Paterson november 12, 1925

 

Dear Tjamme en Atje en P[]!

 

We all are still in good health and hope for you the same. It has been too long that we let here of us, but that is now over the high shoes [unknown expression to me, water rose above even the higest shoes, so finally one gets his feet wet. i.e. by writing this letter we made good], so we will get going rapidly. We all we so exited when your packet arrived, but when we looked inside we saw that no paper was left on its place; better said one thing for Pietje and one for Sydney, the rest we did not like. [difficult phrase, either we could not find anything for the others, or the rest we did not like, i.e was not of  interest to us. niets aan vinden = do not like, kan niet vinden = cannot find but see below] The lid of that nice jar was completely broken. And as Trijntje writes as well, it all is still at P[iet] and P[ietjes] place, en so we would write and we should and we should, but finally it came to it. We still would like to know what was intented for whom, for as you stand there [at the event the package arrives] and one does not know for whom it is intended, one doesn't like that, for we are so glad that you have still know us. From your Father and Mother, Tjamme! we don't hear a thing, they will never write us again I suppose. We hear from Father how the situation is, but she must decide for herself. What good parents we have, we carry them on our heart!

 

[Summary: a damaged parcel arrived in Patterson and the only items that could be claimed by someone particular where appointed to Piet and Pietje, the rest were general items that could not be appointed to anybody particular, worse, they were hardly appreciated. The lack of directions for whom which item was meant to be is clearly expressed, This grudge led to not writing a letter for quite a period ]

 

I have been to collect my first documents, I had to renounce the Queen. So now you can call us the Americans, for we are no longer purebred Dutch. I would very much like that you came over to see how [good] we have it here in America. And we hope, if the Lord pleases, and we keep on doing well, we will meet again in some year's time. But we do not know the road ahead, if we are allowed to live our life close to God, and my expect everything form Him, He wil create our road, as is best for us. We noticed from Father's and Mother's letter, you have been there [visited them] with Auke [ToDo this might be Atjes brother and his wife Jeltje X] and Jeltje. I think it is godd someone shows up there, don't you think? How are they these days, do they still have some courage? And Atje do not forget to say hello to the people from Hallum, all of them! [Atje is from Hallum, Auke might be her brother, and so Jan means to say: alsothank Auke for visiting my parents, but while we are at it all of them the whole van der Meer tribe] We are very occupied these days, four nights a week at school, but that is fine! You would be surprised if we opened our mouth in English. Well, I hope to do that once and then I will call him names… Once again thanks for everthing we received, we will not forget you! Receive these letters with the blessings of the Lord, that is our wish and prayer. WIth this our best regards. Say hello to our beloved Parents and Br[others] and S[ister] and K[ids], greetings. These are our English names John and Trina Machiela.