Lloydminster, Monday, Sept 28th, 1942
Dear Art,
Well here I go again for the weekly epistle but I do not know just what news I am going to write about for the town is just as dead as ever, absolutely nothing out of the regular happening. You will notice that this is Monday instead of Sunday, Yesterday I got up and Olive and I finished digging up the potatoes in the morning, then after I got the mail I had to get busy and make the potatoe bin downstairs bigger in order to hold the record crop. We were out in the car for about 30 minutes and Mother and Dad were up for supper. After they went Mother and I packed another parcel for you. A special one that we are sending for your birthday, and we hope that it reaches you in time. I think that you will recognize it when you open it as being the special one, so will you please let us know if you receive it alright and what condition it is in. By way of a hint you will find a small packet inside if you look close enough that will made the main object complete. We are all well at home, but anxious about you, the mail is not coming so good as it used to, we have had not word of you since the Marconigram sent from London which we received last Monday morning. The story of your little "Shaky Do" as it was called evidently was news all over the dominion for Stan Spilsbury who is now at Vancouver saw it in a Vancouver paper and sent the clipping along to Mrs Spilsbury here to give to me, and then Ethel Harding (you will remember she used to go to school here) who is now living in London, Ontario sent the office a clipping out of the London paper with it in, and we at the office copied it out of the Bulleting, and the Journal and Saskatchewan Star also carried it. With all the publicity Mother and I are hoping that you will have written us an account of it. It will not make us nervous now that it is all over. We are greatly interested in your doings, and hope that you will keep us supplied with such information. Have you been to see Cousin Lily Chamberalin yet, and have you written to Mr and Mrs Haynes. We have not heard from Ernest or Florence now since July, I am going to sit down one of these nights and write them saying just what I think of them. I have passed worrying over them now, and the interest in them seems to have died off to a great extent. A letter came for you this past week from the insurance Company so rather than forward it over to you I opened it to see if it was anything important. I think that it is, so rather than send the letter by ordinary mail and take a month or more to reach you I will copy the letter on this which I hope will reach you as quick as possible Quote At your request when you entered military service it was arranged to meet the premium on your policy by means of pay assignment. You no doubt appreciate that this arrangement made it necessary for the company to set up a special accounting routine in regard to you policy, and the many other policies that are being continued in this way during the period of time that the assured is in the armed forces. Our head office have drawn to our attention to the fact that in the case of your policy the amount of the pay assignment which is being received from Ottawa is $6.38 whereas the amount required to meet the premium on your policy is only $6.21. It will assist us considerably if you will please be kind enough to have the amount of your pay assignment reduced from $6.38 to $6.21 so that it will no longer be necessary to treat your policy separate because of the pay assignment having been greater than that which is required. Will you kindly let us know when you have seen your paymaster and arranged for the reduction. This will be much appreciated, Unquote. That is the contents of the letter which I think you will find self explanatory, In the meantime I will write to the Edmonton Office from whom the letter was received and advise them that you are now in the Old Country and that I have sent the contents of the letter over to you by air mail. Glad to say that we are all well at home, all of the kiddies of school age are going to school regular, georgie has taken joining the junior choir of the the Anglican church so when you came back we will have to sing for you as well as play. The World Café closed its doors on Saturday. I hear that the building has been sold to George Dunn and that Reg Curtis and Carl Scogland will be moving into it shortly, I believe that Don at the Royal will be fixing up another dining room in the basement of hisplace this winter. I have not had a film for a long time now but will be getting one soon so wil thansend you some more pictures, So far we have only received the one set of pictures from you taken at Gloucester. If possible get a snap of your crew and send us, naming all the boys, it would be interesting to have at home here, and we would sure appreciate it. I guess it would be impossible to get a idea of what the plane looked like when you landed after your experience, In my last letter I mentioned about the talk that was given about your experience over the "Wings abroad" programme. Mother and I listen to that regularly every Saturday night, have done since the talk about Stan Messum in the spring. Several around here who heard that programme have expressed the opinion to me that we make hear more details of that adventure yet, when it is safe to release the wholestory. Olive is getting quite handy these days, you would not know him now, He is very much like Ernest in his appearance but totally different in disposition, he is quite good natured and would rather take Georgie to the show with him than to by himself, He and George are great pals and get along well together, for which we are pleased. He does not mind what he does and helps his mother willingly in many things, I have been fortunate in geeting mother an electric washed, only a second hand one but it sure makes the work a lot easier and does a good job which is all that can be expected, Mother and I are going to the show tonight so I will post this when we go down, that is the reason that I am writing it in such a hurry. I am not going to be able to leave any room here for the rest to write but they all join in woshing you the best on your 21st birthday and ever day that follows. Do you job, be careful, and we will have a grand reunion when you come home, Mother has surely taken a great interest in the home this past few weeks she has pit down 150 quarts of fruit and a number of jars of pickles, and we have a large garden this year, but meat is going to be very expensive and probably rationed, it is said that we cannot purchase meat direct off farmers in lare quantities but I have not heard that farmers cannot make a gift of any, so possible I may yet be luck some more. Mrs Dally has not heard from Marjorie since her wedding day but we expect that she is busy putting her home in order.
Best of Love from all
Martha & Dad