In 1966 we Ryans were still living in Brussels. Welo and Wela came to stay with us in Brussels for a few months (years?) after my grandfather retired from the bank. That summer we traveled home for a visit. Welo and Welo went on a trip to London and Spain before they came back to the States. I am posting a series of letters my Mom wrote from St. Louis to her mother in Europe that summer (see the Archives from 2007 for the initial 1964 series of letters that started this Blog). Even though Mom was on vacation and had a short amount of time to visit with friends and family she still managed to write to her mother almost every day.
Enjoy,
MB
July 24, 1966
Sunday
Dear Mom and Dad, (Hi Jeanne & Barney)
It is now 7:30A.M. and I am going to write this letter before anything. We had a wonderful trip home. I called Tala from Chicago and she told me that she and Betty D. would meet us. (Jo came to see us at the O’Hare and we had good hour to talk.) When we got off at Lambert – there were - Mildred, Julius, Chick, Mary, Anita, Doggie and kids, Donna Lee & whole family, Tala & family, Bentons, Dameris’ with a huge sign Welcome Home Ryans . We had our choice of cars for the ride home.
The house looks marvelous. Mildred, Mary Chick, Margaret & Angeles have it looking like you just stepped out to the bakery. Everything is back in place. Jim said it looked like a welcome home for a honeymoon couple. They all said it had been left terribly dirty. They shampooed the rug twice. But at least there is absolutely no permanent damage.
When you get home you’ll have to paint the kitchen and repair that damn crack in the dining room. That’s it. Glen D___ had hooked up the dryer and he said he can’t figure out how Jim Ryan can get out of doing that every time. Mary Chick had baked a huge cake and cup cakes, and they had ham sandwiches and beer and soda. Tala and Bob had bought a supply of groceries and I would say that there are no other people in the world like our family! They all stayed quite late and when everyone left Jim and I looked at my watch on Brussels time and we had been up 26 hours. But it was worth it!
Saturday at 7:30A.M. good old Gloria was at the door with bakery goods for breakfast. And throughout the day Mildred, Neva, the Dameris’, Lil and Bob and Gas dropped in. As a result I’m still not unpacked but it’s been great. Wait ‘til you get back – you can’t imagine how wonderful St. Louis will look to you – even though everything is really dry and brunt up. The weather has been great. Between the fan and attic fan we have stayed really cool. Mildred has already adopted Patricia. P. says “you are not Aunt Mildred, you’re Wela.” The kids are having a ball. We did go to the doctor with Mary Beth who got up vomiting I was sure she was just exhausted but ever since Jim had that scare in Malaga he was afraid. So we took her and Nancy. The doctor gave her something and an hour later she was fine. He looked at Nancy’s leg and said it will be all right and she was fine, he thought. He gave her the oral polio which is good. We called Jim’s mom and we told her we’ll try to get down after a week as we have so much to do here. Everyone I saw so far looks wonderful. Exactly the same. I talked to tiá Lola and she might come by today - but last night talking to Lil, she tells me her mom had another heart attack in the hospital and is really failing. I might call her and ask her not to make the trip. We’ll try to get over there one day this week. Tala and Bob let us use their Ford also for today and yesterday.
Well I must feed this baby. Everyone thinks she’s cute . I’ll try to write tomorrow. Let us know how you’re doing. My love to the Byrnes.
Love,
Jim and Dina
