August 17, 1957 Doing Extra Stuff, Making a Tent, Wrapping Betsy Wetsy and Seeing Francis The Talking Mule

Favorite 50's toys

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"The kids are in bed early for a change but Ann is so excited over her birthday tomorrow that she's having a hard time going to sleep.  You must have bought all the breeches in the store!  Ann's eyes got bigger and bigger as she took them out of the box and of course she is wearing a new pair every day.  We aren't having a party but are going to the State Fair instead.  We gave Ann a choice and she chose the fair, thank goodness!  I was dreading a party in the hot weather.  It has been delightfully cool today and cloudy.  I have almost worked my sox off but really got a lot done.  I simple can't work when it's hot so the house was pretty dirty.  We've done some extra things with the kids this week, too, and that always changes our schedule.  One evening we took the Watterson kids to the lake for a picnic and all of us had a good time doing nothing much.  We let them roast hot dogs and then walked down to the water.  The kids found rocks and threw rocks into the water and had a wonderful time.  Lynn stayed all night with Bob and Ann went out to Watterson's.  Toni & Watty should be home next Mon. or Tuesday.

One night we took the kids to a Drive-in Movie--the first any of us ever saw.  It was real nice and lots of fun.  They even had a little playground for the children so they could play a while before the show began.  One of the attractions was a little pony wagon & the kids got a ride in it.  That was a real thrill.  Bob enjoyed the movie but Ann stretched out in the back seat and went to sleep.

Every few days there are pictures of new teachers for Bloomington & Normal in the paper but we haven't seen Maurice Hamilton's picture yet.  How would he happen to come here?

B is gradually getting over his cold but he has had a bad one.  His head has been so blocked he could hardly breathe and he coughed a lot.  Lots of people here have had the same thing.

Ann's pants fit fine and that candy was delicious.  I think I've eaten most of it.

I finally got my brown striped dress all ready to wear.  I made a tent this week too.  We found one in a scout book & I promised Bob months ago that I'd make it out of some old drapes I had.  I'll be more careful about such promises next time because that was a terrible job.  I couldn't help but remember you talking about making side curtains, wasn't it, on that old machine of yours.

I must stop and wrap Ann's birthday packages.  We got her a little doll and some play clothes.  We'll celebrate at breakfast since we'll be gone most of the day.  B will go to school for a while and we hope he can leave about 10:00.

Hope you both are fine."

                      Lots of love,

                           Bonnie

NOTES:  Betsy got a lot of use.  By squirting water with a tiny doll bottle into her mouth, we could squeeze her and create either a crying, wetting baby, or a very good squirt gun if we squeezed hard enough.  For the next couple of years, whatever clothes were made for me, were made in miniature for the doll.  The grey tweed coat was made from the recent suit scraps and the flannel nightgown was made later in the fall.

The movie was Francis the Talking Mule.  Have a look below.