France
Feb. 3-1917

Dear Mother,

I received your letters of Dec. 27 and Jan. 2 about a week ago but have not had a chance to answer them as yet. However, here goes. The weather here has been splendid lately, clear and frosty with snow. I hope it lasts for a month more. Would like to spend about a day on a good pond with a nice pair of skates on my little tootsies. great sport. When you take that trip to Chicago you had better make it a winter trip s that we can enjoy the winter sports.

Fenton's "book" arrived all right but I have not written my review on it yet. It did not contain as great an amount of news as I expected but will make a bid for some more in my reply. I have received a couple of letters from Uncle Paddy. I hope he drops in and sees you occasionally. The photos taken at our party at Ross Bay arrived o.k.. They are very good. I showed them to Blake and Lea and they thought they were good stuff I thought that I mentioned them in a previous letter.

We have had no great amount of excitement here lately. We are still running a hospital and get enough work to keep us from getting fat. I am doing all outside work which suits me better than the inside work. The weather being good all is lovely.

Mail has just come in bringing you "box o oranges." I hope the letter arrives soonly. Also got a letter from Dorothy saying that all is going good and that you are expected home in short order. I hope Victoria looks good when you arrive there and dos not greet you with a burst of wind and rain.

Sunny France looks very pretty there bright sunny days. Early morning is especially beautiful - just s the sun rises. I suppose that this weather will end soon and we will have our usual mixture of warm sunny days and rainy cold ones - all same Victoria weather.

Well mother I am very glad to hear that you enjoyed your holiday trip down in "Sunny Cal" and only hope that you will be able to repeat the trip at shorter intervals in the future. The star which governs the destinies of the family is well on the ascendant now so you may start planning your next trip soon.

No, mother, your boys aren't slow they are merely "canny." at least I am. I am, I think you will not find so slow. They all easily run away with his cardiac appliance. However, you get busy and pick out the fair creature, make all necessary arrangements and on my return I will do just as you say. There is only one thing that I want to request - that is that she splits the kindling wood and lights the fire in the morning.

Best wishes to all. Received the two parcels of fruit etc. and they were great. The peanut butter was especially good. The first lot of apples went bad , the second come in fairly good shape.

Well, here is where I quit. Am feeling fine and dandy and still putting on weight. Well here is best hopes for 1917.

Your loving son,
Ron.