Dear Mother & Daddy,
"I'm really late but there hasn't been any time to write. Bob, Pat & her mother came about mid-morning Thurs. and left a little bit ago. Ann is still here but has company now. Her Bob came late Fri. night and left right after breakfast Sat. morning.
This has been a busy place around here and I've cooked constantly so I'm ready to sit a bit. We did enjoy all of them. Pat's mother is going home Wed. so she didn't think she could stay any longer with us. It was a good thing because we couldn't have taken her to Chicago in mid-week except at night.
We were home before dark on Monday but a little tired. It took quite a while to get things put away but wasn't too hard getting ready for T-giving since I'd done a lot of my shopping before we left on our trip.
We really enjoyed the mince pie. I heated it and it was delicious. We didn't even go to the store that night. B went after the mail (it had gone to his office) and it took all evening to go thru it.
We called Wheelers and talked to both of them. They are doing real well and said their doctor had done everything and searched everywhere for something to help Jimmy so they knew it was hopeless and were thankful he could live as long as he did. The cancer got into the liver and the medicine didn't work there. Kathy graduates from college in Jan. & will stay at home until next fall. Carol & her husband live close by so that will help them get over this.
It has been cloudy most of the week but is not as cold as it was. B is cleaning the lawn mower and getting it ready to put away. Our yard was so clean when we left but is a mess now. There are lots of leaves and papers blown around but it will have to stay that way, I guess.
I hope you both are fine."
Lots of love,
Bonnie
Thanksgiving Day 1970 was the day I left Vietnam. We had a later flight out and were able to have dinner at the chow hall. The cooks had pulled out the stops to include real turkeys, shrimp cocktails, real potatoes. Flew to Clark AB in the Philippines and then on to Okinawa. A couple of days there and back to Texas. My father was not an emotional guy but he kinda choked when I called to tell him I was back in the States. His time on Okinawa in 1945 was much tougher than my time at Cam Ranh Bay.
ReplyDeleteWow, Mike! This makes me a bit weepy and with gratitude for your safe return. So many were not so fortunate. I can imagine your father's reaction. I've always heard that holiday dinners are prepared as nicely as possible for service personnel so I'm glad to hear that was true in this case. I'm certain that time spent at either Okinawa and/or Cam Ranh Bay left significant memories regardless.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your recollection of Thanksgiving, 1970.