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letter from John to grandma – just arrived back to Alaska from Santa Fe trip

October 14, 1963

Dear Grandmother,

Yesterday we got home.  That morning the snow was falling heavily, as we were high in the mountains.  There was no snow in Eagle River, but they had a bad wind storm there right before we came.  Electricity was out in the area as well as telephone.  A brand-new drive-in movie in Anchorage was completely demolished.  Buildings were blown over, trees knocked down, and airplanes turned over.  We wondered what happened to the canvas Jamesway.  When we went up there, the only thing that happened was that the plastic blew off the windows and the furniture had blown off the sundeck.

We planted our garden quite late in the year, and we didn’t think it would have time to grow.  So we were quite surprised when we came back to enormous carrots, turnips, and flowers!  We’re making a stew with some of the vegetables.  We had so many we gave some away!

Steven seems to be a very nice and interesting boy.  I will write him a letter tonight.  I was in the paper where someone is selling chickens and homing pigeons.  Mother promised me a dozen chickens if we live at the homestead.

Don’t know about school yet, will write as soon as I know.

Love, John.

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