April 26, 1958 The Pink Locust, The Potluck, The Plastered Wall and The Promotion

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"Things are really getting pretty now but it has been quite cool the last few days.  I told my neighbor I'd like to pull on every plant to help it grow faster.  Some of my iris have buds already and I think the bed is going to be nice this spring.  The foliage and geraniums I put outside look terrible for the rain really beat them down but they will come out of it.

Daddy, will you save me another nice pink locust?  I want it for a friend who has given me so many nice plants.  He just commented that he wanted one so badly so I said I'd ask you for one.  I'll get it in July.  That sounds like a bad time but he is a botanist and he said that time would be all right.  He has given me a lot of iris, some black eyed susans, sage and some plants I can't remember.  After the tulips bloom he is going to give me some of them.

Tomorrow is potluck night.  I have to take rolls.  That is pretty easy.

B had a nice birthday.  He was pleased about the Mirror and then got the package today.  He was pleased with it too and really needed the hankies & the sox but the Mirror was enough.  We had the Larsens, Wattersons & Sorensens come for cake and ice cream last night.  We had a good time visiting.

I painted the stairwell (the plastered part) and the rest of the hall.  We used the same green that we used before but this time it is semi-gloss & not flat.  I'm tired of scrubbing to get finger prints off & the flat paint seems to absorb the dirt.  We think the tile will be laid next week.  I'm working on Ann's curtains now and should start work in the bedroom then.

I spent the afternoon at the hospital.  One of our old maid friends is in there.  She is the blind one so was happy to see me.  She has an infection on one shoulder and with her diabetes it is hard to get anything to heal.

On July 1 B will have a new title.  His work will be much the same but he will become Dean of Undergraduate Instruction.  It means a raise in pay of $160. a month.  We weren't planning on that much but everybody got a little more than usual this year.  It sounds big but won't mean much if prices keep going up.  Surely things will level off soon.

It's almost bedtime already.  Seems like the time really flies.  Hope you both are fine."

                       Lots of love,

                             Bonnie

NOTE:  Prices continued to rise throughout 1958 and 1959.  Unemployment was nearing 7%.  For a quick and interesting look at the 8 month long recession of 1958, use the link. 

http://content.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1850639,00.html