Letters From New York
Our place
14th December, 1967
Dear Mum,
Well, it’s been quite a hectic week and it certainly doesn’t seem like seven days since I last sat down to pen the weekly epistle home to you. Here we are four days into December with X-mas just three weeks away and, with Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade having heralded the arrival of Christmas to town, the big city’s really put on a festive air; there are decorations everywhere and the shops are crowded with Xmas shoppers. I wish you could see the spectacle – the colour is really something and the stores look like something out of a story book. . [Text cut – nothing too interesting].
Interested in the Aitken’s plans to move to the “country”. Castle Hill is quite a lovely area and I imaging that it’s becoming quite well populated by this. Disappointing that Vince isn’t keeping the correspondence up to you but, as you say, he never was one for letters and probably feels his mundane pleasures are of little interest to you. Rest assured he’s OK – he can look after himself and certainly would be in touch with you if he needed anything.
Have had two letters recently from Melbourne – indeed my list of letters to respond to is again building up – and they tell of the rough times being experienced with the drought. See that Holt’s suffered another setback in the Senate elections and actually lost seats.
Monday and Wednesday was out shopping again for odds and ends and Tuesday night babysat for the Bartels when they had a night out. On Wednesday I had some guests into the U.N. for lunch and a tour and spent a very pleasant couple of hours. Have been quite busy at the Office and it’s always a pleasant break to be able to get away from the desk for a while. Thursday I was out at lunchtime on shopping business and was met by the beginnings of the first snowfall of the year. It commenced about 12:30 pm and continued for nearly 12 hours depositing quite heavy falls in the suburbs and officially 2” in the city. It was, however, sufficient to cause us a deal of inconvenience as it was Thursday night that we’d booked to see Mary Martin and Robert Preston in a smash Broadway show (2 years run) “I do, I do”. I left work at 6:00 pm and, fouled up in all sorts of delays, didn’t get home until 7:30pm. (the trip normally is 40 minutes) and turned straight around with Joan to head for the subway and town again. We were delayed getting a bus but finally walked to the station, getting a train with about 30 minutes to spare. To my horror, discovered in the train that I’d left the tickets behind.
Since we couldn’t then turn back headed for the theatre – arriving 10 minutes late – with the resolve to put the story to the Manager and with little expectation of his believing me, our fate in his hands. Lo and behold he accepted me at my word without hesitation and on the strength of only half the story and set us down in very good seats – gratis (I’ve since written to him offering our thanks and sending the tickets). The show, as expected, was marvellous, and we finished up coming home at 12:30 am and having a snow fight during the walk from the station.
Friday we had a somewhat early night in preparation for the big trip to Philadelphia for the football game on Saturday. We set out at 8:00am catching the train from Penn Station arriving in Philly at 11:30 before the big parade heralding the annual Army/Navy game. We were amongst 101,000 people who packed the stadium in conditions (8” of snow had to be cleared away the day before) but we had the time of our lives as Navy (the underdogs) caused an upset to win 19-14. Had a 2.5 hour trip back in the train afterwards arriving home at precisely 8:00pm. Had a private suite in the train and the cost to send four of us down was just under $120. Naturally, had I not been given the tickets we wouldn’t have gone.
Anthony & Phillip had their big thrill on Saturday as Joan allowed them to go to the pictures alone but yesterday we were all shut up indoors as the city was assailed by torrential rainfall. It lasted most of the day, being followed by cold, blustery winds, but today dawned quite beautifully. We were shocked, whilst at the game, with the sad news of Cardinal Spellman’s sudden death. Last night we played cards at the home of our Argentinean neighbours, but without success. Have raved on so should leave some room for Joan. Love and kisses
Bill xxxxxxxxxxxx
Dear Mum,
Always in a rush, Bill is just about to go to work. Your Christmas money has been put to good use. We have bought nice things for the Children. Still have to get some things for Jenny & Helen. Jenny needs clothes so might get her some with your money. Don’t know what Helen needs, but I guess I’ll find something. Have to sign off now Mum, lots of love Joan xxxxxxxx