John’s Plans

Letter transcription:

Sat. June 27 1964

Dear David and Bonnie:

Yours of June 24^th postmark received the 26^th – so don’t bother with airmail – it arrives just as fast by regular – at least your first letter did. You wanted to know what I meant by saying John was coming home via Japan & New York. Don’t ask me – that is what I understood – at least that was what he wrote. He has to stop in New York for an examination which is required of people who terminate their services overseas. In his last letter he said he would leave Djakarta the 8^th or 9^th – fly to Hong Kong then to Japan. Since he has to stop in New York he won’t arrive home until about July 18^th – so maybe he is going thru Chicago without stopping to see us. At any rate I will give you the full details after he come home.

I have been working with slides and have all but – one box or two in slide trays – I didn’t put your dental pictures in a tray. I even put the ones from Korea and the pictures John took in Indonesia & Bangkok in trays. We sold the little Bill & Howell projector to Janssens and I was going to give them a number of boxes – did give them two but discovered we didn’t have any left after I finished putting our own in order. I gave a program for Morocco W.S.C.S. and they gave me a check for $15.00. I am saving for a new screen. The one we gave isn’t large enough and there is a kind that can be used with lights on. We have to give a program for Hospital Auxiliary July 13. Dad is giving one for the Nurse Association July 8 – I am invited. We gave a program for Goodland Lions Club this week on Tues and they gave us an Argus projector. It is a neat little gadget for viewing individual slides. Enlarges the picture about 4 times.

So glad to hear about your job. I hope you took some of those old shoes along. As far the hours you have to work – well you were always a night owl.

– Monday – I hope it isn’t as hot in Boston as it is here. We have really had a few scorching days. I had to go to Lafayette today to Officer’s Training Meeting.

[page 2] Even after being home in air conditioning I am still warm. However I feel better in hot weather so have no complaints. We have six boxes of pills for Bonnie. Will try to get box mailed tomorrow.

The enclosed slip is for your information. Your stock certificate from Sperry came so your file is complete.

Dad is preparing a program he is going to give for Nurse Assn. He is selecting a few pictures from each country and he took some pictures of maps. We don’t have any idea how those will be but we thought a slide showing a map would help in showing where we traveled. Alma was here last night on her way back to school in Urbana. She loaned me some of her slides of the wedding and rehearsal and I am having duplicates made. I was going to put a picture in the local paper but can’t seem to get one just right. All of my slides look good on the screen but do not make good prints. For some reason all are too dark.

The swimming pool next door is quite a popular place. Just like County Fair with radio on most of the time and guests talking and taking dips in the pool. We still are having the dog next door problem but think we will get situation under control in a day or so with more fence.

I want to get this in the box before I retire, so will take it to P.O. while Dad listens to the news.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/12/29/johns-plans/

Speaking Program

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Letter transcription:

June 25, 1964

Dear David & Bonnie:

Dad brought the enclosed home (more free samples) so I thought I would get them in the mail – not that Bonnie needs them this soon, but so I won’t forget to send them. I think you can use them in the same dispenser – these tablets are made by a different company, but Dad says they are the same with a different name.

Dad had to go on an emergency call Sunday evening just before time for guests to arrive, but he was home before we had finished eating dinner. Alma came for a little while on her way back to Urbana. She left the pictures she took at the shower and wedding and I sent them in to have duplicates made and got prints instead. Will just have to send them back for more duplicates. The pictures she took of you and Bonnie coming out of the Church is better than the one my camera took. I am having an enlargement made of it and will send you one when it finally comes back from the photo shop.

Mark called Sunday evening and said Kirk was running a temperature and they couldn’t get a Dr. so Dad gave a druggist a Rx over the phone. I called Shirley Monday evening and Kirk had improved. She said she gave him some jello and milk and he tossed it then a little later he found a cucumber and ate it and kept it down, so I decided he must be much better.

All of your stock certificates have come back but Sperry. I sent your Blue Cross policy last week.

Last night I went to Morocco and gave a program for WSCS – my subject, Hong Kong. I wore my silk dress I had made in HK and heard a lot of ohs and ahs. The group all seemed to enjoy the program and looking at my art objects. I also took the extra saree along. I think I could have taken orders if I would have wanted to go into business.

This is one of those Thursdays when the telephone isn’t bothering too much. Dad has finished mowing the lawn and looking for something else to do, or maybe nothing to do.

Father Fallon was found dead in his house by another priest this morning. He (Father F) was just in our office Tuesday evening for a Rx.

Alma is supposed to stop this evening. She said she was having a long weekend, since she doesn’t have classes tomorrow.

