Letter # 495 October 12, 1944

New Guinea
Thurs. eve.
Oct 12, 1944
My lovable wife;
Gosh, isn't this different than a year ago today?  The first day of my first furlough.  I got home around 7:30 and by this time we had gotten a good start on catching up.  We didn't need much time to get reacquainted 'cause it had only been six weeks since we'd been together at Knox.  Some different is right.  This time it has already been six months since we've been together and instead of being right by you, I am 10,000 miles away.  The only silver lining in that cloud is that it's six months closer to the time I'll come home for good and no more good byes ever.
We sure had a lot of fun those fifteen days.  We loved and ate, very seldom ate, and loved and loved and cut weeds and went places and loved some more.  It was a very busy two weeks and so perfect and sweet, I'll never forget it.  This next one will be like it only we'll take the going places slower and spend a lot more time, just you and I.  The rest can all wait this time until we have time.  Does that meet with your approval?  I'm loving you, honey, just as much, even if not as apparent as a year ago.  You're my very special wife.
It rained hard most all last night, so we were relieved of the dust today. Very welcome relief too.  It even looks like we might have some more tonight.  Rather a nice day.  The sun stayed under most of the time, only showing for an hour or so at noon.  During that hour it got up to 104 degrees but all the rest of the day was around 95 degrees so it was pretty nice.
This morning when I crawled out of bed I thought it unusually cold.  Got a surprise when I saw it was only 74 degrees.  Felt as cold as a brisk morning in Sept. when it is nearly cold enough to freeze.  Guess I've changed to a hot weather man, honey.  Maybe you'll have to warm my feet instead of me warming yours. Could you take that?  I'd give a nice big sloppy kiss for every time you did it.  Now what do you say?
Aw, sweetheart, I'm only kidding and making talk.  I'll be the same old me as ever.  "I yam what I yam an' thas' all I yam".  I love you too.  A hell of a lot.
Got another letter tonight.  The skipped one, Sept 28th, so now they are all complete again.  I'm going to answer it now and if I have room I'll finish the 29th too.
Honey, you're patronizing our competitor.  Shame on you. Buying things at Beck's.  I'm only kidding.  You can buy cans to send things to me anyplace you want to.  Poor Art! Getting a lot of soldering business for the boys over these isn't he?  I expect he's glad to do it but he is doing so much it seems he must be spending most of his time doing things for others.  Sure is appreciated if that is any reward for it.
You must have a whole carload of boxes on the way.  Nearly every letter I get tells me there is another on the way.  Won't I have fun when they start getting here?
Yes, honey, I should think Bub & Betty or any one else could spend a very enjoyable evening with you.  You are very interesting company and not a bit hard to look at either.  You're also very nice to most anyone.  I'd sure like to be able to spend a Saturday night with you, even if we only talked and looked at each other.  We wouldn't though, would we?
Seems like the Navy can change its mind as well as the Army.  The last I heard Gus was expecting to stay in New York until after Xmas at least and now he expects to go to Frisco for a while.  Sounds like it might not stop there.  I guess we both know how Jean feels about it.  You certainly should anyhow.  It's tough and a hell of a way to treat a couple but it's being done every day, seems like.  Being so far away he might almost as well be overseas. She isn't as footloose as you are and it would sure be a problem what to do.  She'd almost have to have the kids at home and so the family is still broken up.  None of us will be a bit sorry to hear it's all over so we can start to live again.
Yep, you'd surely make a good Mommie to some kid.  They all like you.  Even bring things to show you when you hardly know them.  I don't think I've ever seen Clint's little girl.  She can't be more than four or five,is she?  Evidently Clint had better luck than I did.  I tried to do some engraving on the first ring but couldn't do it.  Made me mad too.  I can usually manage to do most things I attempt.  That beat me.  I had a slightly wider and thicker top on this first one and I wanted to engrave the heart with an arrow in it and then our initials on either side.  It was a good idea only I wasn't craftsman enough.  That's one thing I never saw done but I sure aim to.  I'm curious now.  Maybe my librarian can tell me how it's done.  She seems to be passing out other information just as technical.
Still having Miss Haley trouble I see.  Guess the old girl must be like all the rest of us.  We all like you.  You're nice.
I see you are answering my Sept 2nd letter, so you must still have the 3rd left unanswered.  You sure did stretch them out over the bare spots.  I was hoping hard that my first letter, the 19th, would step on it and you'd get it quick, but I guess I can't charm the mails like you can.  If I was sure that by not having any letters to answer you would continue to write such nice, newsy, sweet and loving letters, I'd be tempted to stop writing to you.  They really were nice, honey.  Just like an everyday talk.  You needn't worry that they weren't interesting.  I loved 'em.
I like your anniversary gift too, honey.  I'm wearing it all the time even if it is taking a beating.  It's rugged enough to take it I guess and that's what it's for. To wear.  The scratches can be polished out once in a while.  If it doesn't wear out first or get lost I'll still have it on when I come home.  Does that prove I like it?  I'm proud of it.  Guess you know me better than I know myself.  The picture also has a place among my dearest treasures.  In fact, pictures of you are almost my only treasures these days.
Aw, honey, it's sweet of you to say that all your memories seem to start when we started doing things together.  That surely means something.  Was ours love at first date only we were too dumb to know it?
I have lots of memories from before that turning point in my life but compared to the ones since, they are rather empty and commonplace memories.  Only the unusual things from before are remembered where nearly everything since is very clear and dear.  Don't need anything more than you to make everyday things exciting and unusual.  I'm not kidding either.  I think I could almost write a diary of the past eight years .  Want to bet?  It would make good reading in spots wouldn't it?  Night, honey. I'm more and more in love with you every day.
Your soldier
Norm.