A Box of Postcards

MJ Malleck// I love the message in today’s postcard, it is addressed to “Betty & Kay,” and it feels a bit like a boast to one’s girlfriends, who you know will be delighted for your good fortune. Se ptember 29, 1977 Dear Girls: Two weeks in London! A gentleman friend to dine and go to the theatre with! (We do share the costs of dinners and most theatres) But it has been fun. To Norway on Sunday. Love Dorothy L. The phrase gentleman friend means suitor, or beau, or male lover. There is a short story by the Anton Chekhov called A Gentleman Friend which you can read here…. https://americanliterature.com/author/anton-chekhov/short-story/a-gentleman-friend Perhaps Dorothy and her “gentleman friend” went to see Jesus Christ Superstar at the Palace Theatre. While many religious groups spoke against the play, especially as like Godspell it did not depict the crucifixion, it seems that Dorothy was a thoroughly modern girl. She pays her own way! So, she may have wanted to see JC...

 MJ Malleck // Two postcards today, because they were taped together. Never mailed, just saved. They are from Washington, D.C. One shows the White House and one the State Capital building.  The serendipity always amazes me. This week even in Canada our eyes are on Washington. Roe vs. Wade, a precedent guaranteeing a woman’s right to abortion, was overturned by the US Supreme Court. And we are watching the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capital building!  The United States Capital sits in spacious grounds on the crest of a hill, dominating the entire city of Washington, D.C. It was designed by Dr. William Thornton who was the winner in a prize competition. Thornton, who had been born in the British West Indies in 1759 became an American citizen in 1787. His design for the U.S. Capital was chosen by President George Washington in 1793 and he received $500 and a building lot in the city. He moved to Washington in 1794 and was appointed a...

A postcard from Austria: "19 February 1958 "Enjoying a skiing and sightseeing holiday in Western Austria. The kids are enjoying the snow, we had so little of it in France. Our Pension is called Daheim and it is like a ski lodge and much cheaper than staying at a hotel. Expect to go up to the top of Germany's highest mountain on a cable car soon, and intend to go to Innsbruck tomorrow. Took some ski lessons from a real Austrian ski champ, but I still get stiff and sore. Must be getting old!" The illustration (black and white) shows the highest mountain in Germany, the Zugspitze, which is actually shared by Germany and Austria. The cable car, which takes you from the municipality of Ehrwald to the top, was build in 1926 and then renovated in 1991. It takes 10 minutes to get to the top. How ironic that this is the postcard right now, as we are in the midst of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Canada - and I remember that they were held in Innsbruck in 1976 (I was 15 years o...

Today's postcard (on top) has not been used, but I felt it was appropriate for Valentine's Day. It features a painting and is called "View of Lover's Leap and The Narrows". At the bottom it says "1652 Ft. Above Sea Level, Cumberland, MD. 4" On the back, it says, "Lover's Leap and The Narrows, Cumberland, Maryland. From Lover's Leap one may view the National Highway (U.S. 40) one thousand feet below. The city of Cumberland and surrounding states of Pennsyvania and West Virginia may be seen from this point." My research tells me that this postcard is likely showing a 1937 view, but may have been produced in 1951 as it is printed on linen stock by Marken & Bielfeld. In fact, I found a matching postcard (it is numbered 3 on the bottom) for sale for $8 to $10. It is by the same company, looks similar to this but is the 1937 Aerial View of the Narrows West of Cumberland (image on the bottom). The legend of "Lover's Leap" ex...

"Hi, again. Today we are having a waiting day. Patience you know. I told you I lost my wallet. Tried Kish Lorraine saw Laterna Magika going to Expo Theater Monday - The Supremes. Having fun. Love Betty" This postcard depicts the Great Britian Pavilion at Expo67. I was 6 years old and in Grade One. For some reason I had two tiny red placemats with the gold logo stamped on them - I think we got them in school. Of course the only image I remember is the big round dome, which was the USA pavilion at Expo67. This person lost their wallet - were they waiting for their ID to be returned? Or for money to reach them? How hard was all that to figure out in 1967 before the internet and the ATM technology we have today? Quiche Lorraine - I guess it's a French dish originally, but I made it for all my children's baptisms - because it's easy (with frozen pie crust) and you can assemble it in the morning and put it in the oven as you leave for church and when you return from th...