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Date: June 28th 1942
To
Jean
From
Gerald
Letter

Dear Jean:

The week was a good one for mail. Tuesday your airgraph of the 7 June came, Wednesday your big parcel with the toothbrush etc, Friday your airgraph of the 14 June, and Saturday the carbon of 1 Jun airgraph, so you see, I cant complain. The airgraphs have the great advantage of taking only half the time to come, and that makes you seem just that much closer. They are a little brief, but you get a great deal of news in the space allotted, I think they are best for the regular weekly letter. If you happen to be in a communicative frame of mind, and have the time, at the time, a longer detailed letter is nice to get too, occasionally, as a special treat, but for the regular job, I think the airgraphs are the thing.

Glad Mary's cold is better. She seems to be pretty healthy as a rule, but I suppose once in a while a particularly bad old germ gets through the guards. We have been fortunate with her so far, which speaks well of the care she has had from her mummy. You and she seem to be really happy to be at Garmans once again. I feel more satisfied with the present arrangement too. I suppose it is doubtful if the Sqn Leader and his wife will want to move out of our house in the Fall. It would be nice for you to have it again then. Am afraid, there are many problems which you are having to face there by yourself which I can't help you with, and most of them would be automatically solved if I were able to be there. That is your sacrifice, for the cause, and we can only hope and pray that victory will soon bring its solution for both of us. Things seem rather discouraging now, but the end will come sometime. The submarine attack on the west coast must have given you all a scare. I shall be interested to know if they have really gone ahead on a railroad along the Rocky mt trench to Alaska. That sounds far more sensible to me than the wild goose chase that is going on through the muskegs north of the Peace river.

Am still waiting to hear of news of Gertrude. I remember Cedric Telford, he is not a bad fellow at all, he graduated in Forestry at Seattle, and I think has been working for the BC Forest service since. Don't forget to tell me what Rae's last name is.

It was a onderful parcel. I needed a tooth brush, and like the one you sent. We had the chicken tonight at Morris, Bert Hammond was there too. We all enjoyed it, with nice lettuce, radishes and onions from their garden. The Dads cookies go very well with our morning coffee, which the Col and I have each day about 1030, when we are in the office. The coffee in the mess is so frightful that I rarely can drink it, so your Nestles with klim in the middle of the morning is welcome. We have a little electric heater which boils the water in no time, and there is a basin in the office. Took the pepper mint chose up to Mrs M, who has a passion for them. I have branded the hankies with my stencil, and they will round out my stock of good linen ones.

We will certainly have to take the trip down to Arizona etc I think after all this time in this old country, that something like that would be ideal. We may have to make it a bicycle trip, however we'll see. I think one of the reasons you have been upset during the spring months is that you need your husband, just as he needs you. It is a terrific nervous strain to do without the one with whom you have been so close and affectionate. The main thing is to try to avoid conditions of living etc which upset you, and to try to keep preoccupied. When you get settled down again, you may find it possible and beneficial to do some part time work. I think it would be a mistake to try too much, but something of a part time nature may turn up which might suit your particular requirements. How is Pelgie? Too bad you couldn't have her to help you during the coming winter.

Dick Farrow was in for supper the other night, and afterwards we went to see "How Green Was My Valley" I thought it was splendid picture. I would like to take Mrs Morris to see it if it comes to the local. Dick looked well, had just returned from a leave in Scotland which seems to have been a very good one. He is getting on fine, and seems to have his troop pretty well trained, and organized.

The Saturday Provinces still come, sometimes very erratically, but they are much enjoyed. The people in the buildings send the Sunday Colonist, which they would send the Victoria Times instead. The Colonist is a lot of paper to send, with awfully dull reading compared to the times. Don't tell them I said this, it is just between you and me.

It is late, now, so off to bed.

Love,

Ger.

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