Tag Archives: Lena “Lea” (Keith) Gieselman

Building Projects

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]
Kentland, Indiana, March 12, 1962

Dear David:

We are still enjoying (?) unusual March weather, or maybe I should say usual. I think most of the population around here is ready for spring. Mark and Shirley and Becky came for the week-end. They certainly will be glad to see warm, sunny weather. I told them I thought Becky looked a little pale, but why shouldn’t she. She hasn’t been out in the sunshine for such a long time. She was feeling pretty good, but had a little cold. They still have her on a fat free diet because of her bowel condition. I mashed potatoes for her with just a little skimmed milk. Made some plain Jello and had skimmed milk for her to drink. She could have some broiled steak, which she seemed to enjoy and some unseasoned lima beans. I suppose if they could never feed her anything else, she would think her diet was good. They haven’t been giving her any eggs or orange juice. She did have some cereal for her breakfast. It doesn’t seem to slow her down any and she put on a good show for us. Mark and Shirley both were getting over severe colds. I wanted them to leave Becky here. Mark said they would talk it over and maybe some other time. They didn’t make any date as to when they will be coming back. However, they have decided it is too much to go to both places for a week-end and after this they will go one place one week-end and the other the next time they make a trip this way. Mark is learning how to do the book work (Just in case I need help along that line). He isn’t too happy with his new job. He is going to try to get something else thru the placement bureau of Northwestern. I wanted them to come for Easter so you could see Becky, but no promise.

Lea and Bob were here for dinner Saturday, but went home early in the afternoon. They had spent Friday night with Lea’s folks at Ade.

You received another dividend check from GM for $2.00 which I will deposit to your account. You know John bought some Rexall stock when he was home last summer. He has been receiving dividends from them right along (not very high rate, but at least something), but today he received a right – he gets to buy one share – he has 75/100 fractional interest in one share. I have to mail the card back ordering the share to be bought.

I went to a meeting at the hospital at noon – regular monthly meeting of the Ex Comm of the Auxiliary – and the road is in terrible condition – as are all the streets and highways around here. We can hardly get to the office for the mud. The snow is about gone from around here, but we are having rain and some snow mixed in with it today, so we will have mud for a while. We finally got rid of the ice on our driveway (without having David chip it off).

Julie was in church yesterday: I asked her if she had seen you recently. I also happened to see Nancy Holley about two weeks ago.

Dad is still building things in the house. I think it will be some time before he needs to work in the yard – however if we knew we weren’t going to have another freeze, it would be a good time to roll the yard. He has the lawn mower all fixed I think. He has finished all the shelves and is ready to start building the cabinet around the washing machine. We want to begin work on the office as soon as possible, but that can’t be started until we have warmer weather. I am getting anxious to get this place (I am at office now) done over. The linoleum in the waiting room had cracked too much that it will have to be taken off. I am afraid when we get started we will find a lot of things to be done. Aren’t you glad you won’t be here? I know it will be a mess for a while, but it will be worth it.

I haven’t seen Mrs. Myers since the day I took her to the hospital and then took her out to the house, but last week, I had a round of bowel infection. I was sick all night Wed. nite and stayed in bed all Thurs., so didn’t circulate around too much for a day or so.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/10/05/building-projects/

Thanksgiving 1966

1 Reply

November 24, 1966 envelope

Letter transcription:

November 24, 1966, p. 1

Thanksgiving Day 1966

David, My very Dear

The book which you so kindly purchased for me arrived, and can’t tell you how grateful I am for your getting it to me, and also, I hope you will forgive me for asking you to purchase your own Christmas gift, but you don’t know what it meant to me. I am enclosing check, and I had thought it would be more.

I have a gift for Bonnie, and your mother is going to include it for me in a mailing to you both before Christmas.

I am at home alone today, very disappointed because I wanted to see baby David, whom I have not yet met. Your Mom invited me for Thanksgiving dinner, and Mark and Shirley and the kids and Lea and her husband, and John. Last night about ten o’clock Gladys called me on the phone and said that both the little kids had broken out with chicken pox. Becky had had it a couple of weeks ago and they thought the two little children were not going to get it, and when they arrived in Kentland your Dad discovered they were in full bloom. So of course, my never having had it, they did not think it wise for me to come. Gladys brought me my dinner, which I am going to eat in a short while. Mark, Shirley and the children were returning to Indianapolis this evening because Mark must work tomorrow.

The day is very gloomy and overcast, but not cold. Looks as if it might do something. There are so many things I would love to discuss with you, but I do not have the strength to write what I would like to. I look forward every week to your letter, and you will never know how I appreciate it. I know your time is very precious to you, and it is wonderful thing for you to take part of it to write to me.

My very dear love to you and Bonnie, and I am sure she is thrilled to have her folks here.

Always your
Grandma

P.S. Gladys said she would write you about the Nizer book. Your Dad does not have it, but you will hear from her about it.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/09/01/thanksgiving-1966/

Miss Indiana University

1 Reply

February 21, 1963 envelope

Letter transcription:

February 21, 1963, p. 1

Kentland, February 21, 63

Dear David

Your fine letter of Feb. 16 was received with great pleasure and appreciation. Chris’s picture, well, “Wow,” she is indeed all you say, very beautiful indeed. She looks just like a movie star, and a lovely one at that. I will be thinking of you tonight and picturing you helping her with her dramatic reading, and also tomorrow night. If her talent matches her beauty, I don’t see how she can miss.

I missed that TV program you spoke of, I had looked forward to seeing it, but had to be on duty in the office and guests wanted another program. Tomorrow night on NBC there will be the life of Maurice Chevalier, but of course you will not see that as you will be at the pageant. I enclose a clipping I have been keeping for you about him. How well I remember those girls Rosie and Jenny Dolly, twins, in their heyday with him about fifty years ago.

I would love to have seen your panel program, and your Dr. Hill sounds wonderful. What a rewarding thing for you to know people like this and be associated with them. Your program for this semester sounds wonderful and I am sure the subjects are ones which will keep you interested and feeling you are doing what you want to do. The requirement of attending eight Beethoven concerts would not be hard to take. I love to hear the cello. When I was a youngster in Chicago and saw all the big musicals, I formed a habit of picking out one instrument and following it through the performance. Thank you so much for the reprint. I remember reading it. I always read everything on that subject with great interest.

We are back again in the deep freeze, and of course you are too. It fell below zero again last night, and the roads very icy and high wind, which all occurred early in the afternoon, so men who were out on the road hunted cover, and we had the first good night’s business this year.

I am so happy for Lea. It is tragic for those who want a family not to have it, as I well know from my own experience. It is a terrible things to grow old without a family. I hear the schools in Brook and Remington have been closed on account of the flu, and Harold said this morning that Patty says half her class are out sick, and there is talk of closing the Kentland schools. I pray it passes us and we are spared such a thing.

Please let me know as soon as you can about the Miss IU contest. I will close and get this in the afternoon mail.

Much love
Grandma

The ten finalists for the Miss Indiana University pageant, 1963, can be viewed in this newspaper clipping.