Love Letter 34 – Flin Flon

Love Letter 34 – Flin Flon

I linger a little longer than necessary under the warm air nail polish dryer following my ‘brand new day’ pedicure and extended foot massage – heaven!
I cruise home, enter ‘love’ into the keyless door pad of #1969, carefully kick off my flip flops and begin frolicking from room to room to the energizing beats of Bahamas. My eyes rest on the miniature envelope postmarked 11 AM NOV 7, 1960, addressed to Mr. Bryan K. Johston (oops, forgot the n) and my insatiable thirst for love is quickly quenched as I plunge into the captivating content of Mom’s Love Letter 34:

18 Lake Street
Flin Flon, Man 
Nov 6/60

Hi My Dear!
A quiet Sunday nite – wish you were here honey! I love you so very much.
Celebrated Don’s birthday (19) by a birthday supper cooked by his sister – different, eh!
Worked fairly hard yesterday and since it was my late nite got off around 6:30 pm.
Got a few letters written then listened to the local hockey game for a few mins. then met Eth & Bud, Jim & Jan, Stan & Elsie & Mom at the bowling alley for 10 pins – lousy scores 120, 112, 109.
But had a lot of fun. Ernie – the owner of the alley thought we should try a different type of drink so after 2 lime/Rye we were all being crazy.
Then over to Eth’s for coffee.
Talked, ate and played records until 2A.M. – then to bed.
Oh Bryan, I missed you so much –
At 9:20 pm all I could think of was a week ago – remember honey.
Then they started bugging me about being lonely on a Saturday nite and when we got to Ethel’s they all wanted me to phone & talk w/ you – if it hadn’t been midnite I probably would have.
Bud (my cousin) would pretend that he was you and propose to me, etc. etc. – gee, I got that I wanted you so badly.
Can hardly wait to see you again, my love.
That’s Flin Flon – before you know it there are about 6 people over at your place you sit & chat – quiet, but nice.
Slept in instead of church – shame for me, then the 3 darlings came over (Susan, Kathy & Bobby) they wouldn’t leave me alone – and Susan (flower girl) kept practicing for Bette & Bryan’s wedding – Susan thinks you’re going to be my daddy when we’re married – how does that sound, dear.
Then w/ Joyce & Curly & their 3 kids, Ethel, Bud & Jimmy, Uncle Frank & Auntie Bertha, Gran, Mom, Don & a friend of his (relatives you’ll be meeting honey) and myself the 15 of us looked at slides on the wall.
There were about 4 of us together from Berkeley – sure nice to see you, dear.
Will get a picture made and send it to you as soon as I can – looks like we’ve really got a sun tan.
Will take about 3 weeks as I have to send it out – Winnipeg, I figure.

Neighbourhood homes bursting at the seams as a sprinkling of relatives quickly multiples into a flock of kin like bees to a honeypot – coaxing cousins, cajoling Uncles and Aunties, merrymaking parents and siblings . . . that’s Flin Flon in a nutshell eh, Mom – heaven!

It’s brought me these, I’ve come to see
That all my greatest joys in life are always free