Peter, Marcy, Jed, and Jay

Handwritten on unlined paper. Most of it is on both sides of a piece of heavy brown stationery (maybe 7" x 8") with preprinted art on it (maybe showing a praying kid?); the last couple paragraphs are on both sides of a 4 ½"-square piece of orange paper that was apparently from a memo pad or something.

Undated, and there’s no envelope to check for a postmark. The end bit about Peter’s training program makes me think that this was written after Peter graduated from UC Berkeley (see previous letter) in June of 1972 but before he started his next job, a couple months later, so I’m dating this as July, 1972. But the mention of a Christmas card might suggest that it was much earlier in the year. But if so, then it wasn’t 1972 at all, because earlier in 1972, Peter was taking classes at Berkeley. But it can’t have been too much earlier or later than 1972, because the fact that I could print the whole alphabet legibly was news.

Well, it’s another quick note, long after midnight, long past legibility. Got started reading, then had to reply to Margaret’s Christmas card (really, Granma, how did you ever do it?) & then re-read your letter, and…

Alas, poor cactus. I can’t keep ’em alive, as it’s too moist in the house, and not enough sun. Bought an aloe vera the other day & already looking for a new home for it. Look in the Sunset Book of House Plants for some truly spectacular cactus graft operations.

Grandma, I was so sad when I remembered that breakfast bread. I guess you just weren’t meant to have any. // The shirts and towel and fabric you sent were just great. The boys wear the shirts the instant they get clean. Jed just loves the buttons, as he can do them by himself. He can print the whole alphabet, about as legibly as I scrawl it, often even better. Joaquin is marvelous, too, with his “one, two, three, five, eleven” and “let’s go in car and zoooom away.”

(too sleepy to fill another whole page)

I really use all the little note pads, post cards, etc. that you gave me—don’t know how I did without ’em. (bet you wish I’d use the typewriter on ’em) and that salad bowl is just perfect. It holds onions when it isn’t holding salad.

Peter’s training program will be over in another week. Then jobs or back to school at JFK University in Martinez (nearby)—x it’s a very new school. No idea for sure yet.

Love,

all of us.