HYDE PARK, Wednesday—When I first awoke this morning the fog all about us was heavy, but the sun came through and another glorious day was ours. John and Anne and I went out for a long ride, and while I am delighted to be going out west to see my children there, I regret leaving here at this beautiful season. However, I shall be back for a good part of October and that is some consolation.

As I write I look out on the ring of trees back of our swamp and the colors are turning red and gold against the dark green of the pines. Today some dredging work has begun and my husband came over to watch the machine pulling out the stumps. The machines seem almost alive, they respond so quickly to the manipulations of the man in the saddle. The strong cables are placed far out around the stump of a tree by a crew of men, the engine starts and before you know it, the cable is taut and the stump is moving.

We are all of us putting last things in to bags and I have been giving final directions and saying goodbye to a number of people. My sister-in-law, Mrs. J. R. Roosevelt, has been ill for a short time but she is very happy to be up again today so she can come to the train to see my husband off. She is going to be able also to take care of a card party tomorrow in my mother-in-law's house. This party was promised a long while ago and must take place before my mother-in-law comes home.

Yesterday was my mother-in-law's birthday. My husband did not tell me that she requested us not to send any word to her as she wished nobody to be aware of the fact that another year lay behind her. Not being told I sent a cable from us both with my husband's knowledge and only in the evening did she tell me with a chuckle of her desire for anonymity. He added that he thought she should be remembered whether she wished to be or not! In any case we all drank her health last evening, and wished her many more happy years.

One of our boys has a birthday tomorrow which in his young days he always celebrated with his grandmother, now they have to celebrate it far apart!

I am increasingly conscious of the plight in which men and women over forty who need work are finding themselves. Quite frequently there are letters in the mail asking my advice as to what they can do. Someone told me yesterday of one occupation in which a man over forty was actually preferred to any one younger and I heaved a sigh of relief. It seems to me ludicrous that this situation should exist for at forty a man or woman should be at their best and have experience and poise and patience all of which should make meeting certain problems of work easier. Today in my mail I find a gentleman who suggests that it might be well to dramatize this situation on the radio and I rather hope he carries out his ideas for people should give it more consideration.