January 18, 1975 The Three Days, The Bad Flu, The Quilt Patterns, The January Birthdays and The Beautiful Sunshine

Dear Mother,

"We have been thinking of Bob a lot lately. He is 27 today but has to work so we couldn't be with him. We did have a letter this week and he sounded tired as I knew he would be. He said he'd forgotten how hard it was to be on duty every three days.

I finished a dress for Ann but am waiting to hear from her before I put the hem in. If I don't hear today I'll call her. She's probably been too busy to write with new classes starting. She was going to take 2 or 3 more at the University.

Edith had better take care of herself with that flu. I guess it's bad this year so stay away from colds and crowds.

I've been working on some quilt patterns this week. I had some library books with patterns I wanted to draw off. B had to help me with one. It was hard to figure out from the picture. There aren't any actual patterns.

We were in a big book store last weekend in Peoria so I spent my Christmas money--all of it at once--on quilt books. Cotton print is sure high but I bought a little bit of tiny, old fashioned prints and have been working with that. If you have any scraps of colored print left from all your quilts save them for me. The patterns I've been drawing are pieced but I have some applique patterns started--cut and pinned on. That is so hard to do. I'm not sure I want to make a whole applique quilt.

I had two meetings this week and then both of us went to a dinner meeting last night. The speaker talked about banks and it was too dull to suit me.

I've made myself work on my book review too, and I'm about half done. It is so much more fun to work on the quilt blocks.

I also went to a coffee one morning for friends with January birthdays. That was nice.

B has gone to school. There is still lots of work to getting the new semester underway. He hopes to be free this afternoon and we'll do a little grocery shopping. I've been trying to use food out of the freezer but you can't keep milk and things like that in there.

I must stop and get dressed. We have more snow but beautiful sunshine. Hope it is shining there, too.

I talked with Ann just now and she's fine but busy as I thought. She goes for another check-up in February. The doctors are keeping tabs on her.

                       Love,

                             Bonnie