trailer.
Well, my drudgery has started. Yesterday I stuffed Father D’s Christmas calendars and stamped the envelops. I have been working on the Sunday envelops too and maybe I can get them pretty well out today. I’m not sure but I am so glad always when these things are done. Then Father D. announced that we would have to have the annual report for the bishop out by the 1st of January because he is going away on the 2nd. He is flying to Mexico. Sometimes I sure feel like throwing up my hands. On top of it all the end of the year things to do, he decided to try to organize the altar society again. So he had some cards printed with different things the ladies might be interested in doing, then asked me to put the names in alphabetical order and then to put the names interested in some activity together. There are about 14 activities listed, and some of the ladies are interested in all 14 activities. Believe me that was quite a job. Writing the same name 14 different times, and noting whether or not they could get to the meetings. There are actually about two dozen women in the parish who are absolutely not interested in anything. It would be nice if he did get an active Altar Society, it sure is a dead one right now.
Oh yes, maybe you should suggest to Pete that he get that back door un-warped. You know you have no fire protection out there and the door should be usable. I take it you are going to have two rooms? One for your kitchen and one for your general room?
You two have chosen very nice names for the little one. Calvin said, “She is using my middle name too!” Dad is so pleased. Yes, Elena is correct and thank you so much. You should be getting quite a lot of letters from here, I have given your address to quite a few people.
Well I am getting so I am wandering about so I must be run out of news. It seems funny that you have to make arrangements from out there to come here, because you don’ t from here to there.
Anyway, I’ll close now. We hope and pray that you do not have a severe winter, and that Pete won’t have to work too hard this winter. But I will think it is funny not to have barns to house the sheep and cattle in during the bad weather. It seems to me that in time, what you have lost in cattle and sheep would build quite a barn or pole barn. I am very much interested in the pole barn type of sheds for the cattle. Joe Spzis has built one, and is enclosed on three sides, one side is open, and he houses three hundred steers in the thing. I don’t know why something like that wouldn’t be just the thing out there, but then those people just know what they are doing. We didn’t see any barns or sheds when we were out there together did we?
Say “Hi” to Lucy and Mrs. Esquibel and give our best wishes will you?
God bless you both and keep you, lovingly
Mom
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