This is the final part of the letter postmarked January 4. To recap, Mom and Dad have just recovered from a wonderful New Year's weekend during which they entertained some company for three nights and hosted a large New Year's Eve party that was a disaster.
Dave has certainly changed his tune on the behavior of one, David Wayne. He told me that David Wayne helped me more than those girls helped Mary. Dave also says that David Wayne knows more about how to act in restaurants, parties, etc. than those girls did. It was an eye-opener for David Wayne, too. He talked to me about how ugly and naughty those girls acted and I was able to explain to him that this was the way it looked to others when children misbehaved. As for me, I intend to beat David Wayne's little behind any and every time he talks hateful to me or Dave because I saw how badly that looks to others. So, all in all, I suppose there was some very good that came out of the weekend.
[I only remember a couple of spankings ever, so I must have been a quick learner.]
The Jennings certainly did enjoy your visit with them. Aunt Mary wrote us about what a nice boy Mike was and how pleasant it was visiting with you. They also enjoyed seeing Steven when Wayne and Linda came to visit.
[It sounds like my grandmother and uncle did visit my Dad's parents in Belton on their way to or from Austin for Christmas.]
I'm glad you watched the TV show. No, Suzie doesn't talk that bad all the time, but she does have a twang. And yes, she _is_ a speech teacher. They said that before the program the studio audience just roared with she told them her occupation. David Wayne does have a wonderful time with them, but we are stopping the babysitting bit - it takes us days to calm him down afterwards. She wrestles with him on the bed and allows him to jump on her bed and some other things that we don't approve of. We have told her and told her that he isn't allowed to do these things, but she ignores our wishes. I hope someone does that to them when they have children. Maybe we're all wet on raising a child (soon to be children) but I think that when you keep someone else's child, you should mind the parents. It's giving David Wayne two sets of behavior - one around us and then a sneaking one when he's around them. He thinks he can do anything around them - and he does!
That was so nice of you to keep Steven for Wayne and Linda. They still need to get out some and I know they appreciated it. You better start _now_ making plans for yourself next New Year or you're liable to get stuck with three little ones. When we start pooling our offspring, we could keep Grandma busy!
[Anyone who knew my grandmother knows she would gladly choose babysitting grandkids over going out for New Year's.]
I will go down to Olvera street and get the glass panels as soon as I can make it, but we are not going to send them in the mail. I hope you won't mind waiting a couple of months.
[Mom is referring to the colored glass pieces for the Mexican-style lanterns that didn't survive being mailed to Texas.]
David Wayne and I did enjoy the baby, but Dave asked me not to keep it any more. His reasoning (and it is sound, I think) is that I'll have one of my own soon enough and I'll be tied down, so I should be free now to go and do things with just David Wayne. Really, I think he was just afraid I wouldn't get enough rest.
[That's kind of nice that my dad who was a little tight with money suggested Mom turn down some extra income so she and I could have more fun. Awwww . . .]
Mother, we will send some pictures, but it will be later. We are so selfish - we want a copy of all the ones we took so we are going to have extra ones made. As we took the pictures, we'd say this one for Nana, this one for the Jennings, etc. Then the picture would be so good and be so special that we just couldn't bear to part with it.
We wish you hadn't been such a good talker and had come to California. I just about half-way expected you. I'd give anything if you and Mike could come out again before we left. Every time we go to a different place, I think, wouldn't Mother love this! The first place I'd take you would be Universal City Studios, then a TV show, then Marineland. Quit your job and just move out here for the next two months and maybe - just maybe - we'd see all I'd like to show you.
I enjoyed reading about your visit with Joan. I be she hasn't changed one bit. Did you know Judy (Julia) was expecting in January? She sent me a Christmas card and was I surprised. Still no word on Kathie.
[There was some confusion on my part when Judy or Julia was mentioned in the November 17, 1967 letter. Now it looks like she went by either name.]
I sure hope Taffy doesn't cause you as much trouble as that puppy caused us. Dave wanted me to send you money to put Taffy in a kennel until we get home - he had never kept anyone's dog before and he feels badly about imposing on you. So do I really. But Taffy is such a good dog and I hope she hasn't messed up anything (Oh, no! I remember the back porch incident.) I'll tell you one thing - Dave and I will certainly appreciate that Taffy when we get home. And just get prepared that David Wayne will go to the back yard first to see his dog - next he'll want to fight with Knucklehead.
None of you will know David Wayne when we get home. The clothes he wore while you were here in September are too small for him now. Thanks to everyone in Texas he does have enough clothes to wear this _week_, but he will outgrow those by school time. He grows every week - taller, taller, taller! He is really a stray! His vocabulary is way above average and he's not satisfied with just knowing the ABC's and counting to 100 and above. Now, he is adding numbers: 2+3=5, 100+100=200. The other night while looking at a magazine, he shocked us by saying, "For 2's are 8, isn't it?" I asked him how he knew that and he showed me an ad - the ad showed pictures like this:
[Here's a scan of that part of the letter showing where Mom drew eight boxes.]
He said, "2+2+2+2=8 so four 2's are 8." I've had fifth graders that couldn't figure that good. Are you sure I got the right baby at the hospital?
[I do remember making a distinction between even and odd numbers in my head long before I was taught about even and odd numbers in school. In my mind I referred to even numbers as "good" and odd numbers as "bad." I just knew there was something good about a number that could be divided into two equal parts.]
The "Johnny Astro" Santa brought him requires a lot of coordination. When we put it together on Christmas Eve, Dave said, "Linda, he won't be able to work this. It's just too old a toy for him." I agreed with him and I was very sorry I had bought it. The next morning he worked it perfectly and he still can do it better than all of our friends who have tried it - Gene, Suzie, Erland Hansen, Hartford, Cliff, the two teenage girls. Dave can't get over it!
[I do remember Mom telling me about how shocked they were Christmas morning when I learned how to work the Johnny Astro toy so easily after Dad struggled with it so much after putting it together. I'm sure I loved showing all the adults how good I was at it, too.]
Well, enough bragging on David Wayne and griping about the Dirrs.
[That's ok. It's what moms do. I don't mind. ;-) ]
I need to do a lot of work but I try not to do too much at once. Dave does all of the vacuum work now and he has to carry grocery sacks for me. David Wayne cleans the tub, shower, sinks, and picks up the toys from the floor. They still let me cook, wash dishes, and wash clothes. I think I'll just stay real fat and claim I'm pregnant from now on.
Love,
Linda
P. S. Should I send Dave's sweater back for you or Mike to exchange?
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