My Handy Dandy Husband and the 8th Letter With a Bonus!

One of the best things about Louis Dean is his willingness to fix little things around the house and to fix them practically as soon as I ask him!

I bought this bird house at a thrift store a few weeks ago.

It needed a hook so it could be hung up in a tree.

Now it is hanging there!

We put it out where we can see it from the gazebo.

We already have over half a dozen bird houses in the front.

I didn't even ASK him to fix the back door!

The sewing room is an addition that builders would cringe at!

It was added way back in the early 70's and I am amazed the room is still in such good condition. Irving land shifts and nothing is square in this entire house!

If you water ONE side of the yard by the door - you MUST water the other side equally or the door won't close! We do have our little adventures around here!

Louis Dean and I took this week and next week off to catch up on some projects here at home, get some extra rest - I took another good 2 hour nap this afternoon - and for me to get my fall decorating done.

I paid special attention to the gazebo since we spend so much time out there.

We had 'wine thirty' earlier tonight!

Then we went our ways - Louis Dean to work on a project or two in his music room - and I to transcribe tonight's letters.

He's back out there in his chair waiting for me to finish.

We are sure enjoying this week and all the extra time we get to spend together.

Now for the 8th letter....

Postmarked Glendale California, Oct 3, 1940 at 11:30 AM.

Glendale, 10/2/40

Dear little sweet thing:

                  Your letters are really worth waiting for when they do come. But I think you are  doing too much. That is why I do not yap and yowl when I write sixty umpty letters to your one. Don't you think you could cut down slightly on your visits to the sick when you have so much to do?  I'm not saying that so you will have the time to write me oftener, for as much as we adore hearing from you, I am perfectly willing to forego a lot of that pleasure in order to give you a little more time to yourself. Don't you think Eleanor would understand if you saw her only every other day, and I'm sure Eva would rather see you every three or four days than you should wear your little self out. Eva may stay as she is for years; and when you are working, you must have sufficient rest. If you go at this break-neck speed at the beginning of the term, you'll be worn and hollow eyed before mid term.

                    I did not mean for you to call Mrs. Werner but one time. I suppose she was on her way out here when you were calling her. I'm delighted that the paving is done. I believe I wrote you that Mrs. W. left Palestine a week ago last Sunday night but went to San Francisco first. Wrote for our phone number here but I haven't heard from her again so do not know if she has come on to L.A. yet or not. I wrote her that we would not be back until yesterday afternoon.

                     Isn't it heart breaking about Bertha Gay W.? I didn't know young people ever had cancer. At least I've never known a case before middle age that I can recall. Has she taught in the last few years?

                    I know your maroon jacket is pretty. I've bought my patterns and thread and will send all of it to you as soon as possible. We go in tomorrow to spend the day with Bess. That is the nurse's day off, so I may not get it mailed until Friday. When you show her the patterns, please ask her what she will charge. There is nothing out of the ordinary about either of my patterns, so expect they will be $2.00.

                   Thank you for offering to pay bills again but I expect it won't be necessary this month, as there is nothing except Mitchell, Murphy and the gas. Maybe we will let you pay the gas, but Mr. Murphy said he didn't care when he got his so Willis can finish that up while I'm trying on dresses. And also pay Mr. Mitchell for several months ahead.

                      I'm enclosing Auntie's letter.  If I receive another from her, you and Leila open it and answer, if it calls for a quick answer. I told her not to write me here after October 10th, as we may leave by the 15th. Depends on Mrs. Werner. So if she writes me there, saying they can sell the farm, anything you answer will be O.K. with me. I wrote her today saying, (as we all agreed early in the spring) that we would sell for $5.00 an acre and, if necessary, for a very little less, tho we felt we should get $5.00 an acre. 114 acres at $4.75 an acre would be $541.50, and I would be delighted beyond expression to get one fifth of that. It would do me a lot more good than that land just lying there. I'd like to have my part to enjoy while I'm alive. So I hope everybody would agree to $4.75 if they can get that. That old land isn't worth anything much, so Clench and Nash told me, and I really think we would be lucky to get $4.75, tho I wish it could be $5.00.

