Haddock and Dill: November 13, 1976 The Wonderful Sunshine, The Old Flowers, The Good Wood, The Fingermarks and The Cleanest Election

Dear Mother,

"It's a lovely, cold day but it really doesn't seem as cold as it is and I guess it is because we have had wonderful sunshine. It does get dark early, doesn't it?

We finally got the yard cleaned up but it needs raking again. B will do that today if he can find time. This will be the third time because the neighbors never touch a leaf and they blow over, of course. The yard looks better in spite of this with the peonies cut off and the old flowers pulled up. We need some top soil around the foundation but haven't found anyone to get us some.

We got a load of fireplace wood yesterday so we probably have enough for two years. It was $30.--exactly half again what we gave two years ago. Everyone charges at least that and we had very good wood from this man last time. He stacks it neatly on the patio and it is nice to have fires in the evening when we have time to read.

Bob called Tuesday to say they were all o.k. Patty had a bad cold when they left and he was stopped up when I talked to him. Other than that they were fine and glad to be home even if they had enjoyed their vacation. We took them to Peoria to the airport on Saturday so things were quiet around here and I woke up Sunday morning listening for Bobby.

I've really worked this week and got a lot done. We had piled books, violets & lots of other things on the mantle to get them out of Bobby's reach and all my quilting show papers, books, etc. were stacked around. I still haven't had time to sort it out and put it away. I shampooed the rugs & got things pretty much cleaned up but need to wash fingermarks off the walls and a few things like this that I haven't had time for all summer.

The Quilt Show is on now in Peoria so a friend and I drove over there Thurs. afternoon to see it since I'd promised the woman at that gallery that I'd come. It looked very nice but they didn't have the space we had so it didn't come up to our show here even if they are the same quilts.

Yesterday morning I went to a meeting to help plan a craft show. The girl who asked me to come had helped me so much this summer I couldn't refuse. I rushed home, ate lunch and then went to the beauty shop to get a permanent so you see I had a full day.

I'm sorry you didn't get to vote. Maybe next time you should vote absentee. I've never done that but Bob & Pat did and say they just wrote for a ballot & got it in the mail. I'm really surprised someone didn't come after you.

I heard a newsman say it was the cleanest election in many years. I believe that Carter can be thanked for that. He refused to campaign dirty and that was certainly in his favor. We're all tired of dirty politics. Let's hope they all get to work now, and work for America instead of themselves.