Sunday, September 30, 2007

September 30, 1964

September 30, 1964

Dear Mom and Dad,

When I look at the date I can’t believe the month is over already. I think I will get started on these postcards this afternoon. Today is a lovely day. Jimmy and Kenny have Wednesday afternoon off from school so they are out in the backyard playing with Mary Beth. This is a break for me as MB always wants to be playing with little Ellen Lawrence and the two of them are ok but when the 5 year old Ann Lawrence comes along – she’s a dickens! Now she is happy playing with the boys while P sleeps.

Jimmy and Barbara are both doing very nice work in school. Yesterday Jimmy had to memorize a poem about autumn and his printing is much improved because the teacher is very strict about it. Barbara’s work is very good too in English and Spelling – tomorrow she has to bring in a news item about Kennedy. She has also started history – they are studying Columbus now. When I went up to school yesterday after instructions I met another woman with the Embassy. I told her how pleased I was with the school but she said I wouldn’t have been last year. The principal didn’t have much discipline and it was a mess. This year they have a new principal and he is very strict but the kids like him very much.

Today Mrs. Bell took me to the supermarket with her again. I stocked up on plenty of staples taking advantage of the car ride.

Jim had a letter from the VW people and the car will be delayed another two weeks. We weren’t too happy with that news as we would like the car for apt. hunting also. He did talk to the VW people here about renting one for a day so we can get around better.

Today Kenny decided he didn’t want to go to school and he threw a royal fit as only he can. We pushed him out the door but soon B came back saying he wouldn’t go out the main door. Jim said “All right. I’ll go!” B came running back again saying “Don’t come Daddy! He’ll go, He’ll go.” He came home smiling and happy so I’m sure it’s normal routine for the first month or so.

P is talking quite a lot now. She says whole sentences like “Don’t pick me up!” The Asturian girls think she is a riot the way she knows all her part of the body in Spanish. They call her “La Gitana.” They like Kenny real well too – his name is “El Simpatico.”

Today Francisca did not come in to make the beds but a new maid. I think she is Italian. I hope Francisca comes in tonight as I enjoy talking with her and I have some more stamps for her. Jim’s friend Steve Keating sent him letter from El Salvador.

Well I hope you will write again soon as one lives for mail so far away. I am still feeling homesick but I am grateful all of us are well and things have gone so well.

Regards to all

Love
Jim and Dina

P.S. Just as I finished this Mrs. Lawrence came by to take the 3 children with her three to the Zoo. So you see everyone has been so kind. Now I will start on those cards with everyone gone.
D.

Saturday, September 29, 2007

September 29, 1964

September 29, 1964
Tues.

Dear Mom and Dad,

Today is a lovely sunny day and I’m going to take a walk up to school to get the children after religious instructions. They have been riding to school and back with the Bell children but as they are not Catholic they won’t stay for instructions. Mrs. Lawrence had planned to meet the children today but she attended a cocktail party and went out to dinner with a Swiss couple last night and feeling the effects. She said dinner consisted of strong melted cheese which you wrap around your fork and eat while drinking karo-syrup tasting white wine. In the middle of this melted cheese is a boiled potato. Then came a little plate of salami and dried chipped beef and plates of onions and plates of pickles which you eat with your fingers and that’s dinner! She said the cheese was terrible but she had to eat it because the Swiss man kept saying “Es gut” “ya ya.” Anyway she spent most of today in bed or vomiting. So I brought her two younger children Ann , 5 years and Ellen, 3 ½ to play with Mary Beth this afternoon.

Kenny seems to be enjoying school very much. In the evening he lays out all his clothes very neatly and is the first one dressed in the morning and that’s no mean trick to beat Barbara. We asked him what he was doing said (talking very fast the way he does) “Well, today I had to draw 10 houses, 5 balloons, 3 teapots and one drum. But I didn’t draw the teapots. They’re too hard to draw.” He say s he can read “Go up Ann.” and “Funny, funny Puff.” When he can read five more words he will get a book, he says. His teacher taught them a song about a squirrel and they sing it while she plays the flute. His room is next door to Jimmy’s, so Jimmy sings the song too and imitates the teacher’s playing.

