Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
May 28-1943

Dear Daddy –

No letters so far today, but 3 came yesterday – the latest being dated May 17 – The second check hasn’t come yet but will probably come in a day or so. Your letters all come, tho some get delayed. I am sitting on the front step writing so I can keep David in the sun. Mark has gone to 4-H Baking class. He took ingredients for a “one egg wonder cake.” John has to practice on the oboe. He has to play it in the band for the Memorial day ceremonies and he hasn’t played it yet in the band. He just got it a short while before school was out and has been learning to blow it. It doesn’t sound as well alone as the sax. I told him it sounds like a snake charmer. I suppose Mr. Webster thought the best way to break him into the band with it was to tell him he had to play at certain time.

I talked to Dr. Cole Wed. about Mark – in fact took Mark along and he thinks his tonsils should come out. This is a repeat in case the previous letters are lost or delayed.

[page 2] I thought the sooner the better and next week would be as good a time as any. Probably will be over it and entirely recuperated by the time you get this.

David has turned over in his buggy – that is why someone has to watch him all the time. He won’t stay put. His second tooth is about to come thru. I gave him orange juice again this morning and about an hour later he thru it up. I keep trying but he throws it up nearly every time. I still give him vit C and he gets canned fruit. He can’t take tomatoe juice either. His bowels are always more or less loose, so can’t give him prunes or juice. I tried giving him potatoe to tighten things up but he doesn’t eat them so well. He gains about a lb a month now – he is so active he works off his fat. He isn’t thin by any means – weighs 19 lbs now at 8 months – but is 29 inches long. He is very tan now and we keep him in the sun as much as I think he needs to be. Sometimes I manage to get him to take a nap in the sun. I get him out of doors more than Arlene gets Donnie out and yesterday her sister was here and said she couldn’t get over how tan David is – Donnie looks a little pale beside him.

Had to stop and put D. back in his

[page 3] Buggy – he was crawling out. Mrs. Zell loaned me a harness to secure him to the buggy and I think I’ll have to use it. John had a “fit” at such an idea but I asked him if he wanted David to fall out on his head – then he decided it would be better to use the harness. It sounded a little horsy to him.

Mark just reported home with his cake – came home proudly reporting he made it entirely without help from the instructor (Mrs. Rupp). It was a success and he is so thrilled. It is nearly time for the next sugar coupons and it’s a good thing with all the baking the boys want to do. They are cake eaters. I have managed to save from our sugar enough to make some preserves & jelly. The boys really missed their spreads this year and I want to get some made this summer. There won’t be much fruit to can I am afraid. The winter was so long and hard there probably won’t be any peaches at all around here. Clara M. has a strawberry patch and we are to get our berries there if she has any.

We have to apply for the third ration book. It has to be in by June 30 but I am going to mail ours today. I don’t

[page 4] know what book 3 will be for but tickets from no. 1 are about gone.

I had John put some clothes to wash and I think they are probably ready to hang up now. The sun is so hot today they will soon dry. I want to get our storm windows taken down. It has turned so warm we need the screens in the bedroom windows. The storm windows have been so swollen from all the rains we haven’t been able to pry them open but this heat will soon do the trick. I think we are going to have summer all at once.

I hear the boys coming up from the basement – sounds like I will have to get busy and hang up clothes or see about something for lunch. We are out of potatoes. The last I bought cost .75¢ ½ peck, but I think I’ll have to break down and buy more. We can’t do without meat and potatoes both – not that we are trying to do without meat but have been trying to use less.

My head feels like it is baked so think I’ll have to go in the house. David has decided to climb out of his buggy again – will have to take him in and put him to bed.

Love Mother

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/07/07/ration-book-3-gladys/