Bud and Agnes Introduction - HOME

October 31, 1962

Piazza di Spagna e Trinita dei Mont

Rome

February 21, 1963

Postcard with picture of the cathedral of Milano written by Agnes to Meta Land and Helen from Milan, no date

Dear Mother and Helen

We stopped in Milano on our way to Switzerland. Bud has taken a job selling cars to Amer tourists. Part of the deal is to go pick up cars in other countries. We may go to Germany next week. This trip we took Ben, Zack & Justy. Maggie loves school. Every one is well The other day I went to a beautiful tea at the U. S. Ambassador's villa. We walked all around the top of this Cathedral. It was great.

Love, Bud and Agnes

Love,

Maggie

Postcard of Pisa, Leaning Tower and Apse of the Cathedral from Bud, no date

Dear Mom and Helen,

Agnes & I visited here today. We drove from Turin and are on our way back to Rome. The mountains and shoreline are beautiful.

Love,

Bud

Letter from Agnes, December 30, 1962, Rome

Dear Mother and Helen

Thanks for the very generous gift. Bud and I have decided rather than buy things we will take them to the circus and on extra tours which we would not have done otherwise.

You can be sure we talked about Christmas at home. The comparison sometimes make them a little sad. We had a very nice but simple Christmas. While Bud was home the kids and I painted a nativity scene which we hung up over the couch in the living room. Tony bought a small fake tree with lights which was very attractive. We cooked three chickens and many vegetables. Turkey was available but very expensive and we would have had to buy a roasting pan that we did not own. So we moved Mr Turkey aside in favor of his small barn yard friends. Bud and I did all the Christmas shopping in two hours-Each kid got something he wanted or needed- Slippers for the girls-Tony gloves a belt and socks-Zack and Benny ten army men apiece and a few small army trucks. The babies a few small cars and trucks-plus two games for everyone monoply in Italian plus a checker and chess game. This was a simple Christmas but we were delighted to see every one was just as happy and pleased as though it were an elaborate one at home.This may never happen again but it was nice to see that it could be so.

I am sorry I did not write and thank you immediately but I could not get myself to do so until Bud was with us agian. From once he arrived I thought any day I would get to all the correspondence I have to do. It is only now that every one is looking at the soccer game on T.V. that I am taking time out to write. We see some point of interest almost every day. The more we see the more we love the city of Rome. Today Bud and I went (sic) the flea market. Do (sic) we have a grand time with miles and miles of junk to look at! God only knows what we may come home with. Its a good thing we have a limited amount of money and space or we may be carried away. But it sure is fun to look-

Bud told me how cold it is at home. The weather has been like spring here. Today it was about 60 degrees. January is a rainy month-February is to be a beautiful month so we heard.

Thnaks for the birthday cards and notes. I will try to drop cards frequently from now on.

Happy New Year to you both. Everyone sends heaps of love form Rome.

As ever,

Agnes

Letter from Agnes, January 24, 1963, Rome

Dear Mother and Helen:

We hope you had a Happy Birthday- We thought about you. Perhaps you even heard us singing Happy Birthday- because we did.

The news is as follows:

Maggie has been accepted to Loyola University here in Rome. She starts February 4th and is very happy about the whole thing.

Bud and I went on a tour of the tomb of St Peter under the Vatican. It takes two hours to complete and is most interesting. We would both like to go again. We are going to make arrangements for the older kids to go someday.

Bud, Maggie, Kevy, Matt and I went to a small public audience of the Pope. Esther Williams and Fernando Lamas were there. We have also seen Don Amechie and James Mason at other times.

We are having quite a cold wave here in Rome. It is twenty-eight degrees out and that is cold for Rome! Everyone tells us it will not last. We sure hope they are right.

Tony is playing soccer and basketball for school which makes him very happy. Maggie is learning Italian very well. She takes lessons from a young girl in exchange for English lessons.

I must learn to cook all over again for there are many vegetalbes we do not have in the U.S. But I am having fun and every on is usually pleased with the results.

We got a letter from Edgar saying he had a nice time at home (Smithtown) he said he saw Joan's baby but did not tell us if it was a boy or girl and what it is called. Perhaps you could fill us in with the details.

We are all well and send our love to both of you.

As ever

Agnes

Postcard of Notre Dame, Paris from Bud, March 3, 1963

Dear Helen and Mother

I should have paid more attention to Miss Kock. Agnes and I are in Paris for a few days. Went to the top of the Eiffel tower today. Had lunch on the Left Bank. Tomorrow we expect to visit the Flea Market

Love

Bud

Letter from Bud, April 2, 1963, Rome

Dear Mom and Helen

Rome is now enjoying Spring. The trees are all turning green and the fruit trees and some flowers are in bloom.

Everyone is well and we are enjoying every minute of our stay.

I have a job selling European care to tourists, etc. The deal is that tourists can buy European cars tax frree, drive them on their vacations then send them home to the States and do this all for less money than the same car would cost at home. The savings range from several hundred dollars on the VW's up to two thousand dollars in the larger Jaguars, etc.

Among the people to whom I have sold cares are, Fernando Lamas (with Ester Williams), Harold Jacob Smith (won Oscars for writing the movies The Fugitive and Inherit The Wind, and Katereine Northridge the author.