Sending the stamps of different denominations was a good idea as Francisca has a nephew in Spain who collects them and she was glad to get them. The Spanish girls told me Francisca was always singing and she certainly acted like an Andalaza in her happy disposition. When I asked her about it she said. “Si, es el mi caracter de ser alegre. No lo peudo remediar. Tengo que estar medio muerta para no cantar.” She gets a big kick out of Patricia because P loves to try on her shoes and walk around the apt with them. The poor girl caught a terrible cold and I wouldn’t be surprised if she didn’t get it here doing her work in her stocking feet.

I hope you will write often as it is so wonderful to get a letter from home with news of all the family. I have no complaints so far as we have had good luck in every respect so far. I have found the Swiss people very nice. The other day at the meat market the lady said “you like flowers?” When I told her yes she took me in her back yard and gave me a big bouquet which is still on my dining room table.

Practically all the shop – keepers give the children caramel when you leave and they rush to open the door and say “Thank-you-very-much” all like one word. I guess it’s just good business but it is still very pleasant to be treated so nicely in a foreign country. Of course I don’t know how they would be like if you knew them. I imagine like any other country – some good, some bad. What I have seen is that they dress very nicely – the men all with suits even thought someof them look as if they were tailored with a saw, and the women with suits or sweaters and skirts. No one dresses a casual as we do back home. However Pili says “Sí son muy rectas – y télnen sus reglas. No lo creas! Son más carnudos.”

Jim brought home a radio and record player today so I guess we may have to buy another trunk the way we are accumulating things already.

Give my best to all who ask. Take care of yourselves,
Love
Jim and DIna

Friday, September 28, 2007

September 28, 1964

September 28, 1964
Mon.

Dear Mom and Dad,

We received your letter today and it was so wonderful to hear from home as it seems that we have been gone longer than 10 days. We also received a letter from Jim’s mom and I was glad to get Don’s letter too.

I am glad that the house and furniture is sorted out and hope it wasn’t too much work for you. Do you know if it is rented yet?

I was glad to get the news about everyone else in the family even if it wasn’t all good news. I’m sorry to hear about Eddie’s operation. Was it sudden? He didn’t mention anything while he was there.

I was glad to hear all went well with Delores. Give her our best wishes.
About our Post Dispatch – see if you can send us the Sunday Post. You can use the money I forgot to bring with me. We would like to get it at least once a week but I agree it’s silly to get a daily paper so late. Here Jim brings home the N. Y. Herald Tribune but we would still like to know what is going on in St. Louis. I’m sorry Chic is still suffering with his bursitis. When you have your health you have everything I guess.

I’m glad Betty and Glen came by. That is so like them to be so thoughtful.

I’m so glad Tala’s family is enjoying the piano. I sure miss it. Jim is going out today to get a record player. We are going to wait to rent the piano until we get an apt. if we can get one.

Please give Maria Maxima and all the others who have called our best regards. I am going to start on these postcards but I’ve been waiting to do a little sight-seeing as finding the meat market, helping with homework, and buying mittens etc do not make very exciting reading. Here we have to do our sight-seeing on Sundays because of the weekly schedule. And yesterday it rained all day. Now I know why Switzerland is so green and has so many flowers. It can really rain!! Today it is beautiful again – just like a St. Louis day.

This morning Jackie Lawrence’s little girl came down to play with MB while she had a French lesson for an hour. Her husband is with the Embassy. They told them it is better to learn French. The Germans all speak French but the French won’t speak German (I don’t blame them!). Anyway you could live here and not learn either language as the people speak a dialect common only to Bern.

It’s a good thing everything here in the shops is on display and you can just pick it up. It’s a funny feeling not to be able to communicate with people. However, almost everywhere there is at least one person in the store who speaks English.
This afternoon MB went up to the Lawrence’s apt. to play and since P is sleeping I am taking advantage of this opportunity to write these letters.

