Thursday, May 7, 2009

WHEN I WAS SIX...




I've mentioned... My mom was hospitalized many times during my childhood with mental health issues. The treatment was archaic and understanding was nil. Families hid the facts as they were deemed shameful.

Recently my sister JL showed me this letter she wrote to Mom during the first hospitalization I remember. I was in first grade and Grandma Jacobs traveled from her home 2 hours each way on Sunday nights to spend the weekdays with us while Dad worked. On weekends she would return home to cook and clean and spend time with Grandpa.

In case the above letter is not legible:
Feb. 17-'56
Dear Mommy,
I'm sorry I haven't written sooner. I had club Weds. and we had cupcakes, little cookie hearts, and hot chocolate. Carol Pritchard's mother hasn't had her baby yet it was suppose to be born Feb. 10 butr wasn't.
I got a letter from my Pen Pal her name is Susan Harris she has two sisters and two brothers.
Today I fixed our four lunches and we got clear down to the store and Marielle had forgotten her lunch and she started to cry. We started back home and I told her the doors were locked. Daddy had given us a dime for milk so I took them and bought a sandwich over at the store. Mary White's sister had potato chips and said she would trade Marielle's cupcake for them and Mariellle did and she only gave her two. Juanita got a pretty new corsage for her spring outfit. Gloria is going on a tour throug Producers Dairy tomorrow. Rain has been falling and freezing and the grass is real slick. Grandma J. put up plastic curtains in our room, and Marilyn and Pat's. Juanita fixed Patty's hair in long curls for today. Patty said she wanted a two wheel bicycle, a puppy, and you to come home for her birthday presents. Juanita bought some cute little girl candles for Pat's cake.
Yesterday Juanita and I went down to Viv's little house and cleaned, we cleaned the rug, scrubed the kitchen floor and waxed it, I cleaned the bathroom and put up curtains. Juanita said the kitchen floor looked like Mrs. Synder had never gotten down on her hand and knees and scrubed. Juanita was right in the mitz of scrubing when the people came to look at it there was just a man and boy that was 20. They thought they would take it but they wanted the back bedroom painted and tiled, the kitchen painted, and new linoleum for the front bedroom. We had oyster stew for dinner. Daddy is going to meet Grandma at the bus depot to night.
Well I had better close for now. I'll try to be better in writing letters.

Love and kisses
Judy Ann

P.S. Wright to me.
I started this leter Fri. so you've probally heard half the news.

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