Part 4 - Letters

Letter to Calista Bechthold

Dear Calista,

I was glad to hear from you. I think of you every day. For a very good reason. I am wearing your green dress. You sent it down by Ruth and you tho't maybe I could wear it. I sure could. It fits perfectly.

It was very kind of you to remember me with such a cute kitty card that came today.

From what I hear from Ruth about you, you have been way out where the West begins and how interesting it would be to hear all about your trip. I hope your trip to C. R. materializes and we can enjoy a good visit.

I will tell you about this place. It is a Retirement Center and an old neighbor of mine is a roommate. There are about 90 residents here and it is a long low bldg. with a 400 foot hallway - doors opening on both sides. The hired help is all married women and very nice. All in white uniforms. It is $358 a month here. The reason I'm telling you this is to compare to other Rest Homes. Some are $600.

I am now 96 years old and expect to live to 102. I heard about a man 102 that walked out of a Rest Hm so straight etc. We have a Norwegian Dr. in charge here and he examines my heart and says - Marvelous! Beautiful etc. When he gets enuff money he says he is going back to Norway and build a home like this.

I'd better start winding this up. I have to get back to reading my book by Laura Ingalls Wilder. She lived in Burr Oak Ia. for 2 yrs, and they are making a Tourist attraction out of the bldg. where she lived. She is a bit boring at times such as using 3 or 4 pages describing in detail how to build a covered wagon.

I will look in my diary and see if there is something else to tell you. O yes! You must write to Ruth and get her recipe for Apple Sauce Cake. She sent me a chunk of it over here and believe it or not - it cured my cold! I was coming down with a cold and after eating that cake my cold disappeared.

Honestly, I did not intend to write such a big letter!

As long as I have a little room left I mite as well brag about Bill a little. He is Ruth's youngest boy and speaks 3 languages - German, Russian and Chinese. His teacher wanted him to converse with a Chinese Lady. She threw up her hands and screamed and said he had spoken perfect Chinese - no dialect. I have heard him upstairs at home saying the same word over and over till he got it right.

Well here I have 6 in. of space left. Do you suppose that a garrulous old woman can wind up a letter in 6 in.?

Must close. This is a nice place. Clean, good food.

Thanks for remembering me.

Lots of love,

Alice Krumm

Letter to Bill Jacobson, January 21, 1974

Letter a bit late. Still you will be 87 yrs. old for a whole year. It scares me to see 1974 because it is so close to the year 2000. And some folks say the World is coming to an end in the year 2000. Well I figure that you would be 113 years old in the year 2000.

The other nite the Preacher here at G.L.M. asked everybody to raise their hand that knew they were saved and nobody raised their hand. They were not sure but what they would go to Hell. I was the only one who raised a hand. I figured that John 3:16 takes care of that.

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Gleanings of a Lifetime, by Alice Krumm (1879-1987)

Copyright � 1998 by Bill Price