Wednesday, February 3, 1965 6:30 p.m.
Hi, kids,
Now that your're both back at school I'm returning to the carbon copy for my letters in the interests of saving time. With my student teacher gone, I'm not such a free agent any more - back at the grindstone. But at this point I'm so well prepared that it isn't bad at all.
We were sorry to learn today that Joe Rosenzweig died in Florida last Monday night. The funeral is tomorrow at 1 p.m. from Temple Beth El in Troy. Aunt Daulie arrived this afternoon, but I don't know if she flew or came in by train. I'm so glad they were with us for dinner New Year's Day. See how one just never knows! I don't know any of the details re cause of death, but Uncle Joe was failing so fast that he probably just slipped away. Bert and Bea have already come in. I don't know who else will be here.
S, R, and MA are going home tomorrow. S & R skied Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, and today. They enjoyed it very much. Tonight the four of them are having dinner at the Tepee. Elaine Hyman is babysitting. That baby is such an angel; he should live and be well. You should see the size of him - he weighs fifteen pounds. I think both of you tipped the scales at twenty-one pounds when you were a year old! His cheeks are so big they hang over, but he's not flabby. And his coloring is beautiful. He has the sweetest smile and coos and goos contentedly for hours. If he just hears Aunt Rosella's voice, he starts smiling. Uncle Raymond is absolutely nuts over him, and Poppa hovers around, taking such pleasure in every motion. R is really wonderful to put up with it all, but she's perfectly gracious all the time. Stephen said he was sorry they weren't home this week, SE, because then you could have come out to visit them. But you can go some other time. They will be here for Seder Saturday, April 17 - as will A & B.
A & B leave for Florida Friday. They were called last night by R & R, and of course they wanted to know if they were going to make the trip. But so far Uncle Raymond hasn't made up his mind if he can go. I told Rosella she should make her reservations anyway. She certainly will go to Florida; she always has; and she might just as well be down there when the kids are there. So I guess she'll get around to doing something about it tomorrow or Friday. She really wants Raymond to go.
When we were in Amst., we saw the album of wedding pictures which the Bergs had had made up for them. It's really a lovely collection, but most of the pictures Daddy took are as good, and some of them are better. Aunt Rosella has completely filled the album we gave her for Chanukah with her children's wedding pictures and pictures of MA.
Aunt Daulie's address is 275 Hoosick Street, Apt. BA-3, in case you want to write her. I suppose she will be in Troy for a little while. Whether or not she will return to Florida she herself probably hasn't decided.
We had a nice note from Stuart Eisenberg this week. He wanted to be remembered to you both.
Grandma and Max are feeling better. Mr. Stein, who lives two doors up from Grandma, is painting her flat. He's retired, but he's doing it as a favor. She had terrible aggravation from the painters she originally hired, and others who promised to come didn't show, and everything was all torn apart. So she took a chance and called Mr. Stein, and he's very happy to do it. He's charging her the same price he charged us about fifteen years ago when we were on Hampton. He did the kitchen and put the Walltex on in the bathroom for us. He used to walk up every morning from Victory Ave!
I just talked with Ernie. Bobbie got back to school safely Sunday, arriving early in the evening. She enjoyed her visit, but thought the U.P. girls too clothes conscious. Jeff took his driver's test today. She'll save Jane Eisenberg's wedding story for me.
I registered at State this afternoon for a Saturday morning course - Modern American Novel. I've never had any formal instruction in fiction, and I'm sure I can profit by it. I'll know after class Saturday if the course has the promise I hope it has. I met Shirley Hyman over there today - Do you remember her name? We both did our practice teaching with Miss Dunn as our supervisor. Shirley married a widower, and his daughter is now a 7th grader at Milne, with Miss Dunn as her English supervisor, although not in quite the same relationship she had with us. Shirley is also taking that Saturday morning class. It will give us a chance to become re-acquainted. She has still to get her masters and has quite a lot of credits to garner.
