Wednesday, May 21, 2014

72 years ago in San Antonio, Texas


                                                           May 21, 1942

Dear Mother,
            I wrote a letter last Mon, and I suppose Helen will send it on to you.  I’m glad the wedding seemed so nice, and that everyone was happy.  It was good too, that I left my dress home, and I hope Pearl enjoyed wearing it.
            We have had 3 days of lovely weather, not too hot, but beautiful summer days, altho tonight it is getting hot & sticky again.  We've just come in from our walk & put Alvin to bed, and I can’t seem to set my mind to writing very well.
            We decided that tomorrow night we would take our supper down to the park, it gets so warm in the house in the evening.  Reed has surely been a grand companion for Harold down here, and I've enjoyed having him here too.  He is no extra bother, makes his own bed, & I never have to pick up after him, and he acts just as one of us.  He gave me a couple of dollars last week for taking such good care of him when he was sick & I bought kitchen curtains, & oilcloth for my table, & some summer pajamas for Alvin.  Both Harold & Reed play with Alvin so much and make such a fuss over him I believe he sometimes wonders who his daddy is.  Reed has stayed with Alvin a couple of times while we went to a show, & several times when we’ve gone to church.  Usually tho we take him to church with us.
            Last Tues. we walked out to our new church, altho it took us an hr.  It is a beautiful little building tho, & they hope to be in it within a month.  Wed. night instead of having Relief Society all the men & women went out & scraped paint off the windows, and had sandwiches & cake afterward.  We have just had to tell them we couldn't help them pay for the church until we got on our feet.  As it is we haven’t been able to save any money yet, but I’m sure we’ll come out alright.  Last week we bought a chest of drawers, and it is a big relief after living out of suitcases for 2 months.  Yes, I’ve been here 2 months yesterday.
            Alan Lundgren is going back home on June 5th for 10 days, & will be married while he is there.  He requested the ofc. Here to offer her, Ruth Horne his girl friend, a position, & they have written to her requesting her to come, altho she will get paid $2.00 less than the boys are getting.  He has already rented a furnished apt. and moved into it.
            How are all of you managing with your sugar rationing.  I forgot to go after mine the first 2 weeks making the first stamp void.  I’ll surely have to watch them each two weeks.
            Did I tell you that we had our phone connected.  Our number is Kenwood 9472.  That call we put thru to Carlsons cost us $4.25.  We had no idea we talked so long, & we forgot to tell the opr. To notify us.  It is good to have the phone in tho because the boys will soon be working nights, and Harold says he feels safer having it in.  Since we have had it in, the church people have been able to arrange to call for us to take us to Church.
            I am still feeling fine, & getting brown as an indian.  I’m also getting pretty big altho the Dr. says I can’t expect to gain less than a lb. A week.  That seems a lot to me, but it is about what I’ve been gaining.  I’m just watching my diet, but I drink a lot of water, & it seems as tho it is the water that adds weight.  The heat has made my feet swell the last 2 weeks, but I still get in my walking.
            Write & tell me how you find Roland & Lois, and how all the children are.  I hope Lois gets along well, & we will be waiting to hear how she is.  I how you’ll enjoy your visit with them, and that they will appreciate having you there.  I can just imagine they are all so grown up we would hardly know them now.
            It is 9:30, & time I was getting Harold & Reed off to bed.  They are trying to teach themselves Spanish.  Goodnight Mom take care of yourself & give our love to Roland & Lois.
                        With Love,
                                    Laura, Harold & Alvin

[Included pictures: one of Reed Clinger and Alvin and one of Harold and Alvin “Harold must have been chewing some grass”]


No comments:

Post a Comment