Nomination

(1973 early December)

Last week I was honored by being asked to submit my name for nomination for the Board of Trustees of the Women's Auxiliary of the [Wisconsin] State Historical Society. Both the chairman of the membership drive and the director of the Museum like my interest and work.

Rolling home

(1972 May 8)

Against horticulture advice, I tried to get my lawn rolled, as trucks from roofing supplies made deep ruts vying with moles, but our landscape artist has made such a name for himself he goes out of town and plants new campuses, etc. But it seems to be recovering without him.

Toy stories

(1972 May 8)

You are on the right track with Lawrence when you encourage him to keep his things picked up and have some regard for their worth. God knows why children do the things they do - sometimes curiosity, as when I pried all the keys out of my toy piano "to see where the music came from," sometimes to see how it was made. Sometimes to see what other use it could be used for other than the one the maker had in mind. There must be many kids like this, as few on reaching adulthood have the toys they had as children. I recall I gave you my dolls to play with, Gertrude, a large staring blonde, one Japanese, about 3 others - until you played fire department and doused them with water, and in disgust I gave them to the church to be distributed to the poor at Xmas. Wish I had them now.

No oilcloth

(1972 January 21)

I have tried all over town and no oilcloth. Gone completely off the face of the earth. I may be able to get a thin plain vinyl very much the same sometime and have my cohorts working on it. But will take time. Meanwhile if you should find any, 12" would do, the width of the material would be unimportant. The stuff here has a knitted backing, therefore heavy, is "crushed" looking. About $4.00 a yard. Just no good for this. "The wet look."

Whatever next?

(1972 January 21)

Yesterday I phoned Naeema Malik to come over for a cup of tea, and as I was on the way to put the kettle on, here came two men from the city water department to turn off the water and install a new water meter as mine no longer worked. Whatever next? Well, didn't take them too long, and soon Gen. Taft came with a problem in her crocheting, and soon Naeema with baby, and we had water again and therefore soon were drinking tea.

Portant papers

(1965? March 13, Friday)

I hope this day was not unlucky for you, but just a last school day of the week day with family and kittens at the latter end. Miryam wrote about your not minding if yours bothered you when you were reading. Well, I can tell you one time Daddy nearly cleaned house on ours when we lived on the Hill. At that time his study was just off the kitchen and as we had kittens in the kitchen, we likewise had kittens in the study. As you know, he always had piles of papers on the floor and stamps to be soaked off and so on. One night I heard a virulent swearing coming from his room, and when I at last got him calm enough to speak a few English words, I learned the kits had been pooing on his papers. Oh, such a time. When you were three, you used to say "'portant papers." We used to say that a lot, even now.

Snowmelt

(1971 March 16)

The house has stopped leaking now that the snow and ice are off the roof; and tho we had severe thunder storms which diminished the banks of black snow, no more leaking has taken place. Also it is warmer, so I am more comfortable now. But Skip, it was really a tough old winter for me.

Nesting

(1971 June 7)

Last night churchwomen met at Mabel K's and I was able to see a deserted Cardinal's nest between a vine and screen of her front porch. She tolerated the family coming and going but deserted 2 chicks and 3 eggs when they moved the porch furniture on. I would have never stepped foot on the porch till all had flown.

Chicken Little

(1971 June 7)

I am also enclosing my earliest handiwork of which I am so proud, and look upon it such nostalgia I could almost have it framed. A little chicken Aunt Lois drew for me to work. I remember the episode well tho very young. 6 (?). [A square of cardboard with holes pierced, following the pencil outline of a chicken, and joined by threads of yarn. Now in Kay archives, labelled by Polly.]

Unpleasant fiction

(1971 June 7)

On WHA TV (Channel 21) Dostoevsky's Possessed, revolution and all (shudder shudder). Now Balzac's Pere Goriot - unpleasant too.

Sidetracked

(1971 June 20)

I hope you had a good Father's Day today. Did Lawrence remember you? Father Sims tried to say a few words about Father's Day and Fathers, but being unprepared got off on Mothers and the Virgin Mary - not even equal time.

Bad reports

(1971 May 17)

Many of my investments are not paying what they once were because of strikes, added building programs to fight pollution brot by pressure, etc. I read all the reports and try to learn something.

Dollar watching

(1971 May 17)

Then I am worried about the dollar. I listen to all I can on the radio and read all the articles in the paper. I know I couldn't understand those in the technical magazines - I also know that anyone like a bank president (when you have money, especially) would give you an optimistic answer. But to my intuition this affair in Europe - the floating mark in Germany, inflation here at home, the many unemployed growing, Nixon's contradicting himself - it all makes me very uneasy and I feel I should be careful with money.

Banisment

(1971 May 17)

I don't recall Lawrence [5] ever saying naughty words, and I am sorry to hear he was barred from the frat house for using them. The sand will take up a lot of his time. Get him a funnel. Of all sand toys, a funnel is best, and also a sieve. You should find these at your shopping center. Also a big spoon. Children love to spoon the sand in a sieve and throw out all the stones left when the sand goes thru. Also funneling sand into a pop bottle can't be beat. Of course wet sand will make castes etc.

Vandals

(1971 May 17)

I looked out yesterday and noticed someone had picked about a dozen of my tulips in the semicircle - also I put up a sign for kids who are wearing a path thru the yard: "Please use my path" and this someone wrenched off. All in broad daylight. When I get around to it, I'll put up a stronger one.

