February 12, 1947 The Big Snow, Priced Too High, Too Many Wives, "Lust for Life", "Forever Amber" and Oatmeal Pecan Coffee Cake

Image courtesy of www.goodreads.com

 Dear Mother & Daddy,

"Since I wrote you we have had a big snow.  But I guess you have read about it in the paper.  It seemed like a lot of snow but we had only four or five inches and other towns not very far away had 10 and 12 inches.  It is real powdery and we had lots of wind too so it has drifted a lot.  Everything was so pretty and white Sunday that we thought we'd go out and get some pictures but after we went to church we changed our minds.  It was too cold and the snow was blowing too much.  


Saturday afternoon we went to an open house at President Welte's home.  Mr. and Mrs. Welte and two other couples gave it together and it was quite a nice party.  I guess they invited most of the faculty because some of the invitations were for different hours.


I spent yesterday at McLeod's just visiting.  Did I tell you they were moving to Maine?  He has a job there so they are selling their house.  They are asking $16,000. for it which is too much.  She wants to leave the first of the month but wants to sell the house first.  It is a nice little house but she'll have to come down in price if she wants to sell it.


Thursday is faculty wives--a tea this time.  Their club is nice but not near as nice as Yale Dames.  There are so many wives I still don't know them all but it doesn't matter for every one else is in the same fix.  

The McCalls finally got here and I have it all read.  Jody was so glad you didn't want the Journal.  She had wanted some of the pictures (why, I don't know for they buy lots of magazines) and I told her I was sending it to you.  Then she wanted my mommy to save it till I went to see her again and bring the magazine back.  She is so funny.

I've been reading some books.  Last week I read "Lust for Life"--the story (true) of an artist and now I'm reading "Forever Amber".  It isn't nearly so bad as the papers would have you think.  In fact, it is good and tells a lot about customs, food, and clothes at the time of Charles II in England.

I'm sorry about the lots.  Isn't there a vacant lot back of El Sellers place--across from George Chalfont's house?  How about that place? 


I tried the oatmeal bread recipe.  The rolls were kind of gummy but the bread was good.  The recipe made 2 pans of rolls and 3 loaves of bread.


I can't find a blotter and am smearing ink all over everything.


I have started the afghan for the church bazaar but haven't but two rows done.  It will be like yours only smaller so I hope to get it done for their April bazaar.


I hope you are both fine and that Beulah's family is all right by now."
    
         Lots of love,


              B & Bonnie

NOTES from Ann:  For a review of Kathleen Winsor's "Forever Amber", the  supposedly "shocking", banned-in-Boston and extraordinarily popular book in the 40s:  http://www.salon.com/2003/05/31/winsor/ 

And for a review of Irving Stone's popular "Lust for Life": "Literary masterpiece. Irving Stones' Lust for Life is a dark, brooding biographical novel on Vincent van Gogh that leaves the reader both emotionally exhausted and mentally exhilarated at the same time. Mr. Stone captures the very essence of the van Gogh mystique: A manically driven genius who captures in his art that which he cannot embrace as a man. Never really appreciated in his day, van Gogh has become one of the greatest painters of all time. So much crammed into only 37 years, his chaotic life became a portrait study of roiling genius and tortured sadness mixed with artistic rejection and unrequited love. Only his brother Theo believed, but in the end even that is not enough, as Vincent gives in to his inner demons and dies of a self-inflicted wound at the young age of 37. Oh Vincent, to think what could have been but will never be: We get a glimpse of how he suffered through his eternal struggle with his insanity.
Bravo Irving Stone. A Lust for Life is a wonderful interpretive study of Vincent van Gogh: the man, the artist, the tormented genius. A classic. A must read for anyone who is interested in art especially the Impressionists of the late 19th Century."  (www.amazon.com)

Oatmeal Pecan Coffee Cake (Much better than the gooey rolls)

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 13x9 or larger pan.  Combine 2 c. flour, 1 c. oatmeal, 1 c. packed brown sugar, 1/2 c. chopped pecans, 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. cinnamon and 1 tsp. salt.  Mix & add 2 large eggs and 1 c. buttermilk.  Stir in 1/2 c. oleo, melted and cooled.  Mix well.  Pour into pan.  Combine topping & sprinkle evenly over cake:  1/2 c. oatmeal, 1/3 c. brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 c. melted oleo and 1/2 c. pecan pieces.  Bake 30-35 min. or till toothpick is clean.  Serve warm or room temp. in squares.