June 29, 1954
Dearest Family,
We came home on the 26th, as scheduled and had a very pleasant flight. Got home in time for a shower and change of clothes, then rushed to Annie Chow's wedding. She looked radiant and lovely in her mother's old wedding gown - white satin and lace pieced together, which looked very home made. The bridesmaids were in pink and blue and carried red roses, also all homemade and poorly fitted. It was a big wedding with over 400 friends and since everyone was interested, it was a gay and happy occasion. Dad was too tired to go, so I had to make up a story about his absence, but Lillian and I represented the family and helped all we could. Then we were were invited to attend Angela Loo, Lillian Louie and Sue Chow's weddings, which are to take place soon. So it is going to be many more weddings for us the next two months.
Wanted so much to write to you all during our trip, but with my family scattered in so many places, I had a hard time writing by hand. Found that my wrist still bothers me a great deal, so could not possibly write by hand. Later I borrowed a typewriter, hoping to find time to write, but never got around to it either. Our trip to Alaska was a grand success! We were on this lovely British boat for ten days and the sea was smooth as glass most of the time, tho’ I got sea sick twice just the same. Even with the latest drugs, I was sick, so that proved what a poor sailor I was. For ten solid days we passed magnificent mountains covered with snow, and each was as beautiful as the mountains in Switzerland. Only we saw thousands of them and they were mostly not populated. The inland sea was as lovely as the Japan inland sea, only not as heavily inhabited. We stopped over many small towns and villages, some with only 500 people and most of them with one main street, but they were all very colorful and interesting. From Juneau we visited the Mendenhall Glacier, which is the only one people can walk to, and it is several million years old. From Skagway, we took a 36 inch railway to Whitehorse and stayed over night and visited all the scenes of the early Gold Rush days’ relics. It was very stimulating and interesting to see what the early pioneers had gone through, and made us appreciate what they had done for the building of the West. I wished everyone could be there to understand what hard life people used to go thru to build a new country.
Everyone on board ship was friendly and nice to each other. Since there were also 37 Rotarians, we immediately became a small “clique” and saw much of each other. In fact, we were booked for bridge, games and walks every day, followed by cocktails every day, besides the three full meals daily. The food was excellent, as there were 14 Chinese cooks on board and they requested to meet us and showed us all through the kitchen. Later the chief engineer also showed us all the engines rooms and explained everything to us. We also gave a big cocktail party to return the courtesy. Met many interesting people and made several friends, whom we will no doubt see again. You can easily see why there was no time left for letter-writing.
When we got back to Vancouver, the Chinese Consul General Hsieh Oji and family and Millie Thom entertained us with elaborate dinners. All their friends also gave parties for us and took us sightseeing. Over 1000 Quons in town and they heard that we called on one family - Jean Quon's, the stewardess - so the heads of the Quons were much hurt that we did not call on them, so Dad had to make time to call on them and accepted an invitation for dinner etc. No doubt they all have heard about Daddy and wanted to meet him, so we made special effort not to slight anyone. While in Victoria, we were royally entertained by the leading Quon, who won $14,000.00 in a sweepstakes last year, which made him a big shot over there. They were really very nice. In Seattle, Mrs. [Frederica Mead] Hiltner, formerly of Ginling, also gave us a big dinner. Of course, Min Hin [Lily's first cousin and a doctor] gave a swanky dinner, with 10,000 orchids from Honolulu, and wine flowed like water for the 37 people, mostly his former schoolmates. All in all, we had a very sociable time and were kept busy from morning to midnight.
We were so pleased to know that Jeannette arrived safely and is having such a wonderful time. How nice for Ellen and Carol to meet the plane and get her all adjusted at school. With so many invitations and many more relatives to meet and take care of her, she should have a glorious time. Am glad the U. Hawaii appeals to her, as we do hope she will get something besides fun from this trip. Have not yet had time to write to various relatives, but am sure they will all be good to her and shower her with too much attention. We are also sure that Jeannette will leave a good impression for herself and the family in Honolulu! Shall write to thank them.
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We came home on the 26th, as scheduled and had a very pleasant flight. Got home in time for a shower and change of clothes, then rushed to Annie Chow's wedding. She looked radiant and lovely in her mother's old wedding gown - white satin and lace pieced together, which looked very home made. The bridesmaids were in pink and blue and carried red roses, also all homemade and poorly fitted. It was a big wedding with over 400 friends and since everyone was interested, it was a gay and happy occasion. Dad was too tired to go, so I had to make up a story about his absence, but Lillian and I represented the family and helped all we could. Then we were were invited to attend Angela Loo, Lillian Louie and Sue Chow's weddings, which are to take place soon. So it is going to be many more weddings for us the next two months.
