2270 South Vine
Come with me as I meet my Mother through this series of letters, she died when I was 6 months old and this is my very first real glimpse into her world, who she was, who she wanted to be and how she loved my Father.
A collection of 36 letters hand written by my Mother Joyce at University of Denver and sent to my Father Earl at University of Colorado Boulder when they were first engaged in 1952. The letters span from September 1952 - January 1953. My Mother died from Breast Cancer in 1971 at the age of 40. The original language of the letters is read intact to maintain the integrity of the authenticity of her words, 1952 is a very different time culturally and economically.
Episodes
29 episodes
Letter 28 12/18/1952 Stamped, Sorted, and Homesick
December 18th, 1952 — Joyce writes late at night from Kankakee, Illinois, balancing exhaustion, work, and homesickness as Christmas approaches. She’s working long shifts at the post office, sorting letters by state, city, street, and block — mo...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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7:22
Letter 27 12/15/1952 The Original Karen and the Hope Chest
This episode was one of the harder letters to read and place into the world. There is an example of Hate ( Blue Square) in this episode, due to that fact the publish date was pushed past the holiday season and into the New Year. We'...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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12:25
Letter 26 12/13-14/1952 Airmail, Diamonds, and Denver Dreams
December 13–14, 1952 — Joyce’s letter home spans two days and two states, written partly from a jerky train bound for Illinois and partly from her family home in Kankakee. Traveling by airmail for the first time — double the postage at six cent...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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11:34
Letter 25 12/08/1952 Pencil Notes and Nervous Glances
December 8th, 1952 — Joyce writes from her Education and Sociology class, balancing her notebook on her lap while Dr. Shiri looms nearby, close enough to notice she’s writing. She sketches the seating chart in her letter, amused and cautious — ...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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5:24
Letter 24 12/2/1952 Spaghetti, Hockey, and Final Projects
Show Notes: December 2nd, 1952 — Joyce is relieved to find a letter from Earl waiting for her at home and dives into another busy day of rewrites and responsibilities. She’s nearly finished redoing her composition, booked an appointm...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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7:58
Letter 23 12/1/1952 Happy Birthday, Lost Notes, and Big Dreams
Show Notes: December 1st, 1952 — On Earl’s birthday, Joyce opens with “I love you very much” and a cheery wish, but the letter soon turns into a portrait of an exhausted young woman juggling school, work, and life’s uncertainties. Th...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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7:47
Letter 22 11/25/1952 Sex Education, Soapboxes, and Slow Days
Show Notes: November 25th, 1952 — Joyce is once again writing from Dr. Shiri’s class, distracted by a student’s clumsy report on sex education, Puritan beliefs, and the meaning of love. Her pencil scrawls between reflections on the r...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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5:40
Letter 21 11/24/1952 Thanksgiving Week and A+ Dreams
Show Notes: November 24th, 1952 — Joyce beams with pride over an A+ on her genetics exam and looks ahead to Thanksgiving week as a welcome break from the grind. She compares spring vacation dates with Boulder, notes Easter falling on...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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5:02
Letter 20 11/19/1952 Between Socks, Songs, and Soap Dishes
Show Notes: November 19th, 1952 — Joyce writes to Earl relieved that her genetics test felt “too easy for comfort” and proud of a composition song whose melody came together in under an hour. She worries it might be something she’s h...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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6:56
Letter 19 11/18/1952 Ink-Stained Hands and Snow-Dusted Pines
Show Notes: November 18th, 1952 — Joyce writes with an inky, leaky pen, alternating between work at the café and outlining chapters for her upcoming genetics test. She muses about headscarves versus earmuffs for the cold, the beauty ...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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5:57
Letter 18 11/07/1952 Puppets, Potatoes, and the Core of Everything
Show Notes: November 17th, 1952 — Joyce writes this letter from inside Dr. Shuri’s class, half listening to a heated discussion about replacing algebra, languages, and history with a new “core curriculum” of mental hygiene, family tr...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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10:20
Letter 17 11/11/1952 Tape Measures, Socio-Dramas, and Counting the Days
Show Notes: November 11th, 1952 — Joyce writes in pencil after her bath, determined to avoid another inky mess. It’s been an “ordinary day” full of work rushes, sore feet, and a compliment from Johnny on how she handles the pressure....
