Letter # 57 July 11. 1943

July 11, 1943
1300 Sunday
Hi Tootsie Wuggles;
Well I guess I am definitely assigned to a job quicker than expected. I was working at the motor park this morning and word came out to the shed where I was that the C.O. wanted to see Effinger at once. I wondered what the hell I had done. I went in and reported and was informed I was to work steady at the motor park and that we were going to have a night and day shift. I start on the night shift tonight at 1900 and work to 0500 Mon morning. Then we are supposed to be off for the day but I will have to go to school from 0800 to 1000 and sometimes school lasts until 1130 on the three days, so I'll take up where you left off and go on short sleep and night shift work. I don't know just how it will work. It's pretty hot for sleeping in the daytime but I think I'll make out O.K. We are to change shift each week. There are five of us to a crew. Corp.Hoban; Corp.McWilliams; P.F.C.Riley; Max and I in our crew. Good crew, all good workers. Corp.Hoban is from W.Virginia. very nice fellow, about my size, red headed and freckled. Married and his wife has been here for a couple weeks. They live in DeRidder. He doesn't know how she will like his new hours. She has a job and works days. He says she will probably go home soon. She has been rather disgusted with the uncertain hours anyhow. He is like the rest of us, never knows until he is on his way if he is going to get home at night or not and when we get up so early he has to leave home at 0300 or before.
Well honey, a year ago we were planning our vacation. 14th of July. Remember. All the wine and bicycle rides and walking home at night in the rain and then loving you. The old girl had quite a lot of life. Just like a bride instead of an old married woman.
Sure has been a lot of things happen in the past year. Harold first came to the store, Steve and I enlisted, Steve went to the army, I went on a diet, Carl quit the store, and finally I went to the army, you went back to work and now you are going to teach again. Not quite the same contented life we lived that first couple years we were married. Just think we'll soon be married three years. The old days will come back again and soon I hope. We'll have a better time than we had before. Maybe now that we have our home built I won't be quite so busy and can devote more time to you [if you don't go to sleep on me].
Anyhow I love you more than ever and I'm expecting to show you. Well honey I guess I better see if I can get some sleep. I'll send you a note as often as I can. Bye honey. I love you.
Your soldier
Norm