Dec 19, 1944

Dear Sisters:

It is a dark cloudy day not so hot out either.

We had scalloped potatoes & meat loaf for dinner. Mary made it last night chows. I heated it up for dinner. After dinner I went down and bought a tree and put it up. I got an old paint pot and filled it with stone & water it really holds the tree very solid it isn’t very large about 36” tall our friends that live behind us are lending us some trimmings for it so we’ll have a little Christmas not the kind we’d like to have but under the circumstances it will have to do. Maybe next year we can have an old fashioned one again that is maybe, of course.

There is a large shipment going out of here to day I guess they are going to other branches of the service from what I hear.

Boy things surely are in an uproar around here & I surely hope I can stay here for the holiday at least.

I got a Christmas card, letter, & a dollar from Uncle Clearance yesterday it was very nice of him. I’ll send you a list of who sent me cards later.

I have a letter from Kathryn it was written at school.

You surely must have had terrible weather back home gee around here a person doesn’t even need an overcoat it surely isn’t what I heard it was out here or yet anyway.

It was nice you had that gang up from school.

I didn’t get a copy of courant yet either. I guess it will start with Jan.

That’s terrible about Sherrick he really must be out of his head it is too bad that kids are left get out of hand to the extent that they drive a man nuts.

Mary’s toe is O.K. she hasn’t worked nights as yet but will the last 3 days of the week.

Now Irma I have a letter from you it is nice the kids are going to have a Christmas party with their money I am glad to hear you are teaching the kids the Constitution it is something not given enough time in our present school system.

I must get ready to go to work again. So I guess I’ll say

So Long

Love

John