Letter # 497 October 14, 1944

New Guinea
Sat. eve
Oct 14, 1944
My Sweetheart;
Another week gone.  They roll right along don't they? Each one is that much closer to that time when I can again show you I love you instead of tell you in writing.
Very pleasant day today. Not much sun and a very nice breeze so it didn't get over 92 degrees all day.  Easy day too.  Only worked a couple hours and then stood a clothing inspection and were off for the day.  Pretty soft huh?
After dinner Oil, Bake, and I got busy and washed all our clothes.  There is a regular detail to do it since we have the washing machine in operation but our clothes are so darn dirty that they don't get them very clean.  We had plenty of time so we did it ourselves.  Boiled them first and then put them in the machine so they came out good and clean.  We're quite the experts on washing clothes these days.  Big washing too.  We each had four uniforms, a half dozen pairs of socks, two or three towels, leggings, caps, and handkerchiefs.  How's that for a wash for a bunch of bachelors ?
The rest of the afternoon I spent patching up some more of these salvage uniforms.  I'll have seven complete uniforms when I get my sewing done.  I ran into difficulties on one pair of trousers today.  They had evidently belonged to someone that spent most of his time off his feet.  Anyhow they needed a patch on both cheeks so I thought I'd pull a fast one  and put one big patch over the entire seat.  Sounded like the real idea but I found out later it didn't work too good.  I got a few puckers in the seat now but, by gosh, they'll hold me in.  I can use a lot of practice and instruction on my sewing yet.  Don't worry. I won't expect you to teach me that 'cause when I get back with you I'm going to forget all about sewing and let someone else do it.  Will you?  Of course I won't object to keeping a needle and thread down at the workbench and putting on a button or two that you've forgotten, but that is as far as I'll go.  I'll keep the washer running but when it comes to using it, that's another thing.
Listen at me sounding off at a time when I'd do any darn thing you asked me to do.
I got two more letters from you and one from Mom & Hazel today.  Yours were Oct 1st & Oct 3rd.  The second one you wrote on Oct 1st and the 2nd are among the missing at present.  They have been coming in order so long that I don't like to have them skipping around.  There is also a shipment of packages that will be sorted tomorrow.  Maybe I'll have a couple more "bundles for Norm".  I hope so.  I like 'em.  If anyone wants to know if the boys appreciate packages you can assure them they do.  Anyhow this outfit sure goes for them.  The news that packages have come in goes through camp like an electric shock.  The poor mail clerk is badgered to death until he gets them sorted and delivered.  Even when there is a big bunch of letters, as there was tonight, the news of packages shadows the pleasure of getting letters.  Yes, I'm just as crazy about them as anyone. I've got a wife that keeps them coming too.  You're swell, honey.  Take good care of me don't you? I'm loving you.
The outfit has gone through the change I wrote about a while back settling down to routine again.  I still don't know if we are any better off than before.  Time will tell.
Now I'm going on with answering your letters.
This Burnett you speak of is one of our regular customers at the store.  I knew him quite well.  He lives in that new brick house on the corner of E Friendship & Harmony.  He runs a big greenhouse up near Cleveland.  His wife is a backyard cousin of mine.  I think she works in the Court House. Yes, I knew Hobart Johnson too.  He was one of Gibb's mechanics.You're really getting acquainted with lots of people I know aren't you?  I can see you are going to miss all that when I come home.  It is a made to order job for you isn't it?  Not too hard work, lots of people to see and talk to and plenty to keep that mind of yours busy.  I sure am tickled about you getting that place.  Too bad you couldn't have had it all the time.  I love to see you happy and contented as much as possible until I come back.
You see I am conceited enough to think that even though you get along so well by yourself that you'd be a little happier if I was there by you.  Right?  I'm a kind of nice, handy fellow to have around, I think.
I'm sorry I can't send you a nice big picture of me but I can't seem to locate the photo studio.  Maybe one of these snaps will be good enough to have enlarged.  If not, maybe it won't be so long until you can have the real thing to look at instead of only a likeness.  That's what we both want so much.  We're too much in love to be very satisfied with pictures of each other.  I like your pictures ever so much and keep them where I can see them all the time I'm at my desk.  Proud of my good looking wife and show her off all I can.
Oct 1st letter.  I've been waiting to hear that you were getting my letters again.  I feel better now that I'm sure you know what I'm doing.  I was interested in hearing your reactions and comments on the trip too.  When you wrote these you hadn't heard much of it yet but I can gather that you think the trip was worthwhile.  I'm very sure it was.  I wouldn't have missed it for anything.
Another man all captivated and doing special delivery service for you.  My gosh.  Bringing letters to you that aren't even yours. Ceasar is a rather rough old boy but has a heart of gold.  It is nice of all these guys to take care of you like that.  You'll be a public and very popular girl by the time I get back.  People, men especially, just can't resist that charm, can they?
The account of the bridge game with Ed & Betty & Jean sounds something like the old days.  Think I would have enjoyed being there, especially since Jean wanted to go for a wheelbarrow ride.  I started something that night that I wasn't quite in shape to complete.  I've thought several times that I'd like to try again and now  when the opportunity turns up, I'm way off here in New Guinea.  She says it isn't good for any other time but I'll still hope to catch her in the wheelbarrow riding mood sometime in the future.  Keep the wheelbarrow in good shape, honey.
I think you were in that floating, hand talking stage that night.  Gosh, I bet you'd have been fun to retire with. Always a bit more than willing and able when you're in that shape.  I sure missed out on plenty, didn't I?
There'll be another time and I'll make it twice as good.  Night, sweetheart.  I love you.
Your Hubby.
Norm.