Wanted so much to write to you all during our trip, but with my family scattered in so many places, I had a hard time writing by hand. Found that my wrist still bothers me a great deal, so could not possibly write by hand. Later I borrowed a typewriter, hoping to find time to write, but never got around to it either. Our trip to Alaska was a grand success! We were on this lovely British boat for ten days and the sea was smooth as glass most of the time, tho’ I got sea sick twice just the same. Even with the latest drugs, I was sick, so that proved what a poor sailor I was. For ten solid days we passed magnificent mountains covered with snow, and each was as beautiful as the mountains in Switzerland. Only we saw thousands of them and they were mostly not populated. The inland sea was as lovely as the Japan inland sea, only not as heavily inhabited. We stopped over many small towns and villages, some with only 500 people and most of them with one main street, but they were all very colorful and interesting. From Juneau we visited the Mendenhall Glacier, which is the only one people can walk to, and it is several million years old. From Skagway, we took a 36 inch railway to Whitehorse and stayed over night and visited all the scenes of the early Gold Rush days’ relics. It was very stimulating and interesting to see what the early pioneers had gone through, and made us appreciate what they had done for the building of the West. I wished everyone could be there to understand what hard life people used to go thru to build a new country.
Everyone on board ship was friendly and nice to each other. Since there were also 37 Rotarians, we immediately became a small “clique” and saw much of each other. In fact, we were booked for bridge, games and walks every day, followed by cocktails every day, besides the three full meals daily. The food was excellent, as there were 14 Chinese cooks on board and they requested to meet us and showed us all through the kitchen. Later the chief engineer also showed us all the engines rooms and explained everything to us. We also gave a big cocktail party to return the courtesy. Met many interesting people and made several friends, whom we will no doubt see again. You can easily see why there was no time left for letter-writing.
When we got back to Vancouver, the Chinese Consul General Hsieh Oji and family and Millie Thom entertained us with elaborate dinners. All their friends also gave parties for us and took us sightseeing. Over 1000 Quons in town and they heard that we called on one family - Jean Quon's, the stewardess - so the heads of the Quons were much hurt that we did not call on them, so Dad had to make time to call on them and accepted an invitation for dinner etc. No doubt they all have heard about Daddy and wanted to meet him, so we made special effort not to slight anyone. While in Victoria, we were royally entertained by the leading Quon, who won $14,000.00 in a sweepstakes last year, which made him a big shot over there. They were really very nice. In Seattle, Mrs. [Frederica Mead] Hiltner, formerly of Ginling, also gave us a big dinner. Of course, Min Hin [Lily's first cousin and a doctor] gave a swanky dinner, with 10,000 orchids from Honolulu, and wine flowed like water for the 37 people, mostly his former schoolmates. All in all, we had a very sociable time and were kept busy from morning to midnight.
We were so pleased to know that Jeannette arrived safely and is having such a wonderful time. How nice for Ellen and Carol to meet the plane and get her all adjusted at school. With so many invitations and many more relatives to meet and take care of her, she should have a glorious time. Am glad the U. Hawaii appeals to her, as we do hope she will get something besides fun from this trip. Have not yet had time to write to various relatives, but am sure they will all be good to her and shower her with too much attention. We are also sure that Jeannette will leave a good impression for herself and the family in Honolulu! Shall write to thank them.
Share news with relatives & friends.
Summer of ‘54: The Scene | 1: Al: Have I been busy | 2: Jigi: Orchid leis | 3: Lil: Go crazy, kid 4: Wally: Don’t change | 5: Ron: Damn nice of you | 6: Mom: A grand success | 7: Mom: My fashion plate | 8: Lil: Who’d’ve understood? | 9: Jigi: The sexy bastard | 10: Mom: That gleam and glow | 11: Mom: So proud of you | 12: Al: Fast Casanova | 13: Lil: Free coaching | 14: Mom: Simply heartbroken | 15: Al: Most scandalous | 16: Lil: Men!! | 17: Jigi: Gush it up | 18: Mom: Keep it to yourselves | 19: Lil: Bitter today | 20: Lil: Your future brother-in-law | 21: To the convent | The Anniversary Party