Letter from Elisabeth Gates to Bess W. Truman

MRS. G. WALTER GATES 1614 THIRTY-NINTH AVENUE EAST. SEATTLE WASHINGTON 98102 January 23rd, 1971 S Ilow dear Bess, Received your letter this morning & I'm so sorry about not sending a Xmas card to you. The truth is we didn't send any; W all of a sudden I decided the thrash of choosing them getting them out was just too much so we gave a contribution to the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief ( Episcopal) instead. I meant to write you but came down with a bad case of flu & bronch- itis and have been laid up for nearly two weeks which is the reason for the delay. I'm so sorry if you worried about Walter as he is going like a bomb as usual and we are playing tennis whenever we can get an indoor court which is good for us both. Last summer my youngest daughter (16) and I spent two months in England & France & had a marvellow time but the crowds are incredible - the very tangible evid- ence of pollution of the world by too many people. At any time of the day or night waking down Regent St & Biccadilly in London was just struggling with a solid mass of wall-to-wall people. Paris wasn't so bad because of the wider streets. The crowds weren't all tourists by any means - it was just too many people. In spite of this Clariss & I had fun, probably our happiest most relaxed times were in the country driving around with and staying with friends of mine away from crowds. The weather was almost too hot Jain fact we cut our stay sin Paris as it was almost as bad as New York in Summer we couldn't stnd it. I wanted Wlter to go with us but he didn't want to be away from business so long & went to California instead. He and my oldest daughter spend some time in the country at a very pretty place and play ed tennis then went back and spent some time with friends in San Francisco. to 29 We will be gald when Spring comes too the rain has really been coming down here it gets to be a real pain - just endless days of it.