My Grandma Sara was the world’s best letter writer. She wrote to me for years, from when I went to college, to when I moved away, and through my adult life, until she switched to email. She didn’t stop writing until shortly before she died, just before her 90th birthday.
I always looked forward to her newsy letters, and I tried to always write back, though as I became busier with three children and work and running a household, I did more thinking about writing than actually writing.
After she died and we were going through drawers full of photos and letters, we came across letters that she wrote to her mother-in-law in 1946. Nanny was hospitalized at the time. My grandma would have been 30 years old, with three children at home, the oldest of whom was Larry, my father, who was 5 years old and, apparently, sick at the time. She was busy running a farm household, cooking, cleaning, and caring for her own children — all this without the modern conveniences that make our lives easier today.
These letters are interesting because my grandma calls her home a “mad house,” expresses feeling torn because she wants to help her sister but can’t, wishes she could get away to visit Nanny in the hospital, but the demands of three children and a household keep her close to home. I have an idea of how she felt! Yet, she knew that she could share a little joy by taking a few minutes out of her busy day to simply write a letter. I know how much sunshine Grandma Sara’s letters brought me, so I’m sure that Nanny was equally cheered to hear from her.
The first letter is dated January 30, 1946
Wed. morn
Dearest Nanny,
Are you feeling anywhere near human yet? We think and talk about you all day but sitting down writing is a little harder! Ha!
Larry is feeling fine and seems quite happy playing in the crib. He eats like a horse too so he can’t be very sick.
Today is the “big” day over at New Bloomfield. Ross [her husband] has to grade potatoes and I can’t get away either. Mrs. Mitchell is still in at Harold’s [her brother, a doctor]. I stopped in at Mary’s last night – she seems better – has been up a few hours every day, now.
I guess you haven’t even thought about coming home, yet. After you get to feeling better you can start enjoying hospital life. Are you getting anything to eat?
It is almost mail time so I’ll close but I will try to write again soon.
Here’s hoping you’re feeling a little better – I know you can’t be feeling good – and don’t try to answer our letters because we just write “for fun!”
Love,
Sara
Then there’s another one, written around the same time (but not dated)
Wed. morn
Dearest Nanny,
How is hospital life? Just relax and enjoy the service – if any. Larry talks about you all the time, wondering what you hae to eat and if you cry to come home at bedtime! Ha!
Ross says Flo has Ladies Aid on Friday night – I’ll have to hunt out my book and write my minutes – I don’t make a very good secretary.
Ross is almost ready to go so this will be short.
We have Larry in a crib so that is about all I get done in a day. He seems to feel real well but gets tired & nervous so easily. His temperature has stayed at 99.3 for a couple days now.
Here comes Ross so I’ll have to write later. Anne [Larry’s younger sister] is climbing in Larry’s crib, too and that will never do!
Love,
Sara
The next letter is dated February 5:
Sunday 9 p.m.
Dearest Nanny,
The children are in bed but still talking, they both had good naps today and I have formula on cooking. Somehow I kept getting an extra bottle until it lasted till evening. Tomorrow I’ll have to toss a couple out, I guess. Kathryn [the youngest of the three] has been missing her 2 a.m. but as sure as I eliminate it in formula making, she wakes up for it!!
Pop-Pop [Nanny’s husband] was up to see us tonight. Anne crawled all over him all evening. I was afraid the trips to Harrisburg every day [to visit Nanny in the hospital] might be hard on him but he looks well & says he enjoys the trip.
I never seem to be of any help but someday I may not be so tied down. (I hope!!) I was sure I’d get down to see you last week but Ross seemed to busy and no one else can handle Larry when he is in the crib. He seems to be gaining weight – his face looks so fat and he certainly eats enough for just resting. His temperature was normal today so Ross took he and Anne down to see his chicks – he has been fussing to see them ever since Ross got them. They (chicks) are doing fine but it keeps Ross busy now that Ed isn’t working.
Mother and Palmy [Grandma Sara’s parents] finally decided to sell the farm too but now they don’t know where they’ll live if their house isn’t vacated in time. I doubt if they could stand this “mad house” here very long at a time!
We have our covered dish supper on Tuesday night at Helen Truman’s. I just can’t think of anything to take but I know it won’t be dessert.
Anne and I were to Sunday School today – there was church, too but we didn’t know it before so we couldn’t stay that long. I guess not many people did stay, I felt rather guilty but Anne was fussy before Sunday School was over.
Ross is down in the cellar doing eggs, they pile up in a hurry without Ed to help I don’t seem to get time to help him either. Anne likes to put them in the crate for him.
