July 9, 1965 The Cool Breeze, The Beautiful City, The Bag of Apples and The Swamp

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"It's another beautiful day with a cool breeze.  The weather so far has been just wonderful and we've had some rain so things have freshened up.

We will meet Ann in Indianapolis tomorrow. She will come that far on the bus without changing. She has written only one card and I know she's having a good time. We had a real nice time. It is the first good long visit we ever really had with Dick and Gini. They have a very nice home, very pretty and kept so well. They had so many flowers (lots of roses) and not a weed in sight. Gini has the house fixed much like Rosalynn's with pretty things everywhere. After supper that night Dick took us around town to see the University of Cincinnati and the school where he teaches and other places. It is a beautiful city--built on 7 hills like Rome. Dick's school is new and has a wonderful setting.  It is built into a steep hillside--several buildings--and overlooks a big wooded area.  We left at 8:30 Sunday morning but everyone except Kelly was up and ready for the day. He was awake but still sleepy. Gini sure has a nice family.

We had a short letter from Bob this week. He has been pretty good about writing but the letters get shorter & shorter. A friend told me that was a good sign--he must be real busy. He wanted his boots & work gloves this time. They are taking a field trip into a swamp. He'll enjoy it but it wouldn't be for me. He has been gone three weeks now. The times does fly!

I have a big bag of apples to work up. They were given to me and I can get more. I would like to put some applesauce in the freezer if I can just get it done. There are so many other things going on this summer that I don't seem to get anything done.

I started to do some sewing and have just fooled around with it when I should have finished it. I cut my dress (it is cotton) and had enough left to cut Ann one, too. So I've really been making two at once and that may be why it seems slow.

I've wasted a lot of time, too, I guess. With the kids gone I haven't cooked much and the house stays cleaner. So I've read and puttered instead of working. Yesterday I went downtown and bought a new summer purse. The handles kept coming off my old one and I had it pinned underneath with safety pins. I looked for some white shoes one day but didn't find any. The stores are getting fall things now.

We have the new fall catalogs but we don't order as much as we used to when the kids were smaller. They want to pick out their own clothes more & more of course. It takes so long  to order too, because so much of it has to go back a time or two before it fits.

We are going to a wedding at noon and to the reception afterwards at the country club. It will be quite a wedding.  I went to see the gifts Tuesday and it was like a gift shop--china, silver & glassware galore.

Hope both of you are fine. Stay out of the hot sun (the weeds can wait) and take care of yourselves."

                   Lots of love,

                         Bonnie



NOTE:  Making applesauce in July was a very familiar routine and a common theme throughout the letters.
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