Have you heard from Bonnie’s parents? We were just wondering if they got out of Japan before the earthquake. Let us know what you hear from them.

Love Mother

P.S. Sending pills later.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/12/28/speaking-program/

Insurance Policies

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

June 19 – 1964

Dear David & Bonnie:

Here is your Blue Shield – Blue Cross Policies and your cards – one for each to carry. Just hope you won’t need to use them. I think it will be a good idea for you to read your policy to see what coverage you have.

Summer has really settled down on us today – ninety in the shade before noon.

Lots of luck.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/12/27/insurance-policies/

Grandmother Clubs

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Letter transcription:

June 18, 1964

Dear David & Bonnie:

Yours received several days ago. I have sent on several pieces of mail and some packages. You didn’t sign your stock certificates correctly, so Jim sent something for you to sign. He talked to me over the phone and I thought he said he had your address and was going to send it directly to you, but it came here, so I forwarded it.

We are entertaining bridge club Sunday evening. We are going to stay home for dinner – we usually go to the Nu-Joy, but I decided I could do it by myself. I have everything practically ready and am going to serve the kind of dinner that won’t take too much last minute preparation.

I have been cleaning what used to be your room – now I just call it the extra room – and have found a place to get rid of all those books which had been stored there since we have lived here. There is a little library at Lake Village and they have a Book Mobile and said (Mrs. Arbuckle) they would be glad to have anything, so I am taking everything I want to give away and she said if they couldn’t use something, they would give it to someone else. I have the back end of the blue Cadillac about as full as it will hold of books and magazines. It is surprising how much one can get rid of when one decides to just throw away. I just wonder why we kept all those text books, etc., so long. Well now I have a lot of empty shelves and I suppose when John gets home he will fill those shelves with his things. Maybe it is a good thing I got busy.

Dad has been spraying today and trimming and taking bebe shots at the neighbor’s dog. There is a dog with the trailer next door and their dog can get to be quite a nuisance. Dad kept talking about doing something about it. One day Garnette was here and said he knew where Dad could get a good bebe gun very cheap, so now we have one. It, I think, is going to help keep the stray dogs out of our evergreens, etc.

According to John’s calculation he should be home a month from today. The last letter we had gave us that information. I think he intends to spend a little time coming home – about ten days, so that will be his vacation I suppose.

Florence Puetz was in the office recently and was a little concerned about Jim being in Tokyo or close to Tokyo. She was wondering if where he is stationed the earth quake did any damage, or if he had to help in the stricken areas. You know, he went to Japan just recently.

Mrs. M. called me one evening this week and was quite happy to have had a letter from you.

I gave a program for one of the Grandmother clubs this afternoon (about Bali). The women all seemed quite interested. Dad decided we needed an automatic projector, so we bought one from Sears. It is quite good, but a little heavier than I like to carry. We are to give a program next Tuesday evening for the Goodland Lyons club. Janssens bought the one we had (Bell and Howell Projector, that is). We keep getting calls all the time for more programs. I have to go to Morocco the 24^th and give one for W.S.C.S. We went to Brook last Saturday night and gave the Bali program for the Hospital employees. Several said the program wasn’t long enough, but Dad insists on keeping them not too long. We intend to review the Aegean Sea program tonight ourselves for giving Tuesday. The new slide boxes hold 40 instead of 30, so I have had to transfer all the slides. The new projector is my Father’s Day gift to Dad. I hope you don’t forget to send Dad a card.

J. Janssen came two days this week and cleaned and waxed floors. He seems to like to make the money and it gives me a lift. He is to come Saturday and wash windows, and do any little thing that needs to be done.

Hope you have found employment by this time. I read in the W. Street Journal about the public transportation difficulties in Boston. I hope they won’t effect you.

Love Mother

Your letter was posted June 13 and we received it the 14^th.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/12/26/grandmother-clubs/

The Doctor’s Schedule

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Letter transcription:

Dear B & D:

I hope you didn’t need this to get your apartment. I didn’t think about enclosing it in the letter mailed this AM. Letter from John today. He will be arriving home about July 18. He is going to Hong Kong and Japan after leaving Djakarta July 9^th. I wouldn’t want to say whether he will stop and see you on way home, however, I will give him your address just in case he would want to. The letter I wrote yesterday gave a small account of accident – when Dad came home he told me the youngster was only 12 years old and he was sure he has a fractured skull. I don’t know what the outcome will be (law wise) since he was too young to be driving a motor vehicle. Dad had to go to Hospital at 11 AM for surgery and I think a baby case followed him over, so he may have to miss afternoon office hours. That always makes the next day or two much harder. He got the mower out last night and did get some done before accident. Too bad I won’t take to that mower, but there are plenty of people who will gladly run our mower for a price. I have been putting pretty bows in a drawer today and getting rid of boxes. We have a new projector.

