Letters From New York
8 August 1967
Dear Mum,
This will probably be merely an excuse for a letter this week but feel sure you’ll accept it in the spirit with which it is given. Now into the fourth day of what, so far, has been a most eventful holiday at Cape Cod and, despite the elements, things seem to be going swimmingly. Naturally, everyone is well and revelling in the new surroundings though with 13 bodies, we’ve been a little crowded at times. Your last letter, of course, isn’t with me so I’m in no position to comment on its contents so this will merely be a resumé of the events affecting us to date.
Were wonderfully organised to leave quite early last Saturday morning with the roof and back of the car laden down with suitcases, packages and all sorts of accoutrements and really looking like a professional safari. Though I was up at 5.30AM to start loading the vehicle, it was five to eight before we pulled out – much to the chagrin of a tribe of impatient children (they’d been waiting for Saturday for weeks!) – and took to the road. The full journey of some 274 miles – broken by two long stops (for morning tea and luncheon) after each two hours – took about 7 ½ hours and we duly arrived here a couple of hours after the Bartels who had come in from the North. The car stood up to the test exceptionally well and, in general, the children were very well behaved in their first experience of such a long journey. Jenny was exceptional and Joan herself travelled very well. Didn’t see a great deal of the countryside (one of the disadvantages, I suppose, of these high speed highways here) but may take the opportunity of some leisurely tripping around while we’re here.
Spent most of the rest of Saturday organising ourselves to accommodate four adults and nine children on five beds and a cot and in two and a half bedrooms plus a tent and numerous air mattresses and sleeping bags. Quite a loaves & fishes job it was but “necessity being the mother of invention” we did extremely well. The four Dwyer boys spent the night in the tent very comfortably and the general consensus the next morning was that it was great. Jenny took some settling down in the communal atmosphere on the first night but has since adapted quite well to an environment to which she is not attuned. Unfortunately, the heavens opened early on Sunday morning (unfortunately) and, for a time things didn’t seem to be shaping too well. A houseful of impatient and expectant children had to be catered for in weather where it was impossible to put one’s head outside the door. We nearly drowned (in rain the likes of which I haven’t seen nor heard in an age) going to church and it roared down whilst we were there.
A break came during mid afternoon and Greg and I took all the kids (save Jenny) on an abortive fishing expedition but were driven home by rain and cold some two hours or so later. In retrospect it was all quite funny as two relatively inexperienced Dads were trying to organise (and reorganise after tangles and mis-queued “casts”) eight children through from Michael to Kerry Bartels at 11 ½ years. So busy were we, naturally, that I didn’t get the chance to test my rod & reel out at all. Not dampened by the weather we’ve organised our sleeping arrangements for Sunday night, as the tent was uninhabitable, and played cards with the older children (whom we detect are fast growing up and demanding a semi-adult role) ‘til midnight.
Fortunately, yesterday dawned as a delightfully sunny day and it was all hands to the beach for quite a pleasant interlude before lunch. The kids enjoyed their first taste of the water and, as I write this, have just gone off again today (not, unfortunately, nearly so good a day) whilst Greg and I wait for a plumber. The septic tank system is playing up & we’re a little embarrassed by the heavy traffic to and from the dyke. Just now the family has returned having found conditions at the beach too cool.
With everyone a little frustrated I took Kerry, Robyn, Anthony and Phillip off for a fish and they had a whale of a time in a little creek, pulling in crabs & tiddlers with careless abandon. Virtually a case of throw the line in and pull the fish out – ecstasy as far as they were concerned. Had over two hours over there and virtually had to drag the children away. The weather’s on the improve and hope to get them all to the beach again this afternoon.
Cape Cod Massachusetts USA, inspecting the day's crab catch. 7 August 1967.
L-R: Michell Bartells, me, Michael, Julie (or Robyn?) Bartells, Cathy.
Kid in the BG is probably Jennifer.
Will write again next week – remind you that we leave here on 19th – and trust that will have more exciting news of the doings. Hope all goes well with you.
Love,
Bill