Thursday Evening, Dec. 22, 1934
I’m standing the Xmas doing fine. Ruth has been here two days helping for I’m making a dress for her of one of Ida’s. Most of my letters and cards are written and my last box went off today. I forgot to tell anyone it would be a ‘skimpy Xmas.’ Pearl said she couldn’t send presents. Nothing to sell tho they have vegetables, fruit, beef and pork and of course plenty of milk, butter, so they’ll do, but Al had borrowed $600 on his salary to pay some bills and get stuff and it was all gone. . . Ethel said this move would strap them and she couldn’t do anything either. Well, anyway, you ‘have done something’ so here’s hoping. Ruth is coming down to help me decorate the tree and they’ll all [June & Bertha’s family] be here for Xmas as usual and maybe Cordells will too if he is able and John B. I’m expecting a good time. I wish you’d come over. Couldn’t you have arranged it?
[Again she lists the items she has sent to her children and grandchildren, much as in prior years – useful items, needful things. The gift to Myrtle was most interesting, I thought.] “To Myrtle an atlas she’d wanted and a lady doll to muffle her clock at night. I made the doll, a full old-fashioned skirt of velvet lined and padded with cotton. I hope it fits. . . “
I may fill little boxes with sugared popcorn, nuts, candy for the tree just to make
it livelier. Shirley sent me a box with paper tags, etc., and some small stick candy and nuts for the boxes. We send a crate of eggs to town about every two weeks and it keeps us in groceries. I got candy, nuts, oranges, grapefruit, etc. We’ll have to have some lettuce, celery, etc., come up for Xmas, too. Aunt is helping me out by doing some of the cooking – pies, cookies, etc. Earl’s box has come and Myrtle’s. I must close with love and all good wishes, tho that doesn’t express it at all it seems to me. Mother – hugs & kisses.
I’m standing the Xmas doing fine. Ruth has been here two days helping for I’m making a dress for her of one of Ida’s. Most of my letters and cards are written and my last box went off today. I forgot to tell anyone it would be a ‘skimpy Xmas.’ Pearl said she couldn’t send presents. Nothing to sell tho they have vegetables, fruit, beef and pork and of course plenty of milk, butter, so they’ll do, but Al had borrowed $600 on his salary to pay some bills and get stuff and it was all gone. . . Ethel said this move would strap them and she couldn’t do anything either. Well, anyway, you ‘have done something’ so here’s hoping. Ruth is coming down to help me decorate the tree and they’ll all [June & Bertha’s family] be here for Xmas as usual and maybe Cordells will too if he is able and John B. I’m expecting a good time. I wish you’d come over. Couldn’t you have arranged it?
[Again she lists the items she has sent to her children and grandchildren, much as in prior years – useful items, needful things. The gift to Myrtle was most interesting, I thought.] “To Myrtle an atlas she’d wanted and a lady doll to muffle her clock at night. I made the doll, a full old-fashioned skirt of velvet lined and padded with cotton. I hope it fits. . . “
I may fill little boxes with sugared popcorn, nuts, candy for the tree just to make
it livelier. Shirley sent me a box with paper tags, etc., and some small stick candy and nuts for the boxes. We send a crate of eggs to town about every two weeks and it keeps us in groceries. I got candy, nuts, oranges, grapefruit, etc. We’ll have to have some lettuce, celery, etc., come up for Xmas, too. Aunt is helping me out by doing some of the cooking – pies, cookies, etc. Earl’s box has come and Myrtle’s. I must close with love and all good wishes, tho that doesn’t express it at all it seems to me. Mother – hugs & kisses.(Top photo is the barn in the 1930s. Lower photo is the barn in 2007.)
2 comments:
Is this lady doll that is mentioned sort of like a puppet? It fits over a wind-up clock? Hope she can still hear the alarm.
Almost thought the first picture was a recent photo--the barn has not changed a bit.
Is this letter to Grandpa? I guess guilt has been ineffective for years. *sigh*
Of course, I really don't know if she started with a doll and made it a padded skirt or if she made the doll, too. I suppose the clock ticked a bit noisily and the skirt was meant to muffle it. I thought the barn hadn't changed either, but you will note some exterior changes to doors if you look again. I've tried to focus on the holiday celebration as it occurred in hard times; character traits come out.
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