January 7, 1944

109 South Hidalgo Avenue

Alamitos, California

Dear Kenneth,

(I wish you could get time to write me once in a while. You know I am too far from the folks to read any of your letters to them).

Here are very tardy congratulations to you. I am sure you are a very proud and happy daddy. I was so thrilled to get the telegram telling the wonderful news!!. Two thoughts were uppermost when I read it. First I was so sorry you would have to wait so long to get the good news. Secondly I was very anxious to send Claire a wire conveying our congratulations. For Francis, Hall, and Charles all wanted their names on it. But Uncle Sam does not allow any congratulatory message in these times.

You can imagine how happy I was when I received Claire’s first letter (written on the 7 day) telling that Aunt Eula had phoned you on Thursday, so you got the news about as soon as the rest of us. I can imagine how thrilled and happy you were.

I was so pleased with Claire’s letter. She sure is a sensible little mother. She is so anxious to have a good recovery so she can take care of that baby. Suppose she told you about Douglas Clovis’ first yawn and sneeze! Which he put on for her the first time she saw him.

By the way when I told Hall the baby had come, that it was a boy, and that his name was Douglas Clovis, he seemed to be much pleased. Said he was going to write Claire, but he is worse about writing then I am, so suppose she has not heard from him yet.

Well Kenneth, we are moving. We tried so hard to find an apartment, (we’re just 24 hours too late in one case). But we are going to have the same set up at our new place that we have had here…bed-room and kitchen privileges. Only our new land lady does not care if we have company, just so we do not conflict with her schedule. And she is regular with her meals, so that will help a whole lot. We will be about as far south of Main St. as we now are north of it. And will still be on Hidalgo Ave., just across the street from where Nora lives. You will remember we had to go to Main St. to take the bus.

Wonder if I told you about Charles and his being in line for an honorable discharge. Well he does not know it yet. But he has been taken out of training and works in an office, but is still at Camp Cooke. He had a four day furlough at Christmas time, and we all spent Christmas eve at Hall’s. Soon Charles is having to be worried nearly sick about his mother. She is sick and practically alone. She had flu and greatly aggravated sinus trouble. And the last he heard, she was upsetting her digestion. Worst part of it he can’t go to her. He called her up and insisted that she go to a hospital. Hall is spending this weekend with him, and I hope to have his mother better.

I am forgetting the important part, and that is to thank you for those very unusual bags you sent Francis and me for Christmas. We are very proud of them, and I sure think you did very well indeed shopping and doing up parcels by yourself. And those little coasters are a fell want with Hall. They just fit some new glasses he got for Christmas. He will write you someday.

Lots of love, Aunt Alice and Francis