June 30, 1945 No Thank You to Latin, The Bargain Health Insurance and Bonnie Eats Like a Horse

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"It is early but it's already awfully hot.  The humidity is high too and that makes a person really feel the heat.  It doesn't bother me much because I just don't do very much work.  Ha!  I've really been taking life easy.  I did manage to do a good sized washing of my clothes this week but haven't tackled the ironing yet.  You should see my new table cloth.  I bought a bright oil cloth after I realized the laundry was charging me .15 each to wash lunch cloths.  The oil cloth is really a work saver, too.

I read "Walkin' Preacher" this week and it's real good.  I can't see why there was such a fuss over it, either.  He doesn't seem to be making fun of the Ozarks at all.  You would enjoy it.  We're sending the new Journal this morning.  It isn't very good this month.

My cut work table cloth is coming along fine.  I've been working on it a lot and maybe will finish it this summer.  The red checked dress is all ready to wear now and it's awfully cute.  You sew too good, Mother.  Some of the seams were as hard to rip out as machine stitching.

We get our last paychecks for the summer today--one from Yale and one from Hopkins.  We have a nice bank account though and will get along fine till September.  We still don't know what B will teach next year.  Dr. Lovell called yesterday to see if he would teach Latin but he said no.

We joined a non-profit Hospital insurance group.  Both of us are covered for only $1.75 a month.  We joined through Hopkins.  The reason it is so cheap is that you have to join with a group of people.  It pays for hospital room, medicine, anesthetic and maternity care.  We don't need that but might sometime.  Ha!  You can go to any hospital in the U.S. and they pay your bills.  So many of our friends belong to the group that we thought it would be a good thing.  It might come in handy sometime.

This next week I plan to get a permanent.  My hair is down my back and awfully hot.  At home I wear it on top of my head but it looks so awful that I don't dare go out like that.  I'm also going to have some dental work done.  There are a few cavities that need filling.  B had a tooth pulled last week and didn't have one bit of trouble.

You ought to have the towels by now.  You didn't say which size you wanted so I just got three each and I hope they're o.k.  The total with the postage was $3.83 but we belong to the co-operative store where we got them and will get a little discount on our bill so just send $3.50.  That will be about right.  I know it will be enough.

I took time out and we went to the store.  We got a nice little beef roast--the first we've had in a long time.

Do you think you could send us our thermos jug without it breaking?  We'd like to have it and the dollar is for the postage.  There isn't any hurry so wait till Daddy feels like getting it out of the attic.  It isn't packed in a box, I don't think.  Send it by express or parcel post, which ever is the easiest for you.

I'd like to have the red sacks, Mother.  They would make a nice play suit so stuff them in the jug for me.

B says you can use my bathing suit if you'll come over and go swimming in the ocean.

It would be nice for you and Aunt Cliffie to go see Aunt Jane but I would hate to think of you starting.  If you had to go on a bus or train that wasn't air conditioned it would be awful.  I don't think you could stand it.  Why don't you plan to go this fall when it gets cooler?  I don't want to spoil your plans but I'm afraid it would make you sick.

Bonnie's mother, Elizabeth and her Aunt Cliffie c 1930

Have you ever asked Mrs. Aubuchon to sew for you?  She does nice work.

No, I'm not thin and I feel fine.  I'm getting a little tanned since we go out each Sunday and I look much better.  I didn't have much color after staying inside so long.  I eat like a horse and the school doctor said I was all o.k. so just stop worrying.

I hope you're both fine.  Take good care of yourselves."

                                Lots of love,

                                            B & Bonnie