This letter of Dot’s reminds me of her wartime letters when she was living in Greenwich and working at Franklin Simon; it’s full of news and busyness.
She started this letter last night at Harriet’s house but the conversation about her was far too interesting to miss, so she had to put the letter aside. There was a third consecutive birthday dinner for Dot that night. Her Aunt Bess, Uncle Nelson, and their son Roger came to visit, bringing ice cream to celebrate Dot’s day. Bess is Ruth’s sister, and she’s staying a few days for a visit. Dot had to be at Harriet’s house because the older sister is making a dress for Dot and it had to be fitted.
My! How Harriet and George’s house has changed! What used to be a five room, one bath house has become an eight room, 2 bath palace. The upstairs has three beautiful new bedrooms and a bath. Also, the family is hoping to add a 1947 Studebaker to the garage soon.
Poor Pegasus – the 1932 car that Ruth drives seems to be on her last legs. The other day on a short trip to Stamford, “she coughed like a TB victim.”
Dot writes that she and her mother had to go to 10 stores today before finding a pair of saddle shoes for Dot. She declares that they look like something out of Halsey’s fleet.
As she predicted, she will begin work on Monday! “I was home about 24 hours when I had my choice of three jobs.” Then she was offered a fourth one, which she took. She’ll be the playground supervisor at a public park in Cos Cob, five days a week. Her hours are from 2:00 to sunset (about 9:00), with an hour off for lunch. It only pays $20 a week, but she gets paid even if the playground is closed for rain. She’ll have time in the morning to get chores done. And, Mrs. Miller has asked for her services every Saturday and Sunday. Dot thinks it’s ironic that her workaholic father put his foot down on that idea, saying only a fool works seven days a week! Anyway, she’s still about the only person in Greenwich willing to babysit, so she thinks she’ll be in big demand this summer.
Although she won’t have much money to pay her parents board, she plans to mow, weed and paint to earn her keep. Hard working as ever, I see.
“Here I am at the bottom of the third page and I haven’t even begun to tell you how much I miss you. Yesterday morning when I was doing dishes alone, I kept wishing you were helping me so I could throw water in your face. Ah, but that will come.”
She sees that the sun has just come up and she wants to get her washing hung out to dry. She misses him and is pulling for him to get that honors rating at Cleveland College. She certainly knows he’s smart enough for that.