I've been thinking of you all week, Sioux Sue. I hope you feel well; I can't help but worry about your feet - and all that standing and walking so much in the cold. Are you all right? Aunt Rosella told me she spoke to you for a minute last night, and you sounded fine and very excited. Did Aunt Ida mind your cooking your meals? I don't think she would. Is she going to take any courses this semester? I assume you received my Sunday letter which I mailed to NY. Of course we are looking forward to hearing how everything went - the interviews, your visit with Chris, your shopping - if any, the Museum visit, etc. I know you won't have time to write at length if you go to Yale this week-end, so the details will have to be remembered for when we see you. Just let us know that you are OK, if you are, and if not, what are you doing for yourself so you'll be OK.
Larry, I hope you are caught up on your rest after that Hell Week experience. It's so easy to come down with something when you're so overtired, and you sounded even more tired Sunday than you did the night we spoke to you before your Economics exam. Are you all right now? Tonight you are probably going to Cornell. How did you make out with your schedule change? Did you decide to take the Math instead of the Poly Sci?
There is an Adult Education committee meting tonight at Temple, but I'm not going. I want to leave school before noon tomorrow, for the funeral, and I have to get some material ready for the classes I won't be teaching. It's very difficult to have a sub come in for Reading Labs. Actually, they won't hire an outside sub; Elaine or someone else will cover periods 5 and 6 for me. Hester and I will probably have lunch together Saturday. We've been talking about it for months.
Grandma had a letter from Aunt Edy today, giving more details on Uncle Arthur's trip. His plane leaving San Francisco was fog-bound for almost two hours, but the plane out of Seattle was held for him, and he left pretty much on schedule. He was not to be in Tokyo evidently, because Aunt Edy wrote that he would be leaving there "eight hours after arrival." April seems a long way away for her.
Last night I sewed on the club banner the new awards Niskayuna K had received. You should have seen Daddy hovering over me, asking if there was anything he could do. I was sewing them on by machine, and that big banner was rather clumsy to handle with our small machine and that little space. But they are one, and the banner looks very nice.
Last night I also spent several hours marking report cards for the homeroom. That's a pain-in-the-neck job, but if all the grades are in, it's not too terrible. This time was better than the first quarter. Anyway I stuffed the envelopes with the copy of the card going out for all but two kids in the room who are still missing marks. This Friday we start permanent registration for the homeroom. While that doesn't involve any after-school work to speak of on my part - maybe an hour - it's another nuisance. I think homeroom teachers should get extra pay for all the clerical work we have to do, too. We had registers to finish up last week also!
Just spoke to Aunt Harriet. They are all well. She was glad to get caught up on news about the two of you. She thinks she will go over to State this summer inasmuch as the two older boys will go to camp - overnight - for a month. She has cleaning help two days a week and Uncle Max has someone coming in to make his sandwiches, salads, and molds, so that's a help. It's not perfect, but it's better than not having anyone at all.
In the course of writing this, it's now 8:49, and Daddy hasn't gotten home yet from his Kiwanis meeting. There was a Board meeting tonight. He will be so late for bowling; he'll be all upset.
Nothing else to chat about that I can think of. Daddy and I hope both of you are well and in good spirits.
Love and kisses,
Mommy [Eleanor F. Friedman]
How's your room, honey? Did you find the things we sent to be OK? What are you doing with the other spread and large rug?
Did you see any of Chinatown's New Year's?
[handwriting change]
Thurs. A.M.
I stayed home today on sick leave. I got to bowling in time to bowl all games. I had a 529.
I finished bowling letter and will go to Union St to mail these letters. Will go to Joe Rosenzweig's funeral this pm with Mommy.
Love,
Daddy
[Second page of bowling letter is not scanned]
[Folded sheet of paper: "To help defray expenses for colloquium"; I imagine it once held some cash for Sue Ellen]