October 21, 1951

[This letter was hand-written rather than typed like the others. This was no doubt because she was in Portland, Oregon, and had not brought her typewriter with her.]

710 S.E. 61st Avenue

Portland 16, Oregon

October 21, 1951

Dearest Mother and Daddy,

Well, here I sit in the big chair listening to Annie May's radio while Benton has his feet on the register and is reading the paper. [Annie May was my dad's younger sister.]

The letter your wrote Friday arrived here yesterday. That's faster than we get mail in Loma Linda from Phoenix.

You are surely ambitious, Mother, to be doing all that painting. I hope you don't do more than you should in all of your zeal. You'll have the house looking so slick we won't know how to act when we come again -- clean new paint and fancy new curtains.

We are having a nice visit. I find I have married into a very lovely family, though of course Benton is the best one in it. He seems to be a general family favorite too among all the nieces and nephews and aunts, etc. They all think he is pretty wonderful.

Benton's mother isn't very well. [She was born in Bohemia (now in the Czech Republic but in the Austro-Hungarian Empire at that time) in the 1880s. She had emigrated with her family to the U.S. when she was only a small girl. I never met her.] She has a little arthritis, but mostly her troubles are simply due to old age -- senility. She gets around a little, but lies down most of the time. She reminds me so much of Grandpa. She walks just about as he did and everything. She gets confused quite a bit too -- goes back into the past. She'll worry about whether there is fuel in the fire, though when her mind is clear she knows the heat is controlled by a thermostat. Then sometimes she thinks there is an outside toilet. She sleeps much during the day and prowls at night. Annie May was just about worn out from being up with her so much at night, so we sent Annie May next door to Dayton's and Benton and I get up with her. [Dayton was my dad's older brother. He and his wife lived right next door to Annie May in Portland, Oregon.] She is all right most of the time, but often she is confused -- wanted me to put up the shades to let in the light this morning before daylight. All this has been going on for only about 6 weeks. Before that she did the cooking for Annie May and some of the work. She was a little better this last week, they say, than she had been for a while - guess it did her good to see Benton. She is really a sweet old lady and still comes out with a little quite unexpected wit every once in a while. She worries for fear I'll work too hard just like you do, Mother. But I really don't do very much around here.

Annie May works every day at the Portland San [Sanitarium], which is just a block from here. She has charge of Central Supply from which they dispense portable equipment, I.V.'s, pharmaceuticals, etc. She does the buying for the department and everything. She is three years younger than Benton -- is very sweet.

Benton's brother Dayton lives next door. He and his wife Goldie are Rachel's parents. They have been very sweet to me too.

Sunday evening 6:30

Well, here we all sit -- even Benton's mother. We have just finished supper. I got it while Benton and Annie May did the washing. Annie May washes in the basement and usually hangs the clothes there because it is usually raining outside. It has rained most of the day today -- this is rainy country, and Benton and I are glad we don't live here all the time.

Poor Helen! -- and all the rest of my friends. I'm planning a duplicated letter to mail out, but haven't written it yet. Perhaps I can get it written while we are here. I already have the stuff to type it on and someone to run it off for me at the academy in Loma Linda. I owe at least 35 letters, and that seems to be the only way I'll ever get them all written. It beats all how many things seem to have to get done.

Your letter mailed Oct. 11 came the same day I wrote you that last card. Omer [He was my half-brother and was in the Air Force at that time.] is home and forwards our mail to us. We'll be here until after next week end anyway. I don't know just how long Benton will plan to stay. He is a bit anxious about his mother and wants to see how she gets along.

Did you know that while you were enclosing various letters you sent me back the last one I wrote you? I'll send it back.

The kids are having quite a time with their folks. I'm glad they stayed. Incidentally, this absence may contribute to your added well-being. You just don't have so much to worry about much now.

Right now I don't need the skirt and suit. We'll see about them when we go to Phoenix again, which may not be too terribly long away.

Well, I guess this will be all for tonight. Do take care of yourselves. We love you heaps. Benton sends love too.

Oodles of love,

Lois Ruth and Benton