July 30, 1968

Lynn Haven Resort, Lake Irene

Dear Marjorie,

You last letter was so interesting about walking beans. I didn’t realize so many of your classmates were working with you, it sounds like such fun. You know the saying, “Many hands make light work.” I’m sure it is hard work, but it is so different from what I am doing. I miss my friends and envy you that you can chat and banter back and forth as you walk beans. I remember when you first told me about “walking beans” I thought you had a dog named “Beans.” Ha Ha, I’m so stupid.

I’ve begun working with my market hog, teaching him how to respond to the cane. I tap him on the left side of his head so he goes right, and on the right to go left. I put the cane in front of his eyes and he thinks it’s a fence, so he stops. It’s fun teaching him how to go. I’ve also got to start on my sewing project. I don’t sew very often, so it takes me awhile to remember how it all works. Do you like sewing and cooking? I think you said you were doing a wrap-around skirt for your sewing project. That sounds fun, and you’ll be able to wear it to school. Obviously, I can’t wear my nightgown to school. That would be weird. Do you know what you are going to make for your 4-H cooking project? We just got Tater Tots at our Miltona Grocery store, so I am going to use them for my Hamburger Hotdish.

We are falling into a routine here at the lake. The fishermen leave really early in the morning now to beat the heat and increase their chances of catching a big one. We put up a water polo net in the water so games are going all the time. There’s a float out about 50 yards, so there’s a lot of swimming back and forth. The float is made of four empty 50 gallon oil drums strapped to the underside of a wooden platform.

There’s not a lot for me to do during the week, since Mr. and Mrs. Grinsted need the most help on the change-over Saturday/Sunday. I change bed linens and towels, wash all the dishes and put them away. Then when the sheets and towels are being washed, I dust, vacuum, and air the cabins out. The campers just leave their campsites, but we do have to clean the bath and shower house. I learned that the shower house (it’s now divided into men’s and women’s bathrooms with its own septic) used to be the ice house back in the olden days. It’s a cinder block building that they used to store the cut blocks of ice taken out of the lake in the winter. They put the big blocks of Ice into the building, packed the ice in straw, and the ice would last until summer. Isn’t that amazing?

Right now I can’t imagine an ice cube big enough to last that long. I feel like it would melt in 30 minutes, it so hot and sticky. Ugh.

Mrs. Grinsted can always find work for me. Sometimes it doesn’t seem so important, but I do whatever she says. The other day she told me, “Irene, you’re a good hard worker. You’ll make a good wife someday.” Gee, I hope my “someday” husband will want me for more than my strong back and work ethic…but beggars can’t be choosers.

Have you thought any more about coming to visit? May be if you came mid-week I could take a few days off and we could just goof around. We could even come to Lynn Haven. It’s a public beach, it just costs 25₵.

I better get back to work. Hope to see you soon!

Your friend,

Irene