February 26, 1944 The Men Came for Dinner, Getting Old, Fruit Cocktail Cake and Tomato Salad

Dear Mother & Daddy,

Illustration courtesy of Bonnie's HS Yearbook

"We've been having spring-like weather but today is cold and dark.  I've been lazy as can be today and haven't done anything much.  All schools are having a weeks vacation next week so I'll have some time at home.  School is just fine.

Thanks for the paper.  We got it today and got one yesterday that was mailed the eighth.  I got the first copy of the Reader's Digest today.

Last Sunday we went to church and the speaker was a Y.M.C.A. worker who was interned in a Japanese prison camp and was exchanged on the Gripsholm.  He spoke mostly about how the prisoners had organized the camp.  His wife is going to speak to the Dames soon.  There was a Dames meeting last week but I couldn't go because we had asked those men to dinner.  All they did was hospital work and talk so I didn't miss much.  I'm going to try and go for hospital work this week.

We enjoyed having the two men here for dinner and they seemed to enjoy being here.  I guess they get plenty tired of eating in restaurants.  I baked a picnic ham, and had candied sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, tomato salad, hot rolls, cake with a marshmallow sauce and coffee.  They brought me a nice box of candy.

I finally ordered some tablecloths from Sears.  I ordered a Mexican lunch cloth (and didn't get it), a red checked cloth and napkins and a good cotton damask cloth and napkins (which came in separate patterns).  I'm sending the good cloth back and asking them to please send the same patterns or my money.

Yes, I'm getting old.  I'll be 24 on Wednesday.  I don't want you to send anything because the bond for Christmas was so nice and so much.  Just save a hen and we'll roast it next summer.  I'm glad you're going to wait until late to get your chickens.  It will be easier for you and we can have some fried chickens when we come home.  Ha!

Write soon and tell Beulah I've been looking for a letter."

                                                         Oodles of love,

                                                                    B & Bonnie

NOTE from Ann:  Use the link to see great images and an explanation of the ship, Gripsholm, and it's use during WWII for exchanging prisoners of war.
http://salship.se/grip2.asp                                                                 

Fruit Cocktail Cake

Mix 2 cups flour (sift, then measure), 2 cups sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. soda, 1 #303 can of fruit cocktail (1 lb.) and 2 beaten eggs.  Pour into greased pan and top with 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup chopped nuts.  Bake 1 hr. & 20 min. at 300. 


Dunkard Salad

Peel and cut into bite sizes, 1 peck ripe tomatoes.  Combine with 2 coarsely chopped red peppers, 4 coarsely chopped green peppers, 2 c. chopped onion and 2 c. chopped celery.  Mix but do not heat 2 c. vinegar, 2 c. sugar and 1/4 c. canning salt.  Pour over vegetables, store in refrig. in covered container.  Keeps all winter.

NOTE from Ann:  The term "dunkard" comes from the Pennsylvania Dutch, meaning "to dunk", as in the practice of baptism by immersion.