Wednesday
Glasgow
Dearest,
I’m looking forward to your letter telling of the birthday doings. It should arrive sometime today, dinner time or tea time. Poor old Stelly-well. Did she get tied up with the new ball and pump? A new ball can be the very devil sometimes when they are new, even when you are used to them. I know how you feel about it. But while it is new, it is probably better not too hard – unlike John – because it might be a bit too hard for his feet. Actually, of course, it would probably feel lighter to him if blown hard, but that doesn’t matter a great deal. I’ll have a whale of a time with that when I come home.
Tiger seems to have given you a real run for your money. I can just imagine the excitement of the children when you rescued the mouse and I’ll bet that Wendy was nearly in tears! If this was peacetime, we would be flooded out with white mice and things like that in the next year or so.
I have received your letter and what a nice letter it was. I’m being spoiled this week with two long letters. Many thanks, love, for all the details about the party. No wonder the kids had such a good time with the spread you put up for them. I’m glad you go to so much trouble on these occasions because I hate the idea of children always having war conditions forced on them. You are an angel, love, the way you combat all those difficulties and it makes such a difference to the children.
I am sorry you have had two nasty jolts like that. These things make me feel guilty that I had not made better provision myself, particularly in regard to the mangle and the curtains, but when we already had those and there was no immediate sign of Dot going into a place of her own I just drifted along and now you are in the soup. The Hoover is a bad blow for you but it has done well, for it was never really intended for half of the jobs it has done. You’ll miss it but I wouldn’t part with it if I were you, love. Try to hang on and if I can find any way of raking a few bob together it might help you later on to get it repaired. You are quite right not to trust to the judgement of these fellows. They are probably making a good thing out of stunts like that these days. It’s damnable when they do these things while fellows are away because the snag is so many women would fall for it. Hang on for a bit, love, and perhaps when I get out of this trainee period I may be able to send you a few more bob a week to help you meet these unexpected things.
I’m so glad that the ball was a success and that the chocolate and Wendy’s hat arrived in time. What did you think of the hat? I thought it a real find. I had no difficulty in picturing Noni’s tactics from your description of what happened. No matter how you try to keep these parties down it’s very difficult and sometimes you just have to bow to the inevitable.
Well, love, I think that’s all there is to my today and I think I have answered all the points you have raised. To revert to Dot’s list. If I were you I should be inclined to make up the things she wants and ask Dave to drop them at Litherland for you if he is going that way at all. If you ask him early he may be going in that direction before the weekend. Don’t include the curtains, but if you want to have a clear conscience you could mention it to her very carefully. Very, very carefully!
Now I really must go. I’ll try to write a longer letter tomorrow.
Bye for now, angel. Take care of yourself. All my love.
Always your own,
Arthur X
Sep 091942