Nice try

On my birthday Daddy asked me out to eat at the Park [hotel] and then to the Eskin [theatre] to see "The Taming of the Shrew"  Usually I am home at night (also days) and when I do go out, I prepare for it by resting up beforehand.  Too too bad but a nice try.

Winter coat

(1968 February 21)
Yesterday I bought a new winter coat - blue and black - with fur trim so I can wear a fur hat with it ... if I want to.  Half price and buttons up well at the neck.  The one I wear to Church is too dressy for dashing downtown on errands.

ABC book

(1968 February 21)
So glad to get your letter, and I have been trying to get some pix to fill out Lawrence's ABC book, but we take almost no magazines that have pictures any more; however, I think that pictures of the family would be interesting to include - E for Elizabeth, G for Gail, M for Mama, etc.  This does not mean I have stopped looking, and will send on any I come across.

Ale

(1968 February 3)
[After your quick Christmas visit]  Even Daddy felt bad - he had gotten in ale, and with all the commotion never got it out.  Wanted to have some with you.  Well, you have to be terribly quick to get a record played, or something said you have been wanting to say, let alone favorite dishes cooked or drank, at Xmas.

Detour

(1968 February 3)
The Seminary [Street] bridge is unsafe and closed and being worked on, therefore all traffic to clinic etc. goes by our house, including school buses, trucks, etc.  Big difference.  People walk over the dam.  Cabs charge 50 cents instead of 40.  I was going to town to do a few errands but doesn't seem wise to add a dollar to my small purchases, so may rest up and go with LL at one some other day.  He works late - TAXES.

Auditorium remake

(1968 Februry 3)
Friday spent nearly all day abed and took pills and was OK to go to opera at night.  The Auditorium has been painted pale blue.  All the gold cupids and trim done over.  New furnace.  Red covers on seat backs.  Red carpet.  It was "La Boheme" in Italian from Wis. U. and very well done.  There were two sets - actually painted on each side.  The interior of attic became outside of tavern.  I was intrigued.

Daddy days

(1968 February 3)
Daddy did well this afternoon.  Brot a lemon pie home in perfect order.  He works away at his coin book and has a new Bach organ record.  Tax time again.  At the annual [parish] meeting last Sunday, he asked, at close of meeting, when we would be able to discuss this new service with Fr. S?  And a few choice phrases not complementary.  Next day, Fr. S. came by to see me, and Wed. night called by invitation, and he and LL had a very good private talk 8-11, but no concessions.  At least, communication.  Monday, yesterday, hestarted his coin book over from beginning.  Probably all for best. Different approach.

Competition

(1968 February 3)
WRCO (radio station) has consented to let the College have the air Sunday nights, and they had a big meeting, and MM is temporary chairman.  She says who would leave Ed Sullivan and Smothers Brothers for them.  However----

Apology

(1968 January, first Tuesday)
Some traitor may have gone behind my back, whispering to you about my being lacking in business acumen.  To illustrate his theme, he may point out that had I been so minded and alert, I should have given you this mail [when you were here for Christmas] so you might have cashed your check.  On my part, let me point out that:  (1) My mind is on more important things, such as feeding the starving.  Ask any man whose faintness is due to lack of nourishment which he would rather do, sit down to dinner or cash a two-bit check, and you will see my meaning.  (2) Not having x-ray eyes, how did I know it was a check anyway?  (3) I wasn't to blame anyway.  Why wasn't I asked if any mail had come?  At any rate, here's your old mail, and really, I am sorry.

Happy new year?

(1968 January, first Tuesday)
Happy 1968.  Pogo says it doesn't have to be happy.  But so nice if so.

Little boys

(1967 November 2)
When I go shopping, I eye the little boys and often ask their mothers how old they are, to keep up with Lawrence.

Modern Colonial

(1967 November 2)
Last night Auxiliary met at Alice Read's - new people here who built a house beyond Meadows on top of hill.  Looks small from road, but many rooms.  Frautschi's Madison [furniture store] did living room - theme is Modern Colonial - no maple furniture [like Polly's colonial], all walnut, all quiet and good taste.  Mr. Read has a study with old fashioned desk, sofas, etc.  In basement, a shop - saws, etc.  Children have their rooms in basement.  Also big playroom, etc.  Many closets.  Also a family room.

TA's on strike

(1967 November 2)
Daddy heard driving in Madison terrible now since bus strike.  Cars bumper to bumper take hours to go few blocks.  Parking?  !!  This riot caused a lot of trouble.  Every day papers full of opinions - police brutality - student rights - administration power, etcetcetc.  Meetings rehashed on the radio for breakfast and on TV evenings.  President Harrington interviewed by panel, etc.

Careless

(1967 November 2)
Yesterday George Bancroft's funeral here.  He was head of a building concern - concrete - made garages, roads, etc.  Had permission to carry a gun on Fridays when he had the payroll $5000 for crew.  Came home with gun in sweater pocket, stumbled on stairs, gun went off, bullet in lungs, etc.  Seems odd he, an ex soldier, could be so careless with a gun.

Living

(1967 November 2)
I think of you as I go about my daily round.  I think of all the good things you are doing that are so grand, and all the others I wish I could push back in limbo, wherever that is.  Living is the hardest thing to do in this life, I guess.  If we live alone, we are lonely, and if we live with others, it's hard to get along.  ...  The only thing to do is try, and I know you are doing that.

