86 St. Ives Rd.,
Rusholme,
Manchester.
Sept. 26., '17

Dear Lulu

You will wonder what the address means I know, but I suppose you can guess quite easily. Most unexpectedly I got leave last week for seven days and I am just now staying with my father & sister. It has all seemed very wonderful to go from one home to another renewing old acquaintances & friends but is has been fine. If you could only be with me now and make their acquaintance now and make their acquaintance too, my happiness would be complete.

But all the time I am wondering how you are getting along. Have you much pain now, & have those sinews joined again. The idea for a possible plastic of Paris setting is too bad. But I know you won't try to stand too much on your feet, even to do things that you feel you ought to do. Your mother would feel very badly if you gave yourself any injury even to help her with the housework.

But maybe you are able to walk around nicely now, I have been busy getting ready to go to Toronto. How I hope you will have a first class time there! If I should by any possible chance be sent back within the next month I should be delighted to meet you in the Queen City of Canada.

But in a few hours I shall set back for Warrington. My leave is over tonight, although I managed to get two days extension. I have enjoyed renewing old friendships and meeting my relatives. It seems all to wonderful to be true that it has been possible. But now it is over and I shall grudge every hour that separates me from you.

I find that I have become Canadianised. Much as I love my relatives & friends, & this dear old beautiful land, yet I am not at home here. It is a beauty spot, a hive of industry, but I want Canada. Perhaps you have made some of the difference, but anyway, I must come back as soon as I can.

I went to a photographer here & had my photo taken in khaki & will send you one when they arrive. Don't be in a hurry, for it may take several weeks before they are ready; they don't hurry very much in England now. You see that is not "war-work". You will notice that I look older.

My visit seems to have been a round of laughter. Everywhere it seems as if I must make fun; almost too much. People seem so sad very often, & I felt as if I must go to the other extreme; just to change it. Do you ever feel as if you had made yourself foolish in order to do the thing that seemed needful? The little ones that never saw me before, & yet have prayed for there "Uncle Thomas", just in Canada & then in France, will remember my visit anyway.

I have received another delightful letter from you the other day - the one with the cuttings in. It is so good of you, my dear Lulu to send me those letters. Let us hope that we shall not long have to write letters to each other at all, & that we shall know each other in better ways then by correspondence, very soon.

What will happen next I don't know. I am going back to Warrington tonight, & may stay there some time before being sent to Buxton or some other place. It is hardly likely that I shall be sent to any boat until I am sent first to a Canadian hospital. So I hope to go to Buxton, & from there go to Liverpool, & there to Canada & Digby.

With regards to the "Pines". Of course that would be very nice, but the Digby parsonage is a better convalescence home for me. I am sure that there will be greater "progress" made in the latter. So if you don't mind I shall stay by the old arrangement.

Well, get well quick, Lulu dear, for I shall need - or, not need, but take, all sorts of care & patience. I want to see you walking around just as you were when I came to you at Digby. We shall have a right jolly time I hope. Perhaps you will find me far different to what you expected! Who knows! I hope you won't be too disappointed anyway.

Well, good-bye for the present. I am storing all kinds of love up.

Yours as ever

Tom

P.S. Those cards that I am sending - the good once I mean - can be got at Judges Ltd, 22 Ludgate Hill, London, E.C.4 [?]