Tuesday
Aberdeen
Darling,
I’m afraid, love, that I have so many people to write that soon I shall have to “neglect” you for a couple of nights to catch up with myself. Letter writing here seems to take such an age. The only alternatives are sitting in an unheated and not too light room or going out to the Club, and the mere effort of getting ready to go out, making the short journey there and settling down seems to waste half a precious hour. The Club number is Aberdeen 2747 and although it is difficult to say just when I will be in, if there is an emergency I should try any night Monday to Friday, say 7.30 to 8. If I am in I will probably be in the writing room, so when you ask the operator for the call, make it a personal call, explain this is a services club and tell him where I am likely to be. With the lighter nights coming I may do some of the writing in one of the parks, but even that is hard to say. At the weekends, however, I’m going to try to get as much walking done as I can, for we don’t get a lot of exercise here except on the way to and from school.
Now to continue to reply to your queries. I am quite clear in my own mind as to the relative merits of Ayr and Aberdeen, so I cannot understand how I have misled you. We all swore when we found we had missed Glasgow and Ayr, for they would have been 4 to 6 hours nearer home. What I may have said in my letter was that we come north again to Ayr after leave.
No, I haven’t noticed the fish manure smell here, but I have noticed the kipper factories.
Glad to hear Eric looked fairly fit. I’m looking forward to hearing from him but I don’t suppose he will tell me about feeling the rough edge of Mother’s tongue. He’s not a lad like that.
Judging from your letters, and I can always tell, you are feeling more like yourself aren’t you? Your last two letters have breathed a much more Stella-ish atmosphere. You couldn’t hide things from me if you wanted to. You may be quite right about Michael needing more sleep and I would not be surprised if that was more than half of your trouble. Try to get really rested before you come up here for there’s many a restless night you’ll have in Aberdeen. You will notice that I have made up my mind to a week if it can possibly be managed, and without the children too. I think you are quite right on that point. The only snag is Michael. From what you say, Mother doesn’t have a good effect on him. I wonder if Lilian would take him for part of the time.
Thank God there seems to be a good margin of safety so far as vapours and July 27 are concerned! You should be right on top of your form when I get home.
I’m still waiting to hear what the calendar says about the week beginning Whit weekend, or the week ending Whit week. That’s more important in that it is nearer. Less than six weeks now, sweetheart. By the time you receive this it will only be about a month if you can get here on the Friday or the Saturday of the week before Whit. See the advantage. That would mean a full week here and then perhaps two full days to wind up the holiday and you needn’t travel back until Tuesday evening, arriving home early Wednesday morning. That would make it ten days! All this, of course, is still hypothetical, but bear them all in mind.
No, I am not being bullied at school. What I meant was that I made a good impression on the instructor on our first day, but I’m afraid I fell away in my performance later. The instructor said that was common experience. Today has been much better and if we can get down to some solid work in the remainder of this week I will feel a lot happier. I hate messing about.
Guess who arrived here on Saturday? Ted Kidd! He is billeted on the main street and shouted me from his dining room window as we were all returning from our travels yesterday. He is a wireless mechanic and goes to Fleet Air Arm after his course here. He is taking the whole thing very seriously, which is just as well for a youngster. He was out in Aberdeen on Saturday night and came to the conclusion the women were a forward lot! What do you know about that?
The 30/- for a sewing machine will prove to be money well spent and should more than earn its keep this summer alone. Nice work, love. That’s economical spending, and I’m glad you’ve got your heart’s desire at long last. It will make an enormous difference to you. Is this one of your “surprises”? And while we are on the money subject, have you paid Rees each time you have been to see him? I hope so, it is by far the best way. Let me know when you get the spool for the machine and I’ll also be interested to hear Wendy’s reactions to her birthday presents. Tell me what she got. Glad little Mollie got over. Did you make Michael pay for his present to her? And did you tell him about it or can’t he be trusted with “surprises” yet? Nice thought of yours about Mother’s birthday. What a girl. She wrote and told me about it.
And that, I think, clears up most of the points in your letter. Now I must get this off if I’m going to catch a daytime post. Bye sweetheart. I still love you.
All yours,
Arthur X
Apr 071942