Letters From New York
Monday April 10th 1967
Dear Mum,
I’m first this week, just to make sure I can have my say. I was pleased to see Auntie Bern was able to go over & see you. It is a pity you don’t live a bit closer. Have at last been & seen the doctor & the little one is due about 24th September. Have been feeling a good bit better lately but still get awfully tired. All the children are well & blooming. Your son has a slight head cold otherwise is 100%. He is driving like a champion & we are really enjoying the car. Don’t worry about us having such a good time we won’t want to come home. When I come home I’ll stay. I could not imagine travelling 11,000 miles with 6 children more than once. Pleased you liked the reports & photos. Phillip was away playing when the photos were taken & he missed out, we have a couple of nice family groups taken but Phillip again is missing! I’ll have the pen taken from me soon Mum so had better go.
Love to all,
Joan
It’s rather late in the evening ( one of these days I’ll get myself really organised & have time on my hands!) and we’re watching the 1967 Oscar (Academy) awards from Hollywood. It’s a two-hour session (commenced at 10.00PM) and Liz Taylor and Richard Burton loom large as nominated candidates for best actress & actor. Actually, there was a strong chance it wouldn’t be on tonight as there’s been a big T.V. strike but it was settled about 7.00PM. Indeed, the country’s torn with strikes and threats of strike all over the place.
The flamin’ Spring cold has really got a good hold of me and my head is quite stuffed up with my eyes smarting and sore. It’s a hay fever sort of thing as I’m being wracked by gigantic sneezes at frequent intervals. Actually, I seem to be going through a period of the woes as I’m just now beginning to get rid of a bothersome “fungus” outbreak under one of my arms. The doctor (at the U.N.) said it was quite a normal thing about these parts and, whilst I hadn’t been able to shift it with calamine lotion, he fixed it – or seems to have done – within a week.
On that note I resigned myself completely to the Oscars and then went to bed – it will be history when you receive this, but Liz Taylor won the best actress award and Richard Burton lost out, the English taking out most of the awards for “A Man for All Seasons”. Now my pen’s run dry, but I’m well equipped here at the office with a standby stock. Have not been very busy at work over the past week and our social life has been a little quieter also. I had intended giving Joan a night out at the movies on Friday but she was so ill after the pounding she’d taken at the hospital the previous day that she just wasn’t up to it. We’ve, therefore, taken a raincheck on it for the time being. Got out on Saturday morning, in beautiful weather, to do some shopping and had a day out at the Kellys’ on Sunday. Started out in glorious sunshine but, as the day progressed, the weather situation worsened and it was quite cold by mid afternoon.
Very pleased that Bern got out to see you and gave you both the opportunity to compare notes and news. So please you liked the photos and the reports – we were delighted with them but, then, we’re the biased parents. Phillip’s parcel arrived quite safely during the week and all of the enclosures were well received by everyone. Joan has put Cathy’s communion gift away for the big day – an event less than 5 weeks off now. Don’t know about the course in housekeeping and chores! I’m finding French quite hard enough thank you – despite that I have a perfectly charming French madamoiselle teaching me – and must confess that I’m losing the urge for learning. Not so, fortunately, my eldest boy who’s becoming a real culture vulture on these languages.
Haven’t heard from either Vince (the deed must have been harder than the thought) or Margaret but expect some reaction soon from the latter as I’ll be writing to the boys shortly. Posted your Mothers Day and Lindsay’s 21st Birthday gifts off by sea mail last Monday. Lindsay’s will most assuredly arrive late but its the thought that counts. Was in a real quandary as to what to get him but hope he finds what we have sent out acceptable as a somewhat lasting memento of his big day and an indication that though far away, he’s not forgotten. Hope too that you find your “surprise” acceptable.
Haven’t heard a word from Kerry about the house so ‘twould seem that the likely prospect he had lost interest when I wanted a higher ante. Somewhat disappointed at his (& the solicitor’s) news of what I could expect as the top rental available – a great deal short of my original figure – so imagine I’ll have to be content with the best they can do. Guess its best for the place to be occupied at a low rental than left deserted altogether.
Will be most happy to receive a photo from you and hope soon to be able to send you out some more slides of our doings.
Fond love & best wishes from all of us.
Your son,
Bill