November 13, 1943 The Lunch Hour, The Machineless Perm, Success in the Studio and Rural Electric Co-ops

 Dear Mother & Daddy,

"This is my lunch hour.  B is still over at school so I have eaten and he and Sully can rustle for themselves.  Sully comes down on Saturdays for a class.  He won't eat with us very often.  We almost have to make him eat.  We certainly like him.  He's a real fellow.

The store looks real Christmasy.  We have trees and decorations all over.  People have begun to buy too.

We are going to a play tonight.  That's about the only thing we do for recreation.  B studies day and night and I'm kept pretty busy too.  That business about me heading the list in the studio was only that I had sold more pictures than anyone else in our studio.  I didn't even think it was important.  We are still taking pictures of high school students.  I'm anxious to see how much I get out of it.

We had some snow this week.  First it rained and so the snow melted as fast as it hit the ground.  It was beautiful, though.  The flakes were as big as quarters and it came thick and fast for a while.

If you do move, why don't you try to get on a Rural Electric Line, or whatever you call it, then you could keep your sweeper and lamps.

Did you get your tea glasses?  Netters on St. Louis St. used to have Fostoria, did you try there?

I finally cut my hair.  I hated to do it and B accused me of being like a little boy having his first hair cut.  It was so much trouble to keep up and looking neatly and it was terrible to wash.  All along I planned to have Mrs. Simmons do it for me, but I was afraid we wouldn't get to come Christmas so I had a permanent.  It is fixed just like I always wear it.  The permanent is very nice, but it cost me $9.50.  It was machineless and so comfortable to have.  Try one next time.  It would be good for you.  B was so thrilled when I came home.  He thought I looked awfully old with it long.

It's about time for me to go back to work so I'd better powder my nose.  Write again soon."

                                                     Oodles of love,

                                                                 B & Bonnie

NOTE from Ann:  In 1935, FDR signed an executive order creating the Rural Electrification Administration.  At that time, about 6% of Missouri farms had electricity.  By 1940, that figure had increased to about 17%, and by 1945 about 31% had electricity.  (History of Missouri, Univ. of MO Press.)

Here's the #1 song for November 13, 1943.