February 21, 1971 The New Mattresses, The Tornado Warnings, The Unusual Church, The Pretty Rug and The Honest Doctor

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"We've been loafing this morning although we got up pretty early. I think I told you we had ordered new springs and mattress for our bed. Our old mattress was just worn out & didn't have much shape anymore. The box springs are good so we'll put them upstairs on Ann's beds but will get rid of the mattresses. We have just plain wire springs on those beds upstairs and they aren't very good.

Anyway, the new things had to be ordered and when the store called that they were here I asked that they deliver them today. That way Bob can help B carry the things upstairs. The delivery men came about 8:30 and we have our bed all made up. It looks so nice and I think it is a good bed. We got 2 twin box springs and one big mattress to fit over both. They are foam rubber and pretty hard.

Bob & Pat got here about 7:00 last night. They are fine. They had driven thru a lot of rain but that wasn't bad after all of the storm warnings yesterday afternoon. It was an ugly afternoon--dark and threatening with tornado warnings but we just had a little rain.

We've had one spring-like day and the cardinals really sang but it is cold again. I've been downtown a few times and gave a book review Thursday. I'm feeling like myself again but am careful not to get overtired.

I went to my class again and Ann's ring is coming along nicely but it is a hard design to work with. She's going to be thrilled with it, I know. She called last Sunday and talked a long time. She is wanting to come home to get some books and Bob's tape recorder. One of her classes requires some sort of project and she plans to visit and study some unusual church in Columbia and record some of the services. I've forgotten what church it was.

We would like for her to have come this weekend while Bob & Pat were here but she had some kind of committee meeting this morning. She'll probably come in a couple of weeks.

B has a meeting in Chicago from next Wednesday to Saturday so I'll go with him. We'll be at the Hilton Hotel until Saturday & may stay with Bob & Pat Saturday night. They will be busy every day, of course, so we may not see much of them until Saturday after the meeting.

I'm sorry Daddy's back is bothering him again. He's just going to have to stop and rest when he feels this coming on--or does he have any warning.

The rug sounds pretty. I think I'd just keep it if I liked the color. It will probably be fine for that room because it doesn't get much traffic and it would sure be hard to send the thing back. I just hate to return anything.

I don't know why I didn't send a Valentine to Uncle Floyd & Aunt Nora. I will try to get a card off to them as soon as I can get to the store & find one. It seems I'm so far behind with everything but I try to make lists of things to do and I'll write that down. Yes, you told me the doctor told him not to come back. At least, he's being honest with him but I guess it would be kind of hard to take.

This will be late. I started it in time early this morning but quit and went to a Pen Women meeting in Bloomington. I have been to only two all year and was ashamed not to go today when I had a chance.

Hope you both are fine."

                   Love,

                      Bonnie

NOTE: An assigned project for the class in the "Psychology and Development of American Religious Thought and Practice" was to visit a Pentecostal church in order to observe the practice of speaking in tongues. With approval from the minister of a small country church, I tape-recorded a service. It was indeed interesting and a new experience.