Tell Mildred I thank her for helping you close up the house.

After P wakes up we will probably walk to the store and to the park. I guess it is the mountain air but we are all eating like pigs around here. Food is high and in fact I have seen nothing here cheaper than in the States. I don’t see how the people here can manage. But Mrs. Lawrence says – they are very careful and frugal with their money. If you’re invited to a coffee there are exactly 5 rolls for 5 persons. The children are all dressed very neatly but in hand knit sweaters and all with aprons over their clothes etc. Pili says they live on “Patatas cacidas y salami – Esos salamis que no los quiero yo, ei regalados – no los trago – nunca los probé.” They (the Spanish) find the people here cold and distant but they do admire them for their democratic ways. “En eso tenemas que aprender de ellas en España.” Here, rich and poor, everyone works and is not ashamed of it. The lady at the meat market who speaks English very well was out scubbing her front steps one day when I went. This would never be done in Spain says Pili – “El que tiene su tienda se priva de comer peso paga a alquien que lo haría.”

Well P is waking up so I will close for today.

Love,
Jim and Dina

Thursday, September 27, 2007

September 27, 1964

Sun.
September 27, 1964

Dear Mom and Dad,
Yesterday was another beautiful St. Louis – type day. It was so lovely we decided to walk downtown. It is a nice ½ hour walk. On the way we passed they big Gas Works. We had to laugh because even there we saw the ever present geranium planter and all swept neat and clean.

ON the way we stopped to see Jim’s office. IT is really something – a great big room with a great big desk. He certainly looks like the big executive now. So far he has been put to reading all the old newsletters and bulletins which they put out. His boss was only in one day and is now on his 3 week vacation. The other people in the office have been very kind and friendly to him.

The stores and streets downtown are just filled with people. Jim says it is that way during the week too. It looks like Famous on Downtown Day. We bought the kids their slippers for school and an umbrella and some gloves and mittens for the little ones. Everyone tell s us the cold weather will be coming soon and it is so hard to believe because the only flowers that have stopped blooming are the hydrangias.

Yesterday evening the two Spanish girls from Asturias came up to see us. They are both very sweet and friendly. They brought their record player and we listened to some of ours and some of their records. On named Teresa has been here 2 ½ years and the other 1 ½ years. They made friends with the children right away altho’ they do not speak or understand a word of English. They thought P was quite a character. You know how she loves to show off for people. They both said we must go to Spain. Pilar says “Allé versa a la ente de España Aquí si pidas __ una calle a alquien – lo indicant – fýeśe – En España te acompañan – por sequro! Nostros españales no tenemas donde cale cuando morimas pero tenemas corazones como catedrales. She showed me a booklet about the fiesta en Oveido wich was this week. They miss Spain very much but they just can’t live there. She told me that a good job in Spain if you can get it pays 1000 to 1500 pesetas a month. Here at the hotelll they get 5000 pesetas plus their room and meals. Both of them work in the laundry. They said they work is not hard. There is a large automatic washer and dryers and a big mange for the sheets. They work and iron and are all to themselves . They play their phonograph and sing. We can hear them all the time. They offered to stay with the children if Jim and I want to see anything at night. One of them will go with us and the other will stay with the children. Both of them are going home to Spain for Christmas.
I am sure you are getting calls from people asking about us. I haven’t forgotten – I have been buying a few post cards every time we go out and I now have my list of people ready. I will need a few addresses! Could you send me the addresses of Anita Felon, Fina, Josephine Orcutt, Ruth Rodriguez, Ethel Guardado, Corona’s, Lela Sorrells. Also if you have heard from Don please send me his letters to read and I will mail them back. I hope you will write soon as we are so anxious to know how all the loose ends are going there.

Hope you haven’t been feeling too badly. Must stop now and get the kids ready for Mass.

