May.21. 16

Dean Mary, Ern & Frances

Having finished my days labours, which consisted of taking a class in Machine Gun work & the air having cooled somewhat, I thought I couldn't do better than write a letter, in answer to the two letters I received from you.

I should have written sooner but for the fact that I was too busy, down at the Machine Gun School, you see the time was short & I had a lot to do.
We were in a little seaside place right on the Channel coast & believe me it was good to get away from the line for a while & to get a smell of the briny. Made me wish I was on my way towards the setting sun, & it looked tempting to see the ship disappearing over the horizon.
The weather we are having now is just glorious & I am getting quite brown again. I have taken to the tent life again & its just fine, oh : I tell you, you can't beat the open air life. I am sitting just outside my little tent writing this, the time is 6:30 p.m. & it's Sunday. I wonder what you are doing now.

You did quite right in putting that donation in, on Easter Sunday, you know what I would do in these cases so you wont go far wrong. That is quite alright to about getting that link for Florrie's bracelet. She's a dear kid & writes me some fine letters.

Jim has been on leave again & wrote & told me he had a good time, but I heard form a girl friend of his & she said he seemed very gloomy. You see I guess he feels something like I used to when I'd come home from Church and lay on the couch & wish I could go to war or some such desperate thing. He's nuts on the girl & you know what it is when a fellow gets lovesick, now stop grinning Mary.

Give my best respects to her Mrs Morely & all the rest of the people at the Church: I will try and write to Mr Morley - soon as I can.

Yes I still have my old Prayer Book, it is rather knocked about but still quite serviceable, quite a veteran prayer book, eh!

Ern sure is getting to be a proper Church Father, I can just picture the poor old chap with his egg like head & a big mosquito sting on his eye.
We are anxiously awaiting the advent of the wasps, oh we do have some merry time when they are here.

I had a nice letter the other day from Evelyn Course, say Mary you don't know how I enjoy getting letters from Canada, "Good News from a Far Country" sure do help a fellow along.

Sorry to hear that Jackie is degenerating. I see that things will sure be on the bum if I don't get back soon & seeing you have got to wallop Frances now, its too terrible for words.

I haven't received a letter from Dan yet but give him my kind regards and tell him to try and get rid of that awful habit of revoking, with one card in his hand.

Tell Ern if he ever shows me a shovel when he comes back I will ..... well I don't want to get pinched for threatening violence, but dark deeds are simmering in my brain pan.

The church sure does seem to be progressing favourably in the financial way, do you remember when you & I first went to the little church & I didn't want to go there any more, then I caught sight of a certain face, then the fiercest blizzard couldn't kept me away. Oh! Youth.

I have written to Jim and asked him about that money you sent, as, now you mention it, I don't remember him saying anything to me about it
Well Mary the sun is getting low, so I guess I'' have to dry up & get my little mone fixed up for the night.

Hoping this will find you all quite well & don't forget to write very a long letter.

Best Love to all
Pete
p.s. Dear Mary am enclosing a photo we had taken at the M.G.School. You may think I needed a shave or a wash but I didn't it's just an optical illusion

P.