1979 Catherine's Letter to John -Feb.5

February 5, 1979

Dear John,

Hi!  Thanks for your letter which arrived Saturday and also for the birthday card.  As you probably heard it arrived right on my birthday despite the incorrect address.  I still have not recovered from the shock of the check.  I rushed it right to the bank so as to cash it before you changed your mind.  I know it was my birthday and everything but I certainly wasn't expecting a check from you of all people!  I don't want to sound ungrateful because I'm not – I was just very surprised.  I am going to buy some things for our new apartment with it – shower curtain (I picked out a real fancy one in the Sears catalog), waste basket, dish rack, etc.  We'll see how far the money will go.

We'll be anxious to see your pictures.  You could have kept the ones I sent you.  I usually only send pictures that I have duplicates of because otherwise they might never get back to me.  We sent Gerry's sister two rolls of film worth of prints which we didn't have duplicates of two years ago and we still don't have them back.  It wouldn't be so bad except we sent her the negatives also so now we have nothing.  They were pictures of DeeDee and Linda's son, Robbie, from the summer that Robbie spent with us in San Diego.

We got all moved into our new apartment on Saturday and I have almost everything put away somewhere – not necessarily where I want it though.  The furniture fits fine in all the rooms except the living room which is very cramped.  We had to put the bean bag in Wendy's room and it is still crowded in the living room.  We're going to try rearranging it with the sofa on the north wall and see if that makes any difference.  I like the kitchen better than our old apartment.  Except I miss the dishwasher.

Does it make you feel older to have a 30-year-old sister?  Just think, when you are 30, I will be getting close to 40.  40 seems pretty old to me right now but I'm sure each year that I get closer to it it will seem less old!

You are welcome to come anytime for more cooking lessons.  Gerry gave me a Mexican cookbook and a Oriental cookbook for my birthday so we are going to be trying some new things.  Write again soon!

Love, Catherine, Gerry & Wendy

PS Thanks again for the birthday money!