Monday
Devonport
Darling,
We seem to have inherited your ”summer” weather, for it rained all day yesterday and all through the night and then, when we had thought we were in for a pleasant week’s work in the open, working on the small boats, we got a morning of rain. It was that fine drizzling rain and we were baling out boats at the time. Still, I enjoyed it and was looking forward to a full week of it but at dinner-time the fellow who was acting “skipper” of our mess got his discharge from the Navy so I got the job, which means that I’m excused all duties except keeping the mess clean and tidy, a task which occupies in all perhaps an hour-and-a-half each day. It is alright in some ways, but it means one is largely tied to the mess all day and I was hoping to learn a bit of practical seamanship. The chief over at the boats is a decent fellow who never expects too much and, in addition, there was a chance of a bit of fishing, but that chance has now gone, more’s the pity. Anyway, I hope you are now getting some of the decent weather we have had because it would give you a good chance at the plot.
I’m sorry you missed the apricots for I love apricot jam. Still, I’ll look forward to sampling your raspberry and rhubarb, a new combination on me. But I thought you were going to leave the rhubarb! How are the tomatoes coming along? I hope the rain has helped them to push on a bit, but if the weather has been cold that’s hardly likely.
Mrs Swift’s experiences in Germany were interesting. You know my views on individual cases of illegitimacy, but I have never been able to make up my mind about it as a national policy. Even when Russia was credited with fostering wholesale illegitimacy and abortion (at one and the same time by clumsy British propagandists) and easy divorce, it was one of the sides of social legislation on which I could never reach a definite decision – and never have done. It’s too far-reaching to be decided in a minute.
Now, following the course of your letter, from babies to raspberries! I mentioned them in my last letter, but now you ought to look at them often. You should get a plate or two from them every second or third day. Don’t forget there are some canes at the opposite end of the bank to the elderberry. Did you know? If you can strike that bargain with Mrs Reid, it seems a sound scheme to me, for then you’d be able to use your own bits of sugar for any other jam you could make. Will this business of putting syrup on points make any difference to you?
I was interested to hear the insurance man’s explanation, which sounds very plausible to me. I can quite imagine Mother forgetting she had had an increase although I have an idea that she once told me about it. But I couldn’t swear to it. You know what my memory is on these things.
If you had sent me an evidence – used I take it – in a letter I might have taken it as a hint that you were finding a cure for your spotty face elsewhere. What a thrill for, say, Mother or perhaps Lilian if either of them had received it! Whoopee!
I won’t be at all surprised if I don’t get a letter from you at the beginning of the week. I know what you are once you get to Limedale. Out drinking with THAT one, and forgetting all about your poor husband who is eating his heart out for you. And I suppose I can say goodbye to the two pints you owe me! Seriously, I hope you do get to the Rose for a drink while you are there. If you do, I’ll bet you come home all giggly. That’s OK so long as you don’t gamble the rent away! Now that, I think, answers your letter.
Last night I repented and, although I had stood for three-quarters of an hour in a vain effort to get into the pictures, I made another effort in the evening, this time with success. And I was really glad I had done for I felt I had had a good threepenny worth. We saw two full-length films, lasting three hours. One which I think you would have liked, for there were some good laughs in it, was ‘I Love You Again’ with William Powell and Myrna Loy. I suppose it’s far from new now, but if you get a chance to see it, don’t miss it. The sentiment is not too heavy and, as I have said already, there are some good laughs. The other film was one which would not have interested you, for it was a wild western which I thoroughly enjoyed. So did all the lads.
We are still waiting to hear news of our course. Two other lads who are going on the same course leave here for Glasgow tomorrow, so it looks like the north for us again. But when we will move on we don’t know. It may be any day. It may not be for a week, but as soon as I know anything I’ll be sure to let you know. As there is such a short time between posting and delivery, not many letters can go astray and I’ll fix it with one of the lads in the office here to forward my mail for me. If there are any letters from other people for me, send them on and take the chance of my getting them. If you enclose them in your letter they should be safe enough.
I seem to have covered pretty well all the news by now, for yesterday was pretty quiet, as you will see and Saturday was filled in with the baths.
Some of the lads who left Aberdeen after us have come back from leave today and two of them are already on their way to Warrington to become mechanics in the Fleet Air Arm. Another is in hospital with a recurrence of a septic leg which he developed at Aberdeen nearly four months ago. The fourth is adrift, having failed to arrive by noon today. Knowing him I should say he has a sound alibi – probably a friendly doctor. But that is getting very risky these days.
Well, love, it’s nine o’clock now and rounds are due any minute. When they are over I must get a letter off to Mother. And I haven’t written Eric yet, which is not fair for he was the only one to go out of his way to do anything to brighten up the leave.
Night, night, my angel girl. Take care of yourself. My love to the children. All my love, precious.
Ever your
Arthur X
P.S. I suppose you have told Dave what the position is. Will you tell him I’ll write when I get to the new place and give him all the news from there.