May 6, 1953

Dear Mother -
   Above is picture of the Nuuanu Pali - mountain pass.  Purty, huh?  Also windier than h-.
   Last Friday I opened my hand & closed it - voluntarily.  Haven't been able to do it since, but it's encouraging.
   Have almost finished the plastic salad bowl set I'm making in Occupational Therapy.  Have 15" done on my rug - 30" to go.
   American Legion representatives have been here to see me several times.  Left a colored leaf plant.  Guess we'll plant it this weekend.  Flowers in the house I like, but plants - like dog - belong outside.
   Warmer today, & no wind.  Hope it continues.  Am a sissy - unless it's 70 degrees or over, I can't keep warm any more.
   Got new stationary, so my next letters will have pix of the Royal Hawaiian hula gals, etc.
   Write soon, huh?
   Love,

April 30, 1953

Dear Mother -
   I was very happy to hear from you.
   The drs back thar said a consistently good climate would help me.  We had considered Australia, but hated it.  Hawaii, on the other hand is even nicer then the publicity says.
   Had I been well, we'd have come by ship. Under the circumstances, tho', & with the 2 younguns, plane seemed the logical choice.  The babies loved it - slept all the way.
   Left San Francisco about midnight.  Were due here at 9:30 or 10 AM but had to go back for repairs, & lost about 4 hours.
   Pan American gives you leis when you leave the plane - ours were baby orchids & pink carnations.  Eric ate his.
   Hospital's getting busy - the POWs released from Korea stay here first.  Did I tell you it's an Army hospital?
   You asked about Eric & Polly.  Have them boarded out at present.  Wish we could have them home with us.  Must be getting good care, though - even Eric is getting fat.  Wouldn't you know - he's my pet but as far as he's concerned he's strictly Daddy's boy.  Polly is Pappy's favorite, & she follows me all over.
   Some hospital - 9 floors, & 3 basements.
   Why don'tcha visit Hawaii?  You'd stay with us, watch.  On the weekend we'd take you for a drive over the Pali.  Beauteousful mountain scenery.  Also to the Royal Hawaiian to see their hula girls.
   Stayed at Waikiki about a week.  Nice, but sorta expensive, so we hunted up a house.  Has a nice big yard & lots of posies - poinsettias, hibiscus, ginger hibiscus, plumeria, hibiscus halekonia, hibiscus, marigolds, & star jasmine.
   They did a spinal tap last week, which showed nothing.  Ditto skull xrays.
   Have physio-therapy every day - for to stretch muscles.  On your birthday, am due for another progress checkup.
   In Occupational Therapy, I'm making plastic salad bowls on the bicycle saw, & weavin a gwen & yaller throw rug.
   Hope your b'day & Mother's Day gifts reach you on time & in good condition.
   Have a new room mate, poor thing.  Hemhorroids & diarrhea.  Some combination!
   I'm lucky - get to go home on Friday nights & come back Monday morning.
   Yesterday was our anniversary.  Pappy brought me a yaller lei, a button front dress, & a sweater & skirt!
   You didn't tell me how is my mama feeling.  Next letter, do that, huh, please?

 Lotsa love

They tell me I'll never recover completely, but I hope to fool 'em, like you did.

April 13, 1953

Tripler Gen Hospital

Ward 2 - 8th floor

Honolulu,

13 April 1953

Dear Mother -

   My first night here.  Seems not at all like a hospital - nice lounge one floor up - even a movie I can go to from 6-8 PM, very good food, too, & lots of it.  Not like St. John's, huh?

   Routine questions & examination session today.  They won't say a definite "yes" (you know how doctors are!) but they think they can help me.

   My room mate is a WAVE, in for a goiter operation, there are just 2 of us in the room, & we share a pretty yellow tile bathroom.

   Can sit in lounge chairs on the balcony outside our room, & sunbathe.  Can look way over to the other side of Honolulu, & have a good view of the mountains.  Wish you could see it.

   Take good care of yourself, & remember - I love you.

(This picture of a lamb is how most of Edith's letters are signed.)

November 28, 1953

Dear Mother,
   Your darling Thanksgiving card came yesterday.  Thank you muchly.  Hope you had a pleasant day.  I made a hawg of myself.  You know me & turkey.  The babies did OK by themselves, too.  If Eric keeps it up, he'll be downright fat.  Like his mother.
   With Polly I only gained a total of 4 pounds.  This time, I'm gonna look like an elephant.  Incidentally, just hears from Vi & Carl Nagy.  Their 3rd child, & second son, was born Sept. 25.  They also have a daughter a month younger than Polly, & a boy about 4 or 5.
   About Elaine, so you wont be as surprised when you see her as I was - Hawaiians are almost as dark as Negroes.  She'll fadeout after a while on the mainland, though.
   Hate to ask, especially as I've had no letter yet giving your reactions to our return, but - would it be possible for us to stay with you till we find a place?  It shouldn't be long, & Elaine would be there for housework, & to care for the demons.
   It would give us a chance to get re-aquainted, & you & the babies an opportunity to get to know each other, we'd buy the groceries, watch.
   Durn it!  No candy yet.  Eric & I race to the door every day when we hear the mailman, but - no luck.  Here the mailmen use motorcycles, instead of walking.
   Have you any idea what our chances are of finding a 3 bedroom, 1 floor house - w/dining room & basement, & gas heat?  At a reasonable price, I mean.
   Bye for now - feeding time again.  Take care of yourself, & write soon.

