Mrs Alvin Lysander Ormsby
9817 East Howland Drive,
Temple City, California

Mrs. Bruce Bliven
Kingscote Gardens, Lagunita Drive
Stanford, California

April 13, 1956

Dear Margaret:

You don't know how much joy I got out of the very nice letter you wrote to me a couple of months ago. You told me about your family and that was what I wanted to know. It all sounds wonderful.

What a rich experience young Scott is having overseas. It is months of European living that he probably wouldn't have had were it not for old Uncle Sammy. Bruce Jr. was there over two and a half years but it was during terrible times, when we were at War. I must say Bruce and I dreaded to hear the doorbell for we didn't know when we might hear that it was all over for Brucie for he was in such dangerous spots. Thank goodness, he came through without a scratch.

My goodness, didn't Scott do well in that Intelligence School! Imagine a grade fo 98.94. I think they might have added that little extra bit to make it 100, don't you? When will he be at home? Won't it be a happy Ormsby family when he does come?

I am so glad he saw the Andreanis in Rome. Alice is a wonderful person. She has always been so fond of her American family. Her daughter Vonne we saw about ten years ago in New York. Before she was married. And you know about Roberto-how he came to our house when he flunked out at MIT; stayed on with us for nearly a year and we couldn't get him to go home. He simply adored America! Finally becuase of quota regulations, he HAD to go home. We seldom saw him. He slept on our davenport. Stayed out all hours, slept most of the day or long after all of us were off to our various activities. I was teaching then and Brucie was in school and left early and so did Bruce. Our maid fed him and we gave him money all the time. He just loafed around the town and had himself a big time. It was the longest visit any relative ever paid us. Then when he got to Italy he had a long seige with tuberculosis of the spine. I think he is somewhat a cripple now. Did Scott say?

I am so delighted to know that Harriet is so happy and that the young people are having such fun buying their own home. Sounds just darling. She is an adorable child and I am glad she is having such a merry time.

I should think you would be proud of that boat of yours. My, what an achievement! It is a wonderful relaxation for Al. He'd be ashamed of me. I don't like boats much. They scare me and I can't swim. That's the trouble. All the while we were at Candlewood Lake we had a neat little sailboat but I nveer went on it! I just waited for the Bruces to come back! I am not even happy on great big steamers. Bruce and I took a cruise on the Great Lakes just before we came out to California and I was utterly miserable the whole time. Smooth as a lilly pond, too!

I am so sorry that Dick has had so much domestic trouble. I think probably the divorce is the only solution of the situation. Dick is such a nice kid and I am so sorry things have not gone well for him.

Have you seen Harriet Pyle recently? It seems to me it has been some time sincce I have heard from her. I hope she is well. What a wonderful person she is and how devoted she is to your family, Margaret.

I haven't heard from Helen Ormsby since Xmas. I don't know whether she is at Deer Isle or with her family in Texas. I think you keep up with her as much as anyone in the family, Margaret.

We haven't been in the South since we saw you all. We keep talking about a trip but old inertia seems to have us in its grip and we go from day to day not doing anything about it. If Bruce had an assignment down that way it might drag us away from this comfortable little apartment. We live right in the heart of Stanford Campus in a comfortably funished and quite well equipped four-room apartment. As you now, Bruce dictates every word he writes to me. Soooo I am really quite busy. Time is never hanging on my hands. There is always more to do than I have time for. I get most of our meals and simple as they are, it takes time and energy. We enjoy living here. It is fun to see all these eager beaver young things. They don't seem discouraged about a thing. Just seeing them around gives one a lift. We know lots of people in this area, old friends of long ago and we have made some new friends too. And I have two brothers in this area, one in San Jose and one in Burlingame. They are just far enough away so that we don't see them as often as we shouldl like. But anyway, we both feel very much at home in this envirnment.

Bruce is working hard on his long hard book. It will be a couple of years more before it begins to be a book. In the meantime, he does a lot of writing for the magazines.

My wrist was a dreadul handicap for months. Thank goodnes, it is practically back to normal. I can do almost anything now without noticing it. That morinng stiffness continues to some extent. It was a silly accident and cramped my style like everything.

Bruce Jr. and his wife Naomi are very well and as happy as can be. Bruce Jr. is working sooo hard, too hard I think. He will have two books published in the fall and getting the manuscripts all ready for the publishers is hard work. He has several excellent magazine assignments that have to be finished within the year so that he is as busy as can be. In spite of all that, he and Naomi are so wonderful about writing us. They get a diary-type letter off to us every day and I must say these old parents certainly enjoy and look forward to those letters. We do likewish. So we are right up to the minute on all they are doing. A daily letter is easier to write than one you postpone.

I was so glad to hear from you and about the family. I hope you write again soon. Give my best to the family. I can remember the boys so vividly at the home on Garfield. I know they have never forgotten Grotty and Allright! Or their beautiful and lovely mother, the most wonderful person I think I have ever known. How I loved Grace.

You ought to get in touch with Dottie Carter over at 1241 Cedar in Glendale. She'd love to hear from you.

Cousin Rose