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23 February 1973

Dear Doris:

I was relieved to get your letter and especially to hear that you have given up peddling Av[[strikethrough]]a[[/strikethrough]]on [[Avon]] products in your spare time. It isn't safe for you to be running around N.Y. at night or any time for that matter. It is bad enough here in Washington too. Not many people come into the city at night any more.

This morning it was snowing quite hard when I left home, but it hasn't amounted to anything, in fact the sun has come out at intervals. But it is cold, below freezing. But it can't last more than another six weeks and we shall be having spring. I saw a flock of robins again, and I had 9 redbirds in my backyard and one robin yesterday.

Elsie and I went down to the nurse here to have our blood pressure taken yesterday morning. Mine was 190-98, and hers 220-100, both high. So we went into the rest room and lay down for 15 minutes, then had the nurse take it again, and mine was 170-90, and hers had come down 10 degrees too. We are both supposed to have it taken regularly to keep track of ourselves. She is emotional and gets upset easily.

They were digging a long trench in front of my house when I reached home last night, and one of the workman had to boost me over it so I could reach the house. I couldn't get the car out, and thesnow this morning worried me, for I have to get to the store for weekend supplies, but the workmen assured me I would be able to back out my drive tonight, and now the snow has stopped, so I guess I am all right. They are working on the gas line now.

I have just had a long letter from the Hoges in Sao Paulo.They wrote about Jim's death. Dr. Hoge wants to get back to the States, now that his children are growing up especially. Alphonse is 17 and finishing high school, and interested in mathematics and physics, and he wants to go to a U.S. college. Hoge taught us for some years at Duke Univ. and possibly he can get some such job again. I liked them, and they have always wanted me to visit them in Brazil, but I shall never go down there.

I trust all is well with you and you are not having any more colds. Too bad about your heating, but I fear we are all in for reduced heat in the near future. I keep my thermostat at 55 degrees, and have saved on fuel all winter.

With love