January 6, 1980 (Love Letters to Mother and Daddy are Back)

Jan. 6, 1980

Sunday afternoon

Dear Mother and Daddy, 

I am writing from the S's living room. We came here Friday evening, and I am ready to go home. But J. must change the oil in my car, and we have shopping to do at a discount house tomorrow in Deventer. I have more than enough sleep, but I needed it. I slept only about 45 minutes while J. drove to Dallas. We stopped at a rest stop for about one hour outside of Dallas, but it was too cold and too noisy to sleep.

We arrived in Dallas around 5:00 a.m. and deposited the car. We waited for about three hours before we boarded our plane to Toronto. We both slept during the 2 1/2 hour flight, but we were still exhausted. We went through customs in Toronto, but our suitcases were not opened. After waiting another 4 or 5 hours, we boarded the plane for Amsterdam. The flight was only 6 1/2 hours. We tried to sleep, but it isn't always easy. J. watched the movie, but I slept. We arrived in Amsterdam around 6:30 a.m. Amsterdam time on Thursday. We didn't have to go through customs, so we were out of the terminal by 7:00. J. fetched the car, and it was frozen solid. We probably looked like traveling snowmen.

We were home by 9:00 and checked the corning ware. One saucepan and a petite pan were smashed. Also the ceramic picture frame that S. and M. gave me, but I will glue it back together. Everything else was o'kay.

We slept until 3:30 p.m. and then unpacked some more. Our friend M. called and invited us to dinner. Thank goodness for friends! I didn't have to cook.

Friday, J. went back to work. I ate breakfast with him but went back to bed when he left. I slept until 12:30 noon. Unpacking the rest and washing clothes was my job that afternoon. When J. came home at 6:00, we ate a heated up frozen dinner from the freezer and then drove here.

Yesterday A. and I went shopping for new clothes for her. I think she will leave with the two kids in about three weeks or so. P. has already found a house, but I don't know if they will rent it.

We had a great time visiting you, and it wasn't easy to leave. I don't mind living here but I can't come home as often as I would like. The children will be grown when I see them again, and I hate that. Please don't let them forget us.

I'll close now and write more later in the week. Tell everyone hello for us. I love you and miss you.

Love,

Linda and J.

P.S. No snow. Everything has melted since the weather warmed up and it rained. We saw a few snowmen in the yards, but they looked sad. Snow here is like in La., so I hope that I won't see much more.

Linda

PS.

Mother, I received a card from Reader's Digest. I should receive the 1st issue soon. Also, I am mailing F. a birthday card to your house. Please see that he gets it.

Linda