First a note to say that I have been a lot busier now that I am back at work everyday. I didn’t realize how busy I would be. In fact, after being gone for 5 1/2 months (officially my last day at work was March 16), it took me until the end of last week to finally get everything all caught up. That was a crazy 4 weeks that left me with no energy for blogging. But, things have calmed down and I am all caught up, so I should be able to focus more on some genealogy. Back to the family letters.

Worthington Ohio
Oct. 5, 1961

Dear Dick and Dad:-

We received your card today and was glad to hear you had a safe trip home. As I read your card I couldn’t help but think how happy you must have been when your friends started coming in the minute they knew you were home. It makes Ruth and I very happy to know that they care and we are very grateful to them for adopting you. I feel they are doing something for us that we can not do for ourselves, you being there and us being here. We know you are in good hands.

I just got back from Grand Chapter R.A.M. held in Toledo, Al Maddox, Bill Henry and myself left yesterday morning (Wed) at 4AM and arrived back

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home 6:10PM this evening. I thought the meetings were very interesting and I learned a lot about R.A.M. I’m sorry I’ve never taken the time to attend one of their meetings before because I believe any pearson going through the line should get this inspiration early n the line. It would help so much to improve your knowledge and prepare for you year in the East.

I can say one thing with all due respect to the men, I think they could take a page out of the Eastern Star Book as far a knowing and being able to conduct a grand Chapter session, it doesn’t have the beauty and dignity that is associated with an Eastern Star meeting.

Ruth is attending her “Rebecka” meeting tonight, their inspection and I believe election of officers.

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The weather here has been fair and warmer since you went home, I hope we will still have some summer weather. We had a heavy frost the next morning after you left so maybe you call it Indian Summer.

We took Lydia and Aunt Elsie to the lake with us last weekend, we had a good time and I know they did too because they acted like a couple of High School girls. I know it was good for both of them. Although we didn’t get to go fishing because of the high winds we did get to take them a nice ride in the boat late Sunday afternoon when the winds died down.

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We took them out and around Kelley’s Island. I think Ralph and Lucille are going this week end, and I expect we’ll be pulling the boat out of the water about the next week end. I sure hate to lay it up as I’ve just begin to get the “feel’ of it. Be nice if we could just load it on a trailer and haul it down to your place. Well I’ve run off at the head enough for tonight, be well close for now.

Love Ruth & H.O.

Worthington, Ohio
Sept. 6, 1961

Dear Dick & Dad:-

We were surprised to hear you guys were leaving Cummins Lake so soon. It just doesn’t seem like the summer has passed. In fact we’ve had very little summer weather, not over 2 weeks of real summer weather all season. I don’t imagine yours has been any better. We had a nice week end at the lake over Labor Day the first in over a month. Ralph and Lucile were up with us, we had a real good time. Caught 20 perch Sunday and 30 Monday. They didn’t go any place for vacation, on account of her father being in Hospital so long. He is doing real good now but still has another operation to face in the very near future.

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Lucile started to work at the School, helping in the Cafeteria. she applied for the job about 5 years ago and just now got the job. She gets $125.00 per month for five days 8AM till 2P.M. its much better than working at Shadwicks General Store, gives her week ends at home, etc.

We haven’t called Burch about going down to Parkersburg with you as yet, but we will call him in the next day or two & know he will be glad to go along as he has been talking about going all summer.

We had a card from Lydia last week, says she is getting along. O.K. and would like to see us. Said she had only heard from you once this summer.

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I’ll bet she’ll be glad to go along too. Charlie Hoff and June were over one night last week and we talked about Canada and what a good time we all had. Charles came to work today and told me he and June were going to go up to Jacks for a week but when I told him you were leaving Sept. 13th. I think he changed his mind. Ruth says to tell you we are being entertained by the dog next door barking and Jean across the street going through one of her tantrums if you know what I mean.

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You guys should go into the building business if you got that “Guest House” finished already did you have some help?

How would you like to bring us a couple of qt. bottles of that good “Maple Leaf Maple Syrup” I sure would appreciate it if you could. We’ll pay you for it when you get here.

I also think you better let me take your car down to the shop and have the power glide trans. overhauld before you head for home. Well Im about out of new so will close for now See you soon H.O. & Ruth

August 22, ’61

Dear Dick and Dad:-

Just a line to let you know we are among the living. The weather here has been so cold it seems like fall instead of summer, I imagine your weather has been unusually cold to. How is the guest house progressing? Or is it a “Bomb Shelter”.

Edw. Shepard was down last week for a couple to days, he seem to be O.K. says he is so busy cutting his grass that he hasn’t had time to go anywhere. He drove down in his Chev. Corvair, he bought it from a private owner and still has his Buick which he is trying to sell. He said if he gets it sold he may go up to your place, but don’t hold your breath.

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cars are hard to sell especially a big car such as a Buick. He’ll probably have to give it away. He likes his Corsair just fine. It seems like I always have to mess him up some how or another when he is here. Last time Ruth had to go away and left “Strogenoff” for me to serve. Well I served it all right but I forgot the rice. I thought it tasted funny but didn’t know what was wrong and Edw. didn’t know any better than I did, so we just ate it as it.

Well this time I took it upon myself to turn his bed down and remove the spred. I didn’t know Ruth had taken the pillow cases off to wash and she didn’t check me so Edw. slept on those

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plastic pillow cases. Next morning Ruth noticed what had happened and just about flipped her lid. Edw. said he thought she must have had a lot of starch in her pillow cases. Ruth ask him if they didn’t smell funny and Edw. said yes they did but he thought it was some kind of soap that she was using. We all got a big laugh out of it.

While Edw. was here we all went over to Johnie Gates for a grilled steak cook out. Had a good meal and afterward I showed 2 color movie films that I borrowed from

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the Cols. Library, one was “Waterway Holiday” and the other was “Hawaii The Nw 50th Sate”. I borrowed the company projector, we had color, sound and all, just like downtown. Johnnie & Juanita took the kids and his dad on a cruise down the Ohio River to the Mississippi and then back up the Ohio and up the Tenn. River. It took them 10 days and they traveled a distance of 1700 miles all by water. I guess they had a wonderful time.

We got the siding on the north side of our cottage and the pine paneling up on the north wall inside. Would like to get the siding

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on the front yet this year. We still haven’t used the new boat very much only got 27 hours on it altogether and I think I had about 18 on it when you and Dad were with us that Sunday. Last weekend was a dandy the wind blowed from the time we got there till we left on Sunday night. I didn’t even take the cover off. Mary Michell invited Ruth and I over for supper Sunday evening, She has the cottage just east of Leobluns[?] “Red Brick” She really had a meal fried chicken, sweet corn, browned potatoes and

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home made bread just hot out of the oven. I ate till it ran out my ears. I might just add here that her bread was good but not as good as yours. She is a widow, her daughter and two children live with her in Cleveland. You should meet her I know you would like her and have a lot of fun with her. She was born in Scotland and still has some of the Scotch habits. Well I’ve rambled on enough here so guess I’ll have to sign off for now.

We received a letter from Lois the other day saying they had bought an old house 150 years old and on 12 acres of land [this would be Sugar Hill].

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I would just love to see it. She said Evelyn and her husband were going to go up about the 22 or 23 of August and were going to stop here for the kids liquor. You know the good kind we had a drink of.

We have been real busy at the shop, most of the time I’m so tired when I get home I just crap out, no good for anything and I mean anything.

Hope this letter finds you guys O.K. write and let us know what you’re doing.

Love H. O. & Ruth