March 10, 1956 The Boxing Gloves, The Spurs, The Cookies and The Tornado Warnings

U. of Chicago Lab School book

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"It's a bit snappy today but seems to be warming up.  After our wonderful days when Bob didn't even wear a jacket to school it got bitter cold again.  Both Bob and Ann have colds but Bob hasn't had to miss school.  Ann was home three days because she had a little fever.  So many things have been going thru school (measles, mumps, chicken pox) that I wanted to be sure it was just a cold.  Course, she couldn't go to school with a fever anyway.  The nurse would send her right home.  Then with B gone I didn't want a sick kid on my hands.  The flu has been real bad here but so far we have escaped.  Ann felt just bad enough to be ornery and I didn't get a thing done while she was home.  She is used to having company to play with so she was lonesome.

David came yesterday morning to play and I wish you could see his black eye.  He and Bill got boxing globes for Xmas and Bill (the little one) had given him the shiner.  He looked so funny.

I went to a kindergarten mothers' meeting yesterday and took cookies for refreshments.  I've made so many cookies this winter.   I told Toni I was going to say no the next time anyone asked me.  But I won't, I'll just make them.  Even Bob noticed it and informed me that I was always making cookies for someone else.  So I've been making bigger batches so there are some extras.

We are all going to work in the yard today.  Things are getting green so we want to get the yard cleaned up.  I worked two afternoons in one corner of the lot where junk had been thrown.  It was a mess.  I also have to move a bed of tulips.  It may kill them but the garage has been staked out and it will enclose this bed.  The boys will start work as soon as the permit is o.k.ed I guess.  We are real pleased.  There are so many little problems about it that we're glad this friend is supervising the project--like planning so the upstairs window can be saved.  We have to move the T.V. tower but we want the garage to be as long as we have it so we'll have storage for bikes and tools.  I can tell you more about it when they really start work.

I think I'll start on the hall next week.  I'm going to take the wallpaper off and then paint it probably.  Every paper I like is out of the question in price.

Our spurs were like these--available now on eBay

None of us went to church last Sunday.  Ann was taking a cold and B was getting ready to go to Chicago so we all stayed home.  B got home Wed. afternoon.  He brought the kids some spurs and me a Japanese frying pan I'd been wanting.  It sure was good to see him.  We got along fine and the only worry I had was when the tornado warnings went out.  The sky was terrible looking but the children didn't notice.  I kept watching and was glad when the cloud passed over Normal but knew someone was catching it.  I guess you read about the farms that were torn up.

Well, I must get outside or won't get my work done."

                       Lots of love,

                              Bonnie

 School Cookies (Chocolate Oatmeal Prizes)

 Sift into a bowl:  1 c flour, 1/2 t soda, 1/2 t salt and 1 c sugar.  Add 1/2 c shortening, 1 egg, 1 t vanilla, 1/2 t almond extract and 2 oz. chocolate, melted & cooled.  Mix well.  Dough is very stiff.  Add 1 c oatmeal and 1/2 - 1 c coconut.  Mix.  Form into small balls and put on lightly greased cookie sheet.  Flatten and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake 12-15 min. at 350.