August 27, 1959 Letter Herman Shepard To His Parents

August 27th 1959
Dear Egghead:-
From the shores of Lake Erie and the banks
of the Scioto:- now how’s that for a
fancy take off? Here I am back at the Salt
Mine. I left Ruth up at the cottage and
will go back myself Sat. afternoon.
today was my first day back to work,
and was it ever hot, the temperature
here and at the lake has been in the
90s for over a week now.
Although it did cool of at
night up at the Harbor. I am
forwarding you a few letters that I
picked up at the Post Office
after I got home yesterday. I
received you letter of the 20th
and also one from the Dept of
Lands and Forest. Thanks for

[page 2]
your trouble. I’m going to write
the dept. and inquire if that lot
could be zoned for commercial
or resort purposes if so what
steps would be necessary. I’m
going to check these items before
I send any money. I suppose
you know all the details about
the purchase as you arranged it
for me so I’ll not go into
those details. Dick Rodenfels just
came back from up there, said
they had a good time camping out
etc..but the fishing wasn’t so good
He was telling me about all
the camping areas that have
been made-since I was
up there. Sounds like

[page 3]
they’re making it too easy for
these campers that like to rough it.
Ruth and I had a good time up at the
lake, caught a lot of fish-blue gills
and perch, have several in the
freezer so we’ll have a mess or
two when you come home. We also
found a new spot to fish for blue
gills out in the lake it just west
of Lakeside along the shore will
have to tell you more about it later
when you come home.

I went out to check on Ruths
mother last night and she recovered
from her attack what every it was
but is still having the pain in the
stomach and back, she’ll probably

[page 4]
go up to Dr. Jenning office for an
examination and xrays next week.
I didn’t get to talk to Unk and Elise
yet but from the sound of your
letter you must of had some trip
to Reception Lake.

As Ruth said I should have
listened to you about that bump on my
cheek bone, you and her both are giving
me the devil, the thing swelled up about
the size of a banty egg and sure
made me look lop sided, but
the doctor wouldn’t lance it for
me while it was infected, he
gave me penacillen shots for the
infection and I have to go back
later to have the source of the trouble
removed. The swelling is all gone
now and I suppose I’ll be going
back to him some time next week.

[page 5]
It not serous as he says its
an enlarged skin (pour?) that became
clogged and couldn’t drain just
filled up and became infected.

We’ve had other troubles also I’ll list a
few. Cost me $57.00 for parts to get
our car fixed. The garbage disposer
almost fell out of the sink (you know
it was leaking) the durn thing rusted
out and I couldn’t get a part for
it in the city of Columbus, had to
order it from California and it
hasn’t come in yet, that’s been
2 weeks ago I ordered the part
and thats going to cost about
$15.00 I got my new teeth and
had to have some of my lowers

[page 6]
ones filled that was $90.00 and
the thing I grip about the most here is
the real estate tax, I just got that
paid for the last half year and
that was $175.85, bought 4 new
tires for the car and so on. You’ll
get a kick out of this one, when I
came home yesterday Ruth had taken
my door key off my key ring and
I didn’t know it until I tried to
unlock the door, so I had to
cut the screen out of the guest
bedroom window and climb
in that way. Boy I’ll bet Ruths
ears were burning about that
time as I was hot to trot.
You know what I mean.

[page 7]
I’m also enclosing a letter
we received from Iva and Roy
Buchanan its self explanatory.
I haven’t seen Burch or talked to
him yet as he wasn’t at work
today and when I checked his time
card he hadnt only been to work
2 day since I started my
vacation on August 13th.
I don’t know what his trouble
is and unless he comes into
the shop I wont have a chance
to check on him until Sat
afternoon after work as I’m
going to be busy tomorrow night
on De Molay work etc.

[page 8]
well its after 11:PM so think
I’ll fix myself a good stiff
drink and go to bed. I’ll
be thinking about you when I
drink it. As you notice
my pen went on the blink
also.
Love to all
Herm

March 8, 1959 Letter Herman Shepard To His Parents

Worthington Ohio
March 8th 1959

Dear Dick and Dad:-

How is the land of Sunshine? Ill
bet its OK. Weve had about every
kind of weather since we got home,
three different snow storms, a couple
of rains with a little sunshine
mixed in here and there but the
temperature hasn’t been above 50 degrees
at any time and its been down to
20 degrees several nights. Oh! to be
sitting out in your back yard.
At least we have that to remember.

