Münster

Sunday, December 7 [1969]

Dear Mother, Dad, Serena, John and Mary,

Hi!  I hope this doesn't come too late, but Mother:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY !

My thoughts will be with you on Thursday.

I've been getting kind of behind in letter writing lately.  John and Serena should both be getting letters soon as you are high on my list.

The biggest news is that Flo Sheehy (my good friend in Kalamazoo) had a baby girl and although she was a month and a half premature both mother and daughter are doing well.

I got some money from Grandma for Christmas.  Immediately thought of the dictionary and Mütti even quicker thought of boots but as of right now I still have the money.

We've gotten some of our train reservations although one train from Basel to Luzerne was already filled up.  Hopefully we can get a later train on the same day.  Alan figured out that we will be traveling 9250 km or 5700 miles on the trains.  Three weeks of trains and more trains!

Thursday afternoon Ann and I made more Rice Krispie-Marshmallow things to take to school.  Our cooking talents are overwhelming!  They don't have birthday cakes here, or anything that tastes like birthday cake because fresh stuff like that isn't healthy or something.  There is an abundance of Küchen that is much like coffee cake.  Usually only eaten around here on Saturday or Sunday with Koffee.  Klause (our 15-year-old brother) had his nameday yesterday and we're going to make a real birthday cake for him tomorrow.

Yesterday was St. Nicolous (sp?) day and he came around on Friday night to make sure the children have been good this year.  If they haven't they get taken away in his bag.  I'm still here and he left me a bag of nuts and cookies so I guess my behavior has been acceptable.

Today I went with Mütti and Vatti first to Paderborn where Mütti's younger sister and her family live.  (She has two sisters, 31 and 21 -- she is 41).  They have daughters 10 and 8 and a son 6.  I had a good time playing and talking with them except sometimes they would get excited and start spurting out Deutsch faster than I could take it in.  The 10 year old has started this year to learn English.  Then we went to Stukenbrock a little ways north of P.  That is where Mütti's parents live.

I have been invited to a wedding in Erlangen on January 10 but I'm not sure who is getting married so I'll send you details later.

I read today where the first 25 & 50 pf Woolworth Store was opened in Berlin in 1927.

Good night.  Gee, here it is about midnight and you guys are just eating supper.  I'm glad it's midnight here though because in another hour or so I'll be tired enough to go to sleep.

Love,

Catherine