By tonight I'll be a bloody mess

February 6, 1948

Dear Marie,

First of all, thank you so very much for remembering us all at Christmas. The girls were delighted with their little silk panties with lace! I've enjoyed the tablecloth immensely - we've used it several times. The pink and green dishes in my pattern set just match the colors in the tablecloth, and makes a very nice bright-looking table. Thanks again!

I've been wondering about how the tentative plans to visit the Northwest panned out. I hope you're still working on the deal, and that you can still make the trip. I know it would be awfully expensive - may we contribute a little? We can't afford much right now with the baby and a house in the offing, and my not working, but I'm sure we can contribute ten or fiften doolars to the "cause". After all, it's been three and a half years since you've been this way.

Just received a letter from Jean this morning. She enclosed a clipping about Al Harris (remember the young doctor who was best man at our wedding). He has been in Sioux Falls, South Dakota (for years, I gathered) doing cancer research. He had just perfected a very simple, inexpensive method for determining cancer. It is still in the experimental stage, although it has been tried on 1500 cases successfully. After announcing his findings in a medical journal, be became ill and died shortly of a cancerous brain tumor. He died without knowing that other doctors had used his test on him to determined the nature of his illness. The article stated he left a wife and four children - so he must have married again.

Everyone is fine at our house, though we have had more than our share of colds and flus - Baby Jill and Bob especially. Martin has been going to the dentist lately - he had to have one tooth pulled, and scads of fillings. It will cost close to a hundred dollars for repair work.

I've been housecleaning late - beating the spring rush. I washed the walls and woodwork in the kitchen yesterday - I'm going to do to ceiling and hang the curtains this afternoon. I shouldn't, though. The stuff I'm using is so strong it eats holes in my hands. By tonight I'll be a bloody mess and stiff and sore. Remember that hip trouble I had before? It bothers a lot espeically when I do anything like that. Bob's boss' wife is having a shower for me tonight. I should try and look glamorous instead of an old hag.

Hope you can make that trip - we have a very comfortable, large sofa, so we can stretch our sleeping space. Also Martin has a bunk house out in the feed-room where he can sleep.

Love & stuff.

L.

P.S. Thanks heaps for the dresses!