Letters From New York
29 June 1966
Dear Mum & Vince,
You'll have to excuse me if this weekly bulletin is somewhat garbled but, believe it or not, our furniture was delivered late yesterday afternoon and you can imagine the state we're in. Even as I sit at our dining room table - ours I said - to write this Joan is still knee deep in packing and crockery, but down to about the third last tea chest. It's being quite an amazing experience - the whole lot came in one great case, took ages to unload , and we've been working on it since about 8.30pm last night - and we're still far from finished. I find it difficult to believe we have so much!! Generally everything seems to have travelled well - Grace Bros. did a pretty good packing job but our beautiful bedroom suite (with its tender veneer finish) took a fair battering and I'll be into the insurance for something on that. So far (touch wood!) there hasn't been a breakage though I broke the drought earlier in the day when I bowled over an ornament & a coffee cup as I brushed by a pile. We've been rather embarrassed trying to accommodate everything and look like having to give up Cathy's chest of drawers and wardrobe since there just isn't any room. Feel pretty confident that the Kellys will take them and they'll therefore find their way to a good home. Had fun re-erecting the boys' unit but its done and serves as a wonderful room divider. Gee its great to have real soft beds to sleep in again.
Enough of that, however, and on to more exciting (or interesting) doings. Jennifer was at the doctors again yesterday for her first polio and triple vaccinations and has performed like a veteran. She's a real little Britain and is coming along marvellously - 13 lbs yesterday (adding 3 lbs in six weeks). The rest of the clan are well and the children perfectly happy now that all their remembered and revered playthings are strewn - and I do mean strewn - all about us. Joan, of course, has been worn to a frazzle but won't stop! The general comment from the kids was that "it's even better than Xmas". I had the day off today to lend some able (?) assistance - perhaps I'm more of a hindrance - and I'm sure the U.N. won't have missed me.
The weather here has been "stinking" with really oppressive humidity. I'm OK in my air conditioned office at the U.N. and we do seem to get a fair spate of breezes in the Village (supplemented by our own air conditioners) but the humidity lasts well into the night and can be quite stifling. Monday, the temperature reached 101°, the highest since 1943, and we've had two high nineties since. Overnight rain last night and again early this evening has not relieved the situation, but the mornings always dawn cool and crisp. The kids are dying for a swim and I'd dearly love to oblige but the nearest beach is 30 miles away & so well out of our range of possibilities at the moment. I'm investigating the procurement of a drivers license (the cost is at least $60.00 here - if one's successful first time) - and the purchase of a second hand car, but am in no particular hurry yet.
Work is still reasonably quiet and allows one plenty of time for thought - perhaps not a good thing - and the pursuit of personal satisfactions. Indeed, yesterday I did a little more buying picking up quite a nice, sturdy wooden armchair to blend in with my desk for $13.00. I could probably get twice that much for the timber alone! One of my earlier buys has gone slightly "bad" on me - the recliner lounge. As expected, the upholstery is beginning to give up the ghost and a couple of spec quotes suggest a complete renovation job would cost something like $85 - they must be kidding!!
Had news from the U.N. school at the weekend to the effect that an application I'd filed with them for bursaries for the kiddies - tenable next year - was successful, and they graciously allowed me $150 for the three, reducing the total bill from $2800 to $2650 - big deal; but still, $150 is better in my pocket than theirs. Mum Rogers gave us a little more detail on the bus smash and we're right up with the latest news (from a couple of sources) of the Caldwell assassination attempt - seems Australia's a good country to be out of! Note your remark about Bern walking you up to the tram stop - gee you have got a backward transport system over there. Always interested to hear news of Vince's doings but tell him a little bit of first hand info wouldn't go unappreciated and might relieve you a little. Also, it must be about time Marg bobbed up with some news - you'll have to round them up; that's if you see them long enough to get a word in edgewise. Had a very interesting letter from Kerry on Monday all about Panania. It seems they have settled in well and been accepted by all and sundry so it looks as though that side of things is looking after itself all right. It's certainly a great relief to know the mansion's in good hands.
Joan had intended writing this epistle tonight - she assures me she gets great enjoyment out of doing so - but she is really flat out and will take over next week. Seems to me I always start out with little to report - we don't seem to be at all active socially yet, but it takes no time at all to fill out one of these fiddlin' little things and if nothing else, I always had the gift of the gab. As you're aware by this normal airmail for a lousy half ounce (most of that is taken up by the stamp & envelope) is 25c with 25c for each additional half. A man puts in two sheets of paper & he's up for 50c which makes writing a luxury when you send out as many letters as we are at the moment. Even so, you do seem to be contented with the epistles we're sending out. Except for a few "near & dears" and a couple of good babysitters there doesn't seem to be much that we're wanting for here. I'm sure Joan has suggested that the time won't go quickly enough and, though I'm mellowing slightly, I'll still echo the sentiment. I'm slowly becoming convinced that the job itself won't do a great deal for my future in Australia - let's hope the international experience will!
Love and wishes
Your son,
Bill