Friday, October 27, 1944

Every human has those days where the world just isn't working out.  Usually, we all walk out of this funk and pull it together.  Other days, someone comes into our lives and they smack us across the face with reality.  I was in a terrible funk and then today three different people shook me back to logic.  Now, there's a fourth person who has joined their ranks.  Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the first letter from my Grandfather Walter William Robinson.

"AT long last, a letter from your new son, and a letter you've long deserved.  I suppose BEtty told you in the letter she wrote yesterday, we've suffered no ill effects of last week's storm.  Too she no doubt told you that we've finally settled in a very nice apartment (a big worry off my mind).  In all the time we were planning on getting married and looking for a place to live, I had the terrible fear we were to have to live in one of the apartments where there fifty or more familys - I didn't particularly relish that idea.  She (my wife you know) also has nodoubt told this is not to lager - since we're both working - to take care of, and yet just larger enough to be comfortable.  (I hope she also told you what a poor typeist - spelled typist - I am)

Grandpa passed when I was only 8.  This letter is the first tangible piece of history that introduces me to his true personality.  Whereas Grandma is matter-of-fact, Grandpa is a natural storyteller.  It gives me a newsreel of who he was.  He's an expressive and lively young man who has an acute knack for self-deprecation.  Which totally endears him to me in a heart beat.

"This has been on my mind for some time and I've wanted to write to you about it.  I'm sure I'll muddle it up, I never could put into words what my heart wants to say - I'm like dad in that respect.  I'll try my best to never make you doubt your trust in me - I love Betty with all my heart.  I hope that neither Peggy nor Betty have built me up to the peak where I'll be a disappointment, I'm just a plain fellow whose outlook is American, I try to be honest with myself, as well as others.  I want to meet you as soon as possible."

He really got me on that one.

Grandpa and Unknown pooch

On November 25, 1944

Thursday, October 26, 1944

Grandma and Grandpa finally have their apartment!  They're all moved in and ready to relax.

"Our apartment is darling.  It is very cool too.  We are going to see if someone has a camera that will take pictures indoors and we will try to get some pictures of it.  It has a large living room with a dinette, kitchen (you scrub it with a toothbrush) a large bedroom, a large bath and two closets.  It has very nice furniture too.  We are so pleased with it and it is very nice.  We have gas stove and water heater."

This whole no central air thing in Miami blows my mind.  I cannot imagine living without that.  Who wants to do that?!

Dieting is part of my familial history.  I can remember setting up a dieting system for my mother and I at the age of 11.  My mother inherited it from my Grandmother.

"I am on a reducing diet now.  I started yesterday.  It is called the $1,000 Wonder Diet.  The lady in my office went on it and you lose a pound a day.  She has lost 25 pounds.  It is a good diet and you don't even get hungry.  It was devised for a man with heart trouble so you can see it is not injurious.  I will send  you a copy of it if you want me to so you could go on it.  It is a good diet and I hope to be down to 115 instead of my 135.  I know that I will look and feel a lot better."

The women in my family trade diet plans like they're baseball cards.  In general, the way women talk about diet plans hasn't changed in 70 years.

In other non-weight loss news, Grandma and Grandpa have been married for a month.  They're just enjoying their time together.  

"We have been married a month today.  We aren't going to do anything tho.  We are going to have supper and then sit and enjoy our apartment.  We like it so well that we have no desire to go out."

Ah, the honeymoon period.

On November 24, 1944

Friday, October 20, 2014

There are changes after a couple gets married.  New daily rituals, a new person all up in your personal space, and hurricanes.  You always have to watch out for those Post-nuptial hurricanes.

"We had a hurricane scare here and they boarded everything up but the hurricane changed its course and didn't strike.  I was on duty until 11 o'clock Wednesday night.  Comdr. Hagen, my new boss, let me have Bud up here with me,  I made coffee for the officers and answered the phone and had a good time.  The wind got up to 75 miles an hour for awhile.  I am glad that it never struck here tho cause I don't think it would be too nice.  It didn't do any damage though."

In spite of the hurricane threat, Grandma and Grandpa received some good news.  They finally have an apartment they can move into! Maybe.

"Bud and I got some good news yesterday.  I think that we will be able to move into our apartment on Sunday for sure this time.  I certainly hope so, because I hate to live in just a room.  It is so expensive too.  We are paying as much for our room as it would cost us for our apartment.  Our apartment is $60 a month.  We have a telephone too.  Our number is 2-3847.  So if you ever call us up you better keep the number.  I had to pay a $15 deposit before they would install the phone, but we will get it back when it is taken out."

These 1944 prices are amazing!  I know there's a huge adjustment for inflation, but just imagine only paying $60 a month for an apartment now.  You would probably rent a shoe box in someone's dingy basement.

Now that Grandma is happily married she wants everyone to be happily married!  She especially wants Great Aunt Peggy to be married so they can hang out and be married together.

"Mother, you told me to send that prayer to Peggy when she gets married, and what I want to know is when is that girl going too get married.  She doesn't know what she is missing."

When you're happy, you want everyone else to be happy exactly the same way you are.

My favorite photo of Grandma and Grandpa

On November 6, 1944