We got all our pictures back
and are going out to Lucile and
Ralphs to show them tonight also to
see Luciles. The roll I had to
start in my camera must have
been older than I thought because
all the pictures are colorless, how
ever the roll I bought at the
Sears store in Tampo is good.

The pictures of your formal
turned out good also the ones
I took by flash out in the

[page 2]
yard turned out fair they should

have been taken about an hour
earlier. Thats what we get for
sight seeing to long. Lu, Ruth and
myself, thats the day we bought the
tree. Hows our tree doing anyhow?
any fruit yet? Ha Ha. Ill bet Dad
could have killed us for bringing
that tree in for him to take care of.

Ruth and I were to Grove City O. F. S.
inspection last night, the first in our
district, ours is the last, on June 17th
so you can be here to see it. I’m
making it a date for you. We
are going to attend as many inspections as
possible, I think you can pick up
a lot of pointers that way besides
meeting the officers of the different
chapters personally.

How does it feel to be alone after
everybody went home. You sure
had a gang for a while including
us. I think it is much better
to have one set at a time but
what else could you do.

[page 3]
We enjoyed visiting with Edna & Hod
and I hope all of us didn’t drive
you nuts. How is the front porch
project progressing? I suppose its
finished by now and you are
using it by now. I can picture
all of us sitting out there reading
the Tampa Tribune, first thing every
morning. Speaking of the paper
all of the Columbus paper are on
strike and have been since the
day after we got home so the only
paper we are getting is the Tribune
once a week. We really miss
the papers as the news you get
on the radio and T.V. only hits the high
spots and don’t give any of the
details besides we miss the
ads etc. Ruth misses the “Funnies”.

Dick Rodenels has been in
MIami sinc I came home and
is still down there for another
week. I hope he is enjoying
the weather. Maybe he’ll
can me when he gets back.

[page 5]
there was a woman customer in the
shop last week who had applied
for a job in the new Wards store at
“St. Peter” when she was there about
Christmas time and she had a call
from them to be there ready for work
this Monday which is tomorrow. She
said the store was to open soon
and that they wanted her to help with
the stock as of now. So that shows
a northerner can get a job in
Florida. She said they had told
her she would be paid $50.00 per
week plus a bonus on sales,
not bad I don’t think.

We haven’t heard any news
from Lyida[Lydia] this past week. Jupe[Jesse?] is
supposed to let us know when
she will be released from the
doctor so we can get her. I’ll try
to keep you informed of any
developments. How is Edna
and Ray making out?
I imagine Edna would like
the south better if she was well.

[page 5]
We bought a bag of tangelos on
our way home they were the large
red ones and so good. They are
all gone and only a few grape
fruit left so I’m hoping maybe
you could send us a basket about
half & half of each. Now Im only
hinting but if you do send some
try to get the grape fruit a little on
the green side as some of the ones
we brought home were soft
and spoiled (only 2) of course we
bought the bag and didn’t inspect
them. Well with that bit of
begging I’ll close for now and
hope this letter finds you both
well & happy

Love H.O. & Ruth.

February 25, 1959 Letter Herman Shepard to His Parents

Worthington Ohio
Feb. 25, 1959

Dear Dick, Dad & Edw, [is this Dick’s brother?]

Just a line to let you know we arrived
home safe and sound. It was 1083
miles from you house to Lucilles in
Gahanna [Ohio]. We drove until 10:10 PM
Monday and covered 679 miles then
started out again at 6AM from
Yadkinville N.C. and drove the rest of
the way home arriving at Lucilles at
4:50 PM We didn’t have a bit of
trouble and the weather was all good
except on the W Va turnpike where we
had a light snow. The temperature
here this morning was 25 degrees.

We found everything here O.K.
so all I got to do now is get on the
ball and get back to work, which
shouldn’t be to bad after a nice
vacation like we had. Lucille
said that was the first real
vacation she had ever had, one
that she could remember for ever,
and we all want to thank you

[page 2]
for making it possible.

We left Ralph a bag of grape-
fruit and some oranges. of course
they wanted to know all about
you and dad and how things
were in Safety Harbor. We ate
supper at Lucilles and then
went up to Mom & Pop Krings
where we had to give them all
the news and we got home
about 11 P.M. Ralph and the
boys got along O.K. so Lucille
felt relieved about them.

I called Dick Sheridan to
night and he says every
thing at the shop is O.K. so I
suppose I still got a job.
“darn it”.

Well I’ll sign off for
now as I don’t know any
other news to write.
Love to all
Ruth & H.O.