letter #85

HMCS Iroquois
c/o GPO London
Mar 21/45

My Darling

No letter from you this time, but its too soon to start moaning seriously. After all, I didnt do so badly last week, letters and parcel both. Last letter I sent was special Air Mail, so be sure to tell me how fast it arrived. Our postie didn’t particularly recommend that class of service, but he doesnt know everything. I think I’ll try another couple, interspersed with this kind until I hear from you. It might be the answer to all our problems. In spite of what we hear about as much as possible of the Forces Mail going by air, I still think most of it goes by canoe or dogteam. The only mail that goes by air has to be paid for, and only once in a long while is it possible to send any ordinary mail by that means.

Still admiring our daughter’s pictures! She certainly is a beautiful child, isnt she? Just about the best looking baby in the world, I think. Dont you dare contradict me either! Will you be having some more pictures soon? And you be in some of them too please. Im glad to hear you have recovered your sylph-like figure, although I’d have loved you just the same, no matter how “matronly” you might have become! Its very much nicer to have a nice slim wifey though. I do love you, you know, for all kinds of reasons. Your beautiful body is just one of them, there’s other reasons too. Some day when we have plenty of time and nothing else to do I’ll tell you.

How about our music? I expect you are practically a virtuoso again. Wonderful what that hour a day regularly will do, isn’t it? I hope Evelyn is taking it all in, and [?] musical tastes. Has she ever yet bawled when you practise? I’m trying to imagine what Finlandia would sound like, with a lusty lunged obligato by Evelyn! I’m sure I’d enjoy it, but how about neighbors? They could always move, of course. Have I sufficient authority, in my position as “beloved husband”, to insist that you keep up your music? It is very important to me darling. I was always burned up about my own inability to get anywhere with my own music, but as long as you are such a marvellous player I can sort of shine by reflected glory! See what I mean? A partly selfish reason, admitted, but I am very fond of music. Your kind of music especially. Did you play for brother Bill when they were up, and what kind of impression did you make? His tastes in music are very much like mine (the peasant type!) so he must have been impressed if you played any of my old favorites. On looking it up, I find that you did play for Zora to sing, but not a word about the guests reactions. Such modesty is very becoming, darling, Im sure you wowed them! Are you going to surprise me with any new numbers when I get home? Hope so.

A rather glorious day today. Not at all warm, but bright sun and wind. The kind of weather you’d enjoy. Just about the first of spring, isnt it? Three more months and it will be the first of summer. I wonder if? Not likely, but maybe. I simply must be with you for the first of something, sometime! Lets make a date for the first day of our second childhood! I think I can promise to be home by then. (That wont be so long either the way I feel some times!) You’re not properly out of your first childhood, so we’re sure to get along well! That sounds a bit pessimistic, darling, dont take it too literally. Truth is, nobody knows. Keep a stiff upper lip, and a dozen beer on tap! I’ll be home to kiss the lips and drink the beer some day, maybe sooner, maybe later, but some day. Thats a promise.

March 23/45

Slight lapse in time, notice? Couldn’t get it in the mail anyhow so no harm done. Not such a good day for writing either, the ocean is a bit lumpy (to say the least) and we’re tearing along at a great rate of knots. It doesnt aid the legibility of the result, and I’m also afraid I’ll damage the pen when a bump comes. Remember how delicate this nib is. I wasnt long ruining it at Annapolis, was I? –Twice in recent letters you’ve asked about going out to Cadboro this summer & renting the flat. Im afraid I can’t be much help, darling. The idea, I presume, is to cut expenses and get some revenue from the flat. Its a “right fine” idea, but dangerous. People might wreck the furniture or refuse to get out when you want them to. Go out to Cadboro, by all means, but just lock the flat up against the day when you have a husband again! You could come in every couple of or three days to look it over. Should be safe enough. How are the baby-raising facilities out at Cadboro? Adequate, I hope. Still early in the season, isnt it? As I said before, better hang on a while yet. – Did I ever mention the funny water we get sometimes? Its safe enough, but is very dark, and we cant make a decent tea with it. Tastes like swamp water to me, distinctly mossy. The beer ashore here is very poor too, so what will I do? Just get used to it, I suppose. (The water, not the beer!) Naturally, we’d have to squawk, no matter where we were based, but all are agreed that this base is the most miserable of them all. Whats wrong with Esquimalt harbor? Thats the place that’d suit me! Tones of time alongside, and just a short patrol once in a long while. Try and arrange it will you please, darling? – Speaking of tea (who was?) I think I’ll beat the messman to it today, and make coffee instead. There’s only three coffee-drinkers in the mess, so we have to make it ourselves when we want some. What do you make coffee in? I forget if there’s any coffee percolators among our presents. Wasnt there long enough to find out! As long as its you that makes it, I dont care what you boil it in!

Bye now, I love you like always.
Les