Lorenzo Swensen (1887-1955) and Beatrice Eloise Wride (1893-1979)
Incoming Correspondence, 1941
Paul to Folks, [1941] Dec 18
Bath, New YorkDecember 18,
Dear Family,
It has been a couple of days since I received your letter but this is the first minute I have had to answer it. It hardly seems possible that Christmas is just a week away but we must face the facts. We haven’t had very much winter weather as yet. We had a little snow but not enough to crow about. Elder Fish and I have been invited down to Elmira for Dinner on Thursday. One of the cute brunette members invited us when we were down there for meeting. It will at least give us someplace to go. We were going to the Catholic mass but this will be much more fun. It is rather hard to walk through the stores and to know that youcan’t afford to buy the tings you would like to give for gifts.
I am giving some of the relatives pictures. I will send them all to you and I wish you would take them down for me.
Every letter I write I have been meaning to tell you about the cake, but along with other things, I just forget until I get the letter mailed. It was very good and I enjoyed it very much. I have received two papers. If you sent the first one to New York, it is probably still there because they don’t forward anything unless it has 1st class postage on it. (including packages). Incidently I have the last two.
Strange as it may seem, I had to have a little dental work done. I had several very small cavaties and I thought I just as well get them attended to now while they are small. The dentist is very friendly and has introduced us to many of the business men. He invited us to go to Rotary meeting with him today. They had a very fine luncheon, and we met a lot more people. He is a Methodist but is our best misssonary. We have been invited to sing with the Methodist choir for their Christmas program for Sunday. It is a fairly good choir but they were very glad to our help. The minister is very nice to us (finally). Mrs Bullard (our landlady) has been very nice in introducing us to some of the people.
The weather has been so bad that we haven’t been doing as much tracting as we should have but we have been making some fine friends. We spent nearly four hours the other evening out to a Dr.’s place. They treat us very nice and have suggested that they take us for a ride one of these fine afternoons to show us the country.
I had a nice letter from Orin today. He has been very busy. He soloed last month and is expecting that just as soon as he finishes the training he will have to go into the army or Navy. He would like to finish the year but the way things look right now there isn’t very much chance for that. It might be that we will have to come home to join the army.
I have been waiting for the Violin and all the rest of the stuff. Of course if you think that it would be best for me not to have them I won’t worry about them. The mitts as those black and whilt stripped ones that I used inside my ski mitts. I think they are under my bed in one of those boxes. I would also appreciate your sending my German books. They are on top of the old radio cabinet among all the rest ofthe junk. We have a little time in the evenings and we would like to brush up on our German. We have both had the same amount in school so we should have a good time.
We have made friends with the cashier of the bank so I think that I could get a personal check cashed. It might take a little waiting for the first one but it would be a lot handier. It would also be better if they were in smaller denominations, say about $20.00. If you could start about the first of the year and send one at the first and one about the 15th, it would probably work out all-right. If you start the first that would give me a little surplus just in case. Expenses are increasing so fast that I don’t know if 40.00 will do it or not. Last month, two of the Elders spend over $70.00 apiece, and many of them spent over $50.00. I’m sure that I can hold it way below that but it will be more that I would like to have it. We have been eating much cheaper than any of them and we don’t have the blessing of being invited out very often. I am glad Rollie finally go around. It wasn’t worrying me but I’m glad to have it cleared up. Thanks for paying my tithing. Have you paid the insurance? I suppose you have, and thanks a lot.
That picture I had taken is right in the center of the show window. It is proving rather good publicity for us. Many people we have met, say “Oh! your picture is down in the studio”. When they see that we haven’t horns beforehand it helps a lot.
I don’t know whether I will get time to write before Christmas so Have a good one and do it up right for me too. It will seem funny not to be where there is a nice tree and a lot of decorations but that is another one of those things that we have to contend with. I hope Santa is kind to all of you, even if he is rather hard up. It would certainly seem good to see some houses decorated on the outside for Christmas. I have only seen one so far without many prospects for any more. All in all, there is not place like the old home town. And I really mean it.
My mind isn’t working so good today or sumpin. Those mitts might be down stairs in that couregated box at the south end of the bench. It is the same box my ski boots should be in. Speaking of ski boots. Will you stuff them full of old Newspapers. Buckle the buckles and really stuff them full. A better idea though taking much more bother, would be to mount my bindings on a board just about the size of the skiis and putting the boots in them. In that way the soles are kept straight and flat, which is the desirable situation. Of course if you want to use them, that would be the best way to keep them is good shape, besides giving you a lot of fun and recreation. I’m very sorry that I can’t do the same but this is just about as much fun.
I’ve been wandering about long enough. Let me hear form you in time to get it by Wednesday, All you kids better write and let me know what Santa leaves you, and I don’t mean next spring!!
Love and all that old stuff
Paul