deciding to stay home

Dear Daughter,

This has certainly been a beautiful day. The high was 77, and I noticed that the high for Memphis was the same.

I have been to the Grocery today. I think I have everything I need for the weekend. Wish you and Stan would be here.

I made four pecan pies today - two to give to the bakery downstairs and two to keep here. I talked with Fannie this morning, and she said she would come, so I'm going to have them to eat pecan pie at some time Saturday morning. I remember I did the same thing last year, and it didn't bother me, so I guess it will go off all right Saturday.

I'm planning to go to have my hair fixed tomorrow morning. I will be glad when I get that done.

Daddy has just returned from going downstairs to take out the garbage and get the mail. That is such a help to me.

Well, I hope you had a good day -

Enjoy the evening -

Much love, M & D

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Dear Mother:

Happy Thursday afternoon to you! I’m really in a good mood because I made the decision this afternoon to take a sick day tomorrow. As I left school, I left a note for the bookkeeper to tell her that I would be staying home on Friday. I feel so relieved! I can sleep late tomorrow and catch up on my rest before leaving for Jackson tomorrow afternoon. While my students will doubtless be disappointed, I will make it up to them next Monday so maybe they will survive.

Again today, things went quite well with the second graders. They are quite entranced with the computer program that they have learned to use which enables them to write some silly stories. So, despite all the bad things I’ve said about them, they did well both yesterday and today. Actually, there is one second grade group that usually does pretty well. Another second grade group is getting better and there is hope that they will eventually mature and settle down. The last second grade group seems pretty hopeless. There are two delightful little girls in this group, two flighty but manageable little girls, one flighty but manageable little boy, and three AWFUL little boys who require constant reprimands and discipline. I feel sorry for the two nice little girls in what I shall henceforth call the AWFUL Second Grade Class. These two little girls are bright and serious and hard-working and I wish I could put them with nicer children but, for scheduling reasons, I can’t. They are stuck with the flighty and the AWFUL children. But to be positive, two of the second grade classes are totally bearable, the third graders are delightful, which leaves only this one class that drives me crazy. Maybe I’ll be able eventually to instill some good manners and self-control in them as the year progresses.

Stan had to stay at school for his student computer group this evening so he won’t be home until about 8:30 p.m. Fortunately, since I’ve decided to stay home tomorrow, I can stay up until he gets home and have time to talk to him. I will plan to sleep late and have a nice morning at home tomorrow morning. I plan to leave here right after lunch so that I can get to Jackson before rush hour. That will also give me time to do a little shopping before my meeting at 7:00 p.m. Obviously the fact that I had a meeting at 7:00 p.m. in Jackson was an influential factor in my deciding to take a sick day but I really am very tired and very much felt that I would benefit from some quality rest. So anyway, it should be a nicer day than I had thought it would be since I will have much more time and be able to have a more leisurely drive.

It sounds as if you all are doing pretty well which, of course, is "music to my ear." I know you will have a great day on Saturday so you be sure and get plenty of rest tomorrow so you’ll have plenty of energy on Saturday. As for wishing we could be there, let me assure you that we will NEVER attend the flea market. We absolutely, positively don’t need one single other item of "stuff" in our lives!! But you go and enjoy and have fun with your visitors.

Hope you have a good evening. I’ll write you later than usual tomorrow morning since I will be sleeping LATE!!

Bye--Ruth