Saturday
Chiswick
Dearest,
It’s Saturday morning and, from experience, I expect there will be little chance of writing quietly later in the day so I thought I’d make a start now. First of all, you’ve got it wrong about the volunteers. They’ve gone to ICEland! Sorry my writing is so putrid. Another point on which you seem rather fogged is the leave question. There is NEVER any weekend leave from here without working three full days for it. In addition ALL leave – other than compassionate – has been stopped. Normally the leave rota would have started, I understand, just before we arrived and we would have tacked on at the end. From what we can gather, however, the new rota is likely to begin soon and so, as there are not a lot of tapeists here (the Wrens run their own rota) we may be home some time in the next two or three months. We get our ration books, by the way, so that’s a hopeful sign.
I meant to tell you yesterday that Jack and Dot bought a waterproof toilet hold-all, a lovely thing with pockets for all sorts of things, for me for Xmas. They decided that as I have to carry everything backward and forward every day because we have no lockers, it was silly to keep it and they gave it to me on Thursday night. It’s a beauty, and must have cost a pretty penny. I’ll show it to you when I come home and then I’ll bring one of my own hair brushes away because it will be a better fit.
You have got Xmas figured out very well indeed, sweet, and I think you have gone as far as you possibly can in mental arrangements. Leave it at that for the moment and if I can get home, by hook or by crook, I will. If I do manage it, it will be late on Xmas day when I get in because I can’t leave here until I finish on Xmas morning, which would mean getting home 4pm or 5pm. Anyway, that’s only a possibility and is not likely to crystallise until about a week or ten days before Xmas.
Sunday
As I thought, there was little chance of writing once Jack and Dot got in. We fiddled about – and I had a snooze – until about 5 o’clock when we went into town to celebrate Jack’s birthday, which is today. We had a few drinks, very reasonable and harmless in number, although I think Jack would have liked to have made a night of it. Dot wasn’t playing, however! But don’t refer to that at any time. Afterwards we went to the Dominion and saw two more war pictures, ‘Went The Day Well’ and ‘Wings For The Eagle’, finishing up at a place called The Dive for a pint and cod’s roe sandwiches! Very tasty. Perhaps I was prejudiced because of the Aberdeen association, but I quite liked The Dive, which is quite a big place.
What a shame that Martins should have found your coat after all this time, especially as it meant buying another after all. You seem to be having a tough time financially and it worries me that I can do nothing to help you.
I think your idea of calendars is a very good one. It would help to show that the people concerned had not been entirely forgotten.
While I remember, will you get the shuttle back and I’ll try a place in London here which mended Dot’s – and that is the same make. Don’t forget to do that and I’ll see to it as soon as I can for you. It was your mention of the golly that reminded me of it.
Jack and Dot both send their love to you and hope you are feeling better. Is this medicine making you feel better in yourself? I hope it is. From the jobs you have tackled lately, you certainly seem to be feeling more fit. Oh, angel, I am looking forward to seeing you again. Do look after yourself and, just in case I do manage to get away for Xmas, do be careful not to run any extra risks or overdo things, won’t you?
Give my love to the children and thank Wendy for her little note. I had a letter from Mother yesterday and she enclosed one of Wendy’s drawings of our back garden which I thought very good indeed.
Oh, sweet, I want to hold you tight today. If only I could! But I must dash home for dinner and a sleep. Bye until tomorrow, precious, when I should have a letter from you.
All my love, sweet.
Ever,
Arthur X