May 21 and 28, 1950 Bobby's In Charge, The Amplifier, A Dish Pan of Potato Salad, A Pair of Hose, A Little Batch of Preserves and Through Cleaning House

 Dear Mother & Daddy,
                       
 "This will be late just because I didn't get it written.  We started cleaning house and still aren't finished.  Although Marge is doing the real hard work I have been doing curtains, slipcovers, etc. and it is slow work.

I feel good and have lots of pep but it seems to take so long to get the extra things done.  I haven't been getting any jobs done after supper either because Bobby goes to bed later now and makes us stay with him until he goes to sleep (that has been since that Sun. night when we told him we were leaving).  The evening is practically gone when he does go to sleep.

I spent all afternoon at the Dr's.  He had a delivery and we all had to sit and wait for him to come back from the hospital.  I asked about riding and he said no more than 50 miles so that lets out our trip home in June.  I guess that means that we won't be home until Thanksgiving or Xmas.

B has his amplifier all finished and it really improves the record player.  He and Jim are listening to it now.

We went on a wiener roast Monday night and Bobby really had a time.  The kids played ball and he just loves that.  I made a dish pan full of potato salad and the students really appreciated it.

I'm glad you liked the jelly server.  I tried to get a pickle fork but couldn't fine one.  I had a nice Mother's Day, too.  B gave me hose and Bobby gave me a red geranium.  He was so sweet about it.  He had practiced saying "Happy Mother's Day" but got excited and said, "Happy Birthday, Mama".  Then he wanted me to say "Happy Birthday" to him.

There just isn't any news so maybe there will be more next week."

                    Lots of love,

                           B, Bonnie & Bobby

NOTE:  You can find the potato salad recipe here:  http://annbkennedy.blogspot.com/2012/05/june-3-1947-rolling-time-connecticut.html

Those of you who have read the 40s letters know what a challenge it was to find nylons during the war since it was all being used for tents, parachutes, etc.  It was predicted that they would not be widely available until at least 1948, which was proven to be the case.  The demand continued to be high into the 50s.  Bloomington had a nice department store with an entire department for hosiery.  As a child,  I was intrigued by the dozens of narrow, shallow drawers behind the counter, each of which held a particular color of nylons.  More intriguing were the names on each drawer such as Suntan Shimmer, Midnight Mystery and Silken Meadow.  The clerk wore a white coat and gloves, another mystery to me, and would gingerly lift out flattened, shaped hose, folding them in one fluid motion to fit perfectly in a tissue-lined box.  I used to wonder how in the world those things would stay on one's legs! 

May 28, 1950

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"Maybe I'll get this one off in time so you'll get it as usual.  I hope you got last week's letter and hope you are a little more rested by now, Mother.

We are all fine.  We have been having real summer weather until today and it is plain cold now.  Bobby gets up in the morning wanting to go outside and then I can hardly get him in long enough to eat.  So you see I don't really get much done.  It doesn't matter though so we spent most of this week outside.  He sleeps better too, after all the fresh air.

Jim's folks are here from Texas so we haven't been over there at all but are going to see Eve and the kids tomorrow since Jim is taking his Mother & Dad to Chicago for the day.  Then Sunday we are all going out to the lake for a picnic supper.  I'm going to make a chiffon cake to take and hope it turns out as nice as the last one.

Did I tell you B had ordered a cap & gown?  It came this week and is just beautiful.  The thing cost more than a good suit but is a life-time investment so we felt it was worth it.

Are you going to have any strawberries in your patch this year?  They are gradually getting cheaper here and I got some for .29 a quart today so am making a little batch of preserves.  If they turn out I'm going to make it as long as berries are reasonable for we sure like them.

Every night I do a few minutes work on my housecoat so it is beginning to take shape now but it is slow.  The satin ravels so badly I have to french seam the whole thing and it is like making two.  I have to get some house shoes and when the housecoat is done I'll have my clothes ready to go to the hospital.  It isn't going to take much for the baby.  I have part of the things washed and the rest are in the machine ready to be washed.  I intended to do that today but it kept threatening rain so I was afraid to.  They need to bleach in the sun awhile after being packed away so long.

How is Charlotte?  I sent Jerry a birthday package this week.

I guess we are through with cleaning house.  Something needs to be done in the laundry room but we haven't decided what to do.  That paper is so old and ugly.  I hope we can paint the woodwork in the living room at least during the week's vacation after graduation.

I must take care of the preserves so hope you are both fine."

                           Lots of love,

                                 B, Bonnie & Bobby