December 9, 1962 The Leak, The Lesson, The Smoke, The Sugar Cubes and The BB's

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"I'm late again and I sometimes wonder where the time goes.  I spent two days last week writing Christmas cards and letters but I'm not finished yet because I ran out of cards.  The ones to Japan are on their way, though, and I have time to mail the others.

I also found time, and remembered, to send Bessie an Illinois souvenir spoon. She asked me, Thanksgiving, to send her one and I kept forgetting it.  She has started a collection and had quite a few.  Ruby had been getting them for her when she went on trips and Bessie had bought some on her trip.

We have been to S.S. but came home and didn't stay for church.  There is a leak in the toilet upstairs and B has gone to get some parts for it so he can fix it today.  He had spent a long time replacing one part just yesterday and it worked fine.  We went to a Christmas formal last night and when we got home the water was spurting out onto the floor.

The kids want to get the Christmas tree today if we can.  The snow is flying and it is real cold so we'd better get it before things get messy.

I'm trying to get Ann's Christmas dress done so she can wear it tomorrow afternoon to a party at school.  I sewed some on it yesterday but when I got a formal out to press for last night I found out it was too long.  So I spent most of the afternoon hemming it up.  Then I tried on my old evening shoes and they were too tight so we had to go to Bloomington and get some shoes.  That took another hour.  It ought to teach me a lesson about waiting till the last minute to check my clothes but I'd been so busy with other things and hadn't needed any evening things since last spring.

We have moved our church services to another building at school because of another fire.  Some of the switches for the lights in the school theatre caught fire and did $50,000. damage before a janitor smelled the smoke.  I should say the damage came from water really, after he discovered the fire but there wasn't anything else the firemen could do.  The building can't be used till after Christmas probably.

I can't help you much about B & Bob's Christmas but B needs handkerchiefs badly and he'd just as soon have a good cotton one as linen.  He can always use ties, too.  Bob says he could use some fishing line but that's all I can get out of him.  He'd probably like any fishing tackle or BBs.

We get our second polio sugar cube this afternoon so I'd better get lunch.  The kids want to go early but there will be a crowd all afternoon.

Hope both of you are fine."

                             Love,

                                  Bonnie