Smith | Genealogy Lady

August 21, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

August 21, 1945, p. 1

8-21-45

Dear Daddy –

We worked in the yard yesterday afternoon – I wanted to be in the house after 6 PM in case your call came thru early we wouldn’t miss it – however we figured it wouldn’t come before 8 PM. I weeded the large flower bed on the west side of the back yard. I got two or three bu. of weeds. Mark mowed the back yard and we got it raked – John & I cleaned off the terrace – so the back yard is looking much better. Mark kept at the east side until he got it conquered. John helped me weed and we got the evergreens and iris cleaned out. We got the yard all raked where it was overgrown and it looks pretty good all over now. There is just a little more weeding to do around in spots, but the biggest jobs are done. My arms ached so last night, but I feel pretty good this a.m. Got a bu. Of peaches yesterday but couldn’t put them all in the locker (4 qts.) because they weren’t ripe enough. I will prepare today what has ripened since yesterday. It won’t be so hard this way. I ordered a bu. of green beans for today but that isn’t hard work. Since the yard is under control I can now work in the house with undivided attention.

August 21, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] I asked Link about this strip of ground east of our lawn and told him we wanted to put a hedge along our east side – he said we could put it out as far as we liked because there will be 60 ft. between our lot and the new highway if it goes thru. However I won’t do anything about that until later in the fall – hoping I’ll have “good help” by then.

I called Loughridge yesterday and I think they wanted to see what they could get before giving an estimate and promised it by Wed. I went down to the Lbr. Co. yesterday to see about coal and Chet promised to send out 500 lbs. but must have forgotten it. We had enough coal to keep the fire going. John has been very good about firing. J. & M. went over to school yesterday & registered. They didn’t see Smith but the office girl was there. They didn’t know her (not Mary McCray) and John wasn’t at all pleased about the changes Smith has made. He can write you all about it.

There was no mail this morning so didn’t hear from the niece. Maybe we will soon.

I got David three pr. sox in Laf. Fri. Yesterday in emptying the den waste basket I found them. I think David had put them there. He is really having a grand time. So far hasn’t left the yards – is usually where I can see him. He likes to play in Zell’s sand box.

After talking to you last night, I thought I might have sounded a little odd, but I had dropped off to sleep waiting and wasn’t as alert as I should have been. We miss you.

Love Mother

August 21, 1945, p. 3

P.S. Harold Portteus called just a few minutes ago – He said the letter Dr. Horton wrote for Jim had been lost and he needs a new letter. They can’t locate Horton can wonder if you can write one for Jim. I told Harold to send you a night letter and he said the Draft Bd. Here would write you he thought, but he wanted to let you know in advance what it is all about. The man who brought the green beans is Mr. Illingsworth (Mrs. McG.’s dad). He also gave us enough corn for today. He had tomatoes to sell, but I am afraid to work with them.

August 21, 1945, p. 4

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/04/08/cleaning-up-the-yard-gladys/

April 29, 1944 envelope

April 29, 1944, p. 1

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
4-29-44

Dear Daddy –

Doesn’t seem possible that it has been a week since we were anxiously waiting for you to come home. Just hope we can look for you next Sat. After I wrote to you yesterday, I took David out in the yard with me and he fell down smack on his lip and made it bleed. Then after we came back into the house he fell again and made it bleed again. I put sulfa powder on it and took him to the Dr. this morning. He took the stitches out and in spite of everything it looks pretty good. The swelling from the bumps yesterday is about gone. We have been trying to keep him from falling today. I put him in the Taylor Tot and Mark pushed him around this morning and has him out now. Buddy came out to play with Mark. He will get a taste of what it’s like

April 29, 1944, p. 2

[page 2] to push the baby around.

Al came out this morning with our mortgage exemption for me to sign. He wanted to know if we were going to rent the house to Smiths. I said we would but if we wanted to come back would want the house. I told him we couldn’t say anything definite about how long they could have it. He wanted to know how much rent and I said just enough to meet the payments – between $45 & $50. He said they didn’t have any other house in view. I asked him if he knew of any rental agencies in Evanston or Chicago. He said he didn’t, he is just new in this business.

I have been thinking I might get Dorothy or someone to go with me and go to Evanston or someplace around there one day and house hunt. What do you think?

April 29, 1944, p. 3

[page 3] John has the Opera on. It is being broadcast from Chicago. I wish I could have taken John up for this particular opera, but Miss Smith said the house was sold out weeks ago – that is tickets under $5.50. If we were all in the upper brackets a little $5.50 wouldn’t bother us.

No mail today. Not even a circular. I suppose two or three of yours (letters) will come Mon.

– – Just had a hair cutting job – Martha wanted her bangs cut – but that didn’t take very long. I forgot about the haircut I was supposed to do last weekend until after you left. You no doubt have visited a barber there.

Another pause to take care of David and get him ready to go back out. Yesterday in Laf. he didn’t want to go in the elevators – when I came home and told John, he thought

April 29, 1944, p. 4

[page 4] it was “cute” or something like that. He says he can remember the time I made him ride in the elevator and get over his phobia. He said you weren’t along. I remember the time myself. It was in T.H.

I attended class party last night at Simisons. I was talking to Clarice and Smith is the man Huftys were talking about the evening we were there. I told her we were considering renting our house to them and she said she was glad because they were anxious to find a place. This man Smith has a lot to live up to because I think Bob and a few others pulled hard to get him.

I should write your Mother and tell her about David’s fall or should I say falls. I think by tomorrow it should be healed enough for him to be turned loose.

I must get busy.
Love Mother