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Document 879

Correspondence from Canada: Letter 31 - 07.02.82

Author(s): 852

Copyright holder(s): Name withheld

Text

The Maggie
7 Feb '82.

Dear Mum & Dad,

I'm trying to remember what happened last week - last night was "some wild party" as they say here. We became intoxicated enough to sneak by the security guard, change the sign which says "MJC Women's Res." to "MJC Co-Ed Res.", and break a small bottle of very cheap champers over the steps to re-christen the Maggie. That was interesting, but it was my second latish night in a row, so I'm kind of beat.

The weather took a turn for the worse, paradoxically by becoming warmer. For the first time in over a month the temperatures crept above zero, it rained, the temperature crashed back down, and Fredericton turned from a sea of slush to a river of ice. It was not pleasant walking out in those conditions! It's snowed a bit since, so there's more tread for one's boot, as it were. The snow is really piled high now - they say there's bound to be floods this year when there's a thaw. It's been the worst winter for several years.

I got a card and another photo from the [CENSORED: surname] - they received Dad's letter and were delighted to hear from you. I've written them back and sent them prints of some of my photos of Christmas.

Good news work-wise last week - after a meeting with my supervisor and my first reader, Profs. [CENSORED: surname] and [CENSORED: surname], they approved my thesis proposal, so it's full steam ahead. I'm really pleased with that, and it's lifted my spirits back up from the doldrums. The second good piece of news is that the Library has not only ordered the Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue for me, but the 1st 4 volumes have arrived! This is incredible, as it will help my thesis plans no end. It must have cost the Library the best part of $1000 to acquire and I'm really very pleased. UNB ain't so bad after all. So I'm slowly re-acquiring an interest in my work which is going reasonably well, and I've even started working on the "Maggie" Library.

"Arthur" is not a movie I'd be desperate to see. The next biggie to come across the Atlantic will be "Reds", written, directed, and starring Warren Beatty. Despite these disadvantages this 4-hour Communist "Gone with the Wind" has been getting rave reviews here, and it's in Fredericton now. If I ever make it up to the cinema way up the hill I'll certainly go see that. Meanwhile I'm making do with the film soc. showings of old greats, and on Friday there I went to see "The Grapes of Wrath" (1940). Henry Fonda was just a boy, and looked just like Jane. At times the young John Carradine looked just like his Kung Fuing son too, especially in the scene in which he got arrested. He had that Carradine smirk. It was an enjoyable movie, even if it was hammed up a lot.

I see Laker airways has gone bust - I feel sorry for Sir Freddie. What will Scottish Express do now, I wonder?

Halfway through February already! Or almost. Isn't time flying? Seven weeks and five days till Carole arrives, not that I'm counting .... much. I get sporadic lumps of homesickness, still - it would be nice to be able to come home for a weekend. Some of my fellow exiles feel the same way. I see International calls from Britain have been cut by 1/3, though, hint, hint. I still follow the news via the Times. However, this has been quite a year, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Take care, hope the weather's better where you are, and my best to all!

Love,
[CENSORED: forename].

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APA Style:

Correspondence from Canada: Letter 31 - 07.02.82. 2024. In The Scottish Corpus of Texts & Speech. Glasgow: University of Glasgow. Retrieved 14 November 2024, from http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/document/?documentid=879.

MLA Style:

"Correspondence from Canada: Letter 31 - 07.02.82." The Scottish Corpus of Texts & Speech. Glasgow: University of Glasgow, 2024. Web. 14 November 2024. http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/document/?documentid=879.

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Information about Document 879

Correspondence from Canada: Letter 31 - 07.02.82

Text

Text audience

Adults (18+)
Audience size 3-5
Writer knew intended audience

Text details

Method of composition Handwritten
Year of composition 1982
Word count 645

Text medium

Other airmail

Text publication details

Part of a longer series of texts
Name of series Correspondence from Canada

Text setting

Private/personal

Text type

Correspondence/letters

Author

Author details

Author id 852
Gender Male
Decade of birth 1950
Educational attainment University
Age left school 17
Upbringing/religious beliefs Protestantism
Occupation University Lecturer
Place of birth Ayr
Region of birth S Ayr
Birthplace CSD dialect area Ayr
Country of birth Scotland
Place of residence Bridge of Weir
Region of residence Renfrew
Residence CSD dialect area Renfr
Country of residence Scotland
Father's occupation Insurance Broker
Father's place of birth Auchinleck
Father's region of birth S Ayr
Father's birthplace CSD dialect area Ayr
Father's country of birth Scotland
Mother's occupation Dental Receptionist
Mother's place of birth Ayr
Mother's region of birth S Ayr
Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area Ayr
Mother's country of birth Scotland

Languages

Language Speak Read Write Understand Circumstances
English Yes Yes Yes Yes In most everyday situations
Portuguese Yes No No Yes When trying to communicate with my in-laws
Scots Yes Yes Yes Yes In domestic/activist circles; reading literature

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