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349 Sunday 21 Oct. 7 pm Hi, Sweetie - My fountain pen, sturdy as it is, feels small and ridiculous in my hand after an hour's painting (holding the brush like a pen) this afternoon and another half hour's tonight. It's such fun doing things for you. I wouldn't make a professional handyman, I guess, because I am too painstaking - that is, painstaking even where it isn't necessary to turn out a good job. But it's a labor of love and I take my time partly for the fun of it, even though the days are going by and I'm anxious to get your presents off to you. You've probably guessed that Wendy's present is some sort of box (not one, tho, which will make her footlocker [pg 2] a [reduced?] [?] - she can surely use that much space). I am painting it what seems to me a good all around color, using a metal paint which was used on the outside of our officers’ club and which spreads evenly, dries quickly to a dull finish. Because I will have to put my stencil (in white paint) over it in order to establish its identity as my personal property, I plan to enclose a small bottle of the same paint for you to redo the part where the stencil is taken off (being slightly raised, it will have to be sandpapered down before the area is touched up.) If I have time to make it or can have it made, I shall also enclose a stencil which will identify the box as Wendy's but if I don't, please don't mark [pg 3] it until I get home, because I have a special marking in mind. Enclosed also will be a smaller box whose inside I may decide to paint, because the shellac with which it came finished is very difficult to take off. I got it off the outside with steel wool, but not until I’d gone through an intermediate process in which all the little grains of steel wool dust got stuck in the sticky shellac and were a hell of a job to rub out. The larger box has two locks, one of which is bent inside and doesn't work; can have a locksmith fix it at home sometime. The other does, however, and I'll enclose the key in the smaller box; so look for it. Because of postal regulations I shall rope the bigger [pg 4] box without rocking it. Most if not all of your Christmas presents and Wendy's will be in that one box; if there are to be other packages I'll let you know. There won't be an awful lot, Sweetie, but I think you'll enjoy the few things I do send. There will be a little brass; I can tell you that much because you’re not likely to guess what it is. It is, at any rate, the thing about which I mentioned intending to make a box for it. I doubt that I'll have time to-before mailing the Christmas box, that is - so I'll send the brass piece as is, with some crocus cloth for polishing it up. Not back to your letters, and then time out for a note to M and F to enclose [pg 5] my money order to him - #427 - Guess I've said all there is to say about me and the new point score, Sweetie - it's barely possible because of that dispatch the other day which called for names, numbers, date of reaching critical point score and date desiring inactive status, plus the chances that [BuPess?] may overlook my being a language officer, that I might get home for Christmas. But I must be honest, Sweetie (as long as I give you a wee hope to hang on to) and tell you that I think it very unlikely. Anyhow, it won't be as long as I’d thought earlier, I'm sure. “Hi!” to you, my precious little sweetie! Yes, I was very happy to learn about the Hamlins' moving into the major's house - you see? things never break bad for very long at a time. [pg 6] #426 - The typhoon season is actual over now, we’re not likely to have another storm here. Yes, Sweetie, I'll try to get pictures of the school flower beds, the inside of our Quonset [just as it is, too - a mess! Our tubes, which we gave up trying to keep tidy long ago, is heaped with a confused mess of tools, scotch tape, papers, knives, scissors, rules, a paper punch, string, glue, sandpaper, matches, magazines, Barry's briefcase (like my small black one) and then some. When I want to write a letter I just shove things aside with a sweep of my forearm.] - and our office. #425 (a wonderful long letter, written in answer to my long one) - have answered most of this one. I'm glad you've made that week of ours (from the time I reach Carmel) a bargain. It is good to think about. No, I don't [pg 7] spending just a night in San Francisco. From our standpoint alone, two or three would be better - I want to go dining and dancing with you, darling - but I'm also dying to see Wendy, and at any event wouldn't want her to be left more than that long. Yes, let's do go back for 3 or 4 days later on. Congratulate Gladys for me on her daughter's engagement. It would be pleasant if Gladys could phone Muz. I like the sound of Mrs. [Goromsen?], from your description of her. Yes, I received the last set of snapshots of Wendy in kimono, tub, etc. - I'm sorry if I didn't acknowledge them, Sweetie. As always, I loved getting them. Am way behind in mounting them in my album, tho - By the way, were you ever able to get me another little album? Forget whether you said you’d sent it [pg 8] or whether you couldn't get it. The Benedictine - no, Sweetie, you must open it even if for only one drink (in fact, I’d like to have it that way) and that one a silent toast to us all. Somehow I don't like the idea of just sticking it on the shelf unopened; I want our little devotions to be made no matter when or where, as long as at least one of us can practically make them. And as I did so for both of us last year, so I would like to have you do so this year. By the way, keep your wedding dress in trim for at least one more wearing before you set it aside for Wendy to see some day. I intend to rent a 1/3 c outfit some day and have our wedding pictures taken. Do you mind, and are you with me? I [pg 9] think it would be very amusing, and we really should have the pictures. All right, Sweetie, if you've already bought the nightgown, let's put the balance aside to spend - only rather than saving it for clothes, I’d like you to bring it to San Francisco with you as a little extra for us to use on anything we feel like there. It might be well if you carried an additional $20 with you also since I haven't any idea just now what cash I'll have or need. Gosh, I’d love having a picnic lunch on the beach in midafternoon, even if it is too cool for general sunning the rest of the day. (My tan has faded a good deal too - have to wear khakis or grays now, and altho that doesn't mean necessarily long trousers or [pg 10] sleeves in the day time, I haven't any shorts and don't especially like them in khaki anyway.) I think probably that I'll come home by ship, Sweetie. Air priorities will be tight for some months to come, and it's taking some men longer to go by air - the delay being accompanied by much discomfort. If I should fly, I don't know whether or not you can meet me at the airport, but since there's a connecting bus to midcity it would probably be a lot less confusing to meet me at the terminal office in S.F. If I'm flying I'll give you details later. #420-424 (already answered) You bet I'll take Wendy along when I go for my first haircut! Charlie Frankel is at Sasebo - that's all I know of it. #414 The enclosed clipping about holding MG men was outdated. Pay no attention [pg 11] to it (if, indeed, you can still remember what it was about.) There - it's about time to quit. No matter how hard I try (fact is, I don't even think about it till I'm all thru) my maximum effort for any one day seems to be 20 pages. I love you dearly Warren
