May 16, 1943

My dearest Hal,

Today you are having another birthday that Sam and I will not be on hand to celebrate with you. I hope you will find some thing to do that is fun. Maybe our present will get there in time but I’m rather doubtful. Anyway we sincerely hope that before you celebrate another birthday we can all be together again.

You must forgive me if I am not able to write quite so often. We have 250 baby chickens and I try to help Daddy all I can with them and with the garden too. He is so much worse it makes my heart ache to see him suffer so much. Nothing seems to help him any and he is naturally discouraged because he can do so little. We are anxious to raise as much of our food as we can. Rationing has not bothered us at all so far. Mother is a wonderful manager and even with Peggy on a diet we get along fine.

In spite of price control everything is much higher. Sam is growing so fast and of course it takes a lot of clothes for him. The little knitted shirts I used to pay 29 and 39 for are now $1.00 and $1.49 each. Also it is annoying how fast Sam can kick out a pair of shoes. I bought him a pair two months ago and now I’m having them half-soled. I buy the best I can get and have to pay about $5.00 a pr. for them. Maybe it’s just as well he wasn’t a twin.

Sam was terribly distressed because he hadn’t sent you a present when he discovered you were having a birthday. I told him we had sent you several packages and that seemed to cheer him up quite a good deal.

Sara seems to have left Staunton temporarily at least. I called to tell her what you said about not doing anything about the promotion and it seems she has gone to West Virginia to be with Harry for a while. I didn’t know she was going. I will go over to see Nana if I can find some way to get there. I don’t have enough gas to drive over. I tried to get some but was turned down.

Raymond C. is in the Army. Dot is working at Farley’s Cleaners. I saw in the paper that Charles F A. has had to go. Is that the Charlie we know? I haven’t seen Nell for several months.

I hope you have a nice birthday. We wish we were there to pull your ears for you. I hope the hot weather doesn’t get too unbearable. We miss you more all the time.

All my love,

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