[Letter from Lyle Creelman to her mother]

              I
Geneva, Nov. 24,1957.
Dear Mother,
I think I have nearly all my Xmas cards addressed now and kave wrttten notes with
some.  I suppose there will be some friends I have omitted but will have to send them a
letter if I recieve a card.  I have just addressed one to Miss Fairleyfjind also to Miss
Campbell.  I know Miss Fairley is not at the same address as she was last year so hope
it will be forwarded.
It has been cold and gray to-day so it has not been difficult to stay in this afternoon.  I went to chmrch this morning,  ^ince the minister has found an apartment—
the i>±anse--tj^e congregation are invited there afterwards for coffee.  I went to-day.
I suppose that gradually I shall meet some offfche peoplwfi They are very friendly but
I 4o not rush up to introduce myself, so do not get to know as many as I should.
Yesterday I took Dr. Lin, from Formosapfon a dtive to Annecy.  Then in the evening
I was invited out to Dr. and Mrs, Sze'sgalong with Marty, to listen to music.  It was
very nice but it was late when I got bajek home||j Thursday fts American Thanksgiving so
I am going with a party of Americans to a big dinner and dance.  It willpbe an opportunity to wear my evening dress for the first time in 1957.
I am going to have a meeting with nurses from the 12th Dec. to the 20th. so it is
not going £o leave me much time to plMn for Xmas. If I do not get an invitation out to
dinner I shall try my hand at cooking a turkey h||re. The Swiss ovensjfare so small that
it will not be a big one. What is Eleanor planning for ^mas this year^
Have you seerijjan th^papars that ^enry Borden has a^ffew government assignment/ I
was just reading the note Winnie Barnstead sent with her last Xmas card.  She said then
that they had a new town house and were not spending so much of their time in the country.
I wonder how Atthur and Chtistine are.  I suppose wintering;^^Florida as usual.
Did I tell you that I wa*e was having company in for last Thurs. It'Was quite a
success. I had Dr. Macintosh, from England, Dr Lin, from Formosa, Bob Bogue who works
with Marty and my two secretaries. I wanted to try one of the Swiss dishes. You have
raw meat cut in small pieces and each person dips his meat on special forks into boiling
butter which is kept hot on the middle of tad tablje**^ I had baked potato with this and
for dessert, pumpkin pie.
I am planning to have some guests next Saturday and then I think I shall be about
caught up on the entertainment I owe. After that when I entertain I am going to try
to include some people outside of W.H.O.  It is silly^just asking intjie people one sees
every day at work.
I shall have Fernanda staying with me|from the 11th to the 20th of December.  One of
our nurses is coming to the meeting from Washington and sbhe will probably bemn Geneva
over Xmas.  However I do not intend being generous and inviting her to stay with me.  She
is not a person I enjoy being with.
I think I told you iSiat j£fi|ent the chocolates off to Vi.  Sent her a card and a note
to-day. Hope I get )$jrs. Moses' address soon so I can send her chocolates in time folri
xmas.
I have just heard the B.B.C. news and the announcement that the U.S. will launch
some sattelites which will far surpass what the Russians have done. However even with
speeding up it apparently will not be for another two and a half years so by that time
the Russians are sure to have something bigger and better. I^ffi seems to be a very senseless race and a terrible waste of money that could be used to make life so much morle*
pleasant for so many people. However I think an outjand out war is getting farther away.
I am invited to Dr. Pfister's for dinner on Tues. To-morrow night Dp. Leslie uook
of the World ^ouncil of Churshes is speaking in the American Community Hall.  I would
like to hear him.  Was he the one in Vancouver recently^