Mum's the word

(1967 October)
Last night Daddy went to Father S's study group [about changes in Episcopalian liturgy].  He came home feeling he had done his duty by going and keeping mum.  But on the side, tells me what errors in spelling were made on blackboard, what haf truths were stated etc.  He could give the lecture without notes!  But very sporting to go.

Allergenic art

(1967 September 13)
MM's art course [at the RC campus] met first time last night 6:30-8:30.  Class includes Drs. Meyer, Spear, etc.  They climbed a hill behind the campus and drew the scene below - right thru the ragweed, dews and damps.  Some wit remarked now class was over a clinic could be set up for colds and hayfever.

Mini skirts

(1967 September 10)
Mini skirts are banned by high school, which put out regulations, and now the stores here are stuck with thousands of dollars worth of clothes which were ordered months ago when high school said no restrictions, as I hear it.

Laugh-in

(1967 September 10)
We watched a new TV show called "Laugh-in" (Saturday nite).  Try to see it - very fast jokes and good.  Those buttons were everywhere:  Thop Lithping.  Lady Godiva wears jockey shorts.  Down with mini skirts.  Goliath was stoned.

Foreboding

(1967 September 10)
Church this morning and a warning in the sermon that things will be changed by the Seattle Triennial.  Highlight the Mass and toss out the Confession and Creeds is what I gather will be done.  Well, many old bishops will be against that and perhaps some were present in 1928 when the Prayer Book was first adopted, and they certainly will feel traditional, as you can guess we do.

Brotherhood

1967August 23)
Last night we spent an hour at the Meadows - Ann told about a wild tea she attended to honor a girl from India dressed in a sari (named Maude Murphy!).  It was at the height of the Arab-Israeli war.  As they sat sipping tea, one large-busted woman folded her arms and took a stand.  "Push them into the sea!" she would exclaim.  "Drive the Jews into the sea!"  Nearly everyone else there knew Ann to be Jewish.  One meek soul did say, "I do think, don't you, we should all try to practice brotherhood?"  The worst part was the Indian had come here to observe the religious tolerance she had heard America stood for.

Step back

(1967 August 9)
A year ago today was Daddy's gall bladder operation.  As I was spending an hour and a quarter in the dentist chair yesterday, I saw him go by on the way to court - by Fleming's [shoe store]- the old spring in the step just as always.

Ordination

(1967 October 16)
The Ordination [of our rector] went off without a hitch.  ...  There was a big variety of people there.  Owing to small building, I thot few would be asked.  Not so.  Every clergyman in RC, I think.  Delegation from Milwaukee and Madison.  Bishop H. says in his column in The Churchman there is an Ordination every Saturday now, and heccan hardly get his yard cleaned up before snow falls.  I was interested in two nuns who didn't genuflect as they came in and were a little lost in the beginning of service from Prayer Book to Hymnal, but as soon as the Mass started, they knew right where they were and went right along with it!

Trial period

(1967 October 16)
Daddy is wasting his life fighting in the courts over a heifer today.  One guy lost it, one guy found it and kept it - etc. etc.  Yesterday it was 4 trials.  Monday no noon hour other than eat and off to hospital to telephone-radio lecture to lawyers in area.  All trials in PM.  Oof!

Almost trivia

(1967 July 16)
Lots of little things going on around here of interest to us but almost too trivial to mention - the gopher that climbed way to the top of the apple tree; the brown thrasher family; the turtle the newsboy had in his money bag when he was collecting one morning; the new type sermons Fr. Stolpman is giving; my tooth that broke off with a crown in the offing - are all samples.  It is the same with you, no doubt.

Mittens in July

(1967 July 16)
What weather do you have [in Kansas]?  Hot summers?  I wonder what the winters are.  I have a spell on me for knitting mittens now, and if any of you will be needing mittens this winter, please draw around your hand, label with name, and forward together with color preferences.

New nuisance

1967 July 16)
The pantie factory below us has moved to bigger quarters, and I hear the City is going to use it for High School Recreation, Dances, etc.  Hire a Caretaker.  We are enjoying the Quiet while we may.

Summer of love

(1997 July 16)
I hear you have been to California and had yourselves quite a time!  It made us tired just to read it, and we're glad you were the ones who had lived thru it and not us.  Stamina must be the watchword.  Oh yes - the Hippies and the Chippies - we hear about them in our remote village also.  I'm sure you must have seen a lot of lovely things also.

Obedient dog

(1967 May 3)
May Day MM went down by river bank and picked big bouquet violets.  Dee <5> was to go also but for some reason would only frisk back and forth on bank by our clothes line.  Tho he has gone down alone by river and had to be called back.  [Probably understood that he was never to go down to the river]

Beaumont Ave.

Hear you are thinking of buying a house.  Arguments for and against.  Big consideration is money and depreciation and upkeep.  LL says it's a luxury.  The first one we bought was cute but too small.  When Daddy found he couldn't keep his stamps in your room any longer, I think it was a disappointment.  Our bedroom was also a sad place, as the rain burst in on the closet shelf and wet the albums one spring.  Think hard about your needs and what you can afford for upkeep.