Sunday
Skegness
Sweet,
This is just a note to thank you for your last letter. It arrived at Sick Quarters on Saturday night and I had received your previous one only about two hours earlier. What a gala day for letters. By far the most I have had yet. Two from you and one from Hughie, who is the first outside the family to write.
You will have got over your first big weekend on your own by now. I’ve thought of you a lot, especially when ‘The Brains Trust’ was on, and last night at the time when we might have been doing a jigsaw! What’s more, I thought about the dream you had and believe me, just the way you said it was “very very sweet” and made you sleep until 8.30 gave me a distinct movement in the pubic area. Who said bromide?
When I sent those clothes off I was afraid of that happening to you and, even though you are crying for me, it still hurts to think of you in tears. Chin up, my love, until all this poppycock is over. Perhaps then we will be able to let ourselves go a bit, but not before!
About the ‘Daily Post’, Hughie tells me in his letter there is to be a further cut in the paper ration and that the ’D.P.’ is coming down to half its present size for some days in the week!
I have written to May, by the way, and told her how good you have been about this whole business. You have been brave, pet, and I know you always will be. That helps me more than you know.
I’m trying to answer points in your letters as they arrive, while I’m here.
Time is getting on, by the way, in regard to the allotment. Have you the plan I made? I think you will find it in the Boots diary. Make sure you get it the right way up! In that blue cardboard box in which I kept the seeds – it was on the mantelpiece the last time I saw it – you will find some peas. There is a note in the box saying what type they are. I don’t know what the weather and soil are like, but I should get them in soon. They can be sown in Feb, but the conditions have to be right, of course. They are only tiny, as you will remember, and I may be home in time to put sticks on them! If Reg doesn’t do them for you, take out a trench about 6–9 inches deep, put some manure down (not too much, from a bag in the garage), put some lime on top of the manure, fill in to within two inches of the top and sprinkle the peas in. Before you do that, shake them up in an envelope in which you have put a little red lead. Be careful with it, it’s poisonous! Don’t get it into the smallest cut! Soak the peas a short time if you want to. It will help the red lead to stick to the seeds.
While I remember, can you spare enough coupons to get me a pair of pyjamas? If so, can you send them on for me and I’ll send you the money by return. If we are going into civvy billets I’ll have to have another pair. Let me know as soon as you can, for this pair is getting very dirty.
This is all for now, love. I have been up all day today and will probably be out of here on Wednesday. I’ve had the time of my life this last couple of days. What a change not to have to scramble for every meal. Yesterday I was up for a few hours and today I have been general lackey for everyone in the ward, getting everything except bed pans for them. Three of the lads who are still “strictly bed” are now being bathed in bed by a nurse – behind screens – so you can imagine the general atmosphere in the ward just at the moment! As the nurse went behind the screen to the first fellow, I made the obvious crack “Can I do you now, sir?” and that started it. The poor nurse is having a dog’s life. Well, bye sweetheart. Take care of yourself, for I do love you.
Ever,
Arthur XXX
Feb 221942