August 25, 1973 The Tablet, The Picnic, The Jelly, The Kitchen and The Classes

Dear Mother,

"You may have trouble reading this for I'm drying my hair and holding the tablet on my lap. I don't like to use the dryer but it takes my hair all day to dry if I don't use it.

It is hot today but we had a real cold day Thursday. It was rainy & cloudy & like late fall. We went to a picnic for some people who are leaving and everyone was bundled up.

I've been filling my jelly glasses this week. I used up some plums & apricots I've had in the freezer a long time and experimented with orange marmalade. It turned out real good but the batch was real little.

Ann & Bob are back in Columbia. Bob is going to teach a class at M.U. but I don't know whether he got an assistantship or not. He hadn't expected one after the gov't. cut off so many funds. We'll learn all the details when they come home. They still plan to come next weekend unless Ann's meetings at Woodhaven take too much of the weekend.

B & I will go to Bloomington Federal tomorrow and have the certificate rewritten. Then I'll let you know & I'll send the new number to Beulah & Buddy.

My kitchen is about cleaned. I have to do the floor but ran out of time & pep this week.

We've been buying tomatoes but a friend called this morning for me to come after some so I'll go get them. Mine just don't ripen & I got one squash this week. The others that come on have been rotting. I sure would make a poor farmer. I'd starve to death.

I hope John Henry is better. He must have an infection. That happens sometimes & it usually takes a long time to kill it. When did he have the surgery?

We haven't heard from Bob & Pat this week. They are terrible now about writing letters. He is going to Washington, D.C. with another doctor to a conference on infectious diseases sometime in September and then Pat is going to go with her students again in October. Bob was supposed to go too but he can't take the time off so someone else will go in his place. This is the annual 8th grade trip to Washington and Bob & Pat went with them last year. It is hard work but their expenses were paid and they had fun.

Classes begin here on Monday so traffic is thick. I've already been to two committees this week to plan a dinner & a reception so things are getting busy.

I hope you are feeling better. Keep resting a lot and maybe you'll soon be over this."

                            Love,

                               Bonnie