Saturday
Chiswick
Dearest,
It’s a long time since I welcomed the end of a day so heartily as I welcomed 3am today. I dropped into bed and was dead, to all intents and purposes, until after ten o’clock. When I woke I still had a touch of that fluish soreness but the cold on my chest has broken and I can cough now without feeling that I’m ripping my chest to pieces. In fact, apart from a little muscular soreness due to coughing, I’m feeling very perky and two more days will see me back on my feet again. Yesterday was one of the most miserable days I remember spending, but I’m OK now so don’t worry. I have always been like that with colds – quick to get depressed by them but, once the peak has passed, quick to recover.
I went down to the W.T. room before I came out this morning but your letter had not arrived, so I expect it will be waiting for me when I get back at dinner time. From all accounts we are going to be mad busy so the day should pass quickly, but I always hate the second day of the 48-hour stretch – it seems to drag so. We have not heard anything definite about the suggestion of permanent 48s but I don’t suppose that will be settled until nearer the end of the leave rota – probably just before we get back from leave.
Well, love, there’s only about 12 days now before I’m on my way – or that’s all there will be by the time you are reading this. This next week will go pretty quickly I think, but the last few days will fairly drag along, I expect. Still, the days must eventually pass, I suppose.
Dot was delighted with the pictures and preferred the one of you that I like. She thinks the children look fine and was most struck by the change in Michael who, she said, is much sturdier than when she saw him last. It’s funny that she should have used almost identical words, isn’t it?
Sunday
Yes, your letter was waiting for me when I got back at 1.30. Thank you for it, love, and I’ll answer it tomorrow if you don’t mind, because I have only dashed out for a bit of breakfast while waiting for the doctor to come in at 10 o’clock. I am off all today, of course, and I’m going to ask him if he’ll put me off duty tomorrow, which will give me a clear 48 hours. The latest development is that my cold has gone wet and my nose is running like a tap. I went and had a few beers with the lads last night and that probably helped. Anyway, whether they helped or not, I enjoyed them! Well, love, I’ll leave you for the moment. Don’t worry about me, it’s just an ordinary cold I’ve got and now that it is moving, I feel heaps better. Take care of yourself, sweetheart. One more weekend only! Whoopee! All my love.
Ever your own,
Arthur X
Jan 231943