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Letter from Truus Oostdam
To her parents, I.H. en C.G. Boelsma
Date: July 26 , 1935
Friday evening July 26, 1935 ----Our address in Putten is: c/o Henlinga "Wilhelmina" Putten
Dear fellows.
I have just returned from a trip to the
Ruyterweg. I herewith enclose a letter from Baars, which was in an open envelope, and because I thought that it dealt with Bobby, I have taken the liberty to read it. Quite an epistle, isn't it!
There also was a notice about a registered shipment dated 22-7-1935 from Amsterdam.
Already last week I had removed the cover of the mailbox- which you had f'rgotten, he?
This evening I noticed that your washing sink was dripping so I put a bucket underneath it. To-date no birdfamily has fallen from the screen, and the fish jumped against the glass for joy to see someone from which I deduced they had not yet succumbed to starvation. Next Wednesday I'll go and have a look for the last time and will give the keys to the Mager family.
Tuesday morning I visited Gramma with Benny. It was very cosy, but she is very thin, isn't she? Yet her eyes are very clear and she could see the small pictures without using glasses. Grampa no longer was bothered by dizzy spells en he was very nice, asking us to stay for a sandwich. We didn't do that because old Mr. Navette was sitting there and kept sticking around.
Ben's Mother has not improved at all, I was there this afternoon for a while, but she is a pitiable case. She now starts suffering from bedsores and her one eye is completely closed while the other oozes dirt. She has a terrible headache en her fever is 37/8 to 38 degrees C. We are leaving August 1, but right now none of us really look forward to it. I am very busy washing and ironing and keeping Benny busy because Ben studies hard. He has worked all day and just now left to get some fresh air, but he does not to even visit his Mother, because if he comes back from there he can simply not concentrate on his work anymore. It is miserable that one cannot do anything for her at this stage, she keeps on saying: "Please just pray for me."
Fortunately, Benny is doing very well. He spends entire days in the yard downstairs ands has got a nice tan.
Say guys, we are getting more cards from Joop than from you, even though he has to pay from his allowance; at the moment the score is 3:1 for Joop. Anyhow, we' expect that things will go better once you are settling and resting in Delden. Are you enjoying yourselves? The weather here is marvelous, not too warm but yet sunshine. I do not know whether you'll descend Saturday or Monday, but send this out now anyhow. I will only write again once we are in Putten, right?
What's goin to happen to Bobby? I would pretend my nose was bleeding, where does the beast have to go?
There also was a thank you note from the v.d. Waag family! I ripped off the Vova's, because that will be old news once you get back!
I inspected the pillows and chairs but found not a single moth. Ain't I a good cartaker?
Well, guys, wish you much more pleasure and write soon. Best regards from the two Bens and Truus.
BLO fecit 20011105 - - go to index of letters
