The CCZCC takes the first step toward a potential new record. It now stands at 1.
Unlike all the previous letters, which were written in ink on letter-sized paper (8.5" x 11"), this letter was written in pencil on some 8.5" x 5.5" stationary.
Dear Mother and Mike,
I got tired of writing in pen so that's why this is in pencil. I really don't have much to tell you today.[Pen vs. pencil mystery is solved. We still don't know why there was a sudden change in paper size, though.]
We stayed at home Saturday much to my disgust. I guess Dave was just tired. Also, it could have been that we didn't have much money. Since I've been doing the Christmas shopping, Dave's been giving me extra money.[Let's hope this potential money issue doesn't impact MY Christmas too much.]
Sunday I talked Dave into taking me to Fisherman's Wharf - believe me we should have stayed at home. It was dirty, it stunk like dead fish, and there were only low, low class of people there. We didn't tarry there long. We did take a boat ride out in the ocean which was nice.
[I'm on a boat! I'm on a boat!]
[I don't look too thrilled about it, though. I don't know if I'm getting seasick or giving Dad a death stare for some reason.]
We also went in one store and bought David Wayne a starfish and a turtle bank.[I had that starfish for many many years in my room. It was yellowish-brown, with about a six inch wingspan. I don't think I have it now, and I'm not sure if it even survived the Great Purge when I moved out of the house to go to college. But I do still have the turtle bank. Here are two pictures of it, both with the obligatory quarter for scale. This one is glazed ceramic, with no chips or cracks that I can find. There is nothing identifying it as coming from Fisherman's Wharf, but there is a bit of adhesive on one side that looks like a sticker or label may have been there at one time.]
[That second photo is not from the top. Mr. Turtle is actually doing a three-point stand while balancing a quarter on his head. Impressive, eh?]
We saw two hippie couples on motorcycles cut in front of this man and get a parking place he was trying for. Naturally, it made the man mad and he said something to them. They walked over to their vehicles, took the tire chains off and started following the man and his family (including four little kids). I don't know what the outcome was, but I hope the people got away. It just made me and Dave sick and we got out of there quickly![That is another story Mom often told about our time in Los Angeles, and that's pretty much how she told it, too. Mom and Dad were really scared when they saw that. Thankfully I don't have any memory of it.]
The Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco is a delightful place and I never dreamed that this one would not be just as good. Oh, I wish we were home - safe and far away from all these kooks![Culture shock has not worn off yet. I don't know how Mom knew about Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco since she hasn't mentioned it in any letters so far. There are some pictures in the photo album that specifically say they were from Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, so maybe that will be mentioned in an upcoming letter.]
Halloween is tomorrow night and David Wayne is beside himself with excitement. I'm only going to take him trick or treating at a few apartments in this building. (I even asked these people if it would be alright.) Then we are going to the Hansen's (people Dave works with) and the Sivell's. I hope it won't be a let-down to him, but I just don't feel safe going to strange doors in this town.[Well that stinks. Don't be such a worry wart, Mom. I neeeeeeed candy!]
It wouldn't be any better in Carrollton though. Patsy wrote me that people there had been warned to keep the kiddies home because some people were giving candy with LSD on it to kids. David Wayne cried when I told him Roger and Steve couldn't go out on Halloween. I had to promise him that next year if it happened, we would just have a party for the neighbors.[Oh, good grief. It's amazing the scare stories about tainted Halloween candy that go around almost every year. When I was growing up it was razor blades in apples. I read an article years ago about a group that actually searched newspaper articles over many decades for stories about Halloween candy that was intentionally modified to harm children, and they pretty much came up empty. "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."]
We got that big turtle Friday night. We (David Wayne, that is) named him Mickey Mud Turtle. I went to Farmer's Market on Friday and at a pet shop I bought a big fish bowl to keep the turtle in. Snappy stays out of his shell all the time and he loves for us to talk to him. This new turtle isn't very friendly yet - in fact he spits at us if we get close to him. I'm not too fond of it, but the boys love it. From the reptile book you bought we found out it is a slider.[Well heck yeah, who wouldn't like to have a big spitting turtle to play with?]
I bought Tracey a cute little Indian dress at Farmer's Market. All the shopping I need to do now is Wayne, Judy, and the Jennings. I got a beautiful glass piano for Aunt Osie and a set of glass swans for Aunt Mary. I wish I could go ahead and get all these things mailed.[Aunt Osie and Aunt Mary were Dad's aunts.]
Dave is on a diet and has lost some weight - not enough, he still looks pregnant. I still haven't felt the baby moving and the doctor says I should - that has me worried. Other than that, I feel great.
Well, I said news was short and it is. Write soon.
Love,
Linda
P. S. - I bought David Wayne a Batmobile that shoots rockets. It is the same size as the matchbox cars and I imagine it will be a big hit on Christmas![A Batmobile that shoots rockets? This is going to be the best Christmas ever!]
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