Bill darling;
Well here I am the old married woman and now mother writing to you about all the goings on at the 95 Glebholme residence. It has been very busy around here and I am sorry that you have not received a letter from me sooner but I am just starting to get my feet firmly planted on the ground while I run around looking after 2 little ones.
It is so nice to hear that you are having lovely weather down there and that you are able to take advantage of all the summer activities that the Air Force allows you to do. It sounds like Lachine is wonderful in the summer and that reminds me of the nice times that we had down in Halifax dear and it makes me a little sad to think that we might not able to have those good times again for a little while at least.
Now what do I have to tell you dear. Our little girl is getting so restless lately, it does not seem to matter if she has been changed and fed she is putting up such a fuss and always wants to be held. She puts up such a scream and then Beverley covers her ears and just runs around the house screaming at the same time. I try and get both of them out of the house and go for walk dear, but trying to keep a hold of Beverley’s hand while I push the carriage can be difficult at times.
She is putting on her weight and you were right the the juice and the Cod live oil seems to be doing just the trick. Sometimes I think of how I used to get up early and go to work and then come home and make supper and then go to the show with Irene and Jessie I think how did I do it and not be so exhausted all the time.
Your Mom and Pop have been coming over quite a bit lately and dear, you should see your Pop smile when he gets his hands on the baby. I think he just loves her so much and he wants to spoil her something rotten.
Marg is getting close to her time and I think that the heat we have been having is not good for her. She has to been in that house and it is very hot and she still does all the cooking and cleaning for those Simpsons and I just cannot understand why she still puts up with it. Marg has not received a letter from Ted in over 3 weeks and I know she is feeling badly about the whole situation. I am so glad darling that you take the time to write to me at least twice a week and those letters mean so much to me and that really do cheers me up so please do not stop writing them.
I am very excited to have you back home dear and just you watch out. I think that we will have just a lovely time together and if the weather holds we will be able to go for walks along the Danforth and get ice cream and really do what every we want to.
My Pop has not been feeling very well lately and I think he has one of those summer colds that just seem to last for ever. He does not want to be be around the baby just in case that he gives her the cold. So he sits outside on the porch when he gets home from work and most days he will eat his supper outside. With the weather being so nice I really do not think that he minds at all.
Well darling I believe that that is about all the news from around here, and so I am just counting down the days until you are back home with me and our little daughter and we can be a family, for at least 5 days.
So with all my love, I love you more and more each day.
From your loving wife,
Doreen
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Doreen writes with depth here in a way that we haven’t seen before: she’s talking about what is really going on beyond social events. She looking after two young children alone, screaming for attention– Margaret covers her ears screaming and baby always needs to be held (of course). If only Doreen got more support here– the ball drops.
D’s mom and dad are absent– dad sits on the porch and mom does not even get a mention at this point– Doreen seems so “used to” mom being absent. Emerging is that D herself was impacted by having an absent mom as a child; the detachment (for whatever reason, depression? emotional disconnect?) didn’t just happen with her mother after the birth of Margaret. This looks like intergenerational trauma.
Marg’s “character” now seems to represent the part of Doreen that is oppressed– maybe less obvious and dramatic but real none the less.
Wistfully, I also want Doreen to hold hands with her husband, walking down the street with an ice cream cone.
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