Tuesday 10-5-1957 10-8-1957
[one week after I was born – see the next post for the 10-7 letter]
My Dearest John,
It is such a beautiful day that I feel like working in the yard – but not really as my back is not yet strong enough for that.
David is feeling better this morning and wants to go to school this afternoon. Their room has a football game this afternoon. But this morning they were fixing shredded wheat and a bowl of the hot water tipped on him —his stomach— and really blistered it. A large patch just above the navel. So he won’t play. He had hoped to even though I said that it was too soon for that after being sick. [A Harper weirdness? We ate the pillow-shaped biscuits this way: pour boiling water over shredded wheat, let it sit 30 seconds, drain off the water, add a pat of butter and a spoon of sugar.]
Dorothy went to a 4H meeting last night to see what it was about. Hesper took her and Norma, for cooking and sewing. They would enjoy it, but I was disappointed when she came home smelling like smoke. She said the leader smoked right during the meeting.
Mary Dillon came over last night to see if she could help any. They had a CEF [Child Evangelism Fellowship] class at her place yesterday – 19 children came out. David was home sick and Dorothy didn’t stay, as I had asked her to come home to do the washing, which she did. They have really been helping out very well, and I have been getting my rest. Little jobs are piling up, but I hope to soon be able to do more and get at them.
I made some home-made noodles last night. The children really went for them with some boiling beef. I’ll have to do that from now on – very simple and good.
Strat Shufelt has a 15 minute program on WSTR this week – 8:30 a.m. I didn’t know about it until Margaret mentioned it. So I listened today. I think he is using some of his own recordings of music and then the message part is live. I am going to try to get out on Friday night. I haven’t told the youngsters yet, but if I feel up to it, I will try that.
Now I must get lunch ready. Scrambled eggs for my invalids. Danny, the clown, holds his stomach and groans, so that he can crawl up on the davenport with David! That was yesterday as David has been up today doing school work.
Je t’aime beaucoup, beaucoup – that will fool David; he has been looking over my shoulder.
Always,
Nellie
A Living Pencil 
Such a cute baby. Why is it your only baby picture, I don’t think I know. Marianne
Marianne Creveling Sent from iPhone 713-562-7101
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Well, being the seventh child, added to being poor, there just weren’t many photos taken!
We were poor too! Cameras, film and developing were a luxury. We had quite a few of me, but once my little brother and sister were born (8 months apart!) the time and money and energy ran out. You and your mom are so beautifully happy and vibrant in this photo.
Smoke smell and homemade noodles and a scalded stomach. Oh my! And I don’t recall ever hearing about Shredded Wheat served exactly that way.
It’s odd, isn’t it? I’m wondering how it came about. No milk in the house, perhaps?
This post made me laugh on two counts – with disbelief, that while she is “getting her rest” postpartum, your mother made homemade noodles! And the French phrases to fool the eavesdropper. 🙂
I was the oldest child of four and there probably were ten times as many pictures of me as of the other children; if your well-off grandma didn’t like to take pictures and live close by in those days, this later-born phenomenon was more common, especially before digital cameras and our current habit of photographing absolutely everything!
I haven’t had shredded wheat in the house in so long I had completely forgotten about it, but your way sounds good. I can just about taste it, and might put it on my shopping list. The first time I heard of putting butter on cereal I was in love with the idea, but until now I hadn’t thought of making shredded wheat into hot cereal. The butter would be wonderful!
I’d love to hear what you think. I haven’t had it in years, but it definitely falls into the category of “comfort food” for me!