October 2, 1964

Return address:
D. Ryan
Silvahof Apt.Hotel
Apt. 613
Bern, Switzerland

October 2, 1964

Dear Mom and Dad,
Well Daddy it’s a very important birthday you’re celebrating and I can’t tell you how sorry I am that we can’t be there to enjoy it with you. But you know we wish you a very happy day and many more. Certainly you have been most fortunate to have always enjoyed such good health all these years And Mom too! I sure hope you both continue to feel that way.

Today I played my Spanish record for Francisca when she came & she just loved it. She knows the words to all the songs and she sang along. Now when P sees her she runs to her to get her keys and pushes her around a bit. F. gets a big kick out of P and calls her “Pelo de Arana”.

Now the children have gone back to school and P is napping. I get B’s Barbie Doll down for MB to play with & that keeps her entertained for a while. She keeps pestering me to play with the other little Lawrence girls but I want her to get used to playing with P & not be running back & forth all the time to the neighbors. In the morning I put on the Hansel and Gretel record & both she and P. enjoyed it very much. Then we went for a walk to the bakery shop. We tried a new store which is more like a confectionery with a little of everything. The lady there did not speak any English but we made ourselves understood because practically everything is on display. Then when I made my purchase she gave me a net shopping bag which everyone uses around here & each of the children an apple. The she ran to open the door for me and went outside and put P. in the stroller too. Everyone is so helpful and kind.

These two weeks the Swiss children are on vacation & I have enjoyed watching them all playing around their houses. All the children are dressed so neatly – the girls with shirts and sweaters and little pinafores or aprons over their clothes. The boys have their short pants, sweaters and knee socks. Always their hair is neatly combed & braided.

We are hoping that the weekend will be nice so we can do a little more exploring around Bern. Today I received a letter from Jim’s mom & one from Betty. I hope you will write soon as I am most anxious to hear from you too. I am still feeling pretty lonesome for you both & I can imagine how you are feeling. Yesterday when I told F. I was feeling blue – she said ‘Ay pero Senora, Va tiene sus hijas para divertirse y mi marido y ya! – nada mas tenemos uno al otro – y otro cosa Va. Esta en su casa – y no como nosatros en un cuarto solo. Cada vida tiene su lucha” I guess I was double sad because the N.Y. Herald Tribune that Jim has been bringing home is full of the Kennedy tragedy. I still can’t believe it is true- it seems like an awful nightmare.

My that certainly is an exciting pennant race. We have been following the news on our new radio. We get the Armed Forces Station in Frankfurt, Germany very clear.

Please give our best to all the family. The children send their love and a special hug for “Welo” on his Birthday. –
Love
Jim & Dina