Letter # 478 September 24, 1944

New Guinea
Sunday eve.
Sept. 24, '44
Hi Sweetheart;
This has been an ideal Sunday to catch up on back correspondence.  That rain that started last night kept right on all night and a good part of the day so you can see it was a day to stay in.  This morning I wrote five letters.  Vi, Mom, Marg, Harold and the Dulaneys.  That cleans up the duty letters for the present again and all I have to worry about are my privilege letters. They all go to a very sweet, chubby, dark haired girl with the warmest look and sweetest smile a man ever saw.  She's built too!  The kind it's hard to stay away from.  Want to get an armful of her and squeeze and then go exploring.  Being an explorer at heart anyhow, I really go for her in a big way.  I'm in love with her too.  That may be a bit unusual seeing as how she has been my wife for the past four years, but it's true and I'm so glad about the whole thing.  She's my one and only and always will be.  I love you Baby.
I got another letter from you today.  Your Sept 13th.  For some reason my mail, from your reports, must have slowed up a bit at this time.  Maybe it's a good thing.  That might shorten up the blank stretch while I was at Jungle School. I'm a bit curious to hear what you thought of me going off that way when I really didn't have to.  I know you'll be sweet about it but maybe I can read a little between the lines and see what you really are thinking about it.  I see, in today's letter, you say you'd sooner I took an airplane ride than go back in the jungle.  The airplane ride may be coming I hope.  While I think of it, Steve's wife's information about where he landed is correct.
This afternoon I started work on another of of the little projects I had in mind.  Of course it will probably be several weeks yet before I can even send it but nevertheless, it's cooking.  One thing about it though, I don't think it will be too heavy to come air mail but it might.  I hope not 'cause I think you'll like this.  It's really for a Christmas present but I just can't wait to send it to you.  You can just consider it an early one.  I bet you can't guess what it is can you?  Don't you wish you knew?  No, it's not a bracelet, so there too.
There, you old devil, I guess I can tease a bit too. I'm mean aren't I?  I love you though.
Now I'm going to get busy on your letters.  Sept 5th.  You tell me you're going around showing people your ring.  Well, I'm showing everyone your picture too.  They all say, "Very nice" and then wonder all over again how you came to marry me.  They don't know it yet but I'm nice.  I'm proud of that picture honey. No, I'm not carrying your nice lady picture around with me 'cause I don't want to ruin it.  I keep it propped up in my desk right where I can look at it when I'm sitting here.  Now I've got the beautiful lady picture right along side of it.  Gosh, honey, you sure do look good.  I had to change the cellophane idea.  It's so damp at night the cellophane stretches and then in the day dries out and shrinks.  I can't keep the edges anchored so I've got them in a folder now.
Honey, the cigars and a lot of the stuff that I didn't ask for at first were only suggestions. They aren't things I really need so don't try too hard to get everything I ask for.  The things I really want are, writing paper, tobacco, cigarette lighters, film, and things to fess on.  The rest are only suggestions.  I forgot to add, soap, in small quantities. I'm getting a good stock of it now and a bar once in a while will keep me going.  As long as our washing machine keeps going I won't be using much laundry soap.  This week was my first to have my washing done.  Does a good job too.  We pay 32cents a month to buy soap and pay the operator a little.  McDaniel is doing it for the whole company.
Mick has probably been put into some sort of supply or clerical work.  At least it's the logical thing seeing he had no combat training at all.  Never can tell in the army though. The number of supply men, truck drivers and such is tremendous for a thing as big as that.
You aren't the only one that thought there might be method in your sending such big sheets of paper.  Last eve "Rip" Rentleman [Staff Sgt] was paying a visit.  I had just about finished my letter and the sheets were laying on my bunk.  He wondered where in hell I got the paper and when I told him he said, " I bet she did that to keep you writing a decent size letter."   He said he didn't see how in the hell I could write so much.  Then I showed him the stack I had from you and that explained it.  I showed him my new picture too.  "Very nice" was his remark. Can't believe you're 21 though.  See, I told you, you looked as good as any 20 year old.  I love you, darling.
