I hope that you didn't faint or pass out from shock seeing the return address on the envelope. Yes, we're still very much alive and thriving here in Cleveland, and we couldn't have been more pleased to have received your letter two weeks ago. I'm so glad that you wrote and that we have your new address -- from Montana to Massachusetts! Well, life certainly hasn't been dull for you lately!! You pack more excitement into two years than I have in the last 26...I'm very pleased that you're now "back East", and I hope that your position at Merriam & Co. is going well -- it sounds ideal for your background in addition to offering you editorial opportunities. I can imagine that finding a job in the field of publication, etc., is extremely difficult, so I'm glad that you were able to secure your current job. Hope, to, that you're enjoying Springfield and the area and meeting interesting people. I'm not familiar with that area of Mass, although my sister and her husband live in Groton which I have visited (about an hour northwest of Boston). That doesn't do me much good either as Karin and Bob are moving to South Bend, Indiana, where Bob is joining the South Bend Clinic in June. Back to Montana -- I'm glad that you were able to see Gary and Kathy before leaving and that they're both doing well. I'm sitting here shaking my head wondering why they haven't come back east, but maybe it's the clean air and the 'wide-open spaces' and perhaps a completely different life that such an area offers which makes them stay. I never really knew either of that THAT well, although Kathy always struck me as being very independent and extremely self-confident. Frankly the fact that they even were married surprised me! I've become accustomed to 'city life' and enjoy the Cleveland area much more -- I doubt that small-town living would ever appeal to me again.
Unfortunately I have no really earth-shaking news or hot gossip, other than the usual strange things going on with my side of the family. My parents are doing well, although my mother had a corneal transplant in Boston at Harvard Eye & Ear in December. The surgery was a complete success and, although she is nearly blind in her left eye as a result of the family eye disease, she is enjoying sight in right eye with her new cornea. She is even now able to read small print without glasses or a magnifier, and she is much more vital than before. Dad is well and still has a small shop now in North Warren where he is carving (mostly for New York State furniture plants) and where he has his machinery. Although he'll be 68 and is semi-retired, his work is his life line. In addition to carving he also is asked to submit designs for various furniture parts, and he takes great pride in his work. We see my parents often and are still very close to them. They're in Cleveland once a month for Mom's examinations with the corneal specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, so we don't get to Warren often. . . the last time was Christmas! Let's see -- I know that Laurie Walters & Mike Curren had a baby girl last month, that John Porter (remember him?? Class of '66 and hung around with Doug Smith, etc.) has recently been appointed an assistant D.A. here in Cleveland (!) and that's about all I know. Of course I could tell you that out of our five-member wedding party, there have been two divorces (Linda Rickert Pompilio and Rusty's best man, Scott); one marriage has been on the rocks for the last nine years (my sister's); and the other one isn't that hot, either. Rusty and I are doing just great, and we've worked hard at having a good marriage. We have a wonderful relationship and have yete to experience any kind of dissension or disillusionment. Rusty is a fantastic husband and person to share life with.
Our only news is that, as you've assumed from the enclosed listing sheet, we bought out first home in Bay Village, a western suburb of Cleveland. We moved in only last week (I took one week of my vacation); we got your letter about three days before moving -- thank heaven. Mom spent the week helping us get settled and was a constant incentive to me. We moved ourselves so I needed all the help I could get. Now that we own a home (for which we've been scrimping and saving for the last four years) we'll have to start buying furniture piecemeal. Everything we own either needs to be reupholstered, refinished or replaced, but it's been fun and rewarding for both of us. Rusty, as I think you know, is with a real estate firm in Cleveland selling residential real estate on the west side full-time. He had an excellent first year ('75) and is still on the seven-day week schedule. He's been one of three in the company chosen for a management training panel (meetings with one of the senior officers of the company during the month) and hopes to eventually go into a suburban office manager's position or begin as an assistant manager. It's impossible to tell when this will happen, although Rusty is keeping his eyes and ears open for other opportunities. He's strictly on a commission basis, and the winter months are VERY thin financially. He's considered an independent agent, and the company offers their employees NO benefits of any kind. There are no withholding taxes of any kind (federal, state, city) withheld from his commission checks, so we've had to set up our own method of prepayment, savings, etc. for Uncle Sam. I'm still here in the legal department of the bank and plan to work for another 12 to 18 months and leave to begin our family. Hopefully, Rusty will be in a more financially stable position and we'll have our feet firmly on the ground. As for our new house -- we couldn't be more thrilled with it -- it's really lovely and suits us perfectly. You know that you'll always be welcome in our home.
Are you ready for this one? Linda & Jim Pompilio were divorced early in July last summer, and Linda remained at the trailer with the two boys working three days a week, part-time, and taking 15 credits at Edinboro off-campus. Even before the divorce Linda began seeing a twice-divorced 40-ish professor (aren't I being catty!!) from the off-campus, and on a more frequent basis following the divorce. She'd leave the children with her mother and spend the weekends with him; meanwhile Jim was aware of what was happening and was spending as much time during the week and on the weekends with the children as he could. Linda was apparently getting more & more turned off to being a mother and turned on to being independent and identifying with the co-called intellectual, liberal atmosphere afforded her at the campus. She gave Jim custody of the children in November; he's with them at the trailer, and Linda is living with Bob in his trailer in Clarendon. I couldn't believe it. I do believe that the children are probably better off with Jim -- he's very devoted to them. So, as for Linda, that's the name of that tune!
I kept in touch with Mike Foster last fall and sent him a card & letter at Christmas. We received a card from him about a week later with a new address, so I don't know if he got any of my other correspondence. I haven't written him at the "new" address yet, nor have I heard from him. Do you correspond with him at all? I'd be interested to know how he's doing and if anything has developed regarding job opportunities in urban development, his major field. I do wish him well.
Again, Paul, thank you so much for your wonderful letter -- it means a great deal to me that you remember and have kept in touch.
Flash: Did your father tell you that he sat next to the King of Sweden at the recent festivities in (was it Chandlers Valley?) the small Swedish church there. My parents spent the day in the area for the festivities.
I'd best end this for now. We send you our best and wish you well. Please let us know if and when you'll be in this polluted neck of the woods!! We'll look forward to hearing from you when you can...
