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97 Saturday 6 Jan. 1945 9 pm My dearest darling, How I hated to go back to the office tonight for a conference with the Korean camp leaders (just now ended)! This afternoon, in time to read all of them before chow, I received four letters from you plus a long envelope with clippings. I walked the city block from the Quonset which houses the post office to my tent smiling to myself and picked out #106 (Christmas Eve, morning)… Darling, I shivered with pleasure - literally-as I read it. I loved all of it - made me feel tingly, and warm inside, and loving you so very much. I thought to myself, this is really my Christmas, and I've really being waiting, inside me, to celebrate with you in spirit when I got your letter. Then a little later I realized what a prosaic letter I must have written you about my Christmas, and felt a little sheepish. I didn't mind being busy at the time and having to snatch my half hour of opening presents with you without really being able to take time off and enjoy it and think about you - but now I do, because there was so little to write you about. Sunday Jan 7th [CENSORED] Tonight I am the staff duty officer, sitting at the desk opposite the main door of headquarters office and entering routine occurrences (or an non routine one that may happen, such as an air raid, a fire, a brawl, stragglers in camp, etc.) in a log book. In a few minutes I shall make the rounds of the civilian camp [pg 2] and will then resume writing you. I took on this duty (it rotates amongst the officers periodically) when I exchanged places with Evan Davis, since he is now subject to being called out at any hour of the night and I am not. So off I go, after slinging on my cartridge belt with all its attachments and picking up a bottle lantern (heavy box-shaped, flashlight with a long beam which is standard equipment) - till later, sweetie. (self censored) Just a brief check up on the military camp half an hour from now and I'm through for the night. Came on duty at the close of the working day and will be relieved in time to get in on the last few minutes of chow tomorrow morning. #106 - My favorite letter of all your many good letters to date- Happy about the pajamas arriving when they did. And about the flowers. As for the package of fruit from Mrs. May, honey, did you take it that it was from me? - you say, just after mentioning it, “you do order the nicest things.” The fruit I had nothing to do with, but a very nice gesture it was and pleasant to hear of. Thank you for the words to the Trolley Song (they’re rather catchy)- the picture hasn't been here yet but we get a lot of fairly recent ones and I'll look for it. Congratulations on your first tooth, Little Sweetie! The tray set was a trifle to tie in with our cotton anniversary (even tho it isn't cotton), darling; the [pin?] was sort of special and was meant to be the anniversary present, as you probably gathered. I did take a fancy to it, and [pg 2] it was the one thing I saw that made me think right away of you. When I get back to Hawaii I hope to see a night-blooming crocus - it's a relatively rare flower. The idea of the greeting-me suit sounds awfully good, Darling. I much prefer the idea of your mixing things on the charm bracelet, so long as it doesn't get unwieldy, and it makes it easier to think of more things for it. Yes, the white “fluffy” thing - can't think of a word to describe it with - is coral. Walla walla wahu? I've been consulting with him regularly. It was he who told me what kind of letters to write you when you needed cheering up a little. I think he did a pretty good job. The matter of the teddy bear is cleared up now in this letter. Still want a brown one, does she? How big is the pink one she has now? I liked hearing about Chuck's toting Wendy home after you’d sat in for them while they were at midnight mass - and Chuck's remarks to you were an accidental anniversary gift worth staying up for, weren't they? Gosh, time flies when I'm reading your letters - time to make the rounds again - Twenty minutes later Darling, that was such a precious letter, in every way. It had not only the best of all the little endearing trifles I love to hear from you but also that necessary pinch of reality, without which the trifles would seem vain and empty but on top of which they are doubly precious. I haven't neglected to read about and visualize the other presents you received but have lots more letters to answer and not enough time. Am out of this paper and will start another letter. [?] Sweetie! W.
