Monday Oct. 2nd 1944

Dearest Kitten:

Your telegram reached me today, which is very good figuring on your part. One day early is very good guessing. I knew what it was when I received it so it did not bother me too much when I first saw the envelope.

Later: All things come to he who waits. What a load of mail I received tonight. A card from your mother & father, a letter from Roland & Rita - and steen letters from you. The pictures were in the last one. Very nice indeed. They sure made me homesick and lonesome. I have a hard time convincing myself that I am the father of two lovely children as big as they are getting. You can not possibly know how I felt when I looked at their pictures. They are growing up on me and I can not help myself from thinking of them as they were the last time that I saw them. Know what I mean.

Sweetheart, the package that I told you about never got mailed. It will be in a day or two though. When I wrote and told you to be watching for it I had it all set to go, but I found that I could get something done that I wanted to and did not mail it. It is almost ready to go though and I will send it airmail to speed it up.

Was over to the club all day yesterday. We had two kegs of beer and I got slightly bloomed up. All day I was planning on writing to you but by the time I got around to it, I was in too sad a condition to even sign my name. I returned to my mess hall and had a late snack and it fixed me right up. This morning I felt unusually well considering.

Forget the spaghetti as my mess sgt. and myself found a small Italian Restaurant that serves the real thing.

Yes, I receive all your letters. I have been very fortunate about your mail. So far nothing has been lost that I know of.

Instead of a pocket watch, I now have a seventeen jewel Hamilton wrist watch. It is a very good watch and keeps very good time. On the way over on the boat, I broke the crystal of my pocket watch, so my C.O. told me to take a wristwatch. I never noticed whether my ring showed up in any of the pictures that I had taken. It never occurred to me to notice because I am so used to the ring. It is just like having a nose, two eyes, or a mouth. The ring is a part of me now so I never bother to notice.

I am glad that you like the pictures. As soon as your roll of film reaches me, I will have some more for you.

You thing that I write very nice letters and all the time that I am writing I am conscious of my own inability to put down what is in my heart, because I love you so much Sweetheart.

My love for you is so damn persistent that it does not give me any rest. Your picture that I have before me has brought such wonderful memories that there is a lump in my throat. My eyes want to start shedding tears but I can not let my lonesomeness get the best of me or I will become a candidate for a Section Eight discharge. The men in the barracks next door have the radio going and it is playing Lake Louise. Very helpful for me, the mood that I am in.

England isn’t the only place that everything is high. Over here it is just as bad. The gift shops are run by dignified highway robbers.

Bobby is getting to be a regular outdoor guy huh? I am glad to see that he likes to be out. The air and sunshine is good for him, only I hope he has sense enough to stay out of the streets. How about sending me some Toll House cookies. You will have to send them in a metal box and wrap each one in wax paper. I sure could go for a lot of your cooking just about now. The Aussies have a saying that describes me very well - Yank Happy.

You don’t wish half as much as I do that I am home before our youngsters start school. The way it looks to me it will be quite some time before it is over though.

No, my daughter will not have me eating out of her hand, no more than I do for her mother. What a time I am going to have with two bosses!

The passing of each hours is always regretted by me as I am jealous of the time that is spent without you. I know that it is time that can never be recaptured. We may make up for it but it is not in anyone’s powers to reclaim spent time.

Enclosed is the Beachcomber. Hope that you like it as much as we get a kick out of it.

Am afraid that I will have to close as it is late and I must get to bed so I can dream of you.

Regards to everyone & kiss the babies for me.

I love you my Darling Wife.

Your Loving Devoted & Faithful Husband,

Bob