Lotsa love,
Lamb

December 22, 1953

Dear Mother -
   Rudolph is so cute - Eric played him all morning, & we've all been taking turns since he arrived at 7:45 this morning.  All except Paula, that is, she just sits & listens.
   Guess we'll be back pretty soon now - plane reservations are a little tight right now, with the holidays so close.
   Have one eye on this & one on tv, but wanted to write & catchh the early A.M. mail.
   Elaine will probably go to her mother's for xmas dinner - she gets hungry for Hawaiian food - raw fish, poi, etc.  Phooey.  The kids love poi but I can't even stand the smell.  By the way, it's not octopus, but beaten taro root.
   'Bye for now - see you soon, I hope.

Love,
Lamb

March 12th, 1990

Last night I was having a hard time sleeping and so I wound up sitting in my guest room reading through Mom's old journal. It was such an emotional but healing moment to be able to sit and read her writing. In honor of her with today being her 55th birthday I thought it would be great to post her birthday entry from 1990. Here goes:

Mar. 19, 1990

It's been 2 weeks since we've all written in our journals. So much happens! I can't remember everything, but I'll try to write as much as I can.

Last Monday, the 12th was my 33rd birthday. What a nice day, too! I got an expensive pair of shoes - NIKE AIR CROSS-TRAINER II's. Paul pitched in $30, Mike $15 & Armin $18! Wow! I'm really going to do alot of running now! Then after everyone went to work & school I did my regular house cleaning for a Monday. Oakley came out at 12:00 pm & took me & Adam to lunch at the new Ponderosa Steak House.

After lunch I stayed home awhile. So far I'd gotten the tennis shoes & a West High Alumni sweatshirt. Oakley gave me a floresent green "LA GEAR" sweatshirt & a lemon pie for my birthday & my family gave me 4 of my favorite candy bars.

1)   OH HENRY

2)   TOOTSIE ROLL

3)   BABY RUTH

4)   BUTTERFINGER

(They're all good but I better be careful.)

For dinner we went to "Chick-fil-a" at the mall and saw "Look Who's Talkin" at the Mall theatre.

Then we came home & had ice cream & cake & Bob & Helena came down. They gave me a cute wooden wall hanging made out of 3 hearts & two tiny wreaths.

Armin also gave me a "UNITS" top & pants for my birthday. I can't wait to wear them. What a nice birthday. I can't wait to wear them. What a nice birthday. ALSO - Armin brought me flowers. I love them - AND HIM & MY KIDS.

Friday the girls & Adam were off for PARENT-TEACHER conference - I took them to see "All Dogs go to Heaven". Before that, in the morning I went to Ponderosa in the late morning to eat lunch with my fellow PTA members also born in March - Peggy, Me, Kathy, Glenda, Sue & I are all march babies.

For the evening Armin & I went out and saw "DAD". What a beautiful & inspiring film. I really loved it.

Saturday was our "St. Patrick's Day Farewell to Bishop & Connie" Party. It was quite nice - a little long, but nice.

Sunday Armin spoke in the Lake Ridge 10th Ward about Service. While we were gone, the kids tidied the house and fixed a delicious dinner of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes & gravy, broccoli & cauliflower & apple juice to drink. They set the table with a flowered table cloth, our good china & silver & red linen napkins. It was so wonderful. I'm so blessed! My children are wonderful!

It was really hard to not have our annual dinner out celebrating Mom's birthday this year. I can't wait to get back home so we can all celebrate her, even if it is a little late. 

Happy Birthday Mom! I love you!

July 28, 1953

Dear Mother -

This will probably be short because, as usual, I'm beat. Seems like I'm always tired.

Your letter came at a perfect time today. I had just finished being sick. Made a hog of myself with cherry stuffed doughnuts. Keep forgetting I no longer have a grade AAA digestive system.

The Japanese dr. - Dr. Fukao - pronounced foo-cow - is 2 or 3 miles away. He uses massage, electrotherapy, & some sort of suction cup dial. I'd try a witch doctor if he could help me. I even thought of hunting up a hypnotist. Am still sure I could use my left hand till they told me it was paralyzed.

Elaine is a big help. Don't see how we got along without her.

You have a lucky boss - he had the prettiest & most efficient secretary in town.

That Pan American folder took a long time to reach you - it was to have been mailed in March.

Mrs. Keller's brother's house sounds nice.

Night for now. Take care of you & write soon.

Love,

Lamb