July 30, 1949 Easy Rolling, Nice Napping, More Painting and New Oxfords

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"The biggest bit of news this week is that our Hudson is ordered.  I'll tell it first so I won't forget.  I told you dealers here had been after us and made good offers so B wrote it all to Ray and asked what to do.  Ray called us from Lebanon on Wed. to tell us what they could do.   He had taken B's letter to the dealer there and they made a better offer.  B had rather traded here because of service, etc. but the dealer wouldn't meet the price so B ordered a four door dark green sedan from Lebanon.  They are to deliver it to us here within a week or two and take our car back.  We don't know the man who is actually doing the selling but B talked to him on the phone and he will bring it, but of course Ray is responsible for it all.

We can tell you more about the deal when we get home but we can hardly wait for it.  B went to Urbana to a luncheon on Thurs. and the dealer here insisted that he drive one of their demonstrators so he had a nice trip to try one out.  They really roll easy.  Course, all the neighbors thought the car was ours and we had to tell them we had ordered one.  Now they want rides.

Dr. Brubacker (one of B's Yale professors) spoke at the luncheon and B talked to him a long while.  He is a visiting professor at the University of Ill. at Urbana for the summer session.

Bobby has new brown and white oxfords.  They look so cute and he sure steps big.  He is getting up early again but still takes nice naps.

B is painting the floors at the flat and has two rooms done.  There are two more and the hall and stairs.  The floors sure are terrible but maybe will look better when we get rugs down.  We're still waiting for prices on the rugs before we buy.  The man where we are getting the furniture thought he could get us one to match ours.  Some gray ones were advertised in the paper and we went to see them but the man wanted $100. each for them.  They were beautiful but that was too high.  We are going to order the dining room suite soon.  They have a junior size on the floor but will have to order the full sized one for us.

I'm scared of polio too, but so far there isn't a case in our county.  The town is spraying next week.  Maybe we can keep it out.  

The $1.00 peaches were real nice--not real big but were good peaches.  They were cheap because they couldn't be kept over the weekend.  The fruitman had to get rid of them quick.  I scalded and peeled them like tomatoes and it worked fine.  I've forgotten, but I think I got 14-1/2 quarts and we ate a lot of them fresh.

Lynn and Toni are visiting Toni's Dad in southern Ill. but will be home on Thurs.  Bobby will be glad to see them for he's beginning to ask for them.

Who knocked your teeth out for you, Daddy?  Better be careful.

Hope you are both fine."

          Lots & lots of love,

                 B, Bonnie & Bobby

NOTE from Ann:  This is not the first time Bonnie mentioned polio.  In 1946, Connecticut was hit particularly hard and in 1949, there were significant epidemics in several states. The spraying of towns with DDT was becoming commonplace. See an example below: