August 18, 1953 Sort of Quiet, Cake for Breakfast, Missionary Row, Little Tantrums and The Diary

Ann, 3rd birthday

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"It is sort of quiet around here.  We have had Ann's birthday cake and the kids are happy.  I made a chiffon cake last night and had an awful time keeping her from eating it for breakfast.

Our ship tickets were here when we got home and the sailing date has been changed to the 24th--Monday, instead of Sunday.  We won't leave Normal now until Friday night.  It means flying at night but we'll get in Seattle mid-morning Saturday.

We also had a letter about our house in Japan and a welcome letter from the president of the Japanese university.  He said their campus is supposed to be the most beautiful in Japan--located on a quiet mountain side and overlooking Osaka Bay.  The letter about the house was from the Canadian missionary-teacher who lives in it and whose furniture we'll be using.  He is coming home on furlough.  The house sounds wonderful--three stories, four bedrooms, a garden with a pool and lilies and fish.  There is an electric stove, a Servel refrigerator and the house is heated with pot-bellied stoves and portable heaters.  From the list of furniture in the house I can imagine it as being a mixture of everything but we won't care about that.  Our neighbors are missionary-teachers and the street is tagged "Missionary Row".  He listed the neighbors' names but made no mention of children in the neighborhood.

Kwansei Gakuin University, photo taken by B, Sept., 1953

Toni gave me a permanent today but it hasn't been combed out yet so I don't know how it did.  It seems like we've been so busy since we got back but I can't really see that we've done much.  B put a coat of wax on the car to help protect it this winter.  That took a day.  We've had lots of company coming in and out too which kills so much time.

Bobby was tired out when we got home.  He had a fever the day after we got back so we kept him in bed and when he got rested it left.  I think the bites on his back bothered him too.  Both he and Ann are fine.

I changed my mind about cutting Ann's hair.  I was afraid she might object after it was done and I want to keep her happy on the trip.  Her little tantrums aren't good for her or me either.

I won't write again now until we get in Seattle and it will probably be just a card, then.  It will seem so long until we can hear from you but when you can write to us be sure and tell us how you all are and what the doctor is doing for you.  I hope by the time we get back to Normal that you and Daddy can both come to visit us.

Sorensens gave us a diary so I'll try to keep it every day.

      Lots and lots of love to you both,

              Bonnie, B, Bobby & Ann

Give the bread recipe to Maxine.  I never did get a chance to make it."


NOTE:  Bonnie wrote an entry in the diary each day during the stay in Japan.  The letters, about one every 2 weeks, elaborate on the brief diary entries.