November 20 and 26, 1955 The First Thanksgiving on School Street

 Nov. 20, 1955

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"We are really looking forward to your coming.  I wrote Bessie this week to tell them how to find our house.

It has been terribly cold and now we have snow on the ground--since supper.  I hope we can have nice weather while you are here.

B is out for a meeting.  Bob is staying with Lynn tonight and David is here with Ann.  Ann and Dave had their second polio shots yesterday.  Bob gets his second one on Tuesday.  They don't mind them at all.  They seem to understand how wonderful it is that they can have them.

I never did mention Christmas to Bessie.  Maybe we can settle it while they are here.

Take it easy and we'll see you soon."

                      Lots of love,

                             Bonnie

Yikes!  Woman's Day, 1955

November 26, 1955

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"It's rather quiet now.  The dog and I are here alone.  Buddy and Bessie left about 2:15 and then B took the kids with him to the barber shop.

We had a lovely Thanksgiving but missed you terribly.  Of course, we know you couldn't come as things turned out but that didn't lessen the disappointment any.  Ann really howled when we got your letter and Bob wanted to cry but can understand a little better so he didn't.

Buddy and Bessie got here about 3:00 Wednesday afternoon.  The kids rode his lap the whole time he was here but I'm sure everyone had a good time.  We didn't do anything but visit and I guess it is the longest time we ever had together.  I had my menu planned so we didn't spend a lot of time cooking but we had our turkey and trimmings yesterday.

That's the rather gay, but lovely rug!

Our rug came this morning early so Buddy helped us put it down.  We were really glad he was here to help.  The piano is such a problem to move.  The rug is rather gay but lovely.  The background is grey with bits of black, red, green & yellow woven into it.

Tell Beulah that I told Bessie about our not trading gifts and she thought that was fine.  She said Beulah and I could buy for our own children and she would buy for hers.

I have a little birthday gift for Charlotte that I was saving to give her when she came so I'll try to get it mailed to her soon.  I hadn't forgotten.

We haven't even thought of Christmas.  We won't do much and the dog is part of the kids' Xmas.  I feel like I have already had my Xmas and then some with the house.

My next project is to get the drapes done.  We don't have much privacy as it is.

I'm going to write about my manuscript again.  Sorensens are supposed to be here tomorrow night and we're going to plan something to do about it.

We were glad to have your letters and your regular weekly one came before Buddy left so they got to read it too.

Take care of yourselves and it won't be long until we'll be home for Christmas."

                          Love to you both,

                                 Bonnie

NOTE:  I don't know what prevented our grandparents from coming to Illinois for Thanksgiving.  Buddy was our uncle, and he was always great fun and very playful.

The Thanksgiving menu:  Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, corn, beets, cranberry/orange relish, olives, pickled carrots, rolls w/ apple butter, pumpkin and pecan pies.  I can't recall a Thanksgiving where the menu ever varied from this traditional dinner, served mid-afternoon.

About Olson rugs:  These rugs were among the first to be made from re-claimed materials. Costomers were encouraged to send scraps of fabric which were then weighed and credited against the price of the rug.