Monday, March 12, 1951

March 12, 1951

411 Bonnie Dr

El Cerrito, Calif.

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

What a beautiful day it was today! How I wanted to be outside loafing in the bright sunshine! How nice it was to walk around the block at noon, even for a few brief moments, and breathe the warm balmy air! What a beautiful Sunday was, and Saturday also! I certainly felt sorry for all of you up to your knees in snow with the cold, cold wind whistling past you and chilling the marrow in your bones. It is true that some vagrant tag-ends of weather originally scheduled for the middle west got shunted this way some weeks ago, but this is all gone now, the weather lanes having finally gotten straightened out.

All this nice spring weather brings with it a restlessness tho which makes one view work with a certain jaundiced eye. Saturday afternoon having other things that could well have been done, I decided to go instead for a ride in the country. It was very beautiful — the hills were green, peaceful cows & sheep dotted the hillsides, all nature seemed to be busting out with spring. The road I took was out past Walnut Creek and around the other side of Mt. Diablo and then back on the near side of the mountain. Today altho I felt restless again, there wasn’t much that could be done about it; however I did manage to spend some time inspecting a new layout in the column which in order for a comprehensive inspection to be made necessitated spending quite some time there. This excursion revitalized me however so I was able to labor the rest of the afternoon.

Since I wrote my contribution to the round robin letter I have finished the book case and bedside stand I was working on. I bought a small radio for the latter with which to lay in bed on summer evenings & listed to the ballgames. Also I decided that I would make a small lamp for it, which is not well on its way toward completion. These objects have been made with various tools I have bought in the last several months; since they are taking up space in my drawers I decided to manufacture a chest for them — this project is also in an intermediate state.

I have in the interim purchased two books — one on how to build houses out of concrete blocks which attracted my attention because I figured that sometime I might be building a house & perchance this info would be useful; also I bought a book called “Tales ofthe Uncanny & Supernatural” by Blackwood which Time mag recommended & which I am happy to say is well worth the recommendation. I also washed my car a week ago & polished it, some rain has since spotted it a little but I can still see my reflection in it at 50 paces so you see it is still quite bright & shiny.

The Gustafsons left for San Diego last week so now things are quite quiet & peaceful, overhead. This will not last however since in May the Wilsons’ missionary son is due from Japan; they have I understand several children also with associated capacity for much ado. This remains to be seen however.

This is all for now.

With love

C.P.