Thurs. P.M.

PM Feb. 19, 1943

Dear Ralph,

I’m down home today. It still looks and feels like winter around here. I almost lost Butchie in the drifts coming down but we finally made it. Everything was frosty this morning. Butchie said the trees had stars all over them. The sun came out and that’s all gone now.

It’s almost three o’clock now and we’re having our dinner. Maybe you’d call it afternoon tea.

The “club” I belong to is meeting down at Lee Drake’s today. I didn’t go cause Butchie hangs around my neck all the time and you can’t sew with a weight like that on you.

Peeps said it was O.K. cause you couldn’t get a valentine, so don’t worry about it. She got a lot at school. Butchie kinda glued some of them together, but she hasn’t found it out yet.

Mom said she was going to write you a little bit. I thought maybe if I stuck around long enough I’d get to read it. She sent you a package yesterday and you ought to get it pretty soon. Mom said her mind wasn’t working good today. I guess it’s because it’s fixed up so fine down here, she doesn’t know how to act. It looks nice.

Did you answer Ruthie’s letter yet?

Mom wants to know if you want any more socks and if you want any grey ones? Are those she sent O.K.? You can write and tell her.

Margie hasn’t been down home all week because it’s been so cold. Pop sees her everyday down at the store though. She’s O.K.

Pop got your income tax blank yesterday and what do you want done with it?

Pop seen Ward L. and he said Carl was in Texas. Addie hasn’t heard from Donald yet.

(Mom) [I will write you a letter some of these days. Ila is aching to read one of my letters, so I can’t say much. We are O.K.]

I wanted Pop to write a line, too but he wouldn’t. We’re getting ready to start home now. Butchie is getting kinda cranky.

Don’t forget to write when you have some time.

Love,

Ila