1974 Roberta Letter -Jan.13

 January 13, 1974

Dear Family,

Hi!  Here I am at work - a dead Sunday - no business at all!  There have been some rumors going around that the store might start being closed down on Sundays, but I really can't imagine that!

Grandma & I got up early - had breakfast and then went to the 8:30 church service.  There were alot less people there this morning than last week!  We stayed for Sunday School - the attendance in Grandma's class is really down this year.  We got home just in time - before a big rain!!

Rob & Aunt M and Uncle B will be back sometime this afternoon from Daytona.  Did you all know that Rob lost his job – I guess the county is doing away w/ alot of their part time people.  From what I understand Lake Worth was the only office that had a clean-up boy - so out went Rob.  He was quite upset at first - but now he seems to be enjoying his leisure time!

Last Tuesday afternoon Rob & I went swimming in the ocean.  Once I got used to the water - it was really nice - but at first - the water was sure cold!  Aunt Mary gave me her bathing suit to use.

As for school - I think I'm going to like all three of my classes.  I've got lots of reading to do though in all of them - especially Social Psychology.  The Prof in there is assigning reading like it's going out of style!  It's funny but all the tests for all my classes fall on ALL the same days – MY LUCK!  The first batch is January 30th.

But- one thing I'm to be thankful is that all of my exams are on March 6th more than a week before the quarter is officially over!  so I'll have a nice long vacation – Spring quarter doesn't start till March 26th.

I was talking to a woman at work yesterday about flying home in March & she told me I ought to be calling the airlines about reservations.  So I did – and can you believe that the flights North in March are already filling up??!!  I couldn't believe it!  I have made tenative [sic] reservations on a Delta flight - March 7th - getting into Cincinnati at 11:28 AM.  No night flight this time!!  Would that be convenient for someone to meet me - if not let [me] know – NOW!

I think Grandma had a good time at Disney World.  The evening after we were there we heard on the news that they had laid were going to lay off close to 2,000 people.  Alot of part-time help but some 700 full-time people.  There just weren't to many people there at all - nothing like when we were there Mary Virginia.

John when are you coming down?  You and Nicky will have to make plans to come down.  I'm sure Dad will let you drive the big luxury car down. (HA!)

Dad - I got my income tax booklet – but you know I'll need help w/it all!

All of us that work on Sundays in this building (just 4 of us) have a system going.  We've got instant coffee & tea bags – and make hot water in the radar-range* – just takes about 1½-2 minutes.  That way we fight inflation - HA - and still get our afternoon drinks!  Have you all gotten a micro-wave oven yet?  I think they would be pretty nice.

W.W. classes are really filling up now – after inventory at B's (the 20th of January) I've decided to just work 2 days a week at B's – and have 4 W.W. classes – or maybe just three.  I've got to study sometime - HA!  I really do enjoy working for W.W. – it's the most unusual job I've ever had - NEVER A DULL MOMENT!!  Love, Berta

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*From Southwest Museum of Engineering, Communication and Computation (SMECC), article about Microwave Ovens: Radar-range was an early name for microwave ovens.  The first domestic microwave oven was produced in 1967.  Earlier versions, made for commercial purposes were 6 feet tall and weighed 750 pounds, costing about $5000 each.  By 1967 a smaller, safer and more reliable model was available for $500.  in 1975, sales of microwaves exceeded the sale or gas ranges.