October 6, 1951 Ann Gets Up, Bobby Stays in Bed, Bonnie Takes the Class and Wants an Autopsy

Good Housekeeping, Oct., 1951

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"Ann and I just got up.  It is almost 7:00 so the others should be up soon.  But it is raining this morning so that may make Bobby sleep.  It is cold too after being so hot we were all puffing.  The crazy weather has caused so many colds.  Ann and Bobby still have runny noses and coughs.  I never got anything but a sore throat and cough.  So many have had colds.

We spent last evening with Conrads--the people with the Lustron house--listening to some of their new records.  She has a brother in the business and he gave them a lot.

I have my drapes all finished and I'm so pleased with them.  They sure help the looks of the living room.  It makes me want to do something for the dining room but that will have to wait.

Adult Education classes begin this next week--My class in tailoring will begin on Thurs. evening and I still plan to go.  It meets for 3 hrs. once a week so we'll get quite a lot done each time if we have a good teacher.  If there is time I want to make a suit and a short year-round coat so I'll know how to do both.

I'm so sorry about the sow but wish she'd died at the beginning if she had to and not kept you thinking she was getting well.  It would have been interesting to cut her open and found out what ailed her.  It was peculiar, wasn't it?

I'm almost afraid to say anything but Ann has been so much better this week.  She has been taking 2-1/2 hr. naps in the afternoon and not having a bottle at night.  I've been letting her cry at night.  If she cries real hard I give her a bottle but if she just fusses I don't even go in to her room.  I can tell in about 2 minutes whether she is going to go back to sleep or not.  Maybe I could have done this before but I don't think so.  I think she is just growing out of that terrible stage.  She still doesn't eat any more food.

I must stop and get her some breakfast.  She is playing peek-a-boo with me and laughing.  She is so cute I wish you could see her."

                        Lots of love,

                               Bonnie

NOTES:  Prefabricated, steel Lustron houses were gaining popularity in 1950.  There was only one in Normal, Illinois in 1951, though there were many others throughout the state.   While available in several colors, many were pale yellow or grey.  For the interesting history of this economical and low-maintenance home:  http://www.lustronconnection.org/whatislustron.html

There was big baseball news for the first week of October, 1951.  Bobby Thomson hit his famous "Shot heard round the world" during the NL pennant race.  Take a look!