Dear Mom, Dad, Serena, John and Mary,
Hi! Yesterday (Tuesday) the cake and the card from you and one from Mary Virginia came. Thanks, I had a little nibble of the cake but it was frozen -- still tasted good though. Also appreciate the clippings, stamps, and Mary's letter, and the letters from Joe. I will send them on to Roberta. Or does she already have a copy?
We had snow and more snow compounded with lots of wind and 0º temperatures for a week from last Tuesday until yesterday. The temp is still really down but it hasn't snowed since Monday. Living out in the country has its disadvantages -- two days I couldn't get into work because the snow plows couldn't keep the roads clear. And every time the plow goes down our road it knocks the mail box over and until we get it up again the mailman just drives by. That is why I couldn't have gotten the cake sooner than yesterday.
Saturday I went for a walk down the road and met two neighbor kids (Bruce 10 and David 8) who were also out playing. They introduced me to all their horses, a burro, the cat, and the chicken. Then it was so cold I even got to go inside and meet their Mom. I found out that the city owns all the land behind their house. It is mostly swampy area but I have enjoyed tramping around back there. The city is going to flood the area and turn in to Public fishing and maybe swimming. All within a mile of here, but then I lose alot of my walking space. It may be years before they finish it though.
I may lose my job at the library soon. They put an ad in the newspaper to find someone to take the place that I am now filling. They want a person with some college so they can deal equally well with college kids and faculty. Other than that the only real vital things are that they can type and do not have a teachers certificate (as they could make more money substituting). About all I have done lately is talk to people on the telephone and set them up for interviews if they meet those basic requirements.So far 37 people have been interviewed and there must be at least 40 more signed up. It is really frightening that all these people need a job. They are mostly guys and girls from 22-24 who have graduated from college. I hope I get into library school. I sure would hate being one of 100 people applying for a not especially good job.
Last night Dick and I and David Stone went to see or rather hear the Detroit Symphony who was here at WMU. Some faculty member had the tickets and couldn't go so offered them to Debby who also couldn't go so they got passed on to me.
Dick got a new camera yesterday. He has been paying around with it but hasn't taken any pictures yet since he hasn't put the film in. He goes into school with me every day and either studies at the library or messes around with the guys at school. I seem to have gotten more work done on my translation since I started working as now I sit down and put in some concentrated effort instead of piddling around. I am also reading Goethe pretty steadily.
Mrs. Hall seems to be getting along pretty well. She reads alot -- I get her an average of 6-9 books a week at the library. I do almost all of the cooking, although she will help if I ask her and tell her what to do. She has made us custard twice which goes fast. I am trying to get her to do more but even if I leave stuff to be warmed up or cooked while we are gone (we often take sandwiches and stay in town for supper) she only eats peanut butter sandwiches. For me it is more like having a non-functional grandmother around the house. [In retrospect I can now understand that she was severely depressed and suffering from the early stages of dementia, but at the time I had no clue.]
The poppy-seed cake I made turned out really well. It tasted just like what I had in Germany. For that reason, it isn't too popular with anyone else. It is sort of heavy and dry except for the poppy filling. I have been having a piece with some yogurt every morning for breakfast.
Love, Catherine
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