Letter

Half-folded handwritten letter from Pearl Graves Novak addressed to "my dear friend" recounting a tour of the western United States and Canada that she just returned from. The letter reads:

My dear friend;
Just what are you doing these days. Wasting your time in some shocking manner I suppose. If you have a few days to waste and can find a train that is half as reliable as yourself, come on up to Traverse [?]. I'm at home now until Sept. 15. The [?] Special is supposed to run three times a week still but is usually three hours late.
We returned from our western trip two weeks ago today, a little earlier than we planned because of the strike. We made stops at Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Grand Canyon, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, Minneapolis, Duluth, and Milwaukee. We spent two days in the Canadian Rockies or nearly two but not as we planned because of the trains scare. I surely enjoyed it all and a five weeks vacation of travelling and stopping at hotels was quite a change from my last 12 months' occupation.
But East Bay never looked better than as present. We are enjoying our new cottage so much too that of course our being gone has delayed several things we planned to do to it. Mother went home this week.
I suppose the club house is in fine condition. I'm wondering if our annual change in caretakers has to come this year. Write me all about everything. I do not plan to be back until Sept. 15 at least. The weather will determine. The Detroit Symphony Quartette are all in this neighborhood and some are staying until Oct. so I won't be alone and I'll have the car.
Remember me to the "elect"[?] and love to yourself.
As ever
Pearl Graves Novak