While my brother Iilya was busy writing friends about our latest (er, ongoing) revolution, I was practicing the best manners any granddaughter could have - I was writing a 'thank you' note to my grandparents. I had met these grandparents just once, and I was scared to death of them. I didn't know if I had much in common with them, so I told them about our dog, Frieda or Frita or whatever the spelling of the day allowed.
(enlarge the letter, if necessary)
Betsy McCall paper dolls, a pretty teacher, and a pistol of a dog were important to me... After all, I was in first grade and I had priorities. Armies, navies, tanks and submachine guns didn't bother me at all. A polite salutation, a proper thank you, a bit of local gossip, and a personal ending were much more important.
More lessons on the 'fine art of letter writing' will follow.
11 comments:
I love getting thank you notes from my nephews. This reminds me of them. I imagine I wrote similar ons (sans the Betsy McCall paper dolls!)
Ah, the obligatory thank you note. What a classic kid's letter. Great! However, "pistol of a dog" is rather precociously creative, isn't it?
I am sure that letter meant the world to your grandparents....I cherish anything I get from my grandkids!
Your post brought back memories of visiting my grandparents in the city of Portland. It was a big deal to leave my home on the Island to spend a weekend visiting with them. I too received Betsy McCall paper dolls and indulged in Drakes Devil Dogs as a tasty treat. My grandmother kept every note I sent her.Thank you for bringing back those long ago memories.
So precocious - and cursive in first grade! I bet you still like to read.
An example of all a girl should be. Sure do like the "pistol of a dog" phrase...ditto on Banjo52's comment.
In old Yugo, there was a kid's magazine (that's still going in Serbia). They would have all sorts of paper dolls cutouts, including lots of cartoon characters. I loved those. I used to create new outfits for them.
Aren't thank you notes from children just the best mail?
My "monkey" and "pistol" descriptions of our dog were obviously ones I heard from our parents or my brother. And I am so glad some remember Betsy McCall paper dolls. Did they come in McCall's magazine? Tash, I would have been your BEST friend!
Thanks, all, for reading and commenting.
I remember Betsy McCall paper dolls. I don't remember them coming in McCall's magazines because I don't remember my mother reading McCall's. She was a Redbook fan. I think we got them at the dime store in the paper doll section. I was always so excited when they got in a new shipment because I usually managed to collect all the various issues. I had shoeboxes full of paper dolls. Wish I could remember some of the other names.
This is so cool. Something tells me you've got a bottomless trunk of memorabilia that you haven't looked into for a long time.
So someone must have called your dog a pistol, and you reworked that to pistol of a dog. Love it.
Lovely thank you note and one any grandma would be happy to get. I had Betsy McCall paper dolls too, and I know I got some of them from the McCalls magazine. My folks didn't have a lot of money and I didn't have a lot of toys, but paper dolls were affordable. I had a big collection.
I think I had those same letters growing up - I still have them when I write to my Aunt in Germany! She is very proper!
Sam
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