Alliford Bay, B.C.
Jan.22, 1944

Dear Mom and Dad ---

No doubt by now you have received the letter I wrote after Christmas, or was it after New Years?, I have forgotten. I had so much mail for a while that I was actually weary from answering it, but bad storms have held it up lately. It is not cold, but the wind & the rain are terrible at times. I can't recall whether I answered your letter written on the 27th of Dec. or not, so I am reading it through again. I got your swell card and box. Thanks Dad, for those swell tools, they certainly are handy. Now I don't have to spend so much time chasing around to stores and other fellows because of a meager supply in my issue kit. Thanks for that information about the Bren gun. I will return it to you because you probably wish to keep it. Last week I noticed that all the sheet metal cutting, rolling & forming machines up here in the workshop are made by Brown Boggs. The lathe is a swell little South Bend. The other day I was helping the machinist make a bracket to fit the compound so he could attach a small portable grinder for a job on some case hardened wrist pins from one of the diesel engines in the power house.

Well, since Christmas I have had a New Year's card from Aunt Reta, a birthday card from you folks, one from Aunties B. & E., a letter from Jim, and your swell box. By the way, I wish you would not send candy, for I have not been eating any for a long time, so I don't like it anymore.

That was too bad about Inch's barn, wasn't it. I am surprised to hear that Roy Howlett is in the army. He always seemed a little delicate. If Roy Miles is in air crew I suppose he is still training. I guess Cliff isn't old enough yet.

In a letter I had from Mary, she mentions seeing Cliff and her told her that no one had heard from me. I wish now that I had kept a book of addresses. Although once I knew the addresses of all my chums I cannot think of them now. I have wondered about Percy. His folks live at 68 Tuxedo Ave. S. Perhaps you could find out his whereabouts, number, etc. if it wouldn't be too much trouble.

I had a letter from Mrs. Pyke in Galt. I wrote her and sent a piece of Indian shellwork some time ago, but she has been sick and could not answer me. However, she is recovering now and says she is knitting me some socks. I don't really need them but I suppose I will use them sometime. You can knit some if you like, but you see, if ours wear out, all we do is wash them and return them to stores whereupon we are issued with new ones, so don't go to any trouble.

I also got a letter from a girl I knew in Galt, thank-[?] me for the Indian curio and card I sent her.

Did I tell you I climbed Table mountain a few weeks ago. The view was magnificent and it was good to feel some snow under my feet. The climb just about did me in though - I never realized how badly out of condition I was. I am working out regularly with the weights now, and am feeling fine. We have a swell new room in No. l hangar, and we are getting $70.00 worth of new equipment. By the way we have a soda-fountain now and occasionally we get ice cream, fresh milk, etc. for milkshakes. The cabinet itself came from Brantford. Construction is also under way on a bowling alley and a small swimming pool. You see, the canteen & recreation committee have discovered that they have over $2,000.00 to the good and demanded these things because sports are the only diversion we have here.

During the last storm, our mascot, Kwana got tangled in some fallen power lines. I think she will be given a military funeral. Everyone will miss her. We still have the five dogs, though.

Glad to hear that my bond arrived. I was worried about it. They are not always attentive to these things in the account section. One payday I was short $10 and had to go check them up. One of them had made a mistake in his figures.

I guess this letter is not very long, but I have lost some of my enthusiasm for writing. Hoping you are well; so long for now ---

Joe