Love to all,
Jim and Dina

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

September 25, 1964

September 25, 1964

Dear Mom and Dad,

Today is a glorious fall day just like one in St. Louis. It seems hard to believe we are here only a week today. It seems as though we have been gone about 10 years. We didn’t do too badly in one week as we have a schedule going.
AT 7:A.M. we get up . The children ride to school with the Bell children. Sherry is a fifth grader in Barbara’s room and they have played Barbie Doll together and done their homework together. Kevin Bell is in 2nd grade with Jimmy . Jim leaves for work around 8:00 also. He takes a bus and streetcar and gets there in 20 minutes. Around 8:30 Francisca comes and makes the beds (the children have never had such nice bedding before – a big soft pillow – nice sheets and a wool blanket and on every bed even Patricia’s crib is a soft warm down comfort.) She dusts and vacuums a little & cleans up the bathroom. Meanwhile I dress the little ones and do the breakfast dishes and wash out some underwear. Then we take our stroll to the bakery and milk store and meat market. Most of them also deliver but until the weather gets bad I’d rather take the kids out for a little walk. By that time it’s time to come back around 12:10 and Jim gets home at 12:30. I try to feed Patricia first now so she can take an early nap. Today while Patricia is sleeping I washed my hair and my ironing board was just delivered so I guess I should get to work now. By four o’clock the children are back and they play out in the yard or go over to the playground. Yesterday B said that the children were trying to talk to them at the park. Jimmy said “did it sound like French or German?” Kenny said “I think it was jabber.”

Jim gets home about 6:15 and we eat right away as this doesn’t give us much time to do homework, baths and dishes. I have been setting the table right after I do the dishes as it makes it easier at meal time and also eliminates everybody throwing their coats, books, pipes, keys etc on top of the table. Sat. we are going to do some shopping for the kids, book satchels and slippers. They must change their shoes and wear slippers at school. Sunday we hope to do some sightseeing as we haven’t seen anything yet. Things have gone very well for us so far and I hope we can find an apartment soon. The people at work have been very helpful to Jim. Went with him everywhere to buy and register etc. Also composed an ad for the paper for the apartment. We hope to hear from you soon. We are wondering how you are and hope that cleaning up the house wasn’t too much work for you.

Patricia has certainly got a good memory. The first few nights we were here she would wake up at night. She said to me “ ‘ere’s wela?” When we ask her “Where’s Abuela?” now she says “I don’t know.” or “Back home.” Last night when I was writing a letter to Jim’s mother she said “what you doin?” and I answered “writing a letter.” She said “to Wela?” Now how she knew I had been writing to you before I don’t know but she really knows and hears more than you can imagine. After prayers at meal last night she said “bess the cook!” Jim and I were amazed as we haven’t said that for weeks. In the morning when she wakes up now she says “ere’s Daddy?” and she is getting very friendly with him now.

Jackie Lawrence has been very nice to use also. They are here with the American Embassy. All her children are like the Pickler family – all very neat and dressed very cute with shinning well kept tresses. She is very calm and sweet. Reminds me a lot of Joyce Wood. Francisca says her apartments “es un disaster.” With clothes all over the place but she says it’s the three teen-age girls who have their rooms a mess. Anyway Mrs. Lawrence has been taking Mary Beth with her when she takes her two little girls for a walk – while P is sleeping and you know how MB lover to be with other little girls.

Wednesday was allowance day and they all got a handful of money. However one penny Bazooka bubble gum will cost them 10 centimes so it won’t last long.
Well P is up now and I think I will not waste such a beautiful day indoors. I will write more later.

Write soon,
Love to all,
Jim and Dina

Monday, September 24, 2007

September 24, 1964


Dear Mom and Dad,

Today was a lovely sunny day. In the morning Eleanor Bell took me to show me where the milk store and meat market are. It is a short two blocks away. Then she drove me to school to pick up the children and we stopped at a bakery across the street from school to get bread and rolls. On Wed. afternoons the children from 3rd to 8th grade have sports. Kenny & Jimmy have the afternoon off. Today Kenny was very happy at school. We asked him how things went today and you know how he chomps away at his sandwich and says “fine.” I hope his teacher thinks the same way. At lunch time Jim brought me home at steam iron and Mrs. Lawrence lent me her ironing board until we get one.