So you're comparing Bob's actions to his Jackie, to mine with you, and say, "exact opposites".  Well, we seem to be almost exact opposites in everything don't we?  Anyhow that is only public actions.  After we got started and were alone I don't believe you suffered very much from inattention.  Did you?  He's been a ladies man a lot longer than I had to.  Remember you were my first girl and I was innocent.
Poor Art and his mishap at three in the morning.  You can tell him not to be belittling himself by saying he's too old to do such a trick.  When a man's too old for that he might as well knock himself in the head. I'm not as old as he is by a few years but I seem to have the same trouble rather regular and I'm not a bit ashamed of it.  Anyhow it's proof there is no cheating going on.  I don't think Marg is very nice to laugh at him about it.  Ain't fair.
That was real timing on the anniversary card.  Getting there exactly on the day.  I had really meant to send them sooner but when that bastard stole the one ring I had to wait until I could make another.  Anyhow it came out all right.  I'm trying to get ideas now for Christmas cards. [If I have time].
Honey, I don't believe I was the main reason you went to football games.  I got you started but I've seen you have a darn good time at many a game and even when the weather was plenty bad.  Remember the Wadsworth game two years ago?  I rather believe it's like you once said, you got used to doing outdoor things after I came along and have really grown to like some of them.  I wish I could go to the games with you, but seeing I can't, you see 'em for me and tell me about 'em.
So Charles Stevens is on the sick list again.  I guess he had better stick to the country life.  Doesn't seem to be able to take it in the city. Wisconsin always intrigued me too.  We talked of going there several times but it was just too far for a weekend and we were too busy on our last vacations to take the time to go.  We might some day if our plans don't develop too fast.   A good fishing and ______ trip up there would be swell.
You don't have to apologize for reading a book about Marines.  Remember I always wanted to be one and I'd still like to be.  I'm only in the army 'cause that is where they put me.
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You can tell Mrs. Claggett that I can and will send her some coins.  I can put a couple in an envelope and that way they'll get there sometime and not next year.  I haven't been able to get hold of their penny or pence but I have the other common sizes.  I'll be sending them.  I'll donate them in return for some of the bits of learning her husband drilled into my head.  I like teachers anyhow.  Whoops, forgot, librarians are supposed to come first now.
While I'm thinking of it, I'm issuing you a warning.  You better treat me nice 'cause there is a bunch of W.A.C.S. in this area now and beside that, Vi wrote me the name and address of an old school friend of hers who is over here on Red Cross work.  She is only four or five miles away.  So there too.  Aren't you worried?
You're wrong, honey.  I haven't been trying to think of any new positions and don't think I will.  In the first place, I cease being numb and the second, I think we do all right as we go along.  I like to do things by trial rather than blueprint.  Anyhow it'll all be plenty fun and very satisfactory.  It'll all be new for quite some time.
Sure I'm interested in hearing all about Bob & Jackie.  I'd like to have been there to meet her too.  If I had been maybe you wouldn't have been hurtin so much from watching them woo.  You'd have had some of your own to do.  Probably been able to show the kids a few new ones even,  I know they couldn't have been any more sincere.  I loves my honey.  I am very glad to hear your revised opinion.  You've done so well in most cases I had about accepted your first estimate and thinking Bob had maybe made a mistake.  I sure hope not.
Time to quit this prattle again.  I'm getting caught up now.  Up to Sept 11 with my answering but I still have a train trip to finish and some more about N.G. and etc.  I won't run out of things to write about for some time yet.
Night, sweetheart.  I'm loving you so much.  It's getting harder and harder the longer I stay away.  I want to come home Mummy.  I love you.  Here's a long juicy kiss.
Your hubby.
Norm.