Welcome back to the latest installment of the Pen Pal Archives! Do you remember what life was like before the internet? We sure do! Join us as we channel our younger selves and fondly recall life on either side of the pond in the 1980’s.
If you missed last month you can read it here 🩷
24th February 1984 (This is not Latin! This is how we write the date in England.)
Dear Kristin
Isn’t winter the longest time of the year? I’m fed up of the dark and cold and can’t wait for spring to come so I can play out again! In springtime it is really beautiful where I live, as there are hundreds of daffodils that grow along the city walls. I’ll send you a postcard! We are not allowed to pick the daffodils though or you could get fined.
Kristin, I didn’t understand your letter when you wrote about a groundhog named Phil. Is that some kind of pig? And how can a pig see his own shadow or predict the weather? That’s mad! We don’t have anything like that here but there are peacocks in the Museum Gardens. They don’t predict anything but I heard their feathers are unlucky, so I don’t pick them up, even though they are so pretty!
Yeah, my Mum makes me clean, too. I get 50p if I polish all the horse brasses and there are loads of them. Mum collects them and hangs them off the fireplace. They are these metal things with pictures on and they are really hard to clean. It takes me ages. I don’t know why Mum collects them as she doesn’t even like horses.
That’s so funny that your Mum is on a diet and goes to exercise classes! My Mum is always on a diet too, which is okay until we have to eat turkey drumsticks and salad. Yuk. She bought a book by Rosemary Conley and is trying to eat herself slim. It’s mad, isn’t it? When I grow up, I hope I don’t stop eating sweets and start wanting lettuce. Anyway, it is nearly Pancake Day here, where we make pancakes and put lemon juice and sugar on them. I eat loads! Some people flip them in the pan but I can’t do that. The day after Pancake Day is Lent, and I usually give up sweets. And I usually fail. What do you have on your pancakes? Do you give up anything for Lent?
Oh I’m so sad you can’t go dancing! I do ballet, tap and modern dance every week. I have to walk into town and back by myself, even when it’s dark (okay, I run home) but I love it! Especially when we do a dance show at the theatre! I’ve done some exams, too. My ballet teacher is VERY strict. She pulls your hair to make your head touch your feet. Backwards. And she is obsessed with everyone keeping their shoulders back. My ballet shoes are black leather, but I really want some pink ones.
Thank you for sending a picture of New York! It looks so exciting! When we are grown up, we can go for your birthday and watch the big ball thing drop. Yes – I love Fame! Out Here on my Own is my favourite song. What’s yours? And do you have a favourite TV show? Mum is letting me stay up and watch The Thorn Birds with her! It’s a story about a woman who loves a priest, which is funny as you can’t love a priest, but Mum fancies the man who is acting as the priest. Yuk.
I didn’t get a Valentine’s card from anyone this year, Kristin. So, I guess that love isn’t for me, yet. Are you serious about wanting your parents to divorce? Mine are divorced and you get to have a Mum who has to do both jobs, so you never know if she is going to be fun or strict. But yes, I’d live with my Granny if I could! I only see her once or twice a year, because it’s expensive to get to Dublin. But she is so kind! She lets me try her lipstick on. It’s red. I’ll wear red lipstick when I’m older, just like her. Do you like makeup?
This is my Granny with the bread she makes. She is never bored! She cycles to work at the garda (which is the police in Ireland) and cooks their dinner every day. She goes to bingo, to mass at church and on the bus to go shopping in town. Being old looks busy, Kristin!
I’m going to have to go now. I’ve run out of space to write more.
Write back soon! I miss you!
Trudi xxx
March 7, 1984
Dear Trudi,
Hello from America! I just got your letter finally! I was worried you forgot all about me. Lent starts today here too and this year I’m giving up chocolate. I really hope I make 40 whole days. We don’t have pancake day here, but I love pancakes. My mom makes them every Saturday morning and I put butter and syrup and strawberries on mine. Lemon juice on pancakes? GRODY!!
Trudi, I can’t believe you don’t know what a groundhog is. A groundhog isn’t a pig, it’s kind of like a big squirrel but without a fluffy tail. And he’s not a mad groundhog, he’s a happy groundhog. He sleeps all winter and comes out of his cave on February 2 every year to see if winter’s over. It’s hard to believe it’s the same groundhog every year, but the newspapers say it is so it must be true. I saw peacocks last year at the Bronx Zoo on a school trip.
York looks so pretty! Wait, that’s why they call it New York!! Is there an old Jersey in England? I’m going to look it up on my next library day.
I’m jealous you get an allowance for cleaning. When I turn 13 I’m going to get a job so I can have my own money and do whatever I want. I’ve never seen a horse brass so there’s another thing for me to look up! My mother has a collection of Hummel bells in the living room, but no one is allowed to touch them. Debbie gave up on her diet already so we can eat normal food again. Shake-n-Bake pork chops and scalloped potatoes are my favorite unless I get to have a TV dinner. They are delicious! I love the little brownie. Oh God I don’t know how I’m going to make it until Easter Sunday without chocolate.
Well ballet doesn’t sound very fun and your teacher sounds mean so I feel better about not taking dance classes! And you have to walk? I could walk to town from here, but my mother won’t let me even though the other kids my age do. She said it’s too dangerous. My cousin got hit by a truck walking home from baseball practice and he died. He was only 15 and everyone gets really sad if we talk about him especially Hopewell Nanny because she said grandmothers shouldn’t outlive their grandchildren. Have you ever known anyone who died? It’s scary to think about it. I hope we all get to see each other again in heaven someday. Your Granny looks so sweet! Sometimes I pretend I’m sick just so I can go to bingo with Nanny Shirley!
No I guess I really don’t want my parents to get a divorce. I can’t imagine not seeing my dad every day plus it must be hard for your mom to do everything. I just wish they would stop fighting so much.
I hope you’re not too sad about the Valentine’s. I never heard of the Thornbirds. Everyone knows priests can’t fall in love, that’s bonkers! Trudi I’m starting to think maybe love isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
My favorite show is the Facts of Life. When I grow up I want to be like Jo and ride my own motorcycle. Oh maybe there’s a way for us to go away to boarding school together!! I LOVE makeup but I’m not allowed to wear it to school, only for play. Sorry I can’t repeat what my mother says about girls who wear red lipstick, but it’s not nice.
Gotta go it’s time for dinner. Write back as soon as you get this! Please!
Love,
Kristin
PS Here’s my Nanny Shirley. When I grow up I’m going to have lots of babies!
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Your Nanny looks so loving! 🥰
Beautiful stories Trudi, I have enjoyed reading them.