[SEE NOTES AT END]
[DOROTHY'S HANDWRITING]
7 November 1952
Friday P.M.
Dear Woodie,
We were very pleased to hear from you. Since we haven't
been too good about writing we needed a good reminder.
Guess you like most to hear about David from us. He's
sitting here at the table with me writing a letter to Uncle
Woodie, which I shall enclose. We have your picture on
David's dresser in our bedroom + he gets it and carries it
around and talks to you a lot. He calls that little truck
you gave him his "thank you Uncle Woodie, truck." The dog
he named "Elsa." It's his "thank you Uncle Woodie, dog."
Whenever he sees a picture of a man in any kind of uniform
in a paper or magazine, it's Uncle Woodie.
Hope you like the pictures. We'll try to send some
occaisionally. David talks all the time and says
everything. His most recent achievement is a turkey gobble.
He love trains and knows which car is the "red caboose."
He's writing about the turkey gobble-gobble right now to
you. Ann sits up alone and has 3 teeth now. She's a real
little fatty too She's about the same age David was when
you first saw him, but doesn't get around as much - too
fat. She's cute, though. Bet Brenda is a little cutie. Did
she inherit her mother's red hair?
A little about us in general. When we first got to Ohio,
Vic made application at the banks and went to work at
Lennox Furnace Co. machine shop - nights. Spent days
looking for something days + keeping contact with banks.
Got a day job in blueprint office at Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton
(former Lima Locomotive Works) where they make cranes,
shovels, etc. Vic loved the locale - trains, trains + more
trains, but didn't think much of the job. Too much time
idle, not enough to keep busy. Finally the Metropolitan
Bank of Lima came through with a job - almost
$100.00 less per mo. but a secure job and more to
Vic's liking so he left B-L-H, and is now a teller in the
Metropolitan Bank of Lima, Ohio. And we are all very happy!
We rented an unfurnished 3 room apt. 2nd
floor. Most of all we needed furniture and furniture we
got. My folks, friends of family + neighbors came through
with
everything but a refrigerator - So $2.00 down + $2.00 per
week we got a 2 yr old refrig. We just started paying for
the refrig. this week - got the interest + carrying charges
paid now!
We have a couch, easy chair, 2 rocking chairs, coffee
table, end table, library table, floor lamp, wall lamp, 2
table lamps, chest of drawers, bed, springs, mattress,
dresser, dressing table, 2 book cases, 6 chairs, 2 high
chairs, crib, gas range, kitchen cabinet, table, pictures,
curtains, draperies, dishes, pans, and more stuff people
just didn't want or need any longer. Had 3 iron beds we
sold for metal. Also got 2 old rugs. Not much to look at
but keep floor warmer and quieter on people downstairs.
September + October were beautiful here. The weather has
finally gotten to the "stay-cold" point. We had temperature
in high 60's even after the 1st couple of days in November.
Ann just made a fragrant odor in her britches that is
escaping into the room so I'd better fix her up and let Vic
finish this when he gets home.
Just think of the diaper changing you don't have to do!
Seriously it would be a pleasure compared to Korea, we
know. We got to see "Ike" get elected to Presidency on
television. Spent Sun. thru Wed. at my brothers house this
week. While his wife was in Chicago we kept house for him +
my nephew. They have a television set, so we didn't only
hear the acceptance, but saw it. Except for the mob - you
almost felt
as if you were there.
[VICTOR'S
HANDWRITING]
Boy! We know it's going to be cold over there -- When I
walk home from work I just thank God I'm in Lima - we wait
for the day you get home -- about rotation, maybe we can
make a date to see you in Vermont next Sept. or Oct. -- as
you know Eisenhower is in - and that means every one of you
guys will be home sooner than any of you dare hope.
Boy this guy is staying in Lima till they bury me. --
Wonder how your family is and shall write before we mail
this. Don't hear much from Maine but then we don't write
much. Thought maybe if we move into a house next spring and
you aren't home we would get Dorothy + Brenda to come stay
a few weeks -- of course that visit would depend on what is
doing at that time
Boy! I should tell you about my in-laws! Last Sunday Dot's
brother's wife Dot, went to Chicago so we moved over to
their house until Wed.
Well I spent my time watching the voting + results, of
course Dot + I voted absentee ballot in Florida. Any way
one afternoon Dot's nephew - the other Dot's boy wanted to
play football, so I played football - my team consisted of
one four year old and myself <-how old? - the other team
was two 12 year olds -- my team won 32 to 0 but me! Next
day I'm like a 90 year old man at work couldn't even
stand up straight
More about in-laws - Dot's youngest sister and her husband
are regular cowboy fans -- they drive up from thier town,
30 miles every Saturday night and park thier two kids 3 + 4
- at our place so they can go to jamborees -- consequently
we can't get out - they come after thier kids between 1 - 6
AM! One day they didn't come after them until the next
night so we took them to church -- then there is Dot's
oldest sister, they don't have any kids but when they think
I'm out of work early there they are - waiting for me and
usually it's painting or lugging something Dot does thier
laundry and I've been mowing the grass
Then there is school - the American Institute of Banking
has a course in Commercial law so am taking it; of course
the very nights I'm going to study is when Dot's Relatives
come to call ---. Then every so often the bank has some
kind of a meeting - at night - take next week for example -
Monday night a meeting - Tuesday is supposed to be a
holiday, but what happens now the relatives find out. So I
work Tuesday Wednesday night is school night Thursday is
supposed to be a night off but you wait, somebody'll show
up -- Friday night study - Sat night baby-sit. Sunday -
Collapse -!
It's not just the wife's relatives even her old school
friends Sat. afternoon I usually get home by two P.M. and
there they are lined up at the door waiting so I can roof a
house or push a car or lug a boat - anything Woodbury'll do
----------
Move over brother here ah come sure nuff!
Will write again later -- boy wait till I'm
somebody's relative!
Nuff for now -- could you use a few Dirty old Fifty dollar
bills heh! heh! Love from
Vic, Dottie, David, + Ann
[DOROTHY'S
HANDWRITING]
P.S. If you weren't one of them I'd tell you about my
in-laws. Ha!
[NOTES: "Mom's hangout,"
Hotel Pieroni, refers to Vic and Woody's (Wesley's) mom,
Clarice Woodbury, who lived in Portland but evidently spent
a lot of time in Boston. Dorothy, who started this letter
is Victor's wife, Dorothy Miller Woodbury, also referred to
as Dot. Dorothy and Brenda, mentioned together, are Woody's
wife (Dorothy Rutledge Woodbury!) and daughter, not to be
confused with Vic and Woody's sister, Dorothy Woodbury
Kinney, (who is not mentioned in this letter. Whew!) The
in-law who went to Chicago is Dorothy Miller - maiden name
unknown, wife of Dot's brother, Dan Miller. The in-laws who
dropped their kids off on weekends are Roy Hume and Dot's
younger sister, Glenna Miller Hume, and their kids are
Georgia and Janet. And the other in-laws mentioned are
Charlie Bay and Dot's older sister, Irene Miller
Bay.]
Woody home page
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Brenda Woodbury