September 8, 1956 The Phone, The Lawn, 42 Quarts, 8 Pints and The Sore Toe

Woman's Day, Nov., 1956

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"This week has seemed long and yet I haven't got much of anything done.  Most of my time has been spent on the phone or talking to someone about the dinner for the Faculty Women.  I'll be so glad when that is over.

We fertilized and seeded the lawn one evening after supper.  There aren't even any weeds around the patio and we want some grass started there before winter.

The weather is like winter almost.  We had the furnace on this morning and smoke was boiling out of chimneys around.

Our neighbors are home so I won't be canning any more tomatoes.  I had a bucket ready to can when they got home so I just took the tomatoes to them since I had cleaned the patch that morning.  I have canned 42 quarts and made 8 pints of preserves and I think that is quite a lot of free tomatoes.  Ours are ripening now but they had better hurry or the frost will get most of them.

Life, September 21, 1955

Bob and Ann have been lost this week with their pals in school.  The public schools began last Tuesday.  I let them set up a Kool-Aid stand one day and thought they would drink the Kool-Aid before anyone even passed but they fooled me.  They have made .45 and Bob won't let even Ann have a free glass.  He's saving for a monopoly set, he says.

We've been practicing a little piano this week and doing fine with it.

I finished Ann's dress and my dress and wore it today.  It looks real nice.  I ordered the other one for myself.  There wasn't anything downtown that I cared about.  I ordered some wash and wear print from Sears.  Wards had some Dacron left from summer but it was .97 a yard and not too pretty.  I didn't think you'd want it so I didn't get any.  If there are any Vogue patterns you want send me the numbers and I can get them for you.  They are good patterns.  I have a crepe dress cut out but haven't even basted any on it yet.

Watterson's house is started.  The foundation is practically in.  Toni can hardly wait and I don't blame her.  The man who owns the house on North St. where we lived has started working on it at last.  They tore out the old furnace and the basement partitions and put in a new oil furnace.  They are redecorating the whole thing.

Daddy must take care of his hand and I hope it is about well.  B has had such a sore toe but it is healing.  He stuck the spading fork thru his shoe (canvas shoes) when he was digging some potatoes at his Dad's to bring home with us.  It is his big toe and the nail is going to come off.  The soreness will soon be gone but it will be a nuisance until the nail is off.

Take care of yourselves."

                    Lots of love,

                              Bonnie

NOTE:  For the tomato preserves recipes:

 http://www.annbkennedy.blogspot.com/2012/05/september-9-1947-vermont-house.html