Mar 221943
 

Monday
Chiswick
Dearest,
For the first time this year I’m writing you in the open air on one of the seats in St James’ Park where perhaps three weeks tonight I’ll be holding you close in my arms. Happy thought, isn’t it? John definitely thinks it is.
So vapours are only one day early? I’m glad of that, not merely because it means that your jaunt won’t have to be postponed but also because it is another indication of an improvement in your blood “picture”. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to comfort you and make a fuss of you as of yore. It’s funny the way everything comes unstuck when you’re not feeling on top of the world, but in some ways it is better than having lots of days marred by minor catastrophes.
I’m glad you were able to take the disappointment about the children so well, even though you were so full of enthusiasm for it. I have regretted that decision many many times since and have told myself I’m a fool, but at the back of my mind all the time is the feeling that something might just happen while they are here. Anyway, it’s done now.
So Wendy has lost another tooth! I can see this costing you a young fortune before they both have a full set of second teeth. Is there any sign of one to replace the first one yet, and whereabouts has this one come from?
You are not, I hope, going to sit up all hours sewing frocks for Wendy from now until you come here.
Nice of old Johnston to enquire so tenderly after me. I didn’t know I was so popular with the tradesmen!
Well, love, there’s very little news. We didn’t do anything very exciting yesterday because Dot has another cold. By the time I’d had a bath and a little shut-eye and dinner it was almost 3 o’clock and it was just striking 4.30 when we went out for a walk along an old part of the river we hadn’t visited. Some real old property round there. We were only out for about one-and-a-half hours and then listened to the radio after tea and in bed by 10.30. Virtuous, aren’t I? Dot started new hours today which means going out half an hour earlier and finishing earlier, which is a definite advantage in the summer. It also means we’ll be in bed earlier.
What did you think of Churchill? Two more years possibly to finish Hitler and then a start will be made on Japan! One great comfort was the promise of partial demobilisation as soon as Germany is out of it, which may mean they will keep the younger fellows and those with no definite job, for the fight against Japan. Which might let me out in two or three years from now. Anyway, that won’t be far short of what I expected – I said uniform for five years, didn’t I? If we can hang on here for another six months it should mean that one spell abroad is all we will get and that we will finish our time out down here, by which time you and the three(!) children could then come down for a holiday! The lights of London would be shining once more and we should have a chance of quite a decent holiday.
The next three days should go quickly for me and the next time I have a day off will be Thursday, by which time I’ll only have two-and-a-half weeks to wait. Oh, sweetheart, I am looking forward to seeing you again and I do hope that the weather is nice for you.
Well, sweet, I must go and get a couple of hours’ sleep now. All my love, precious. When you write again tell me how the frock looks and how the frogspawn is progressing, I’m quite interested! I hope vapours are better now and that your lousy spell is at an end. Take care of yourself for the next three weeks. All my love.
Ever,
Arthur X
P.S. Perhaps you’d better send the golf clubs to Litherland.