Does the time seem long to you and can you sleep at night? I wanted to come down today but Larry wouldn’t let me, he said I ws to go when I could bring him something!
Anne gets me up so often to take her to the bathroom and the other night she called three times in about an hour so I was mad and I started to scold her and while I was growling she gave me a big kiss on the cheek!! That quieted me down! Ha!
I hope you’re feeling better Nanny and I’ll write again even if I don’t get to see you.
Love,
Sara
The last one is dated February 15:
Sunday Morning
At Home
Dearest Nanny,
Well, another worry is past – as I suppose you know, Vi [Sara’s older sister] has her baby – a girl. She stayed at home – I don’t know quite why but I think Harold [her brother] was guilty of undo [sic] influence. She has only Mrs. Mitch so I guess she’ll have lots of headaches till she’s out of bed. I went down yesterday forenoon (Ross couldn’t understand what there would be to do so soon!!!) and bathed her and settled the baby. You can imagine all the things to do when she was ready to go to the hospital. I guess I’ll go down early evening today – if she has lots of visitors she’ll appreciate a bath, etc., this evening. Ross said I could go after the dinner dishes were washed and the children asleep!! He is just a little annoyed that she is at home. I understand how he feels but Vi is always the first to help me out so I feel obligated to help her too. I really enjoy doing it if it were just a little easier to get away here!
Ross & Larry went to Sunday School & church. Ross made the fire today. Anne & Kathryn have coughs so we stayed home.
I am having meat loaf and baked potatoes for dinner so it won’t take much work anymore but I haven’t made beds yet. You’re going to be so used to your meals on a tray, baths given, and bed made we’ll have trouble with you! Ha!
Anne & Larry were over at Mae’s [her oldest sister] and so I told Anne she forgot to bring her milk bottle back. She has been sleeping without it two nights & naps. She has a four ounce bottle of water – it hasn’t occurred to her that she could get milk in that!! When she was coughing last night and asking for her milk bottle I was tempted to give it to her. She can keep her bed dry without getting up if she doesn’t drink a full bottle of milk. She does real well drinking milk out of a glass, too.
Anne is writing you a letter and saying “dear Nanny,” “puppy dog” over and over. Mary Helen [cousin] can talk so much better than Anne but doesn’t make herself understood any better! Ha! Vi knit her a little vest and I brought it home yesterday. When I tried it on it was tight around the neck and a little small all over. Anne said “fit baby, Mommy, fit baby!” She looks so sweet in it (it’s green) and could wear it if I can get her to let me pull it over her head, but it’s quite a struggle.
It’s time to finish dinner so I’ll have to quit I can’t seem to write anyway this morning. I hope you can read it.
Our phone isn’t working for a change so I haven’t heard from Mother for a while – we haven’t been over since last Saturday night.
Take it easy till we see you.
Love,
Sara
Filed under: Memories, family, grandparents, kids, motherhood, overextended family, parenthood, sick kids | Tagged: grandma sara, letter writing, parenthood
nice letters. funny, since I’ve been thinking/writing/reading about my grandmas, too. Also, I’m getting a kick out of the nanny/pop-pop language. our families have different origins/histories but we called my grandfathers “pop-pops” and my great-grandmother on my mom’s side , nanny. Now my grandma (the one I read about friday!) is Nany to my niece. this is comforting somehow to me, the terms we use for those we love, the way they cycle back, the way you honor the affection and care of your grandma to her mother in law….
hugs, me
Thanks Wash! I thought it was interesting that my grandma addressed her MIL as Nanny in all of her letters. Talking about the terminology, we also found it interesting that the children on my mom and my dad’s side referred to their parents as Mother (Formal) and Daddy (not so formal).
My grandma was always caring about other people – you can see, even with her hands completely full, she was worrying about her MIL and her sister and oh yeah, her sick kids. It’s a comfort to me that she was living proof that young moms survive it all and come out the other side all the better for it.
Meg, those are priceless. Thank you.
The more things change, the more they stay the same! There are very few dated references. Interesting!
My grandmother still writes me letters all the time, sweet, drawn-out things detailing the weather and her gardens and the funny things my grandpa says. I appreciate those letters so much. It’s a lost art, and I do mean that. In this age we are so incredibly spoiled, our every whim instantly gratified. Taking the time to craft a hand-written letter is a gift in itself, simply for the effort.
*sigh*
Maggie, I used to have such joy checking my mail, because there was a chance I’d receive a letter from my grandma. (In college, she would often include cash!) No more, though, since she’s been gone. You enjoy those letters from your own grandma. I still have every one I received… many years’ worth.
*sigh* indeed.