The afternoon was so lovely I took the children to the park-playground about ½ block from here. I wish I had taken the movie camera. It was filled with children and all of them so cute and dressed so differently than Am. Children. I hope it is nice tomorrow so I can take some movies of them. The children and the men look very European. The women for the most part dress like Am. women - very stylishly and the clothes are quite similar. All the little girls wear a striped apron over their dress to school and the little boys have the very short pants.

Francisca noticed my picture of Kennedy today – she said all the bells in Spain tolled for the dead when they heard the news. She is a newlywed and her husband is here working as a waiter and studying French at an Academy. He also speaks some English. She said if they didn’t have children they will go back to Spain but if they have a family they will stay here. In Switz. all the children get a free grade and high school education and as she said all the people here can get good jobs because they know several languages and do not have “ser esclanaas como en España” to earn a living. “En España – le sacan un ojo educar un hijo.” The housekeeper in charge of the maids is an Italian woman and it is interesting to listen to them talk to each other one in Spanish and the other in Italian. The housekeeper cannot under her too well because of the Andaluz accent but she says she does understand very well the Gallegas and Asturianos that are here. You can tell there are Spaniards here because I can hear them singing downstairs when they wash and calling each other “Adonde vas - O?”

We have a very nice comfortable apt. It is a shame it is so expensive. Our living room looks over the parking lot & the river. We have a nice balcony with the geranium planters off it. Off the dining room is a small yard so the children can come & go in the yard as the please. It is on the corner so we can’t bother anyone as across the street is the swimming pool which is an ice skating rink in the winter. There are some lovely trees & flowers in this yard. The kitchen is small abut there is plenty of cupboard space – the smallest thing is the refrigerator which has 2 shelfs & an icecube tray for six ice cubes. It is like a doll’s kitchen. However as long as I can get milk & meat nearby we’re o.k. Over the sink is as big window & lovely tree with bright red leaves on it. It is one of the few trees here I have seen with the full colors. It is hard to believe it is fall because every- thing is so green & flowers are everywhere. If I were to take a picture of every pretty yard on this block alone I would run out of film the first 12 houses I would pass.

I hope that you will write soon. It seems that we have been gone a long time & not just a week.

Love to all,
Jim & Dina & all

Saturday, September 22, 2007

September 22, 1964

You can write us at this address Mrs. James P. Ryan
c/o Silvahof Apt Hotel
Bern, Switzerland

Tues. Sept 22, 1964

Dear Mom and Dad,

I guess today was my lucky day. Last night it was Mary Beth’s turn to be awake and Patricia still hasn’t got her nights and days straight either. I found out today from several people it takes a good two weeks for the children to adjust to that 6 hr change. We were trying to figure out last night how we were going to get some shopping done for groceries and dishes etc so we could start eating at home. The way the day is here it is very difficult. School and Jim’s work start at 8:30. He walks them to school and then goes to work. At noon he picks them up and they all walk home. He has to be back at 1:45 and they go back at 2 P.M. School lets out at 4:P.M. and Jim finishes at 5:45. The stores all close at 6:30. So it is hard to shop after work. The whole town is very still at 9:P.M. I also got to thinking last night that I hadn’t even brought a catechism for the children. So it was all pretty dismal. This afternoon I walked the kids back to school at 2:P.M. so I could stop and buy some groceries on the way home. Jim was going to get off from work early and I was going to meet him at a big dept store downtown recommended by one of the men at work. It was quite a climb to school. It’s not a far walk but here you’re either walking uphill or downhill and school is uphill all the way. We made it to school on time and I was starting back when a Mrs. Bell who lives in the Silvahof offered me a ride back with P. and MB. I quickly accepted and we got acquainted. In short she took me to the supermarket and I was able to get a lot more things home in the car. She was very nice and helpful and offered to go with me tomorrow to show me where I can get milk and eggs near here.

