1952 Jean's letter to her Mother - Nov. 26

A special treat from 1952 is this letter which Jean wrote to her mother, Lucie Brown Ballantyne, on Thanksgiving Day. Interesting glimpse of family life in 1952 when Catherine would have been almost 4 and Roberta 18 months.  Evidently Jean was recovering from surgery or sickness.  Transcription follows.

1952 Jean's letter to her Mother - Nov. 26

 

Thanksgiving

Nov. 26, 1952

Dearest Mother,

We thought so much about you today & wish that you were here with us to help us enjoy our Thanksgiving.  I do hope you had a pleasant day.

Miss Lettie Kibler who has been staying with me was to go on a baby case about the 14th or 15th of November.  So thinking last week that she'd be going any time we asked her to stay til she was called to take care of the new baby.  No call as yet so she's still with us.  Mother Uible invited us up there for dinner but since Miss Lettie was here told her to come down.  Miss Lettie is a wonderful cook – I've let her have complete charge of the kitchen and she fixed a wonderful dinner.  We had quite a time over the dressing (stuffing). She was used to making it her mother's way & I wanted it like you fix it. It turned out fine – suitable to both.  She puts turkey broth from the giblets in it, egg, sage, cream.  Mother Uible said she always uses onion but we omitted that & the last three of Miss Lettie's ideas – egg, sage & cream & I did consent to some turkey broth, salt & pepper and that's all.  Now I'm curious just what you put in yours – all I could remember was the crumbs, salt & pepper.  We had mashed potatoes, gravy, broccoli, cranberry salad (bought at the WSCS market yesterday), hot rolls (also bought there), celery, applesauce, cake & ice cream – besides the 11# turkey Mother & Daddy Uible brought yesterday – we put it in at 7:30 this AM & was practically done at 10:30 but we cooked it real slow til 12:30.

I'm feeling better & better and think I could take over but saving my strength til Lettie leaves.  I have no stiffness except when I get on my knees and guess I just need a little exercise that way.

Catherine wants me to tell you she likes Howdy Doody and Uncle Al on television.  She is entranced by both – the latter being on 9-10 and 11-12 every morning during the week and an hour on Saturday.  She has learned so many songs, dances, to draw, etc. from it.

I forgot to mention that the broccoli came from our garden this morning and still good.

Roberta now holds our hands to say grace and babbles while saying it.  Her vocabulary is still at a standstill.  She does scream Maw-maw in an extra loud voice if things don't go her way.  She & Miss Lettie are surely attached.  Right now they are both (Catherine & Roberta) drawing (?) on the chalkboard you gave them.  Roberta insists on using the wrong side.  Catherine did draw a Santa Clause face and I was amazed how much it did look like him.  Roberta isn't happy unless she's tormenting someone – guess who they take after?

Catherine has an appointment to have her hair cut tomorrow morning and in the afternoon she & Harold are to have dental checkups.  I know you'll be glad to hear Catherine's hair is getting some attention.

Mother & Daddy Uible may go to Florida soon but aren't saying anything about it publicly.

All our very best love,
Harold, Jean, Catherine & Roberta