Wed. morning 2-27-57

This letter is like some my mother writes – all confused as to order.

I promised to take the youngsters to see the wrestling meet tonight at the gym at 4:00. They have been after me to see Dick [Bunce] wrestle all winder. He is still undefeated. I’m sure that I have no interest in going, but will take them.

Duncan Reid is to be at prayer meeting tonight – I think I’ll take the children upstairs for that part of the meeting.

Now I had better get to my washing – a huge one again, but I did get caught up with the ironing yesterday. Winter again this morning. Jimmy is so disappointed as he surely wants to have spring here.

[Thursday 3-1-57?]
The mailman came early again today – maybe he has a new schedule? Before I was out to the mailbox he was on his way. So I’ll answer your nice long letter and put it in with what I had already written.

Sweetheart, don’t feel badly about not writing every day. You just aren’t made that way, because when you do write you tell so many details and include so much that I surely don’t feel neglected. And while I do love to get letters, I have learned to wait, and I don’t want you to feel like it is a chore you must do. And sometimes when I don’t get a letter I just pick up the last one you wrote and reread it and am happy again. I do appreciate having so many details of your work and problems because I don’t want these long periods of separation to draw us apart as far as interests are concerned.

Once more about the dog. The first day and a half around here he seemed very friendly and the children petted him. It was only after Fluff stayed indoors for a whole day that he became cross and frustrated. It took us by surprise. As far as using anything like a hammer [???], I doubt that even you could have done that. I’ve decided that a police dog isn’t to be fooled with when cross. We are keeping Fluff on a chain now, and does she feel persecuted. Walks around outside so dejected.

I got the income [tax] forms, and the only deductions they list are contributions, interest, taxes, medical and dental. Child care. Casualty losses, and misc. Evidently there is another form we would have to get if we wanted to figure everything and not take the flat $600 for each member, and with our size family, I doubt if they are necessary. There is an instruction book available and I will try to get a hold of it. I want to get things done so that when you get home we can get this taken care of.

It will be good to see you on the 10th, a week sooner, and I’m not going to tell the children yet so in case you will be speaking they will not be disappointed. We had rather reconciled ourselves to the 22nd, because I was sure that you would try that, if possible. As I wrote before, I love to see you, but more and more I realize how hard it is for you and it keeps you from producing your best at school.

Sunday morning while we were at the breakfast table, Fluff started barking like she was in a frenzy. I was afraid to look, thinking the dog would be back. How we all laughed when we saw Sandy Bogan’s pet raccoon crawling up the inside of the screen door and looking in the window! By the time we got that taken home, we missed the morning meeting [Lord’s Supper, a communion service] and only got to preaching [second service]. In my own mind I’m not persuaded about the effectiveness of taking all the children by myself to the morning meeting. But I made up my mind to do it, and the first morning you are gone, I missed.

My prayer life has sadly suffered. When I started feeling sick, I started neglecting that, and now I must go back and start where I left off. But that is like writing letters: the longer you put it off, the harder it is to write. But I will pray for Bob.