[page 2] We have programs to give June 13 (both of us) June 16 (just me) June 18 (just me) June 23 (both of us) July 13 (both of us) and Sept 21 (just me). Dad decided our projector was not adequate so the new projector is for Father’s Day.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/12/25/the-doctors-schedule/

Normal Routine

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Letter transcription:

June 9, 1964

Dear David and Bonnie:

I wouldn’t be writing you first, but for two things. Mrs. Myers called me Saturday afternoon late and wanted to know where you were, or something to that effect and I soon discovered you had forgotten to stop and tell her goodby. I think she was rather disappointed, but said she was glad you hadn’t, because she thought it was better not to say goodby. At any rate, I told her we had attended a wedding at 12:30 and that I was getting ready to go to the reception and that you were getting ready to go to Bloomington, and I presumed you had forgotten to stop. I think you had better write her a letter. I haven’t had time to stop and see her myself since I had an appointment to get a permanent this afternoon and had several things to do this morning. The second thing is about a package which came today from Dr. Cole. It had a letter attached, so I just forwarded it on to your Boston address and hope it doesn’t arrive before you do, but since it is a package it shouldn’t get there before the 11^th.

We took the folks to the airport and it was almost 4 o’clock by the time we left them, so they shouldn’t have had too long to wait. Dad told Bonnie’s Dad that they would probably be in Chicago before we got to Kentland. We arrived home at just about 6 o’clock.

Dad ran the mower a while this evening after dinner, then had to go to the hospital because of an accident. One of those families we had used the – “you pay us, or you don’t get any more allergy shots in this office” – and they had made one $10.00 payment on the accumulated account. Dad made the comment when he was called, “can’t pay their bill, but the kid has a motor scooter.” That was how the accident occurred – the youngster was out for a ride.

Now that the wedding and commencement is over, we are getting back into the normal routine around here. With John coming home next month, I have a few things to do to that room to get ready for him, so although the excitement of the past month is over, I have plenty to keep me busy. (over)

[page 2] I kept putting boxes back into the furnace room for you to use for your packing, now I have to start burning. I also have quite an accumulation of pretty wrapping paper and bows and ribbons, but have decided to keep that for a while.

Let us know all about your new place of abode and how you are getting along.

Love Mother & Dad

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/12/24/normal-routine/

Sorting Pictures

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

April 10 – 1964

Dear David –

We talked to Ins. office again and we think the only thing to do is to transfer the car to you so plan to come home next Fri. or Sat. and we will go to Morocco Sat. a.m. and make the transfer. We are not dealing with license Bureau in Kentland. We are planning to go to Indianapolis Saturday afternoon to attend a Blue Cross meeting. I didn’t think about that when you were here last week. It will just mean you will not stay here for entire weekend but at least you can get the car. It is a good think you didn’t take it last time you were here. When I took it in to have the headlight replaced I learned it needed a new part – something to do with lights – and part had to be ordered. It should be repaired by next Sat.

Dad is attending meeting at hospital this evening. I am still sorting pictures but about through. Two more boxes came today. One we took in Paris and one on Islands of Delos & Mykonos. I have

[page 2] been asked to give several programs. Rotary May 11 (Dad decided to let me give that one), one for S.S. class in June, another S.S. class in Apr. and Florence Puetz asked me today to come to their home and show some pictures for her family and friends. Jeannette Batton warned me.

I hope the R.S.V.P. on invitations was OK with Bonnie. To be certain it was correct thing to do I consulted a Bridal Consultant. When will her mother arrive in Boston?

Love Mother

The Acropolis and Parthenon

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

March 23, 1964

Dear David:

Your cable was here when we returned from cruise. Our cruise ended at about 8 a.m. It was a most interesting experience. We boarded a week ago today at 5 p.m. Sailed at 7. The first evening a cold buffet was served and one could sit at any table. We had met a couple on plane when we flew from New Delhi to Beirut who were on the cruise, so we ate with them first evening. We were assigned to table 17 so next morning we found our table did not meet the rest of our group until noon. Seems some people hadn’t got the word so were just sitting at any table. At our table at noon we met a couple from Ann Harbor, Michigan (man with Dept. of Architecture at Michigan U.) a man from San Francisco who sells fruit and skis for a hobby – Carl Anderson and a woman who had been skiing, Esther Hail, also from San. F. our cruise took us to Island of Crete where we saw the remains of Minoan civilization in museum and a palace that has been excavated. Island of Rhodes where we visited an acropolis and saw more remains. In afternoon we visited a museum and saw hospital which had been used by Crusaders. Thurs. we visited Ephesus and saw and took about 2 rolls of pictures of remains of Roman city & the supposed site of burial place of St. John. Also prison (from a distance) where Paul was kept. Friday afternoon we had reached Istanbul and had a tour of city. Sat. a.m. we had another tour. On the Fri. tour I corrected a Muslim guide who in relating the story of Jesus visit to temple and return home said they returned home to Damascus. I told him it was Nazareth. He got a little confused and said a Bishop had corrected him about another detail one time. We sailed back toward Athens, stopping at the Island of Delos yesterday a.m. In the afternoon we docked at Island of Mykonos and spent afternoon there. It was quite pleasant. I bought a few things and had them send home. Also bought two scarfs I have in suitcase. The people of Mykonos were very friendly and very proud that Mrs. Kennedy had visited there.

Island of Rhodes

On Island of Rhodes we saw a crowd of people receiving U.S. surplus food. Dad took a picture of one woman after she had her sack and was putting it on her pony cart. I probably will not write again. I hope you will be able to meet us – providing our plane isn’t too late. Glad you have your acceptance at Boston. We can see the Acropolis & Parthenon from our room. We have a tour this afternoon so we are just resting and looking over city from our room this a.m.

Love Mother

We are wondering if you received your suit. If you did we would like to know before we go thru customs. I do hope you get the house dusted before we get home. (I hope I am not being too repetitious). We had so much to eat on the cruise we have, as of since breakfast, started on a crash diet. I think I won’t be hungry for days, and the way my clothes feel around the middle I need to lose a few pounds.

Cruising the Mediterranean Islands

1 Reply

Dear David – Thought I would just drop you a card from Istanbul. We arrived here this afternoon and will begin return voyage tomorrow noon. We had a trip to Baozar this afternoon. I bought 2 dolls. We have really enjoyed this cruise and have seen many interesting things in the Islands between here and Athens. Will stop at Delos and Myponos on return trip. Our sightseeing in Athens will begin when we return there Monday. I will get the Wari beads for you. Have seen hundreds. Wish I knew what color you want.

Love Mother

Athens

5 Replies

Letter transcription:

March 15 – 1964

Dear David: Your letter was here when we arrived. I still think you two should graduate normally. I hope I read your letter correctly that we will be invited to Founder’s Day Celebration on the strength (how else) of your grades. If you go to Kentland, remember what Jeannette Batton said about Bonnie staying there if you spend night in Kentland. I wrote you in another letter that you will have to check with Air France as to arrival time. It is supposed to be at 1:40 p.m. We have heard since then that we can go thru customs in Canada if plane makes a stop there – it may. If we could go thru customs there it wouldn’t take us long to get away from O’Hare. We haven’t decided what we will do when we get to Chicago – I doubt that we will spend much time at Mark’s – you know with all that mail waiting for us we will probably be anxious to get home. No appointments until April 1 so that will give Dad a chance to wade thru things. I do hope you can get the house swept and dusted before we get home. I wish we had you with us here – we can’t read any of the signs around here – it’s all Greek to us. We can see the Parthenon from the hotel – but not from our window – our room is on other side but we can see it from lounge. Everything seems very quiet. We took a walk this afternoon and took a picture of American Embassy. It was refreshing to get to Athens today, after almost a week in a country that is nearly 100% (nearly) Muslim. There are 1,000 mosques in Cairo and they are building more all the time. We really had some nice tours there and saw the tomb of King Tut. Also saw all the things that are in the museum that were taken from tomb. We made 3 trips to the museum. That is a popular place – people coming and going all the time. Do you and Bonnie have work in Boston this summer? From your letter I rather thought you sounded like there is where you will spend the summer. Our hotel room is on 9^th floor and we have a very good view of the city and nets in background. We start on cruise tomorrow afternoon but will try to find the beads for you tomorrow a.m. I don’t know what I will be looking for but someone around here surely will. We ate a light breakfast at 6:30 – had a huge breakfast on plane at 9:30 so it is almost 6 p.m. and I think we have waited long enough for food. I think we have both gained – but once we get back home we can lose any extra. This cruise won’t be any help in the weight losing dept. You will have time to get a letter to us when

[page 2] we get to Paris if there is something you need to write about. It is always nice to pick up letters – we had six when we arrived here today – so had lots of news.

Love Mother