Letters From New York
6 July 1966
Dear Mum,
Never a dull moment with Vince is there? How is his chin now? I suppose this has put him out of the football for a few weeks. I am a bit like you Mum I read all the mail over & over, just in case I missed something the first time. We love to hear all the news from home.
Phillip, Anthony, Michael and Cathy painting shells. 8 July 1966.
We have most of our furniture & goods settled now. The only thing we could not fit in was Cathy's wardrobe so I don't think that was too bad. We need finishing touches now, such as curtains and clean windows & walls then we will be in order once more.
Well we have had a real taste of Summer, this past week was a long weekend & we had over 100° for 3 days in a row, it went up as high as 106°. One record hot day for over 30 years & one record high for 90 years. New York really turned it on for us. I usually don't feel the heat very much but the last few days got through to me. The air conditioners proved to be worth their weight in gold. I'm sure only for them we would have had a very washed out baby. She was really wonderful in all the heat, we kept her upstairs most of the time in the cool room.
Anthony & Phillip are going on a three weeks day camp from 15th August. It is run by the C.Y.O. Each day they will be picked up by bus at the church (about 8.00am) & taken to camp, where they have swimming, boating, fishing, play sport & learn art, woodwork, etc. It sounds very nice, I think they should enjoy it. They will be returned home each night about 5.30. Just like three weeks holidays for them. I think this three months with no school is much too big a break for them with nothing to do, so this camp will help fill in time.
Jenny enjoys her new diet. She eats beef & vegs. fruit & fresh milk. The change over in milk didn't upset her at all. I thought it might. She loves pineapple juice too, I wonder why! If she wakes during the night now I give her pineapple juice, she really laps it up.
Do you see much of Joan Gay now? I hope she still visits you each week. How is her little boys eye? Are the doctors able to do anything for it. Had better leave a little room for your son Mum look after yourself & pray the two years will pass quickly.
Well, this week I'm a little lost for news. We're settling down now to a more mundane process of living with little activity of an extraordinary nature. Its great to have all of the familiar things of home about us and, in general, they all travelled well. The poor bedroom furniture (ours that is) took something of a battering and, along with a few other items, will be the subject of an insurance claim for restoration. The apartment looks rather good and its surprising how well everything fitted in and moulded into the situation. One thing about New York - it seems that nothing (furniture, clothing or what have you) is ever out of fashion or incongruous. There is such a cosmopolitan population with so many facets of their own national accoutrements that nothing looks (nor is) unusual.
As Joan said we've had a real stinker of an Independence Day weekend and, unlike at home, there's rarely any relief during the night as the buildings retain the heat and the humidity won't budge in a downwards direction. Mum R. has written to say that Jill Bartels phoned the weekend before last and will be going out to Fivedock in about three weeks time. No doubt they'll get in touch with you & I do hope you can make it to meet Jill & Greg.
Though I've written a mountain of letters I haven't had many replies as yet and suppose I'll eventually be hit with a great batch all at once. I've just received the Purchasing Journal with the story of "yours truly" in it - quite some article eh! Perhaps Glenn might be interested to show it to Bro. Rodan.
Tell Vince I'm disgusted with the Aust. R.L. team's (it must have been the worst we've ever fielded?) performance in the First Test against the Poms, but find some consolation in learning that the W.I. cricketers have trounced in two of three tests so far played in the Old Dart. I sympathise with his injuries, but tell him not to lead with his chin next time.
Love and best wishes from all of us to all of you. We miss you a great deal!
Your son,
Bill