When I was born Mom sent Jim and Barbara to stay with Grandma and Grandpa Singer. I found these three short letters in an envelope addressed to Dora and Pete from Grandma Singer. I am posting them all together.
Mrs. E. M. Singer
R. R. No. 3
Pana, Illinois
Tuesday evening (July 26, 1960)
Dear Jim & Dina & all
It is 10:00 O’clock and all is quiet, even Grandpa is asleep. Barbara and Jimmy were so good on the bus all the way and enjoyed the trip. Barbara’s idea of bringing a lunch in her new lunch box worked perfect. They decided they wanted a sandwich by the time we reached the outskirts of East St. Louis. Then about ½ hour later Jimmy signed and said “At least we finally caught our bus, but I forgot, where are we going?” Just as we got off the bus at Pana Grandpa came with a big Township truck and took us to the station where the car was. As soon as we got to the station Jimmy gave Grandpa his cigar and Don was over here after supper so he gave him his cigar too. They are looking forward to picking up potatoes as I dig them tomorrow.
Jimmy wasn’t sure he wanted to go to bed, but when we had finished our prayers I told them I would lie down with them for a while. They were both asleep in a few minutes. Hope your are feeling good Dina.
Much love to all,
Mother
Mrs. E. M. Singer
R. R. No. 3
Pana, Illinois
Thursday evening (July 28, 1960)
Dear Dora and Pete & all,
If you are missing the two precious kiddies we have here as much as we are enjoying them, then I know you are missing them a great deal. They both seem to be very content, no sign of homesickness at all yet.
Jimmy’s appetite hasn’t been so good, but then I guess he never does eat much and he has been somewhat constipated, so I have been giving him prune juice and prunes and peaches. Today he got good results from that and said “Grandma, when I want to go to the bathroom again I’ll tell you and you can give me more prune juice, because I just love it.”
When we were up town this morning we stopped to see Fern and Florence and they wanted us to have lunch with them, so we finished our shopping (a new straw hat for Grandpa) and on our way up to Florence’s I reminded the kiddies to be real nice kids at the table at Florence’s, then Barbara said “What if she gives me something to eat that I don’t like?” Jimmy said “Well Barbara, they aren’t going to give you anything with poison in it, because they like us and they wish that they had some (the ink is in the room where the kiddies are sleeping) childred.”
This morning we went out in the pasture to hunt for blackberries. Found just a few that were ripe. We also found a baby bunny. I sure wish there were more blackberries, the children enjoyed eating what few we could find. How are you Dina? Sure hope and pray all is well with you and the baby. Has she a name yet? I’ll bet Kenny is lost without B & Jim. It will be quite a reunion when the family is all together again. In the meantime, we will continue to enjoy these two for as long as we may be permitted to keep them. They are so good, I haven’t had any trouble with them at all.
It is just about midnight now and everyone else is asleep so I better go to bed too.
Don’t worry about the kiddies.
Love
Grandma Singer
Mrs. E. M. Singer
R. R. No. 3
Pana, Illinois
Monday morning (August 1, 1960)
Dear Dina, Jim & all
Just a quick note before I do down to start the washing. B & J are asleep yet. They kept covered all night. It was so cool, nice for sleeping. Jimmy found a seed in his cantaloupe and said he is going to plant it today so we will have a cantaloupe tree. They get quite a kick out of finding things to eat in the garden, such as potatoes and carrots.
The spent the most part of one afternoon in a tub of water in the yard, and eating carrots we had found in the garden. Barbara just came and crawled up on my lap, still half asleep. I asked her what she wanted to tell you and she says to tell you she will be home in a couple of weeks.
I will send you a snap shot I have. I took it the day after we came home from St. L.
The wiggle girl on my lap is my excuse for my scribbling this time.
David was so good last night. Paul & G. brought him here about 6:00. They stayed for supper then went to the races at Springfield. Ginny put David in the crib when she brought him and he didn’t wake up until 11:30 so we hardly knew we had him.
I just had a frightful scare. Jimmy stuck his head at of their bedroom door & hollered “Boo”. So Grandma had better get busy. Don’t worry about our darlings. We are all doing fine. Sure hope your Mom gets to feeling much better soon.
Love to all
Mom
Jimmy says “Be sure to tell mommy that David was here.”