I found out today also that the Catholic school children have religion classes right at school at 4-4:45 on Tues. So that was a real break! I went up to meet the children at 4:45 and found Kenny and Jimmy busily talking to a Mrs. Lawrence. They had forgotten to stay for religion class. Mrs. Lawrence introduced herself. I had met her children also as they are also staying here and she is the one who sent me the note about the catechism classes. She is lovely person. Looks about 35 – has natural red hair and talks kind of like Joyce Wood. She has nine children. Four of them commute by train daily to Fribourg to the Catholic High School there and four of them go to the English speaking school. One is still at home. She quickly offered to babysit with the children so I could do my shopping. I met several other ladies there. One a Mrs. French has been here 4 ½ years. She drove Mrs. Lawrence and her five children and my four (Jimmy went with me) and Mrs. French’s five children in her car and my stroller was walked home by a couple of the older children because they and the stroller didn’t fit in the car.

It was about seven P.M. when Jim and I and Jimmy picked up the children and P. was sitting on the table with all the Lawrence family eating her rice with a big bib on like she was one of the family. Mrs. Lawrence said she had asked the others to eat but they didn’t and I was glad they hadn’t as I felt I had imposed enough on her. She also offered to go shopping with me tomorrow. They have been here about a month now.

We came home and had hamburgers and Uncle Ben’s rice and the kids did their homework and went to bed. Both of the women tell me it takes a good two weeks to adjust to the time change.

Kenny did not have a happy day at school. His first day and he was pretty confused as the others are all ahead of him. His teacher is a Englishwoman and she said “We’ll give him a fortnight and see how he does.” Barbara’s teacher is a Scottish woman Miss MacKenzie and Jimmy’s is an Englishwoman Miss Carter. I think there are about 10 children in each of their classrooms.

Sat. we hope to go apt. hunting, although all these other people I’ve mentioned are also apt hunting with no success. The hotel is very comfortable but expensive.

Will write more tomorrow.

Love Jim and Dina

(p.s. send this one on to Jim’s mother)

Friday, September 21, 2007

September 21, 1964

September 21, 1964

APARTMENTHOTEL Silvahof BERN
Tel 031/43 15 31 telegr. Sivahof Berne

Dear Mom and Dad,

As I suspected after sleeping until 3P.M. yesterday no one could sleep last night and all the children except Mary Beth were awake until after 3 in the morning. I hope we make up our time soon as it is a nuisance to be so out of step.

Today when our Sp. Maid came we talked and I wish I could tell you in the way she spoke her delightful conversation. She speaks very rapidly and doesn’t pronounce a single “s”. She asked me if my parents had ever made a return trip to Spain and I told her we all hoped to go there while we were here. “Ay – ya verá Vd. Alú en España la gente saben vinir. En mi puí jereź de la frontera ya verá Vd. la gente divertiendose - aqui este puí - que sosa la gente. A lá nueva ya no se oýe nadie - a lá 11:30 las restauranté cerrados - en España las restauranté abierta hast alas 4 or 5 de la manana. Aqui todo silencio – en Espana vinea a lo loco – la gente divertida alegre – si ganas dos pesetas las gastan en una cena o fiesta y al otro dia ya no tiene que comer. Ay el que sale de Espana a esta paies le cai el alma a los pies.

Then I asked her how many guests were staying at the hotel because we have seen or heard hardly anyone. She said “no te digo. Ve como son esta gente. Saben de su cuarto como astudados van por las es caleres en puntas y cierran las puertoas tan suane. En España damas unas portados Sas! Sas! La gente viva! Hablando a voces. Aqui tado piano , piano. When you read this don’t pronounce a single (s) and read it fast and you’ll get a bit of the flavor of it.

I asked her if there were any stores nearby but she said there were all very expensive because this is a residential section of town but she told me a good place to shop downtown and even offered to go with me after she got off work. Of course I told her that wasn’t necessary we could find it if we knew the name. She said she shopped on Fridays so I said I would go with her then.

