Tuesday, May 26, 2015

November 24, 1968 The Nice Change, The Nice Things, The Grey Taffeta, The Wonderful Autumn Day and The Most Boring Professor


Dear Mother & Daddy,

"We got home about 8:30 Thursday evening after a wonderful trip. It was cold and windy with snow on the ground while we were there but it was a nice change from all the running we do all of the time so we enjoyed it.


B had meetings most of the time so I either stayed in the motel or sat in the lounge of the building where the meetings were. I took some writing and my knitting and the time flew by. People kept coming through the room and stopped to visit. I got most of my Christmas cards addressed but didn't try to write any of the letters. I thought it was a little early for that.


We drove around the outside of the Notre Dame campus and saw some nice things but it was too cold to take the walking tour with a guide so we missed a lot, I know.


I had another note from Margie and we still plan to go there for Thanksgiving dinner. I hope you can go. The new highway makes it a quicker trip than it used to be and I think you'd be all right and not be too tired if you feel all right that morning. You and Daddy will have to be the judge of that but I think it would be good for all of us if you go.


I'm ashamed to say I haven't answered Beulah's letter that she wrote the day before we took the car to Ann and came by to see all of you. That's the only one I've had.


I expect Ann home Wednesday evening and I think she's real anxious to come. I have a grey taffeta dress made for her and hope she likes it. But I know she will. Today I've been sewing on a white wool for myself that I cut out over a year ago. It will be out of style if I don't get it together.


Today has been a wonderful autumn day. B worked outside all afternoon--raked, cleaned the gutters and mowed the lawn for the last time this fall. The yard looks nice. We've ordered some wood for the fireplace and plan to enjoy it. Bob & Pat tried to find wood around here last Christmas for a fire so we thought we'd have some this year. Bob has some good grades this time but was proud of his A in physics. He said it's an awful class with the most boring professor he ever had. He could hardly believe the A. Did I tell you he was hoping to do research at school again next summer? One of his profs is applying for grants at 3 places so they hope they'll get one of them. It would be the Petroleum Research Foundation.

I think we can all go to Margie's if we try a little extra hard. Ann will be tired from the drive home & then right back but she said o.k. I suppose the turkeys can't be left but Jerry can take care of them alone for one day. It seems impossible for every one of us to get together at one time and I don't suppose it will ever happen unless Bob & Pat come back closer to home.


We'll all be hoping the weather will be nice and we'll be seeing you."

                          Lots of love,

                                 Bonnie

NOTE: Believe it or not, "literature-themed" clothes were very popular in the fall of '68, as can be seen in the examples above from the Ladies Home Journal, September, 1968. The "Lorna Doone" dress was Mom's inspiration for the grey taffeta dress, and it was indeed a great dress.

2 comments:

  1. Interesting as usual, I need to know what "literature-themed" clothes are though. I liked the Lorna Doone poster.

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    1. That's a really good question! Each of the dresses pictured is based on a novel, often taught in school literature classes, and the titles are on each poster. Lorna Doone was written by R.D. Blackmore, but I don't recall ever reading it. I believe these books were also made into movies. Thanks for your always thoughtful comments and your question!

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