Monday, October 26, 2015

January 8, 1972 The Snow and Ice, The Two Other Men, The Big Texas Talk and The Strong Friendship


Dear Mother,

"It's a beautiful, warm day here and yesterday was a beautiful day when we got here. Monday had been an awful day with snow and ice so the people were still talking about it. There was a little snow still at the airport and lots of puddles from the melting but the sun was out bright and it wasn't cold.


B didn't have any meeting last night but we did go to dinner with two other men who are here for it. We were checked into the hotel before 4:00 so there was time to look around a bit. The hotel is right in the middle of the city so it is only a block or so to Neiman Marcus. We browsed a bit there but I was disappointed. It doesn't compare with Marshall Fields or Famous Barr. Maybe I didn't see the elegant part but we certainly didn't see anything special. It may be just big Texas talk. We were in the jewelry department but I didn't see anyone that I thought could be Leo and I didn't ask.

The flight down was very nice but I wished for someone to tell me where we were as we flew. Everything was so clear and we could see so many lakes and rivers. Things were all gray and brown until we got almost here and then there were a few greenish spots.

I talked with Buddy and Bessie from the airport in St. Louis. He didn't sound very peppy but his medicine has been causing headaches so I guess he was tired. They changed some of it and he thinks it is going to help.

This may be a little hard to read for I'm writing on my lap. The maid was ready to clean the room so I got out.

We haven't heard from Bob & Pat since they went back to work but I'm sure they are fine. Ann still had a cold the week after Christmas and hadn't been back to work. She had the flu and it stayed with her, I guess. She said she sounded like a frog.

Jim Wheeler is here for the meeting and we hope to have lunch with him. There isn't much time to talk at these meetings. They are still grieving over Jimmy and my heart just aches for him. We hadn't seen him in a long time and he cried when he saw me. Our friendship has certainly been a strong but strange one thru the years. They were in Normal only two years but in that time we became such close friends that we have never let that friendship stop. We have kept in touch all these years--not often but still kept in touch. I can't say the same about any other of our friends.


I have been pretty lazy since Christmas. Things don't really get started again until next week. It was so nice to stay at home and not have to go anywhere. The weather was so awful the first part of the week I didn't even stick my head out.

There isn't much to write so I hope you are fine."

                   Lots of love,

                       Bonnie

NOTE:  I remember how popular the "happy face" became in the early 1970s. The church, pictured above, was a couple blocks from our home. I can imagine Mom saying, "B, walk down there and get a picture of the church while the happy face is still up there!"

2 comments:

  1. It would be just like your mom to not be taken in by the high dollar stuff. She was way too practical for that. I am speechless about the Rooms Awash With Gracious Living. One old codger with three young women, a hot tub installed in front of a fireplace with bleachers for the cheering fans? The term isn't "gracious", it is "good gracious" to resurrect an old but gentle admonishment. Bob K.

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  2. HA! Isn't that image just the worst of the 70s? Life magazine no less!

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