Our office is on the corner of the Via Veneto and the Via Sardegna. Via Veneto is the location of the American Embassy. It is also the spot where all the sidewalk Cafes are flooded with movie personalities and tourists who want to rub elbows with them.

In as much as the Italian government does not allow cars to be sold tax free but will welcome the tourists who drives his tax free care into Italy; all cars must be driven from Switzerland, Paris, Milan, Turin and Genova. I pick a turn every so often so Agnes and I get a chance to see more of Europe in a new car with someone else paying most of the expense. The latest request is to drive a new Maserate sports car from Modena, Italy across the Swiss boarder to Cliasse (?) where it will be regestered then on to Genova, along the Italian & French Riviera, through Monaco along the coast on to Barcelona then onto Madrid where I will deliver it to a customer. We will then either fly back to Rome or take the train. Of course after spending a few days in Madrid.

I expect in two or three weeks to pick up a car in Bremen, Gemany and drive it back to Rome. I have worked out my time so I can spend about two weeks in the office and one week traveling.

We work Italian working hours- 9 AM to 1PM- then a long lunch hour-then from 4PM to 6:30PM with no Sat or Sun work.

Agnes & I visited the Flea Market again Sunday morning. There are blocks & blocks for a mile and a half with both side of the street lined with temporary shops. Some are canves tents, some umbrellas and some just a rug thrown in the street.

They sell everything, shoes, clothes, toys, kitchen ware, furniture, bedding, baskets, birds, stamps, candy, china, glass, light fictures, antiques, junk, ect, etc. etc.. We find lots of unusual thing but have to limit ourselves to a few things we can bring home. This Flea Market is open only on Sunday and only from 8 AM to 1 PM. By 1:30 there are street sweepers and by 2:00 you would never know a market had been there. This is such an attraction that about 1/3 of Rome turns out. You have to push you way though the crowds. We always meet several people we know in the mobs.

Driving in the city of Rome is wild. There must be a thousand new cars a week added to the traffic with that many new drivers. When we first arrived I could park a car on the street across from the appartment. Each day that passes I have to go further up the street to park. Just in the few months we have been here I have to park about three blocks away now.

Maria, the gal we had working for us, is now back in Bombay, India, thanks to Bud Rau, a friend in Chatham, N.J., who when I told him of her problems sent her the money to get home. We have another girl, Betty- a young Irish lass who is now living in Rome.

Everyone sends their love and I send mine.

Bud

Thanks for the birthday card

Love, Agnes

Postcard of Couleurs et Lumiere de France, Monte Carlo from Agnes, April 9, 1963

Dear Mother and Helen,

Bud and I just had lunch at Monte Carlo. We are heading for Spain. Every one is well.

Love

Agnes & Bud

Postcard of Plaza de Oriente y Placio Real, Madrid, April 14, 1963

Dear Mother and Helen

Bud and I have just been to the Bull fights here in Madrid. Wow! We are flying back to Rome tomorrow. Bud drove a Maserate from Italy to Madrid, Spain.

All our love

Agnes & Bud

Postcard from Bud, from Frankfurt, April 26, 1963

Dear Mom & Helen

Flew here today to pick up a car to drive back to Rome. Each trip we have to change money. Francs, Pesetas, Lira, D Marks, etc. We always have to figure how much each is worth in U.S. dollars.

Love,

Bud & Agnes

Postcard from Bud and Agnes, Vienna, June 10, 1963

In Agnes's handwriting

Benny's letter should have been mailed days ago- sorry, Love Agnes

Dear Mom and Helen,

We are returning from a four day visit in Vienna the struddle, brauten and kare??alat are the best. The wild flowers are just beautiful through the Alps. We got Lederhosen for the little kids. I was tempted to get a pair for me.

Love, Agnes and Bud

Letter from Agnes, Tony, Justy, Zack, Ben, and Matt, July 1, 1963, Rome

In Agnes's hand

Dear Mother and Helen,

The time is flying by so. We are trying to do as many things as we can before we depart.

Maggie is planing on staying and studing at the Academia de Belle Arte. She has a job at the Hilton. She speaks Italian quite well now.

Edgar has a job at a Hotel in Lisle for the summer. One which he hopes to keep part time though the school year to help defray some of his school ecpences. He gets $75.00 per week plus room and board. He plans to be home the last week in August. We are very anxious to see him.

As a matter of fact we are very anxious to see everyone. When our plans are more definite we will drop you a card and let you know what they are. Right now we are pulling thing together for the day we say Arrivederla Roma. Good bye Roma

Love and kisses to you both.

As ever

Agnes

We will be here at this address until August 5

Ciao Grandma and Aunt Helen,

Caio means Hi or good-by in Italian

We're having a wonderful time swiming at the beach the water is usaly warm, calm and clear. We are all very tan from the many times we have visited the beach.

We plan to take a trip to Venice in a few weeks. I am waiting to go for I hear that it is one of the better cities to see.

We are all well and anxious to get home and see you for we have many wonderful things to tell you.

You grandson,

Tony

I am anxious to see you.

Love, Justy

See you soon I hope

Love, Zackary

I am glad to be going home.

Love, Benedict