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#51 Saturday 18 Nov. 9:15 pm Hi darling, I've spent most of the evening writing Mother and Father (recalling their anniversary tomorrow), starting a letter for Doug, for you to finish, clearing my desk of the day's notes and pausing for a few minutes to eat fruitcake offered by an enlisted man who dropped in to chat with Reif (pronounced reef, in case I haven't mentioned it). Someone mentioned San Francisco's Chinatown and what good finds you can make there - lovely things at inexpensive prices, especially as compared with the same things at Gump's (SE or Honolulu) and similar places, as well as with the Orient itself. If you should ever get to SF on a visit, why don't you get someone to talk you around there? That reminds me of Mrs. May - *be sure to send her a Christmas card - gosh, honey, I forgot all about helping you make the list as you asked me to. But couldn't you just flip thru your address book and guess at which ones I’d want you, or us, to send them to? If you still want me to think about it let me know; otherwise send me a list of whom you did address. -in the 31 issue of Life are pictures of the Toys of the Mark. (*-is an old abbreviation of mine for “which reminds me that of that etc.) [pg 2] Sweetie - if you still have any, would you use perfume in your letters occasionally? Next to being with you, your voice above anything else brings you vividly close - after that I think perfume would. But do so even if it's one I haven't associated with you, if you like it and use it now. Have just opened the two letters which I left this noon on noticing that the envelopes were unnumbered. I thought Grandfather's letter exceptionally good; I'll answer it and then perhaps send it to Mr. Lowrey in Honolulu with the explanation that I didn't have time to look him up on my way thru. I could have, actually, but it was too pleasant being with Henry in what spare time I had. I enjoyed the excerpt and will keep it to read again. I like to have you send me things like that when they appeal to you. That was too bad about the shipment - ever hopeful and twisting I would light into them for a delay like that if I had a chance. It's a good thing you didn't need the stuff too badly. As for the books, I suppose they may as well come ahead as planned; maybe by the time they get to Hawaii I'll be back there to intercept them on their way here. Try [pg 3] to let me know when they arrive in Monterrey though, sweetie- It's a little hard for me to remember the sound of Wendy's voice now (though I think I’d recognize it on hearing) despite the many child noises around here - but it's fun to read the language as registered by the tonal marks I suggested and a vowel and consonant scheme of your own (or Wendy's) devising. Yes, your letters to me are coming thru fairly regularly now, in from 6-9 days. Have you still not heard from me about the picture? I love it, darling; it stays on my desk where I can look at it from time to time during the day and looks at me, you sweetly solemn (I've grown very fond of that picture of you and think it's the best you've taken, in spite of those nice little supplementary snapshots I like so well and which are also before me) and Wendy merry. I see with your reference to a second pkg of kite stuff that I'm missing a letter, #55, and have it to look forward to tomorrow if any airmail at all comes in. I'm glad you could get some. And do remember, darling - when I make various requests like that for personal things or otherwise I do so (usually) on impulse and without much thought of what the sum total will do to your budget - so don't feel obliged to [pg 4] buy every little thing I suggest. Sometime ago you said you were going to weigh one of my letters (the other sheets and envelopes) to see how much paper I could send for 6¢, and then forgot to tell me the answer. Probably don't need vit C but if the doctor should recommend them, considering our diet as it is now (still improvised) I'll let you know. I should guess that when I get back to Honolulu I'll be there a little longer than last time, but that's not for sure. I should also guess, or at least not be surprised, if I'm back there by Valentine's Day. I was going to save some of the Oh-oh - lights out Sunday 8:30 am -benedictine for you anyhow, darling. It delights me every now and then to see how we continue, even at this distance in time and space, to anticipate one another's thoughts. No, I haven't heard the trolley song. Have just reread your last letter (about Paula's return) and feel so good about it for you The enclosed horoscope seemed to me particularly apt - no? Much work to do now, sweetie 0 just a lot of little details All my love Warren
