Letters From New York
1 June 1966
Dear Mum (& Vince),
Received your very welcome letter on Friday and another from Marg. yesterday. As always it was a real thrill to hear from you - no doubt you are also experiencing the joy of news from over the seas. This leaves us all in the best of health and spirits though still not (at least from the adults' point of view) ingrained into the system! Jennifer is coming along wonderfully well though there are no facilities here for weighing her regularly to check progress by weight - we have to rely on her next visit to the doctor in a fortnight. Michael is over his cold and is blooming. Anthony has had a bit of a head cold, but is on the improve, and Catherine and Phillip are in the pink. Phillip has had one of his front teeth come down out of alignment and this may involve us in a trip to the dentist but we're hoping its not too bad. It goes without saying that Dad and Mum are fit and well.
We're still awaiting the arrival of our goods & chattels from Sydney but, whereas the original scheduling would have had them here next week, the latest bulletin suggests that we will not get them till at least 18th - *@-!!* boat didn't leave Aust. till 15th May (more than 2 weeks late!). We're dying to get the things over here and get the house in some semblance of order as well as provide us with some more of the basic facilities. In the circumstances, Joan is bearing up wonderfully well. You're talking of chicken as a luxury item - over here we're eating it till it comes out of our ears, and is it choice! Even turkey is as cheap as dirt and they both leave the meat cuts for dead. I always thought I had a man sized appetite until I arrived here - these Americans must eat like horses if one can judge by the size of the servings given in cafeterias, eateries etc. The things I miss most of all are meat pies, apple pies & sandwiches - it seems impossible to get a conservatively sized sandwich, they all look like Dagwoods (_ a loaf of bread & literally inches of fillings) ranging in price from 45c EACH upwards!
The kids are revelling in their new environment and it's almost a major operation to remove them from the bikes in the evenings. Daylight stays with us till quite late - and I believe it will stay even longer as Summer goes on - & the youngsters often stay up till 9.00pm. We've been working 9.30am to 6.00pm at the office so that I don't get home till 7.00pm so, by the time dinner's over, the evening's gone. They've all settled down at school - Cathy's loving it - and are revelling in the French. Though graded (in all cases) a class lower than at home (since the school year had only six weeks to run when we arrived) they are all learning new things - Anthony gets exasperated when he sees the other kids in his class can do things he can't do yet - going regularly on trips to see this, that and the other, and each receiving their share of praise for their different accomplishments. They were evidently a novelty at school for a while (the first Australians in their classes) and have assimilated very well, already acquiring playmates of many nationalities.
I have heard and read some reports of the "dirty" football season you're having in Australia and will miss not being able to witness the Kangaroos battle with the Chooms this year. It seems strange to sit down by T.V. on a Saturday afternoons only to see baseball, though they do have direct telecasts of the big races (& there are three or four each day). T.V. here isn't much better than at home, there being the same "name" shows and even, believe it or not, the same shows which have been on in Sydney. The biggest features are, of course, coloured T.V. and direct telecasts (per the early bird satellite) of news and sports events - as they happen - from all over the world. As at home its very commercialised, though there are 15 channels to choose from.
The weather's improving slightly and, last weekend we had the first public holiday weekend of our stay. The water position looks to be on the improve & the prospects of restrictions this year seem to be diminishing. With Monday fine I took the opportunity to paint the kitchen cupboards and, given a fine weekend, will probably start a garden - the Village authorities give out free seedling plants - next weekend. We've had two or three evenings out - Joan even attended a concert at Carnegie Hall with our Australian friends - and last Saturday night we had our first baby sitter in whilst we went to a farewell party for the Bartels who are returning to Australia (via the European circuit) on a three months trip next week. The poor dear (about 70) was wonderful and when I walked her home at 1.00am - she lives near us thank God - she asked me to leave her outside her apartment building as she didn't want to create any false impression by being seen entering with a STRANGE man! Glory be!!! I had hoped to be able to send home some photo slides with the Bartels but it seems they won't be able to get out to see the Rogers' - may be able to organise it later.
Last weekend seems to have been a bad one in Australia for loss of life but here in the U.S.A. 519 lives were lost over the three day weekend (a record!) and the expectation is that the year's totals will be over 15,000. New York is jam packed with traffic - the roads are marvellous - and everyone's a road hog. No one seems to obey the rules, and certainly not the lights (red evidently means proceed more slowly!!) And the bus drivers drive their vehicles like taxis. Before and since our arrival the city has been torn with strikes, some of which are still not settled. The city mayor, appointed in January has been troubled by strikes from taxi drivers; newspaper workers (that's still not settled); two different types of nurses and sundry less important groups. The city transit fare (15c anywhere in the city) seems certain to go up to 20c in July as a tax raising media and is causing a great deal of discussion. Indeed, all sales in N.Y. are taxed, even second hand goods and it takes some getting used to buy an article at an advertised price & then have 5% added on when you take it to the counter for checking & payment. Virtually all buying is on the cash and carry basis with all goods being sold at a discount or the subject of a "special" sale.
Very sorry to hear in Marg's letter of Tom Killeen's death but, in the circumstances perhaps it was for the best. Ask her to pass our condolences onto Myrtle. The news on Glenn certainly sounds encouraging but tell him to keep a level head. First year in any course can be very tricky and it's not always the First Term "stars" who shine at the other end. His high marks in maths should try to be maintained for, regardless of his "forte" a good maths background will always stand him in good stead. I've been getting some of the "choice" news of Sydney from a number of sources and am quite surprised at Chuck Faulkner's end.
The eldest kiddies had a day out at the zoo with the school today and we're having our first "at home" - despite the lack of facilities - next Sunday when we'll be entertaining another young Aust. family who have been here only a week longer than we have. On this note, and since I'm running out of paper, will have to end this chapter. Will keep you regularly posted on news & views and, rest assured, you're never very far from our thoughts. Till the next letter, love and best wishes to all of you from all of us.
Your loving son,
Bill