October 21, 1972 The Letters, The Glasses, The Leaves, The Piano and The Dirty Mess

Dear Mother,

"I've spent my morning writing letters. I wrote to the kids and then I have a friend in the hospital in California so I wrote to her. She had gone to her daughter's wedding and got sick afterwards--has an infection in the pancreas. We thought she was going to die but she is up now and they think she'll be all right.

It is cold and rainy today. B had a Trustee's meeting at Eureka College so will be there until afternoon. This is homecoming weekend on our campus but I didn't go watch the parade. I could hear the band but they must have all been soaking wet.

I had my eyes checked this week and didn't even have to have my glasses changed. I had just supposed they'd have to be a bit stronger so I was very pleased.

Tell Agnes that I use the pattern books almost every day. I didn't know how handy they would be. I'm still working on my jacket dress but got stopped because I couldn't find the trim or the lining to match. I finally found some real pretty trim in the dime store yesterday.

We looked for Steve to come by this week but I guess he was in a hurry. He was in Chicago to buy hardware.

The weather has been terrible. It snowed hard Wed. morning and things looked so strange. It was like mid-winter until you saw the green and gold leaves on everything.

We talked to Ann this week and then had letters from her, too. She is fine and was to see the doctor again on Thursday. He had taken out the clamps but she still wore the binder. He won't let her drive yet--said her reactions were still slow even though she felt fine.

We shipped her piano to her and she should have had it yesterday. We put the desk in its place in the study and it looks nice.

Bob K. says he is really working hard but enjoying it. They have given him a lot of responsibility which means more work but it is wonderful experience and he doesn't mind. The pay is good but he thinks he earns it all.

Bob & Pat should be home from Washington tomorrow. They were looking forward to this trip so I hope it wasn't too cold.

Maybe Aunt Cliffie would like to read Lady Bird's book. You sure finished it in a hurry.

Won't you be glad when the election is over?  I'm so sick of all the dirty mess. I had really believed Nixon would stop the war before the election but he's too pig-headed and wants a military victory. He will never get it so I think our only hope is with McGovern.

I honestly believe that Nixon has made a bad mess of things these past few years and pray that he doesn't get four more in office.  As usual, I'll vote a split ticket for there are a lot of good men running. I wish our country could forget political parties for a while and really think of the country's problems.

A neighbor brought me a lot of pears so I have made jam and pear honey this week. I had to sort of experiment with the pear honey and it tastes pretty much like the recipe you used to make.

It must be almost noon so I must get to work. Hope you are fine."

                       
                         Love,

                              Bonnie

NOTE:  Find the Pear Honey recipe below.  http://www.annbkennedy.blogspot.com/2012/05/october-6-1947-perfect-day-far-from.html