Friday, November 8, 2013

16. Update for Home Folks & Middle of the Night Memory...July 1964...

Joyce mentions " the caliber of the majority of youth who work here in the summer" and I will become more familiar with her assessment soon.  Another letter home in my next post...
Water damaged 4 page letter...

Sharing my letter of July 21, 1964 is more difficult than the sharing of other letters has been. Not because of the content of the story, but because somehow the original letter was severely damaged by some liquid - probably water or coffee.
Thankfully, Mom saved the letter even in its compromised form and I have been able to recover approximately 99% of its content.  There will be reference to my brother's August 1st wedding which I will miss. 

The story continues as this letter reports...


                                  Tues. July 21, 1964
Dear Folks,

Thanks Mom & Barb for your good letters.  We really appreciate the way you’ve been keeping us informed about everything that’s happening around home...
It’s so hard for us to be out here now, thinking about the wedding Sat.  I really can’t believe it’s all going to happen without us being there.  Do try to remember everything that happens so we can hear about it.  We’re sending them a present which I know they want & I hope it’s not duplicated several times.  Hope it gets there by Sat. too.  Did you ever get your birthday present, Mom?  Let us know if you never got it but you certainly should have got it by now.
Thanks for all the clippings.  They are certainly interesting.  One thing we never hear around here is news.  I haven’t the faintest idea what’s going on nationally or internationally.  I never heard of the guy that’s running for VP with Gold H2O.  What are your thoughts about Goldwater anyway?
Sure were surprised to see Frieds last week.  They came to Estes Park and stopped at a filling station immediately to ask where Ranchouse was & then got here before 8 am.  I was still sleeping but got up and talked with them for awhile.
Work isn’t going to be bad for me. In fact I sorta enjoy it sometimes but we’ve been terribly busy lately & we’re short some waitresses so I’ve been working an awful lot lately.  That’s why I haven’t had time to write anything.  When I get done working I’m so tired I can hardly move & usually sleep pretty late in the mornings.
I get paid $.45 / hr which is terrible but we do get R&B which makes it not so bad.  The check I sent home was for about 1 ½ or less wks.  We get paid every 2 wks.  I’ve been doing real well in tips - I made over $15.00 ($15.00 in 1964 had the same buying power as $111.46 in 2013) last Sat. and $19.45 ($19.45 in 1964 had the same buying power as $144.52 in 2013) Sun. as we were real busy.  I guess August is really supposed to be a busy mo.  Actually I make more in tips than a lot of the other girls.  I don’t know why, I just do.
Sure must be dry around there.  Here it rains every day for about 15 min. real hard but still it’s quite dry all over.
I told you about my roommate Suzy coming home drunk the other day.  Well, she came in another  time about 4:30 crying.  I woke up & had a long talk with her & was able to explain the way of salvation to her.  We prayed together & she accepted Christ as her Savior.  Pray that she’ll realize what she has done & that she might grow spiritually.
Wed. July 29
Must finish this now as I didn’t have time yesterday.
Cover of Wedding Program for Jim & Carolyn

Just finished writing to Jim & Carolyn & it’s so sad to think we’re stuck way out here while they’re getting married & everybody else is so happy.  I hate to admit it but I’m crying right now ‘cause I want to be there so bad.  Do be sure to remember everything & greet everybody for us.  It just makes me sick to think we have to be away from all the excitement & all the family.  I really miss everybody!  Well, I guess that’s enough sobbing.  Sure hope you can come out in Sept. 

Have a wonderful Sat.
Love, Lee






I have been working nearly a month at Ranchouse Restaurant.  August will begin with my brother's wedding 1,200 miles away in WI without my sister and me but something else will happen as
August begins...  More of the story to come...

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