Letter transcription:

Jan 17, 1942 [1943]

Dear Mother,

This is one of those hot windy days that come in July or Aug at home when the wind blows and the leaves on the trees and the corn leaves wilt and one feels very worthless and no matter where it’s still hot. A good cold drink of water would sure be fine but ice is so scarce that cold water is out of the question.

There was no mail this morning and I don’t look for any this P.M. only a box of candy came from Boonie. You said something about cigarettes. Those have been cut off our ration so we have to buy our own and in case someone asks tell them it is OK. If anyone wants to send – Those peanuts in sealed cans are about as welcome as anything, but there really isn’t much we want besides the states and there isn’t anyone going to send them.

Today I had my first real tussel with civilization. I now have and have a had a table with drawers in

[page 2] one drawer and it got so full I couldn’t get it open. You know how that is – just keep putting stuff in and then when the drawer is pulled out the things catch. That and having a deck rather than the ground floor is another thing for a floor always requires a broom and there is work attached to an implement of that type – Just the curses of civilization but I could stand more curses.

Just wrote to the folk – Their weekly weakly letter. I don’t know how often they write but I don’t get letters from them very often but their mail is probably like yours doing a double shuffle some place along the line –

Our show last night was The Pied Piper. It The story was given in short in the Readers Digest sometime ago. The picture followed the story a great deal as I remember it. Don’t know what is on tonite but it will be after Church. We

[page 3] always hurry from Church to get a good seat, and sometimes don’t fare so good, but that only happens once each week. (I’m going to take a bath).

Both over – mail over Church over and Show over – got two letters – one from Mom and one from Ed. Johnson. I just wonder about them and their encounter. I suppose as you said I’ll know about theirs just a few days after it happens. His letter was dated Dec. 14 but the folks was Dec. 28. It wouldn’t be bad if we would get mail say every 2 wks if it were regular. Maybe now that Christmas is over things will be better. Mom said you didn’t come down Christmas so that is one thing I learned from her I didn’t from you because you didn’t know. Your letters weren’t coming thru. We

We happened – I mean Fred happened to

[page 4] have a can of deviled ham and he opened that and with some crackers we are having a snack after the show. So if there are grease spots there is where they came from.

You will have to give the furniture etc into the assessor this year so cut it down I can’t give you any advice on that. The car has a certain set value as well as the radio washer etc. but try to keep it down. He will be around in Mar. I think but don’t know how this mail is going.

Dr. Porterfield has a daily verse bible like things which he puts down the number of days and it is now 180 days since leaving Norfolk. He was in the hospital there. Practically ½ year. Does it seem longer? Yes to me – Must finish Mom’s letter so lots of love –

Daddy

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