Letters From New York
Our Place
SUNDAY 17th December 1967
Dear Mum.
Writing on Sunday this week so as to be sure of reaching you in time for Christmas and, for the first time that I can remember, we’ve no weekly epistle of yours to respond to. Guess it’s held up in the mail as there was nothing either on Friday or Saturday. We’ve had the dilly of a fire at one of our central post offices in Brooklyn – a match for the Melbourne G.P.O effort and all sorts of foreign mail in and out was destroyed either by the fire or water. Uncovered in the general clean-up afterwards was one parcel containing $40,000 in U.S bills – hope you weren’t sending that to us, ha! Ha! – and imagine there’ll be some interesting fights re ownership of that since the addressee’s name has been obliterated. Settling down to the rather late tonight as we’re not long home from a route march about the city showing the lights and sights off to the kids. Transversed a pretty wide area around and about Fifth Avenue, taking in enormous Xmas trees at Rockefeller Centre, the PanAm Building and a Newspaper building as well as fantastic store decorations & window (animated) displays. High-light for the kids was an “eatout” (dinner) at a famous kids restaurant – Howard Johnsons (where they take pride in having 28 flavours of ice cream available).
Well it’s certainly been a hectic week commencing with Tuesday when I went along to a $12.00 a plate dinner at the Statler Hilton (one of THE pubs) and duly won the major door prize of the evening – an enormous parcel of homewares, paper products e.g. dixie cups of all sizes (complete to with the beautiful dispensers for every utility room in the house), serviettes; facial tissues; toilet rolls; towels etc etc. Worth $10-$15.00. That sort of started a run towards the latter end of the week I was receiving Xmas boxes from vendors all over the place. Best so far was an enormous box of fruit and fruit products from Florida containing over 24 oranges (bigger than grapefruit) and 13 grapefruit bigger than balloons, plus nuts, jams, chocolates etc etc. Have also received two big fruitcakes; 2 bottles of whisky and various little personal items. On Friday was given two free tickets to one of the top Broadway shows of the day – “Cabaret” – and Joan and our Argentinian neighbour are going along tomorrow night as my guests. This week we’re anxiously awaiting the arrival of the promised parcel of 1st Quality prime meats from another source. It’s certainly shaping up as a very merry Xmas. To continue the run, we yesterday, ordered another set of double bunk beds from a local store (Jenny’s going to branch out “with Cathy” after New Year) and scored a Xmas bonus of a 20 piece China cake set plus a Xmas fruit cake.
The Dwyer household has been completely overtaken by Xmas and the kids are getting round the house conjecturing about the growing pile of gifts under the tree. Almost all of the parcels have arrived from down under but there’s still Margaret’s and one from Kerry & Joyce. I think we’ve done very well by them this year and they should have a ball. Joan’s saddled herself with a load as she’s acting as hostess for the Aust. Xmas dinner (8 adults and 14 children) on Xmas Day and then the New Year “blow up” is on at our place also at which we expect to have quite a roll call. I’m getting my carol singers together now and expect to be out and about with quite a young group on Xmas eve.
On Thursday we had a family of Australians – passing through N.Y on a world tour – as our guests at the U.N. and Joan was able to come in for luncheon. I had a school meeting on Thursday night, having recently been elected a board member of the school’s parent’s group. Have otherwise not been very busy socially but am being kept up to the mark at the office. Have however, had the chance to catch up on some mail and wrote over the weekend to Margaret and to Nell and Tot. Still have a lot to sent, nevertheless, and must start doing something about writing to a few contacts in Australia about employment when we return.
Was shocked, this morning, to hear the news reported of Harold Holt’s accident and there’s been no news since to give rise to a hope that he may have survived his swimming accident. A very big Aust-N.Z Society dinner to be held here tomorrow night has been cancelled and re-scheduled for another date two months hence.
All the family are well and the youngsters are looking forward to school breaking up on Thursday. Despite the colder weather we’ve (so far) avoided colds and coughs and our hopes are building up for some snow for Xmas. Very cold weather during the latter part of the week & over the weekend has turned much warmer with nearly 50° registered this evening. We have another visit scheduled to see the specialist about Jennifer next Saturday and look hopefully forward to him having some better news for us as the preliminary tests this time were better taken. So much for this week. Will leave the back for Joan. May you have a blessed & happy Christmas.
Love Bill xxxxxxxxxx
Dear Mum,
Bill forgot to ask you if your parcel from us had arrived & also the Calendar from Anthony. The Five-Dock parcel arrived out there a couple of weeks ago so hope your one has come & that you like it. Your tiny granddaughter is a beauty. She smiles & gurgles all the time that she is not sleeping. We are all waiting for more snow. Hope we can get another white Christmas this year. The kiddies are all excited about Christmas as usual & can not wait till next week. Hope you have a nice Christmas Mum, we will be thinking of you. God bless, all my love Joan xxxxxxxx