September 20, 1958 Nice Size Fish, A Lot of Company, Cinders in the Knee and The First Football Game

Feature in Life, Sept. 13, 1958

Dear Mother & Dad,

"B has gone to school & the kids haven't come downstairs yet.  Bob enjoys reading & playing in bed.  It's like pulling teeth to get him going in the morning.  He is so much more relaxed since we stopped piano.  I guess it was the right thing to do.  He hasn't had much homework yet & doesn't seem to work as hard this year as he did last.

This has been a busy week--like all of them.  I cut my suit and started basting on it but haven't actually sewed any yet.  The skirt is awfully tight but I just hope I can fit it.  I had a Sunday School teachers' meeting last Sunday afternoon & B took the kids fishing.  They took Becky with them and they each caught one nice size fish.  Becky's daddy cleaned them & her mother fried them for the kids.  Bob thought they were wonderful.

Becky on the right, Ann on the ground

I've had a lot of company this week--just friends who stop to talk about school & scouts & such.  Edna brought a skirt to be let out but I haven't got it done yet.  She did all the basting & all I have to do is sew it on the machine.

Woody is due in tonight so she is excited.  B will drive her to the airport to meet him if Woody can clear customs by plane time.

I've been to two committee meetings this week too--one at school & the other for church.  I had to take Ann the Dr. for a tetanus booster, too.  She fell & got her knees full of cinders.  One knee was pretty skinned up but she didn't cry.  The cinders just don't come out so the Dr. said it was risky not to give her a booster with all that dirt in her knee.

I drove out to the Smith farm Thurs. afternoon to get some tomatoes to eat & came home with 2 bushels besides squash, cantaloupes, watermelon & green peppers.  Tomatoes were rotting on the vines & I've never seen so many vegetables going to waste.  It is an experimental plot for a seed company & they can't use or give all of it away.  I've got the refrigerator full of tomatoes, gave Edna a lot, canned 17 quarts & am making some chili sauce today.  It has been so long since I've canned all day that I was really worn out last night.

Today is the first football game.  B & the kids plan to go but I want to do some other things.  I must get busy or I won't get any work done before lunch."

                              Lots of love,

                                        Bonnie

NOTE:  In the late 50's, American families were feeling cramped in houses of 1100 sq. ft., particularly as their families grew.  The popular open floor plan and single level home on a slab proved to be inefficient and lacking in privacy for family members.  As new houses sprung up in Bloomington-Normal, we used to take drives to look at them.  Our mom always said, "I wouldn't have one of those for the world!"  I guess we were very lucky to have found a larger house so close to campus, in an older neighborhood.  The disadvantage eventually became apparent as the University campus began to grow and encroach on established neighborhoods within the community, bringing student housing and converting once lovely family homes to multiple-student apartments.