May 7 - 8, 1954 Christmas Shopping In Kobe, Farewell to Winnie, B Writes Home and Preparations for Rice Planting

Diary Entry:  May 7, 1954

"Started out in the rain for shopping in Kobe.  Trying to clear up Xmas list. 

Ordered tea sets for folks, Mabel's plates and extra pieces for Rosalynn.  Asked about discount.  Girl laughed & said president did not know that English word.  They know "special service".

 
Diary Entry:  May 8, 1954

"Wonderful day.  Sewed a bit.  After lunch went to University fujinkai. A farewell party for Winnie Harbin.  Paid 150 yen for tea.  Program of music.  Tea, cheese crax, cookies & candy.  Iced tea with lemon & mint--very good.  Served in garden.  Pictures taken.  Nice party.

Bonnie (far right) with missionary friends

May 8, 1954

Dear Mother & Dad,

"Happy Mother's Day to you, Mom!  We would like to be there to help you celebrate tomorrow, but it won't be much longer now.  Mother, we are sending you a present, but you are to share it for Dad's Day, too.  We had been looking for a long time for something as a souvenir and a going-home present from us to you and Dad.  Finally we decided that a tea set would probably be best for you to share, so we ordered one yesterday.  It may not arrive before mid-July or so, for the factory where we are having it made has some big export orders and yours won't be finished for month or so.  We are having the pieces made like Sister's but the pattern is bamboo and sparrow with a gold rim.  We certainly hope you both enjoy it.  We are also sending one to Bonnie's folks and Bonnie will write to them about it soon.

I just started to write that there hasn't been much going on this week, but I guess there have been several things.  There were two national holidays this week--Constitution Day on Monday and Children's Day on Wednesday.  Our maid, Teruko-san,  took the measles last week and was out until yesterday.  Bonnie went to Kyoto with one of the missionary wives on Tuesday to visit a nursery school and kindergarten.  On Thursday I went into Osaka and yesterday all of us spent the day in Kobe doing some shopping.  This morning I had a class--so after all, we have kept busy this week.  I forgot also that Wednesday evening was our evening for hosting prayer meeting.

This afternoon Bonnie has gone to a neighbor's house where the university women are having a tea for one of the missionary families who are going to the United States for a year's furlough.  They have been here four years and go back home for one year.  We are having them over for supper Monday evening and then they sail from Kobe on Tuesday.  They are going to take a trip by Europe so will be out a couple of months  before they get to New York.  While Bonnie is gone this afternoon, Bobby and Ann are planning to have a Kool-Aid tea party for their friends.  It has rained nearly every day this week but today is nice and sunny.  We are going to have some strawberries in our back yard before long.  Ann announced this morning that one of them was bright red so maybe we can have shortcake one of these days soon.  The strawberries here are supposed to be very good, and the ones in the stores really look nice.  They are huge--averaging almost two inches in length.

We are glad to hear that Sister liked her tea set.  The company will replace the broken cup and we are having some extra pieces made for her.  Bonnie said she would write to her soon about them.

I hope to have lots of interesting pictures to show you when we get back.  I have already taken about 500 color shots and hope to have a couple of hundred more before we leave.  In the next few days I ought to be able to get some pictures of rice planting in the seedbeds and then 40 days later they will be replanting it in the paddy fields.

I have to stop to get the Kool-Aid and now I can't seem to think of anything else to write.

Mom, I hope you are over your cold and that Dad didn't get it."

                Love,

                     B