South Truro, Mass.   May 13

Bee dear—

We left in such confusion—so exhausted going through all one's effects, the agonies of decision, & of family strife where there were differences of opinion—E. H. having had a bad spell the week before & holding up the party for that reason— & I on the verge of collapse—so many considerations churning about in one's mind all at once—that altho I had before me on a long list—"Phone Bee" there never was a minute when I could do this—until after 2 o'clock in the morning—the night I sat up to wash my hair—& E. H. was in bed & had stopped yapping.

We've been here over a week —E. H. is doing splendidly. He picked up surprisingly the minute the car left our door. Car took 2 days to pack. It's a bit chilly here but gorgeous & we manage to keep fairly warm. Our neighbor's house is quite solid—it's a little 18th century colonial farm house & we're quite comfortable. It is so good of her to let us have it. She & her daughter came all the way down from Boston to get the house ready & to receive us. Then after 2 days rest we went up to visit them on Chesnut Hill.

Nothing done yet about the little house—but it looks like we were going to have a Boston man do it. We were taken to see some houses he did in Brookline & Ches. Hill & they were lovely—so chaste looking—like E. H.'s watercolors— that is like the style of his watercolors—not the subjects. It would be a great relief to hand it all over to him—& know that he has taste as well as knowledge. But how terrifyingly the costs do mount. But E. H.'s health is so much better here—& the Cape is lovely. So much finer here now all to ourselves. The Cape people aren't going to like our getting in outside talent—to direct the work—I'm worried about that—& we, their lawful prey too—to fall to an outsider and such problems! However to get a car up that hill & how back around to come out without going over a precipice!

I do hope you are enjoying the C. C. I'm so glad for the swimming pool—to know you have that when you haven't better. Do keep well. I hope poor Bessie isn't worrying you. It is such a pity that the one infallible should be stricken.

I know how you loathe writing—but would like to have some notion where you'll be from time to time. No catching the tail of your comet east summer I know. I wish we weren't so immersed in uncertainties—but it's fine to have E. H. so much better.

With much love—Jo