Letter transcription:
9-19-42
Dear Daddy-
At last we are having some fall weather. It is cool and raining. It has been just like summer until today. Mark is in bed today. He has been having a little temperature every day. I am going to have his tonsils taken out if necessary. He seems to feel good but has this temperature every day. So far his appetite is good. So is mine. I am afraid I will gain too much but seems there isn’t much else I can do since I have been trying to get my strength back. I walked down to see Arlene and Donald last night. He is so fat. He weighed 8-12 at birth and at 3 weeks is over 9 lbs. John took his music lesson this A.M. came home with a new book and said “average 4¢ each.” The book was $1.00 and had 25 pieces. I wonder who he learned that from? He wants me to assist him in baking a cake this afternoon. I think he will have cooking for a hobby – since he likes to eat so well. Had a letter from your Mother. She had rec’d a letter from you and wanted to tell me, but the day she rec’d hers I rec’d three. They are all well now. Uncle Wes will stop here Mon. and give me all the news from there. Let me know if you want me to send Dr. L. pictures and tell him they cost $1.35.
Love Mother
I remember when I was growing up it was a very common thing for kids to have their tonsils taken out. I wonder if that is done much today.
Not quite sure that the issue is here: “John took his music lesson this A.M. came home with a new book and said “average 4¢ each.” The book was $1.00 and had 25 pieces. I wonder who he learned that from?”
Glad to hear that mother was able to get out, at least for a short walk. Arlene’s house was only three or four houses west of ours.
John and the music book has the appearance of a math lesson. It strikes me as something Roscoe would say since he had only recently left the teaching profession at this point. Theoretically, Roscoe left education when he graduated medical school in 1938. Juanita has said in her letters that Jake attended medical school during school breaks and vacations.