Letters From New York
7 June 1966
Dear Mum,
Bill intended to write to you tonight but is out at the moment so decided I would say a few words first. Before I forget I must tell you not to worry about the children on their bikes, I noticed in Bill's last letter he told you of all the road deaths here, well they don't ride their bikes on the roads but ride on the pathways through the village. I could just imagine you at home worrying about them.
Very pleased to hear you enjoy our letters so much, we love to receive letters too & do so quite regularly. Phillip & Cathy had their sports day today & did pretty well, they can run like their Nanna Dwyer used to run. Anthony has his day on Friday. They break up for 3 months on Friday week, (heaven help Mum). I think it is a bit too long really, they will get bored.
Our furniture & things should be here in a couple of weeks now. I can hardly wait to set up house again & make it a bit more like home here. The Garfield St folk had an accident in the car the night Neil left for Vietnam, they seem to be O.K. & were extremely lucky as the car turned over twice & landed upside down. They had to pull Mum out through the window. She burst a vein in her leg & had a nasty shake. Auntie Bern broke a bone in her shoulder, Robyn has internal bleeding, Dad got a scratch on the ear & Peter didn't get hurt at all. I had better leave a little room for Bill Mum, will write again soon.
Love Joan.
Well, that's got all of the bad news out of the way anyway. How are you love? Well I hope. We're missing you all a great deal and present long faces when the postie doesn't leave us any mail. The weather here is beginning to hot up now - both days over the weekend were in the nineties and "stinky" hot. We have a sad - but yet happy - moment here tonight with our friends the Bartels preparing to leave for home tomorrow in leave for three months via London, Geneva, Vienna, Rome, Hong Kong - and New Zealand thrown in for good measure on the return trip. Itinerary permitting they hope to be able to call in and see the Rogers whilst in Sydney and we've asked them to let Mum R. know in advance of their coming so that they may be able to get you over to Fivedock for the occasion.
We had our first "at home" at the weekend when we entertained the Kelly gang - a young Australian family with three small children - who have been here only a week longer than we have. Despite our lack of facilities we did ourselves proud and Joan performed up to her usual high standard. The kids are blooming though tending to get a bit restive for new things and adventure with the warmer weather arriving. Michael is a real little man and astounded us the other day by asking "Mum, can I go with Phillip?". When asked where Phillip was going he replied with a perfectly straight face "Where I'm going" - can you beat that!!
They're commencing exams at school and Anthony is finding a bit of trouble with work that is a little foreign to him. Phillip seems to have no problems which require parental assistance & Catherine, strangely, seems not the least overawed by anything though she's struggling with the reading. She's proving to be a wizard at sums & Phillip's writing has improved out of sight. Little Jennifer is coming along beautifully, is beginning to recognise Mum & Dad and turns on the smiles regularly and the tears too when necessary. Joan is due to take her back to the specialist on Tuesday next for a progress check &, all being well, she'll then start on the course of polio etc. injections. Michael has been bothered with a bit of a bronchial cough but this seems to be on the mend now.
Very pleased to note that the budgie responded so well to the brandy treatment - perhaps you ought to try it out on Vince for what ails him. I've had the letter from Margaret and will have to do something about replying shortly of I'll be in the bad books.
Joan had a very interesting few days last week & over the weekend watching live telecasts of the astronauts antics & I believe there are three more flights scheduled by November. Last night we got an on the spot telecast of the shooting of the negro Meredith whilst on his march through Mississippi and of the actual arrest of the attempted assassin.
They still haven't got me working flat out at the U.N. and, up to this stage, it's been a shame to take the money. Speaking of money, however, early indications are that it will take us all of what we're getting to maintain reasonable living standards - its amazing where the money gets to. This week I'm undertaking an indoctrination course in the U.N. procedures & principles - I guess it's one way of filling in the time, but at $12,000 p.a. it seems a rather expensive way.
Well, that's about it for the time being. I guess for a while now news will have much of the feeling of sameness about it. However, it affords some contact. Till the next time then,
Love from
Bill, Joan & the kiddies
While I was cooking dinner on Sunday Michael walked in and said "Mummy I can smell Nanna Dwyer's baked potatoes", so how's that?