More Communications by Mail - 1938

How you write to your uncle to tell him about your birthday on Thanksgiving.

How you write to your uncle to thank him for his gift.

The Last Saved Post Card from Camp Horizon

Jump forward to 1947 and a sixteen year old at church camp in Arkansas City , Kansas. (As a side note, that town and the river running through Kansas, are pronounced "R Kansas" NOT "R KAN SAW.") We can immediately tell if you are a native or a visitor.

Naturally two of the main subjects of a teenager were sun tan (burn) and boys. 

Almost seventy-one years ago - a more innocent time.

Report of a Wind Storm

This is card from the same trip that was mentioned yesterday. My granddad was a carpenter. During the shingling of a school house, he upset a wasp nest and was stung many times on his balding head.
I am surprised I don't have a card mentioning that but it is in my memory. He was able to drive his old car home and he was in terrible pain from all those stings.

This is a screen shot from a movie with the 1928 Buick coupe like my grandparents owned. I don't remember the name of the comedian in the shot but when I was watching the movie, I had to grab my phone and get a photo of that car. This car stayed in the family when my grandparents came to live with us when I was thirteen. I wanted to drive so badly - Jo and would sit in it and wish we could drive it!  We both started driving at 14. It was legal in Kansas. Two questions to get your license: Are you color blind? Do you have epileptic seizures?  That'll be fifty cents please.

So evidently the car was sold before we were able to get our licenses.  My first car was a '34 Plymouth. . .it wasn't mine! My folks sold a '41 Hudson to a friend and replaced it with the Plymouth.

Newer cars were not available during WWII. 

Post card from vacation in 1939-40.

When I was a kid, you could put a nine year old on a train, send them a couple of states away to visit their grandparents and never have a worry in the world about their safe arrival.
There were stewardesses on the train, wearing uniforms and they watched out for youngsters traveling alone. I never wore a name tag.

I did this several times to go to Fairfield, IA, and then on to  Richland and Woolson where my grandparents had a small farm. What a great adventure. I met people on the train and talked to them, had them sign my autograph book and felt so grown up.

My mom packed a small suitcase (carry-on?) with a bunch of little gifts to open. I checked my wrist watch and opened one every hour. I don't know how long the trip took but I know that there were no train changes - it was straight through from Hutchinson, KS, to Iowa!

If it sounds like we were well-to-do, we actually weren't. My dad was a lineman for the electric company. Mom had been a registered nurse which she returned to during WWII. Yes, I had a watch and they were able to pay for a train ticket. I wonder how much the fare was then. In the 1950's it was only $3.00 to go 100 miles on the AT & SF.

As to the post card. I hadn't learned to spell strawberries or roast.

At least it was in cursive.

Saturday

Our ice is gone so I went out this morning to get yesterday's mail. Two ads. Thankfully, no bills.

This morning Henry VIII and Abe Lincoln of Illinois have been on TMC. I wonder how closely they matched the actual history as we know it. I was never very interested in history in school and blame that on the way it was taught. There were so many interesting things that could have been told that could have made it fascinating. Maybe they do better now.

One former teacher in another state used history class to bring in the type of clothing, kitchen utensils, food, customs and farm items to teach the kids. As I understand it, they loved his classes.

God bless the teachers.

Friday Again

These weeks just seem to go by faster and faster. Only a few more days (16) until we change the clocks again. My preference would be to pick a time and leave it there. Daylight or regular is fine with me - just quit going back and forth. (Does this sound like I'm a little irritated? Yep.)

It's not the time change only. First of all, I am so lucky to be where I am today. I have wonderful husband who never struck me or strayed or swore at me.  (The three S sins?) His main fault: when he gets an idea in his head, it's full force on to get that mission accomplished.  Think mesquite wood in Arizona. We looked all over for some to buy and bring back to Kansas for grilling. Not an easy task. I guess the restaurants bought it all.  When we were home, we found some for sale at a local store. Strange solutions to odd problems. Maybe it's just a strong stubborn steak which does get things done!

Anyway, I am very lucky to have been chosen by my parents after spending five months in the hospital. I wonder who paid that bill? Probably in 1931 it was $50 for five months.  When we had our first son in 1959, the whole charge to the doctor for nine months of visits and delivery was $100. (There was an extra ten for circumcision.)

After all this rambling, the thing that irritates me is the attitude of people in this country - the divisions that seemed to be encouraged by those on either side of the opinions. In the words of Rodney King, can't we all just get along?  Just believe the way you want and let others do their thing as long it is lawful.

Not likely but I keep hoping.

Icy Thrusday

No school and very slick streets mean we are glad we cancelled our doctor appointment.

I am really "out of yarn" now. I finished up a crazy looking hat with leftovers. The best thing about it is that it's warm. I wore it to the mail box to get yesterday's mail.  Walking on the crunchy grass to avoid the glazed cement, I managed to bring in the junk mail. Some day maybe we can get the mail box attached to the front porch. Nothing lazy about me!