                      I can't help feeling sorry for Eva concerning Jack and Inez.I know they are both liars but I suppose Eva will always love Jack regardless of how low he falls, but if she could only know how much easier it would be for her just to acknowledge that he had done wrong and say she loves him in spite of it, instead of being determined that everyone else shall pretend that he belongs on the pedestal on which she has placed him. Yes, I feel sure she knows more than she lets on.  I just wonder if perhaps Eva and Pope are setting them up in some kind of business in The Valley or if Inez is getting a permanent position down there. It almost seems to me that, as loathsome as it was for him to steal that money, still even that didn't inspire me with the repulsion that his lying has done. Some way there is something about a lie that just finishes a person with me even past the point of making me dislike them. What I mean is this - I neither like nor dislike them - they just do not exist as far as I am concerned. I hope I never come in contact with them again but still again if I did it would not disturb me any more than a shadow would. Psychology (?) has always been the most interesting subject in the world to me. I like to study out what makes people click - what makes them do like they do. I know you've always laughed at me for talking to strangers so much, but I've come across such interesting things - but one thing I've never figured out - for instance take Eva and Jack.  She is bound to know there isn't any real integrity in him - so - is it just his body she loves - how can a person love another one when she knows there's nothing there of honor, or honesty or any of the attributes of character that makes a real person? I've seen it happen many times but I've never understood. If there were ever penitence there for wrong doing, that would be different.

                          Sunday afternoon at Laguna we had such an interesting experience. We were sitting on the sand when a party of six entered the water. Two of the men went away out and the tide would allow them to get back. They began to wave and motion until finally the others understood. There are emergency posts along the beach with ropes hanging - ropes no bigger than my little finger. Two men swam out with the rope and then the crowd on shore had to pull them in. When the waves came in the crowd pulled. When they went out they slacked the rope. We held our breath and I'm sure most of us prayed earnestly as the crowd yelled for them to hold on. Had a lot more to tell but I'll have to put an extra stamp if I write any more.

                                               Worlds of love, Polly

Look for a wee package inside for a sweet little girl. Just in case Mr. Cole should write we will get the passes, you could air mail us the information, as then I'd buy a few more clothes out here.

                                                                                                                              P

The enclosed letter......

Granger Texas

September 22, 1940

Dear Ollie Lucie,

Ruby came to Franklin and brought me home with her. I am enjoying doing nothing for awhile. I will go home in a few days. I am feeling better since we have had a few cool days.

                    The tenant on our place and yours, has worked about 2 acres in cotton and 15 acres in corn. He has been considerably handicapped in his work, his brother died and his son went crazy and the boll weevils have destroyed most if the cotton so it is hard to estimate what we will get out of it. However I signed up for some government benefits and we may get some out of that and of course there will be a little rent. I will find out more about the corn and feed.

                     We have another prospective buyer who will look at the place in a few days. John says he will not give more than $5.00 per acre. Would you be willing to take that or even a little less? I would like to hear from you soon about it. We are doing our best to sell and may be fortunate enough to do so.

                      I do hope Eva is improving. I wrote to her a few months ago, have not heard how she is. 

                       Give my best regards to Mr. Downs.

                                                                   Your Aunt Delia

                        Ruby sends love

Now the following is where Polly uses the rest of the paper in Delia's letter to continue her own.

I'll use the other page of Auntie's letter as I forgot to tell you about Willis' birthday present from Bertha - the most beautiful watch chain. His had broken so many times that it was hardly worthwhile to have it mended. He is so pleased with everything that was given him. Then she sent me $2.00 to buy my own. And did I have fun! I looked and looked and finally bought a collar for my black coat and paid $1.95 for it. Later I went to another store and found the identical collar for $1.00. I trotted back and told them I'd found one I like better, got my money back and bought the dollar one. So now I have another dollar to spend.

                    Could you give me a list of people you want me to buy little pottery for. For instance, little pottery Dutch shoes (lovely) for $0.25. Pottery butterflies ( about 2 in. across) for $0.35 (to perch on side of bowl). Precious baby shoes for $0.40. Perfectly exquisite figures to put in the flat flower containers for $0.65 or $0.75. They are spraying them now (some of them ) with ground felt in the most exquisite colors. I remember one parrot, about 5 in. high, perfectly beautiful for about $0.75. I longed for it and I'm not partial to parrots. All of them look more expensive, so where usually you gave something for about $1.50, one of the figures would fit that person. What would you want me to pay for your vase?