July 22, 1972 (Letter from Renee)

So sorry it has taken me so long in responding to your last letter.  I guess I've been kind of lazy and just this week got around to cleaning the debris off my desk so that I could begin to do a little work.  I have really been enjoying my summer vacation and it has been pleasant and uneventful for the most part.  I guess one could say that my status at t his point is strictly as a housewife and I'm kind of enjoying it.  I have been reading a lot -- in fact that is what occupies 75% of my time these days.  Haven't been reading anything earthshaking or pertinent -- but I've enjoyed it just the same.

I spent a little time just cleaning and re-organizing our apartment.  We finally got some new living room furniture much to our delight, and we really settled down in many ways that we never were before.  I can't exactly describe it but Morrey and I have finally achieved some sort of financial security, our home is now complete with the furniture we want, and we both are doing exactly what we want to do without anything holding us back or getting in our way.

I'm beginning to feel quite guilty because so far I haven't done a thing about my lesson plans and materials for next year yet and I'm getting kind of itchy to do so.  I was a pretty lousy teacher by my own standards last year and I aim to do much to improve that situation.  Even if it means that I have to be a tough-assed bitch at times I'm determined to be that way as long as the kids know who is boss and meet my expectations of them. This year instead of being afraid of the kids and having them know I'm afraid -- the tables are going to be switched and they will have to live a little bit in terror of Prayzer the English teacher in room 2061.

I was home in Warren for a week after the 4th of July and was bored stiff, which is what I should have expected.  It was a pleasant visit with my parents and I just kind of enjoyed sitting around doing nothing and being responsible for nothing.  Morrey didn't mind that I stayed on in Pa. and I think that it does us good once in a while to be separated.  Absence makes that old heart grow fonder so they say -- and I'll agree.  We plan on returning to Warren the weekend of August 19th for my high school reunion -- which will probably turn out to be a gigantic fiasco and waste of time -- but I can't help being curious to see how some of my classmates turned out.

I can't tell you how impressed I am with the letters you have been writing to me.  They really paint a picture of you Paul - and one that I admire and respect a great deal.  I can see that you are still independent and are enjoying it and also that you are a very flexible type of person.  You seem to have certain goals well defined for yourself yet then you leave enough room i there for being yourself and not getting into any fixed groove or bind.  I'm also very glad to hear that you have been reading a good deal and enjoying it.  I must admit -- I'm way far behind you in the quality of works we read.  I am not a disciplined reader and I would choose 9 times out of ten some \junk on the best seller list than to ever go back to the classics and really dig deep!

I really must admit Paul that at the moment I'm not much in the letter writing mood and I'm not getting too much said that I want to say in this letter for that reason.  (Besides the fact that Morrey is kissy-facing and bugging me at the moment.)

I hope you will forgive me for the brevity of this letter and I promise to write at greater length and with more substance in my next letter to you.

Meantime I hope you are enjoying yourself in sunny California.  We've had a heat wave here for the last week and it's 93 and really miserable outside.  God bless air-conditioned apartments.

Please keep in touch and write again soon.