Mrs. Ava Helen Pauling

795 Hotsprings Road,

Santa Barbara

California

15th September, 1964.

Dear Mamma,

Thank you very much for your letter of the 4th September which I received today. I have not received any letter forwarded by you from Mr. Braunstein with enclosures for me to fill out and send back to him. When did you send it and where did you send it?

I am pleased that you saw Linus Junior's children and that you like them. I certainly like them very much. I enjoy talking to Linie who seems to be thinking sensible thoughts and he asks sensible questions. I enjoy talking to them all and playing with them.

We went for a holiday to France. We stayed with a friend of mine who is an Intern in a psychiatric Hospital near Calais. It was fairly cheap which I think was the main reason we went and was reasonably satisfactory though I was rather tense while we were there. There was some conflict of purpose between me and my host and perhaps between him and himself. We did eat well and rest well, however, and it was quite interesting to observe this hospital. We made several trips to the coast including a couple to Belgian where the coast is very nice. It was warm and sunny during our entire stay and we enjoyed playing in the fields and swimming at the coast. I think the thing that Thomas liked most was the Go-karts which are available in a large variety of types and sizes on the Belgian promenades. I had great trouble persuading Thomas that we could not take one home with us and will have to make him one. I think there ought to be a sale for them in England and I would like to try to persuade some small manufacturer to make them here. They are quite expensive but very good. All English children make Go-karts out of a board and the wheels of a pram.

We are having a little difficulty getting a builder to complete our house. The Architect had arranged for three builders to tender for the job and only one has done so. I will take him if he can do a reasonable job in a reasonable time for a reasonable price. I want very much to get the house finished so I can think about other things and to use it.

We have had a really excellent summer. It has rained almost none at all and has been hot with the sun shining. The children have run around almost naked most of the summer. Their cardigans are really beautiful they look very nice on them and we all like them very much.

Much love from