30 Cdn Air Survey Liaison Sec RCE

Cdn Army Overseas.

6 Nov 44

Dear Jean:

Yours of the 29 Oct arrived on Saturday, also your parcel of cookies and cloth for Mrs Hayward. I decided to go down to Haywards after lunch, got away about 4pm, and got down before 6 via motor bike. It was a pleasant ride down through familiar country, I always goon the back roads as much as possible, partly to avoid traffic, but mostly because its prettier and unspoiled. The narrow roads are not too bad on the bike. Stayed Sat night and last night, coming home here after an early breakfast, starting off before daylight, it was bitterly cold, was practically perished when I arrived, but the boys had some hot coffee ready and soon revived. I thought Mrs H might as well have the dress goods now, rather than wait till Xmas so took them down. She was very pleased, and the color was just right. She is going to get a woman to make up the garment, Both Ecila and Mrs H were delighted to find the odds and ends, buttons, thread etc all complete with the cloth. Your score is pretty high. Mrs Hayward asked for your address, and intends to write you. She is a very active woman and works hard, they do quite a bit of entertaining, and have no help. Of course the girls are a help, but Jean has joined the land army since she was 18 and goes to work early each day, and comes home late. She is lucky to be able to live at home, they are both splendid girls. Mrs H has a large garden which is her main hobby, she much prefers that to sewing, but said she has an excellent dressmaker who will do up your material for her.

Bert and I cut down another large beach tree, one I had lopped all the branches off the last time, it was the biggest yet. Got it all cut up into cordwood lengths, and split into chunks small enough to put up on the saw horse. Bert enjoys working with me on the wood. Few other people know how to use an axe, or how to operate one end of a crosscut saw. I meant to talk about his Mill Bay place, but there is always too much excitement and bustle and didn't get a chance. Will however, have a lunch with him in town one day soon, and tell him what we would like to do, what we could do, and see what he thinks. Have been wondering just a bit lately if he might perhaps want to keep it for one or both of the girls, just in case either should decide to emigrate to Canada. From what I can see, neither of them are showing definite signs of getting married, If they marry and settle in this country, I doubt if Bert will want to hang on to the Mill Bay place. I should not want to persuade him to sell if he thought of making a home of it for the girls, or perhaps himself. Anyway will have a good frank talk with him, possibly it will suit him just as well to let the decision ride for a while, as it would suit us, till we know a little more about our own future. Am quite sure Bert would agree to letting me have first choice of buying, as he as much as said that some time ago, and he is not a man to go back on his word. I am pretty well convinced that it would be a very good investment, an excellent place for me to retire on someday, if my wife is agreeable, and after we are through with it, a very tidy asset to leave to Mary and her little brother. Even if the future should dictate that we knock around the world a bit during the next ten years, I should feel much more solid and happy about life to have that place to look forward to.

Ecila and I went to see the play on Friday, and enjoyed it. We found a very satisfactory little place to eat after the show, and then I got the train back here, and she stayed in town with Mrs. Elgood, a very interesting friend of hers, she wanted to do some shopping Sat.
Your cookies are delicious, and they were less broken up this time, and crisp and fresh. We have them with our afternoon cup of tea. I don't suppose there are any alarm clocks on sale. We have none at all, and being off by ourselves, find it rather a job waking up now the mornings are dark. Sorry the flowers were a day late, I specified Ballantynes in the order, so must check up with the agents here. Have heard nothing from Charlie Swannell, but noticed that he has become a major recently in the orders. Meuser got a copy of my report, and wants me to go over to discuss it with him. If I do, might be able to hunt up Lorne.

Tell Mary I enjoyed her letter at the end of yours. The flowers, duck, tricycle, and tallyho are all quite legible. If we could go up to Mill Bay each summer during the holidays, she might have a chance to do some riding.

Bill went up to town this pm to meet his auntie from Wales, they planned on going down to Haywards for the night. Tomorrow they go to the investiture, Margaret Hayward is going too, to see him get his MC pinned on by the King. Big stuff. I see that Meuser got the OBE recently. We don't know quite what to make of the recent shake up at Ottawa, or of General McNaughtons part in it. The feeling in the army here is very strong that the conscripted troops should serve overseas.

This is not a very interesting letter.

LOVE...GER