handwritten letter postmarked November 24, 1936

Coalinga, Calif
Nov. 23, 1936

Dear Lee --
    What a day!  Your letter was the only bright spot in it and then it is so short.  Today is the first day of vacation!  I awoke with a bad cold coming on in spite of all precautions.  Mr & Mrs & John left about 8 for Fresno, leaving me with Paul and Bob.  We made a brief trip up town and I cleaned up the house and then spent most of the rest of the day piled up on the davenport.  If you can imagine anything terrible, imagine trying to look out for a couple of brats when you feel as though you didn't care what happened! The folks didn't get home until  eight this evening and I was surely glad to see them!  I guess they'll be gone again tomorrow & the next day so my troubles have just begun.  I hope my cold gets better soon.  Tell your DAd he must have sent it to me.
     No, you do not have Inez's picture.  You have Ruth Fletcher's.  Inez Kahl is a red-head and lives about a block from here.  Another one of my good Baptist friends.
    Can I ait for nearly four weeks to see you?  I doubt it sometimes but I suppose I must.  Where are you going to eat turkey this year? What have you been doing that you could not think of anything more to write?
    Don't tell a soul that I'm coming home the 18th.  I want it to be a big surprise.
    What do you want for Christmas?
    Aw, I can't think with a stopped up head so I"ll give you a rest this time.
                         Bet
(where did your "Sincerely" go or aren't you any more?)