30 Cdn Air Survey Liaison Sec, RCE

Cdn Army England.

5 March 45

Dear Jean:

I was glad to get your of the 24th today. Mostly they come on Mondays now, and are very good for dissipating that "Blue Monday" feeling. Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays are long days for us, we work right through from 8 in the morning to 8 in the evening, the others days they quite at 5pm. I also give them Sat afternoons off, so it balances up about normal, they get a good break once a week, and we get through a lot of work. My hours of course are unspecified, and you can imagine how they compare with the others. If I didn't like it I wouldn't do it.

Was interested in your note about Ann Campbell. She must be quite a lass now, and no doubt talks a blue steak. The contrast between her and our Mary is interesting, and of course you know Mary is just the way I would like her to be most, because she is like her Mother, in those ways which I love in her mother. Then too, guess she is just an ough like her Pop so that he can sympathize and understand her. I will be impatient to learn from her next letter that she is definitely not in for a siege of scarlet fever. Am sorry you have to bear these anxieties all by yourself, and you must not hesitate to share them with me, as far as the circumstances permit.

Was amused about your concern about Bud, and can imagine how he was too. Bud is much a fine fellow and handsome and all that, it would bedifficult for him not to step out a bit, and it is rather surprising sometimes that so much of the goings on between the young and charming during the melee of war, is really quite innocent. Bud must have a very deep affection for you. I wish California weren't quite so far from Victoria. I dream about a job which would let us live there during the winters, and in BC during the summers.

So Bill has finally arrived. Glad he found time to pop in to see you right away, and will be interested in hearing about your party. He will be rushed off his feet, and you must make allowances for him, it is an experience that only comes once in a few lives. Am afraid I am jealous of him on account of seeing you and Mary. Otherwise not at all It will be a hectic time for the Rodds too. Think when the time comes for me to turn toward home definitely, that we ought to arrange for you and Mary to come and meet me part way, and we can have our reunion just by ourselves first.

Still in limbo about plans for our future, but should know something definite on one thing this week. Hope to have a personal interview with an important person, a scientist with the authority to say yes or no, and hope he will. In the meantime am pushing some things in hand in hopes of finishing them up before anything starts.

The Cdn Navy show was very good Ecila enjoyed it and so did. It is a trump card for Canada, and I was a bit proud of it. After much agitation (on my part) they got permission for me to chop down another tree, on the vacant property adjoining theirs. Sat pm went over and trimmed all the branches, and cleaned up, and Sunday felled it, bucked it into sizable chucks for handling, and got it all stowed in their wood department. Will try to get over soon to get it cut up into small blocks, otherwise it isn't much use to them. It is a fine dry pine and will be invaluable for kindling, which is very scarce in this country.

Your parcel of biscuits came on Saturday, with lemon powder etc. Very welcome. Haven't had any tobacco for a long time. Have about lb left of the plug tho, which should last for a couple of weeks. In case we should move on short notice, our mail would likely be interrupted for some time, so it would be well to have a bit of tobac in reserve. Surface mail seems to be very slow, think they must be crossing in convoys again, due to the flurry in sub activity.

Germany certainly has her back to the wall now, and some of her offensive technique has a strong flavour of desperation, fanatically prolonging and intensifying the agony of their own people.

Weve had several lovely spring days, with a bit of sun. They seem to give one a new surge of life. However March has come in like a lamb. It remains to be seen if she will go out like the proverbial lion.
Have Beverly Nichols book Verdict on India, which will send to you, but I want to reread parts of it first. It is a very good effort. Am reading Harvey Allens The Fort and the Forest, about the Indian wars between the English & French in the Alleghennies. Its not as long as Anthony Adverse, fortunately, but it is well written, and am enjoying it.

May tak ea few days off next week, starting this week end, at Haywards. Feel the need of a bit of change, will phone Bert to see if it would be convenient in a day or two. Many things are looming up, and its hard to breakaway for very long. Can do some digging for Mrs H, and no doubt there will be a tree or two. The weather should not be too bad now. A nice letter from Nora, she has been to see my friend Lt col MacDonald. He is in hospital in Toronto. Sent £40 last week.
Heaps of Love,

GER

(Also a pkg of tobac from Miss Ann Meuser!)