August 24, 1974 The Real Mess, The Busy Week, The Old TV, President Ford and The Dirty Job

Dear Mother,

"It is good to sit down a bit and write to you. I've been working in the basement the last two days and was so tired last night I could hardly stay awake until bedtime. I'm half done but it is not very encouraging to know the water will mess it up again one of these days. We simply don't know where to go to get something done. No one wants to take on a "little" job like that. We think a ditch would have to be dug all around the foundation and tiles replaced and that would be a real mess. Another man promised to come and look but we haven't heard from him.

Classes start on Monday so B is busy. The town is coming to life and of course there are lots of people everywhere.

This has been a busy week. I went to a coffee and a luncheon one day this week--the same day.

Bob came late Wednesday night and went home after supper Thursday. It was nice to have him but seemed strange without Patty. He thought so, too. This was the first time he'd been home alone in the six years they have been married. He drove to Springfield early Thursday morning and was back before noon. All he had to do was show his diploma and have a signed picture of himself. It was a long trip for that. He said 350 people were applying for licenses that day. He hopes to do some extra work on his day off in another hospital or nursing home.

Patty drove to Atlanta with her sister who had been visiting her and will fly home Monday. Bob seemed lonesome and I know he misses her although he's at work most of the time.

It is cooler here but we still need rain. B watered the yard so it is greening up some.

Friends have been bringing us vegetables and I hope they keep it up.

You had better get you a TV now that the old one is out. Winter could be awfully long without it. We hope to come home in September for a weekend so  maybe we could go look then, or Beulah would take you, of course.

President Ford seems to be doing fine and he sure is trying.  I didn't have any choice for Vice President but sure didn't want Laird.


I guess we have to forget about the personal lives and scandals of government people from now on as long as it doesn't affect the government. Rockefeller certainly has experience in government and I think he will do his best so let's just hope he'll be a fantastic vice president for the good of the country.

I'd better get back to my dirty job. Hope you are fine."

                         Love,

                             Bonnie

NOTE: As a collector of old magazines, I am always interested in the mailing labels and often wonder about who the subscribers were, what their interests were, etc. This particular issue caught my eye and it was fun to see that the subscriber was Melvin Belli. Many readers will remember him. If you don't:  http://www.nytimes.com/1996/07/11/us/melvin-belli-dies-at-88-flamboyant-lawyer-relished-his-role-as-kingof-torts.html?pagewanted=all