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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8:52
Letter 16 11/11/1952 Puppets, Piano, and Missing You
November 11th, 1952 — Joyce writes Earl on another Monday, her longing so intense she says she’d walk the turnpike just to be in his arms. Her day has been a whirl of productivity: reading assignments, practicing McDowell’s Sonata from memory, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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8:20
Letter 15 11/4/1952 Election Night and Empty Arms
November 4th, 1952 — As the nation listens to the election returns, Joyce writes to Earl with one ear on the radio, expecting Eisenhower to win but watching closely for Stevenson’s showing in Illinois. The day feels oddly out of step, a mix of ...
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7:02
Letter 14 11/3/1952 Pencil Letters and Mountain Views
November 3rd, 1952 — Joyce writes from work in pencil, determined that Earl will have a Wednesday letter even though they’ll see each other that night. Between serving customers, she shares the latest gossip: Johnny’s $300 poker loss, Winnie’s ...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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4:42
Letter 13 10/28/1952 The Night Before Evolution
October 28th, 1952 — Joyce writes from Denver on the eve of a big genetics and evolution quiz, armed with her study outline but fretting over memorization. Campus life hums in the background: fraternity shakeups, pledge drama, and a visit to th...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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8:36
Letter 12 10/27/1952 18 Reasons and then some
October 27th, 1952 — Joyce writes to Earl from Denver on a Monday afternoon that started slow and academic. She skips class, contemplates the mountain of assignments ahead — from evolution tests to children’s play evaluations — and trades bathr...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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7:29
Letter 11 10/21/1952 Faith, Dr Shirey, and the Beatitudes: A Letter on Belief and Love
In this thought-provoking letter, Joyce reflects on a heated classroom debate with Dr. Shirley , whose provocative statements on religion, Christ, and education spark frustration—and intellectual awakening. As she forms a research group and dig...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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8:01
Letter 10 10/20/1952 Laundry Chutes, Love Letters, and the Madness of Monday
In this letter—misdated "1959" but likely written October 20th, 1952—Joyce writes from the eye of a college storm. Between roommate drama, academic overload, and an ink-leaking pen, she still manages to beam love and longing toward Earl. She re...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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9:47
Letter 9 10/14/1952 Spaghetti, Sweaters, and Something Deeper
In this letter from October 14, 1952, Joyce offers a vibrant blend of daily college chaos and soul-deep vulnerability. She shares casual updates—class confusion, dance plans, roommate drama, and midnight cravings for pancakes—with the same ease...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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7:16
Letter 8 10/13/1952 Homecoming Plans and Monday Emotions
In this October 13th, 1952 letter, Joyce shares another vivid snapshot of her college life—from skipping classes and planning the homecoming dance to musing about corsages, psychiatric interviews, and Monday blues. Amid playful teasing and hear...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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7:58
Letter 7 10/08/1952 Scratch Pad, Sock Diamonds, and Missing You
In this intimate, handwritten letter from October 8, 1952, Joyce shares her unfiltered thoughts and daily moments from college life—academic procrastination, social drama, a leaky pen, and a longing for connection with her sweetheart. Set...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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7:58
Letter 6 10/07/1952 From Homecoming to Tagliavini
Description: In this letter from October 7th, 1952, Joyce reflects on her college experiences and the dynamics within her dorm. She shares her thoughts on her classes, work, and the social interactions with her friends.Highlights:...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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7:27
Letter 5 10/06/1952 Embracing College Challenges
Description: In this letter dated October 6th, 1952, Joyce writes about her experiences with her classes and the challenges of balancing work and academics. She shares her thoughts on her professors and the dynamics within her dorm.Highl...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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6:09
Letter 4 Part 1 09/30/1952 A Day in the Life of a College Student
Description: In this letter from September 30th, 1952, Joyce shares her daily routine and the small joys and challenges of college life. She reflects on her academic pursuits and the social interactions with her friends and classmates.Hi...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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5:12