A Letter From Mom

Last night, I started going through old letter’s that I have from Mom.
On Thursday, September 19th, 1974, Mom wrote me this letter. Judy

Dear Judy,
I’m sorry that I’ve been so slow about answering your last letter. It seems that I just don’t have too much extra time anymore.
You see I’ve changed jobs and I have to start work at 7:00 a.m. instead of 7:30 a.m. On top of that, I have farther to drive to work and an extra hour to work each day.
I’m working for Freemans Shoe Co. in Hanover, which is about 14 miles from where we live.
The reason I got another job is that I got tired of being laid off every time that I would turn around.
The company ran short of work and laid us off on Wednesday before Labor Day. I was off from Wednesday until Tuesday. We came back to work on Tuesday and worked until Friday and they laid us off again.
I decided to go look for another job on Monday. I found one and came to work here at Freemans Tuesday. It is where the big girl that lives across the road from us works. She told them that I was coming in and that I was a good worker. They hired me as soon as I filled out an application.

Saturday, September 21
Well, as you see, I didn’t get this finished on Thursday. Like I said, I just don’t have too much extra time. Working 8 hours a day plus having to drive farther to go to work so by the time I get home, fix dinner, eat, and do the dishes, I’m tired and ready for bed.

I’m getting behind on my letter writing. I’ve owed Auntie Alice a letter now since the first of August. She’s probably wondering why I haven’t written.
I sent Uncle Babe a birthday card on his birthday which was August 21st. I just put a note on the card that I would write a letter soon.

Dad and I went camping again up at Caledonia State Park last week-end, but it got so cold that we came home early Sunday morning. It was real nice and warm on Friday night. It started raining Friday night and by the time we got up it was pretty cool. It was cool all day Saturday and Sunday and it kept getting colder.
There was only one restroom opened in the campground and it wasn’t the one we camped by when you were with us. It was up close to where the amphitheater is.
Anyway, we had fun, even if it was cold.
I’m still glad that you gave us that table awning. It really came in handy, since it seems to rain every time we’ve gone camping.

I’m sending you a picture of the painting that I painted over the Labor Day weekend. The picture doesn’t really do it justice as the colors don’t show up very well.
I sent a picture to Grandma and she said if I would have tipped it forward and had the picture taken more at an angle then it would have shown up better.
Anyway, you can sort of see what it looks like a little.
Dad says that the painting is his and that I’m not giving it away, “Ha!”
Everything that I’ve painted, I’ve given away but mostly to you and LaDonna.

I guess that I had better report on my weight loss. I’ve lost 104 ½ pounds now and am down to weighting 150 pounds. I just have 19 more pounds to loose.
Dad just has ¾ of a pound more to lose to be at goal. If he makes it this week, I’m taking a picture of him and our lecturer, when the lecturer presents him with his Weight Watcher’s tie bar. He’s lost 50 ¼ pounds. The skinniest he’s been since when we were first married. We both feel great.

Well, I’ll close for this time as I have more letters to write, plus a zipper to put in a dress LaDonna gave me.
I hope to hear from you real soon.
Lots of Love, Mom and Dad