The principal of the school just called and said the children should come tomorrow. There was no room in the Kdg. So I asked them to let Kenny try the first grade. The said they would try him for a week or so and see if he could do the work.
We went this morning to visit the school and it seemed very nice. It was a large old house. There are about 10 or 12 children in a class. I will let you know more about it later.

Let us hear from you all. Did they rent the house yet?

Love to all,
Jim and Dina

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Sun. September 20, 1964

Dear Mom and Dad,

Well our digestive track withstood the change of countries very well. No one has gotten sick and all parts of everyone’s body are functioning normally. However our sleep track cannot seem to adjust. Yesterday evening we went to eat at the restaurant in the park near our hotel – Kenny and Mary Beth fell asleep before we got our dinner. Again we are ordering too much food. If Jim and I order a complete dinner we have enough to feed all of us. I guess the Swiss must eat a lot and yet I haven’t seen any fat people. Maybe all the walking they do explains it. After we got home no one was sleepy because we had all taken a nap except for Jim after our afternoon excursion. Kenny got a little homesick & asked why we couldn’t go home. Patricia was talking about Tio Don & I figured out she was looking at his picture that is sitting next to Kennedy’s on our desk. So you see you will have to send us your picture for xmas or before so they can look at it & remember you all.

We finally all got to bed and Jim had the alarm set for 8:30 to give us enough time to dress and eat and walk to church which has an English service at 10:30. However around 3 A.M. Patricia woke up ready to play and we were still wide awake.

When Patricia woke me up today I looked at the clock it said 3:00. I thought the clock had stopped and I looked out the window and saw people walking to church. I got the other children up & the maids came in to fix the beds. They said it was indeed 3P.M. and we had slept the whole day away. We just can’t seem to get on the right time. I guess it will take a few more days.

We dressed and took a car downtown to attend the 4:00 P.M. Mass that the Spanish waiter had told us about. It was in the crypt of a big church and it was packed with Spaniards. I guess we better admit that the Spanish are dark as I have never seen a church full of such dark haired, dark skinned, dark eyed people. The sermon was in Spanish and the people sang hymns in Spanish during the Mass. After Mass we went to the restaurant in the train station for breakfast or supper – whatever it was. Again the food was delicious and so much that it is a sin to leave it. The bread is very crusty and delicious and they slice up at least a loaf of it for our. Jim and I had chicken and the kids had eggs and bacon. After supper Jim went to the baggage dept to get the trunk and as we waited for him two men came up to us – the first man spoke French and he asked me if they were all my children and if any of them were twins. I told them their ages and told him I could only speak English. He congratulated me on the family and left say “Salut con tutti” or something similar which I guess meant good luck with all of them. Later another huge German man with vest and heavy suit, walking cane and sandals camp up and spoke to the children and asked Kenny his name. Again I explained and he said he only knew “little English” – then he tipped his hat and went off.

We climbed in the car with trunk and children and arrived home. Tomorrow is school. I hope we wake up.

Love,

Dina & Jim

(send to Jim’s folks)

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Welcome



Hello family,

I found a bunch of letters Mom wrote to Wela and Welo when we first moved to overseas. She wrote home practically every day. I know this is not all the letters. The batch I found range from October 2, 1964 to December 8, 1964. Maybe I will find more, but I found these most interesting. I wish I had Wela's responses.

I will start posting them as I transcribe them. Forgive the typos. Anyone who wants can look at the originals, but it takes time to read them, and the paper is delicate - so I decided this might be a better way for anyone interested to read them at their leisure. The blog is restricted to invitees only at this point so I have not redacted any names. If I type only an initial like B or P, that is how Mom wrote it. Barbara is B, Patricia is P, somehow Kenny is usually Kenny and Jimmy is usually Jimmy.

Anyway I hope you enjoy them. I know her "Darling" P. will get a big kick out of how much she was like Sam at 2 years old.