Letters From New York
“Our Place USA”
14 November, 1966
Dear Mum,
Well, here’s your favourite correspondent with the latest news and views from God’s own country. Don’t let that fool you into thinking we’ve gone over – it’s just the use of the favourite American colloquialism. Indeed, over recent days one would be excused in thinking it’s little Australia here. Your letter arrived on schedule – we’re pleased to hear that you’re enjoying ours (we’re trying to make them newsy - and was delighted with the newspapers re the cup and later events. In fact the paper of Aug. 21st with the snippet re Vince’s deeds also arrived only during the past week. Nice to see a bit of cricket news too.
Found Joan’s experience of the youngster in the wishing pool quite humorous and pleased to hear from everyone that you’ve found the photos good – we liked them too, but we’re biased parents. Cathy has lost both front teeth – looks quite a sight; Jenny’s can’t be too-far away; and Anthony’s pulling his out with reckless abandon. The birthdays went over exceptionally well and Cathy’s party (with 16 little misses) was a roaring success. She scored all sorts of beautiful presents from a phonograph & records (from us) to clothing and a toy iron (electrically operated) that actually works. Anthony received a battery operated model car set complete with roadway & accoutrements from us & was perfectly happy. Your parcels, as did all from Australia, went over very big – his shirt fits nicely & Cathy, sitting beside me, has her pyjamas on now. They’ll drop a line of appreciation in a later letter.
Bad luck Ron & Joan didn’t click with Sydney but that’s life I guess. We’re certainly becoming more & more New Yorkers & life, at present, is quite bearable. The next few weeks, with Xmas coming on, may be hard to negotiate, however, without pangs of remorse and loneliness. We’re told from home that, despite the crazy weather, our Panania garden is looking marvellous – the roses in particular. Bern is back from Melbourne – broke after the cup – and says she’s going to get in touch with you. Indeed she will probably have some photo slides which we’ve sent over. Can imagine all that Church going doing you good – you MUST need it, you’re so wicked!! The little titbits of food from home (Bern’s always finding some excuse to pack something off to us) are being very well received & tend to remind Michael of the “good life” at home. He’s forever reminding Joan that his memory of things and people at home isn’t fading.
We’ve just completed a very hectic weekend with a very dear friend & colleague of mine from the Uni who broke a tour of the States & Canada to honour us with a stay from Friday noon till Sunday night. We put him up on the convertible lounge and commencing with a visit to the U.N. on Friday afternoon and a barbecue (cook-out) yesterday, we had a whale of a time. He’s a student counsellor at the Uni. and we had Greg over for dinner on Friday evening to meet & talk with him. He & Greg had so much in common & so many mutual acquaintances that we nagged till 2:15 a.m. (the girls withdrew about 1:00 a.m.). Saturday morning up early & off for a tour of Colombia University conducted by my Chinese/Aust. Friend and a most interesting time it was. In conversation, it came out that Frank has been commissioned to design (& his design accepted) a new 16 story modern building on the Uni. site – the first time in its 200 years history that a staff member has been given the chance. Quite a signal honour for a young man only 26 years of age and for Australia to boot!!
In the afternoon we toured the city shops and the theatres, strolling about 5th Avenue and Broadway and were no sooner home than Arthur Travis invited us out to see a modern (Roselands – but bigger & better) type shopping complex some 25 miles out on the Island. George was amazed to find himself strolling about a floodlit, variety centre resplendent with fountains everywhere at 6:30 pm. Home to dinner and the Travis’ afterwards (till 1.15 a.m.) giving another very interesting evening. Yesterday the Bartels; new Aust. Family of 5, the Roberts; an English family of three; George & ourselves motored off for a barbecue & we had a v\marvellous time despite that the weather was quite cool. It must have been a very tired man that we thrust off to Boston by plane last night. The sight at the airport would have been seen to be believed as literally thousands of Americans were trying to get out of New York for Boston & Washington after what was a long weekend for many. Passengers bought tickets for planes as we’d buy a platform ticket at Central & paid for them when they got on to a plane after queuing up for ages.
Seven months up now in our new country (sometimes it doesn’t seem to be nearly that long) and all’s going well tending to become a deal busier at work and tomorrow evening to my first dinner as a member of the N.Y Purchasing Agents Association. The weather is really beginning to get cool now (33° this morning) and the woolies are being put on in layers. The kids seem to be rather immune to it so far and are really blooming. The three school goers have settled in well with the sisters at the religion classes & we’re hoping to get Anthony in the Confirmation group as well as Cathy in Communionees.
Love to you, Regards to Vince,
Your LOVING SON. Bill
Xxxxxxxxxx
Dear Mum, As Bill says we have a “Little Aussie Land” here now. Our new friends are lovely & very easy to get on with. Tomorrow I am looking after their three children (ages 3, 21 months & 3 months) so that their Mother can have a look through the city. It is hard to believe it is so cold here now as inside the houses you need on only Summer clothes, but Oh! boy, when you open the door, you nearly freeze to death. Jenny stood up by herself on Saturday, seems she is a forward little lady all round. The things you sent for their birthdays fit perfect. Lots of love Joan xxxx