Letters From New York
7 November 1966
Dear Mum,
Sitting down rather late this evening to write this as, with the Bartels, we've been busily engaged meeting and entertaining a new family of Australians who have arrived in New York tonight. The husband, who was interviewed by Greg when he was in Sydney, will be working with the U.N. as a statistician and, to complete the small-world atmosphere that's surrounding us, he is a graduate of the University of N.S.W. and has been teaching there for just on 12 months. Found it quite a gratifying experience (they have three small children aged 3 to 3 months) and something which we sadly missed when arriving.
Very good (as usual) to receive your letter moreso since you definitely seem to think along our lines and almost come up with the answers before we've asked the questions (& vice versa). Like you, Joan and I avidly watch T.V. for any films of Vietnam in the hope of seeing something of Neil but they all look so much alike in uniform and we haven't been lucky yet. Your news of the cooking has made our mouths water since Joan is going through a stage of frustration with the gas stove which is installed in the apartment. If you did have anything over you could send it over "special delivery" - I can assure you that it would be welcomed by some very big little mouths.
My Melbourne Cup venture went over quite successfully and was a most popular innovation with the Australian community in the U.N. Have heard, of course, of Gallilee's win and the bare results and am looking forward to reading all the gory details. My donkey (Tobin Bronze) evidently disappointed again proving that WFA form is not the best criterion. If too many more Caulfield Cup winners bob up they'll be putting the grandstand on their backs! Whilst on the subject tell Vince they've got a phenomenal colt over here called Buckpasser who's only a 3y.o. but already won $1,280,000 in stakes. Have seen him win twice on T.V. (he's been beaten only once) and he's made the opposition look like hacks, though never beating them by much (but with a lot in reserve). Also tell him that Cardigan Bay is still up in the top bracket of trotters though he's generally met his match in the American champion Bret Hanover.
Still practising with the vehicle before throwing myself upon the mercy of the license test and, whilst everyone says I'm OK on the normal driving, am experiencing some difficulty in parking my hearse-like vehicle. Even so, we've run up some 300 miles or so and it's performing like a beauty. Wish you could be here to see me fussing about over it - anyone would think it was the frist vehicle I'd ever owned! Have taken it into work twice - with Greg as driver - as I believe it's better for it to be used than stand around. Invested last week in a stereo record player outfit with marvellous speakers - a normally over $300 set which I picked up for $100 - and we're absolutely thrilled with it. Haven't any records, but that's the crazy sort of thing ones does in this country. Indeed, our Aust. friends (the Travis') donated our first record - one of Diana Trask's - on Saturday and we've almost worn it out.
This is birthday week at the Dwyers with Cathy seven on Wednesday (Joan's weakened and will be giving a little "at home" for the tribe of little girls) and Anthony's on Friday. Numerous gifts have arrived and they've got itchy fingers waiting to open them. We're giving Catherine a little phonograph and, of course, the eternal doll but we still haven't really settled on Anthony. Indeed he doesn't seem able to decide himself! He is not having a party and has settled for something just a little bit better than "normal".
The weather here is beginning to grow quite cool and we've already had a taste of winter with three days recently down around the low 30°'s. Night falls very early here now though we believe it gets darker even earlier (something like 4.30pm) when winter's really on. It's quite a contrast to walk out of centrally heated apartments into very brisk and dampish fresh air. The kids are anxiously looking forward to some snow but, having been forewarned by the veterans (it's apparently very slushy and mucky) we're not so sure.
Everyone's AOK though Michael went to bed tonight with a very thick upper lip - the result of a tumble from a chair onto the edge of the dining room table. Jenny's a real bundle of joy (and mischief at the same time) and really can't be very far from cutting a front tooth at the lower level. The other three are slowly taking over and almost running the show but they're a fine bunch and perfect angels by comparison with many of the local youngsters around us. Both Michael & Cathy have really come out of themselves since we've been here.
Love, from your son,
Bill.
Dear Mum,
As usual Bill has given you most of the news. The young Australian couple who arrived to-night seem to be very nice & are going to try to get an apartment here at Parkway Village. They have 2 girls & a baby boy. Quite a collection of Aussies now, 6 families that we know of. I am going to look after their children to-morrow, while Jill takes them around to look at somewhere to live. Cathy's party on Wednesday should be quite international. We will have 5 Japanese, 4 American, 4 Aussies & 1 Italian-English mixture. Anthony is not having a party but an Irish boy friend (Carl) is coming home for tea. Must sign off again till next week Mum.
Love,
Joan and Children.