Blossom time

(1971 May 17)

Yesterday the Birketts invited Mabel, Helen Dixon and me to go on a drive thru Gays Mills where apple blossoms were for acres almost like frost on the trees, then on to Prairie du Chien to see Fr. Simm's tulips in his back yard. They were all in full bloom and very lovely. I was a little surprised on how small the yard was - he told us about it so often it kept getting bigger in my mind. Then everyone went inside for drinks and snacks - at last on the way home we crossed the Mississippi River first, for a good look, at my request, and drove by Villa Louis, and home the other way following the Wisconsin River.

Distant cousins

(1971 May 4)

Surprised to hear [cousins] Joe & Joyce Heard there [visiting Lawrence KS]. Yes, I can see how they [Christian Scientists] would be cool, so against smoking & drinking, and you two no doubt puffing away! Still and all, he sounded so proper and nice when he called us that time. I have no idea why relatives couldn't be mentioned.

Boxer

(1971 May 4)

And on the SF [science fiction magazines], I have boxed up 10 boxes so far and am 3/4 done. A big burly task for a liddle gurl like me - takes me 1/2 hour to an hour a box. And I try to do one every day at least.

Martha's 1 & 1/2 cents

(1971 May 4)

I have something so funny to tell you. You aren't the only one who can solve a puzzle - tho my little story is not original, I'm sure, and Daddy would say, "Oh, didn't you know that before?" Yet it came new to me and this is how I discovered it.

You know how much trouble it is coping with these presidents on stamps - so I thot I would salt them away for a while in the vertical file you made and tackle them all at once some time, maybe when you were here. So I made a list of the presidents all in due order, with Washington No. 1, Adams 2, Jefferson 3, etc. - as an index; then numbered and named the file pages "(1) Washington" etc. Then I was ready to stash them away.

This Presidential Issue is always popping up in batches I soak; so I started in on them. All of a sudden, I realized the 1 cent green Washington, 2 cent rose Adams, 3 cent purple Jefferson indicated by their denominations their turns at the Presidency! Not a word about this in Scott, but terribul clevah! How about that!!!

Ever since Eve

(1971 July 7)

I wish you were here - I had just pinned my red slippers on the clothes line and was about to go up the steps when I saw a thin s-n-a-k-e disappearing in my wild flowers. I won't get the slippers in until the snow flies now.

Frugality

(1970? Summer)

I will tell you about closing the Apfelbaum deal [to sell some of Lorin's stamps]. When Mr. Gittes phoned to see if I would accept their price, and I had decided to do so, I replied, Yes, I would, if they would also send me an 11-cent Liberty stamp to finish out my issue. He said, "Mint or Used?" and I said I didn't care. So when the envelope came, I ripped it open, and here was the check. I shook it and the letter and couldn't find the stamp. So I decided a separate department would be sending it later, or else they forgot all about it. Later, when I was putting it all away, I noticed they had used the 11-cent Liberty for mailing the letter! Frugal.

Choreboy

(1970? Summer)

I suppose Lawrence [5] has a lot of time on his hands this summer. I wonder if that boy has any regular work to do. If not, he should be given daily tasks. He is not too young to start. I was pleased when he brot his tricycle in every night, but I mean more than that. What could he do? Well, he could be responsible for the front porch, back porch and patio, and sweep them every day. No lapses. I think his mother should set him cutting dandelions.

Imbalance

(1970? Summer)

I cannot balance my checkbook. I try for hours, and last month got help at the bank. Even so, the number the girl ends up with is not my balance, and I do not understand it any more than I do space calculations.

Wrong way

(1970? Summer)

You are the only medieval person I know, so I must write to tell you I have been so enjoying a little book of Daddy's called Medieval People, a paperback by Eileen Power. I read the chapter on the peasant Bobo, the one on Marco Polo, and am finishing up Mme Eglentyne, Chaucer's prioress in real life.... Then tonight on WHA-TV from U of Michigan a professor read from Chaucer the description of the Prioress - and interpreted as he went along - very easy to follow for anyone. In describing her forehead, Chaucer said it was a span - Prof. showed distance of span from thumb to forefinger and thot it a long way, but our Miss Powers said it meant the height and she probably shaved her head to make it that wide as was the fashion! I enjoyed noting the difference of opinion. Don't you too?

Signature

(1970 January 30)

My thanks to Lawrence [5] for his picture of teepee! Just love it. Also like his signing his own name - so long a name too!

Antique jeans

(1971 January 20)

I did come across a box filled with your old blue jeans [in the attic], so if you want work pants we must remember those. [Still around 20 years later, at least].

Needlepoint Bible

(1971 January 20)

Thank you so very much for your Christms check. This morning I put it in my checkbook account but have not spent it yet. It was very welcome. As you may know, I have many expenses due the first of the year. I paid my taxes, well over $500. ... I am leading up to the fact that I would love to buy an expensive book on needlepoint. So would you care if I didn't buy the Bible just now? I want to cover the bench in the hall and the Victorian chair in the attic, and these new books tell how you can make your own designs etc.

Snow 18"

(1970 December 15)

It is ten degrees below zero this morning, our first severe cold spell not counting the cruel windy times. This follows our record-breaking snowfall, which all in a day, last Thursday, gave us 12-18 inches where grass was green in the morning.

Splitting a cent

(1970 December 23)

I again have received $10.00 from Helen Lauson for the Kay Family. If you all were here, I might spend it for the feast of which all would participate - as it is, MM will have $3, as will I, sending the same to you and $1 for Lawrence. I recall Daddy used to divide this by giving each of us three $3.33-1/3 but I thot it would be easier to cut Lawrence in.

TV thriller

(1970? Summer)

I don't know where one bird nest is this spring. Feel I'm missing something. Am now going to watch a TV program on how to water plants.