With this letter the CCZCC sets a new record of 12! Mr. Zip is happy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._ZIP
Dear Mother and Mike,
I finally got your letter and I, too, thought it had been too long since you had written, but I know you've been busy. I couldn't believe you had not done much Christmas shopping and I hope you at least have a start by now. Do you reckon you'll ever learn about ordering from Sears? Don't worry about sending us anything, especially David Wayne as he is getting plenty.
[Hey, wait a minute. You can't tell a grandparent not to send a Christmas present to a grandchild. That's not how it works.]
What is Linda Kay doing about the feeding dish? I hope she isn't using the broken one. They have that dish at the Penney's in Irving, so why don't you just give the money to Linda and let her get it. She is getting out now and I know she has more time, car, etc. Does she know about me asking you to get one?
[My cousin Steven did survive his first year, so I guess he was fed somehow.]
I'm so glad to hear that Mike has a job and I think Craven's is a good place. It won't hurt him to miss out on a few parties and such during Christmas. He maybe will learn that making money is not such a "snap" thing. Tell him I'm really proud of him for getting a job and I hope his broken arm (you did have to really twist his arm, didn't you?) is healing fine.
[Uncle Mike did not actually break his arm, as that was another broken arm joke by Mom. Craven's was a family-owned department store on the square in Denton. They announced in 1990 that they were closing due to declining sales, no doubt in part due to the opening of Golden Triangle Mall ten years prior.]
[Uncle Mike said Craven's was probably just a seasonal job for him. Here's a funny story about Craven's: Before he worked there, Uncle Mike was shopping in the store and a lady came up to him to ask if they had something and he walked her over to what she was looking for. Then another lady and a third lady came to him for help. They all THOUGHT he worked there and was helping them.]
I had not heard of any of the violence from Texas - I thought just the weather was bad. And don't worry about me keeping my doors locked - in this city you just don't do otherwise. We have been having a lot of rain too, and even some snow in the mountains around. We've been reading about all the snow storms. If we were coming home now (as we had thought), we'd have to be going through some of the worst parts in New Mexico.
I'm sorry to hear you are having so much worry with Taffy. David Wayne laughs when I read him about what all she's doing, but I know you are having a time with her. If it's just too much trouble and you really get afraid for her, why don't you have Mike ask Daddy to keep her out at the farm? Poor Taffy, I really miss her and when I think about the torture she went though raising David Wayne, I'm afraid she'll run away when she realizes I have another baby.
[Mom got Taffy around the time I was born, and supposedly she helped Mom raise me.]
I know David Wayne will enjoy the cars. He has no idea about the Build-A-Road set and it will be a complete surprise to him. I believe he'll really be happy to see some new cars to go with his road. You are right about presents from people here - the Sivells, Dirrs and Hansens have all gotten him something. For under the tree, I got him a game about Disneyland. This store had six different games - Pirates of the Caribbean, Fantasy Land, Adventure Land, It's a Small World, Monorail, and one other I forgot. I got him the Monorail game - it had the fewest pieces.
[Even after watching this YouTube video of the Monorail game (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZLw8zLCrS8) I have zero recollection of ever having it or playing it.]
To celebrate Christmas we are taking David Wayne to the Music Pavilion on Saturday to hear the school children sing Christmas carols. The Sivells were over last night and they told us it was a really good program. When they said it was free, Dave was sold on going. It will be a good chance for us to see the Pavilion also. On Sunday we will attempt to eat my turkey and dressing and if we aren't too sick, we'll open presents Monday morning. Dave gets off Friday at noon and since I won't keep the baby that day, we may do something then.
Speaking of the baby . . . I wish you could see David Wayne with Eric - he just wags him around, watches him, talks to him, plays with him. He does get upset when Eric slobbers on him or tears up his toys, but he might as well get used to that. We had to take Suzie to the airport yesterday (which was bedlam!) and I let David Wayne hold Eric in the lobby while Suzie got checked in. He was so proud and every time another baby appeared, David Wayne would say (and not quietly) "That baby isn't as cute as Eric." Everyone sitting around him just died laughing.
I must be getting very old (being around Suzie makes one feel very old and mature) because David Wayne reminds me of Mike at that age. I can't explain exactly why - it's not that they look alike, and David Wayne certainly isn't as sweet a child as Mike was, but there's something. I've really felt it this week with the baby here. I've had no trouble with David Wayne when the baby has to sleep - he just tiptoes around, turns the TV down, and one day I heard him telling Ginger, the puppy, that he couldn't play with her now because the baby was asleep. He doesn't look like Mike, I said, but he is built like him - tall and thin. No one will recognize David Wayne (except for his brown eyes) when we get home.
[No surprise that Mom said I wasn't a sweet child. I've always heard I was a little hellion.]
The puppy is getting along okay. She has done all her "business" outside so far and only puddles on the floor when company comes (twice with the Sivells). I'm sure I'd enjoy her more if I had offered to keep her instead of being told. Suzie has been most considerate about keeping David Wayne for me, but she has been most inconsiderate in other ways - example: she told me that she had told Gene to come over to our house for supper one night while she was gone. And Gene is one of those people who thinks the world should be proud to have him - example: It's been hard on me this week with a puppy and a baby and it's really hard to drive them to the airport - twice. Dave suggested to Gene that he catch a special bus that takes people out to the airport (it is very cheap). Gene said, "Why? Linda can take us." Also, we have to pick them up about midnight on Christmas day and Dave has to go to work early the next morning. Now again we were just more or less expected to do these things and we never even had a chance to offer! Also, Gene could have taken the 2 o'clock fight so Dave could have driven him (he knew Dave was getting off at noon), but no! He takes off two hours earlier from work and makes reservations for a 12 o'clock flight. If it rains Friday, Dave will have to wait until about 1:30 for me to pick him up. Until this morning I thought I would have the baby on Friday and Gene had told me to pick him up at Eric's nap time and I wouldn't have gotten home until long after his feeding time. I guess they just don't think or care. Please don't think I'm terrible for writing this way.
[No, I don't think you're being terrible. It's pretty obvious they're being a little inconsiderate. Ok, maybe a lot. On the other hand, what's the big deal about a pregnant woman making a quick trip to the airport with a baby, a five-year-old, and a puppy?]
The baby is up from his nap so the chase is on. The puppy licks the baby, the baby loves to pull Ginger's tail, David Wayne goes crazy watching them both, and me - I just laugh. I'm enclosing a couple of pictures, but they don't show the change in David Wayne. We'll be sending more for Christmas.
Love,
Linda
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