Yvonne's Second Letter

Brussels, 12/20/1953

Dearest Emilienne,
Dearest Arthur,

As last year, I wish happiness and health to you both, and to the children, Robert, Emily and the two little ones. May you all together find happiness. I hope you are all doing well and also Aimé, his wife and their children.

Mom was here last Sunday with Octave. She is in good health. It's only an hour trip from Charleroi to Brussels. Octave is doing well also. As for myself, I am well except for the rhumatism which is always there (we're not twenty years old anymore, Arthur)

We plan on seeing them for Christmas. I mention "we" because I met someone, a gentleman from Louvain, who's been living in Brussels for over a year. He's Flemish. Mom and Octave really like him. Octave too has met someone—a young woman from Moline, who is Flemish. (She's really nice.) Mom likes her a lot. So now we won't be alone in our old age! Only problem, Emilienne, is that mother is a real miser and it's really difficult to get even a little something from her. You know she's very rich. But what do you expect? It's her money.

I'm sending you photos that were taken last August at the sea. Mother bought a trailer home and, as you can see, another car [illegible], more powerful, to haul it around, and the Citroen that she gave us. I'm sitting with Maurice next to me and my dog. Behind me is Berthe, Octave's friend. Mom [Marie] is sitting, and that is Jean, Berthe's son. She is divorced. Octave, not yet. This is the first photo of us together. As you see, Emilienne and Arthur, Mom is happy with us. [Click on photo to enlarge. But who took the picture?]

In the other photo sitting in the car is my dear Maurice. He is 52 years old, standing is Jean, 17, and Octave, 54, "The Three Mousquetaires!" You have to laugh a little, right Emilienne?

Life in general is mostly sad here. With there still being a lot of commotion from the war, one doesn't know how to be happy. I hope to hear from you soon and receive photos of the children that I can put in the album. I added a third photo of me, Maurice and Berthe. Mom and Octave send their regards. Maurice and I send our warmest regards.

Your cousin,
Yvonne