February 13, 1965
Dear David and Bonnie:
I am enclosing the 1964 instructions for (Federal) preparing income tax returns. We took David as a dependent, so you won’t be able to take him. As far as State taxes are concerned I am sure you don’t have to bother with that because you don’t have to pay the State tax if you do not reside in the State. We also used David as a deduction on our State taxes, but since you are living in Mass. and were not making any income while you were in Indiana I am sure you need not bother with it.
The little piece of thread is the yarn I am using to make myself a dress. I am following instructions and using size 2 or 3 needle and it is going so slow that I am about to change patterns and use a larger needle. The size needle I used to make Bonnie’s dress was #8 and it makes a lot of difference.
John Janssen is here today cleaning and waxing the bedroom and bathroom floors. He washed windows last Tuesday evening while we were still having warm weather. We are having a cold wave again, but without snow, for which I am very thankful.
We have decided to go to the west coast in September and have told Arvella she will either have to take her vacation then, or get someone to work for her. I think she has about decided to take Sept. All I know is that I am not going to work for 2 weeks in the office, unless I have to.
There is a missionary speaker from Korea who is going to be at our Church tomorrow morning for the worship service. In the evening there is to be a fellowship dinner. After the service tomorrow morning my class is going to furnish a coffee. I have been on the telephone for the last hour (more or less) getting help lined up to prepare for the serving.
The smorgasbord was somewhat of a failure this week. All I had been asked to do was bring a casserole (lima beans), which I was glad to do since I wasn’t asked to do anything else. Food had been prepared for 450 and 350 (or near that figure) were there, so food for about 100 had to be disposed of after the dinner was over. I had Cosmopolitan Club yesterday afternoon and told them I was going to speak my piece, like it or not. I told them I thought it is time the Church “grew up” and quit trying to raise the Church budget by giving dinners. Mrs. Chidester said if everyone tithed we wouldn’t have to worry about the budget. I told them that was the answer. Well maybe it was a good thing it flopped this year, because they said there wasn’t going to be another, the main reason being they can’t find anyone who will take charge of it. If as much effort was put into getting people to come to Church as was put into the preparation of the smorgasbord I am sure we would have much better attendance.
It is getting late and since the bank closes at noon, I will have to get this wound up and in the mail.
Love Mother
P.S. David’s razor came back and I sent it to you. Hope it arrived in good condition.
©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/01/28/the-smorgasbord/
“I am following instructions and using size 2 or 3 needle and it is going so slow that I am about to change patterns and use a larger needle.” The knitting gene seems to run strong in the family!
“waxing the bedroom and bathroom floors” Does anyone still do that?
Wow, she spoke her piece about the smorgasbord and increasing church attendance. That was very much a Gladys moment! One factor in low attendance, I’m sure: the services were so BORING. The big successful megachurches these day are entertainment centers….but I’ll say no more about THAT. 🙂