(Livingston Manor, May 15, 1721:
received by Robert in New York: May 20)
May 15, 1721, in the Manor of Livingston.

My Dear Husband,

A I hope this will find you in good health. I send you the Dutch letter. I have sent your black silk stockings and your cane. We had a whole lot of rain.
B I had some planks planed in the brewery and sent for a load of oats to be sowed additionally in the mill-meadow. This Wednesday they will start breaking up the first lot.
Rosman is fixing the doorstep. They are still stubbing in the gap.1)
My regards to Naetye and Alida Veets. Naetye must boil the sap of kef-leaves and hold that lukewarm in her mouth and ear; they say that helps against tooth-ache.
Herewith, be commended to the Lord.
C Your Beloved Wife
Alida Livinghston

If you can get a joiner who has worked at our son-in-law’s house, [that] would do just as well.
D We cannot get Tamme’s deed. I have always thought it was just an idle story. That’s why I have never mentioned it, and he was not capable of it.
Butter is not to be had. For our cows I cannot get as much as we need.
I am very glad you are better.

In the left margin
- at the (A) mark: with2) Pieter Winne
- at the (B) mark: Write to me how sister Gheertruy is doing – whether she is better;
and [the same about] Pyster3). We need two whitewash-brushes.
- at the (C) mark: Write to me whether the Governor has married. Jan van Loon is
dead.
- At the (D) mark: For which we [can] not be grateful enough to God.


Notes:
1) Alida writes “de kloof” = “the chasm” or “the gap”; “de kloof” might be a geographical name.
2) Alida’s “met” (=”with”) often indicates the bearer of her letter or goods or the (captain of the) vessel carrying it/them.
3) More commonly spelled: “Peyster”.