October 1, 1949 Quite Snappy, Breaking In a Sitter, Binding the Rugs and A Ride to Decatur

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"Your letter hasn't come yet but I hope you are both fine.  It has been quite snappy all week but the sun is bright.

We went to a tea Sunday and Bobby did very well with the sitter but was awfully glad when we got home.  After we got back I stayed with Wheeler's kids so they could go.  They have 3, you know (4 mos., 2 & 4) and hadn't had a chance to find any sitters.

I am breaking in a new sitter so I can leave Bobby anytime without him crying.  It's a high school girl and I'm having her come to play with him twice a week until he gets so he will let her take him for a ride or go with her.  He likes her but wants me around.  I give her .35 an hour and she stays about 2 hours.  Maybe I can get some extra things done in that time.

B's schedule keeps him at school more this semester and he drives to Springfield every Wed. for a class.  He doesn't get back till about 9:00.  The state pays extra for the trip (including his dinner) so he can buy some extras for the car that we'd like to have.

We finally found rugs for the hall and for the space between the dining & living room.  We found two rug ends at Wards.  One is dark green tone on tone leaf, 27"x12' so we left that in one piece.  It covers the hall from the living room door back to Bobby's door--looks real nice.  The other piece was 32"x9' so I cut that in half and use one piece in front of the hall door and the other between the dining R & living room.  It is beige twist like the rugs in those rooms.  Both pieces were marked down remnants and were $21. for the two.  We thought they were a bargain and I bound them myself.  The cheapest throw rugs I could find any place would have cost $24. and they were part rayon.

I took Evelyn Wheeler to the Mother's Club at Toni's Tues. night and she enjoyed it.  I have invited the club to come here in Oct.

Bobby's chair still hasn't come and my utility cabinet hasn't come.  We're going to look at a used studio couch this morning.  Seems like we'll never get everything.

If it's nice tomorrow we may drive to Decatur to see the town.  Wish you were both here to ride with us."

                     Lots of love,

                          B, Bonnie & Bobby

NOTES from Ann: Post-war women's magazines are full of ads for convenience products, food mixes, cars, house and kitchen plans, clothing and baby products, all suggesting a new prosperity.  The above ad from 1946 is an example of one which marks the beginning of an era of "throw-away" products. 

And making national news on Oct. 1, 1949, was the establishment of the People's Republic of China. This was announced by Chairman Mao Zedong to a crowd of 300,000 in Beijing's Tienanmen Square. Watch a brief video of the event here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUI3bfLnf5s

For an excellent article on Mao's life:  http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/china.50/inside.china/profiles/mao.tsetung/