February 13, 1965 The Fudge, The Whipped Cream, The Mail, The Few Nice Days and When the Cheering Stopped

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"The kids have gone to a ball game and B is making fudge.  It is nice to be home and not have a dozen things to do.  I've been home a little more than usual this week and have been sewing again.  I made Ann a wool flowered dress and cut one out of whipped cream for myself.  Ann's is quite a plain style but very pretty.

It had to be lined for the material is sort of stretchy so it was quite a lot of work. I think I told you when I got the whipped cream on sale at Penney's.  It is a dark, gaudy print.  I decided I wanted a sleeveless dress and jacket but had only three yards.  I had tried to cut it twice and couldn't get what I wanted but managed to get it all.  It would be terrible if I've left a piece out but I checked them several times to be sure.  Ann's dress has to be hemmed tomorrow after she tries it on. She is shaped like I am and I usually have to measure with the yardstick to get her skirts even.

My book review for As You Like It Club is coming up in March.  It is the story of Woodrow Wilson's last years called When the Cheering Stopped.  You should get it from the bookmobile and read it.  I could hardly stop reading when I started and yet it is one of the saddest books I ever read. It really makes one think.  He was so right about so many things.

Bob is still getting mail about the summer science programs.  He hasn't applied to any of them yet but has the blanks when he decides which one. He'll be very lucky if he is accepted at one.  It seems to me that they all expect the kids to know an awful lot.

Bob still has quite a lot of cold. He couldn't go to school Monday but went back Tuesday afternoon.  Ann went back Monday afternoon so they both missed a day and a half.  So far, B & I have escaped.  I scalded dishes and maybe that helped.

We had a few nice days and I wanted to wash the windows but had other things to do.  Now it is real cold again.  I wanted to cut some pussy willows, too.  They had started to come out.  The wind blew so hard last night it woke me up several times.  Sounded awful.

Marjorie's trip sounds so nice.  I almost envy her.  Ann writes to a girl in New Zealand and wants to go there sometime.

The dishwasher is all fixed.  I got along very well without it but it does save time.  B had to buy the whole timer and turn in the old one.  That thing was $21.  Isn't that awful?  B said he felt like complaining to the company.

The fudge is done and real good.  I wish you had some of it.

Take good care of yourselves."

                       Lots of love,

                             Bonnie

NOTE:  For more on Gene Smith and When the Cheering Stopped:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/05/books/gene-smith-biographer-of-leaders-dies-at-83.html?_r=0