October 31, 1959 Taking Advantage of the Quiet, Raking Leaves, Moving Peonies, Baking Pumpkin Pies and Trick or Treating

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"Everyone is gone and it is quiet, for a while at least, so I'll take advantage of that time and write my letter.  Bob has gone to the Post Office to get some new stamps, Ann has a piano workshop, and B has gone to a meeting at school.

The week has been fairly quiet for me and I have done some things that I've been trying to do and couldn't find time.  I raked leaves most of two days and got them done just in time, for the rain started again.  The yard will probably need to be raked again but if it stays wet and cold like it is now no one can work outdoors.

Yesterday morning I started working in the yard real early and moved a lot of peonies from next door.  We are making sort of a hedge with them.  Maybe you remember that we started it two years ago.  We got the line so crooked that lots of the plants were in the other yard and Mrs. Hodge wanted the row so I'd have some in my yard when they (Hodges) are gone.  The plants were all in her back yard but I did all the work.  She can't do anything like that even if she loves to.  I had to work in the rain part of the time and my gloves got so muddy I could hardly hold on to the tools but I got it done.

The men came and put the footings in for the porch yesterday, too.  They worked in the rain and said they could finish Monday.  I hope the sun comes out and dries things up enough so we can get it finished.

The furnace man came too and adjusted the furnace so it seems that everything happens at once.  We had called him and the concrete man a month ago.

The kids went out trick or treating last night and got the biggest bag of candy, apples and all kinds of stuff.  They had a lot of fun.

I made some pumpkin pies while they were gone.  The Optimist Club is having a money-making auction today and asked me for a pie.  I didn't want to make one but the money goes for playground equipment for Normal's park so it is a good project.

I hope you are better, Mother.  Where and how did you fall?  You are lucky you didn't break a bone.  The woman across the street from us breaks a bone almost every year and she isn't careless either.

I don't know that we will do anything different on Thanksgiving.  I haven't thought that far.  I hope you do go to Fannie's if you feel all right.  You don't get to see Buddy very often.  I wish we could come too but the day is too short.

We served apple cake and coffee for our Ed. Wives meeting.  The cake had a dab of whipped cream on it but that was all.  We have to keep things fairly simple when there are so many of us.  I'd like your new recipe book but just save it for me.  I have started planning a dinner party that I should have had a month ago.  We'll have between 15 and 20 for that and I want to have some coffee parties, too.

I had better get going on my cleaning.  The house is a mess and I have to do some pressing.  We are going to Sorensen's to a birthday party for Faith Larsen.  She will be 50 tomorrow.

Hope you both are fine."

                         Lots of love,

                                Bonnie