Letters From New York
26th June 1967
Dear Mum and Margaret,
Gee the days go by quickly. Seems like only last Monday since I last wrote – and, in fact, its is, but last Monday seems like yesterday. The one good thing about your living at “54” Mum is that I can salve my conscience by writing to the both of you in the one letter. We are very pleased to learn from your last letter that the patient is out and about and delighted by her good recovery from what, I’m sure, is a most unpleasant experience. I’d suggest, Marg, that you stay in a “weakened” condition as long as is decently possible since I imagine the stay up there in the clear air of the Birrong “bush” will be doing the other patient the world of good too. I imagine she’ll be right in her element there fussing over all of you.
Seems like Vic and Kerry are running into each other pretty consistently lately – I imagine their respective jobs must be bringing them into contact with each other. Auntie Bern wrote to say she was going to get in touch with you to arrange for you to see the new batch of slides we’ve sent out and she may find some way of getting them to you up there so that you’ll both be able to see your darlings!! We think there were some very good ones this time – they’ve certainly received a very good reception from the Fivedock mob – but were disappointed when we didn’t get a single slide (of 36) out of our last reel which covered the kids visit to Luna Park and this year’s Church Fair (which netted the Church a clear $58,000) as well as the end of year concert. Oh well, you can’t win ‘em all.
Have my plans almost completed for my quick trip to Montreal. Will leave New York by Greyhound bus at 12.15AM on Thursday 6th July arriving in Montreal at about 8.00AM the same morning (it’s s trip of 400 miles). The brother of a friend has arranged accommodation for me three days and I expect to return at Midday on Sunday 9th , arriving back in New York about 9.00PM. The round trip by bus costs less than $25.00 which is pretty good. I believe the crowds up there at present are tremendous and, with the school vacations commencing this week it will probably be worse after the famous American July 4th “weekend” but its about the only time suitable to me now. The lucky Bartels scored again today when an invitation arrived for Jill and Greg to join the flagship of the Australian “fleet” during the sailings of the Americas Cup yacht races from 12th to 19th September at Newport, Rhode Island. The ship is owned by a friend of theirs – a hotelkeeper in Sydney – and will be a real V.I.P. vessel accommodating 30 people including Sir Robert and Dame Pattie. Its not a good time for them to have to go up there – school starts on 11th – but I imagine we’ll all find a solution to that and have them there.
A reasonably busy weekend again with Joan spending all day Saturday at the sewing machine making a beach outfit for herself; a bikini costume for Catherine and a beach bag for, of all people, Michael. We’d bought one earlier in the week for Cathy and he was put out. His response when one was made for him was marvellous and you’d have thought he’d won the lottery. He and the bag have been inseparable buddies since. He carted it out to the beach for our weekly day out on Sunday and Joan had her first dip in the briny. We’ve bred a family of water rats – Anthony and Phillip are swimming very well – and Jennifer is no exception at all. Three of them – Jenny, Cathy and Anthony have had stomach upsets over the past few days which suggests that there may be a wog present among us but the whole family seems fit and well now and are all off to the beach tomorrow. Jill (driving) and Joan will be carting our nine and two guests (Anthony’s friend from Uruguay and his sister) off for the day. Jill’s a terror for the beach and will be there – it’s a thirty mile trip each way – tomorrow, Wednesday and Friday. She has all four girls commencing the Day Camp next week for a month and what with Cape Cod coming up early in Aug. won’t have them for too much of the summer.
Cathy, Phillip, Michael, Anthony at the beach. Date uncertain.
Interested to note Vince’s activities with the football teams but disappointed that he’s not honouring his commitments to that blood sucking ________; can imagine her virtually sitting on the doorstep to cry poormouth when the bacon isn’t delivered. There's a situation which shatters one’s faith in mankind and the world when a ________ like her can be the wronged party in any situation. Lindsay sure seems to be luckier than the uncle he’s so often compared with. Let’s hope the luck holds! Can’t imagine that, after his performances last year, Glenn can be too worried over his prospects this year except that he’s got a reputation to live up to.
Much activity at the U.N. what with Kosygin’s visit last week & King Hussain of Jordan today but there’s still plenty of talk – likely to drag on for weeks yet – and not much action. Managed to get into the General Assembly proceedings myself last week and got to within a few feet of Kosygin as he left the U.N. after lunch with U Thant. Still on the entertaining trail as I have a friend arriving from Australia for a week, tomorrow and, on Saturday we have a journalist from the Sydney Mirror (here in New York) Ray Kerrison and his wife coming out for dinner. Have rambled on – I hope to some purpose – so will leave the back for Joan with the ladies’ news.
Love to you both & regards to the boys,
Bill
Dear Mum & Margaret,
Good to know you are able to get around so well Margaret, don’t over do it though. You sound very well yourself Mum & seem to be enjoying your stay at Birrong looking after the family. Have just finished a batch of cakes to take on our picnic tomorrow. Had my first swim in the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday it is colder than the Pacific I think but I might give it another try tomorrow. Thursday this week I have my monthly visit to the hospital, feel it is a bit of a time waster though. How do you like Christopher or Helen as names for your new grandchild Mum?
God bless. Love to all,
Joan