12/4/43

Dear Mother:

Received your letter yesterday so decided to write and answer it to-day. Since to-day is Sunday we aren't doing anything at all. I went into Halifax last night and had my first ride on a ferry. We rode on it from Halifax to Dartmouth which is just across the harbor. It is only a matter of five minutes or so to cross but you can see the whole harbor and it is quite a sight all right. We had seen all the shows in Halifax so we thought that there might be one in Dartmouth that we hadn't seen, as it happened there was so we spent a dry time seeing it. After walking up and down hill all over Halifax I am getting kind of lonesome for the prairies where you can see nothing for miles and miles. This place is about a dirty a place as I have seen for quite some time and ever hope to see again. On the station here they haven't even got enough sheets to go around so I have been sleeping between wool blankets for the past week. In the mess they haven't got any spoons so sometimes when you have got nothing to do just try eating soup without a spoon. I have got all my webbing equipment now and it sure weighs you down. I tried putting my suitcase inside my kit bag to-day and after alot of grunting and groaning I finally managed it, so unless they issue us with much more stuff I think that I will take it that way. I thought maybe I had left my pen down at the garage but anyways I bought another one exactly the same so I guess it is all right. I haven't located Jack yet so I guess he is out on board ship but I will try again this afternoon. I bought five more hankies at the canteen here and I will buy some more before I leave so I will be well supplied up. I got a letter from Melville Friday and I will send it along. It seems to me that you have been telling him things about me tsk! tsk. Well anyways by one of my letters I must have let a little girl down boy did I catch hell. I suppose I will have to write her a nice mushy letter and smooth things over a little. So Dad finally sold the old jeep, what happened to Leonard the super salesman. You will have to do better than that Leonard or I will disown you as my brother.

I just discovered that my water bottle holds 26 of scotch quite nicely so maybe I can take Melville his scotch after all that if I can get any more here. Oh yes I have still got my flashlights so I can get around in blackouts. We had one here Wed. or Thurs. night and I pretty near broke my neck getting to bed. Well I guess that is all for now so until hear from you goodbye.

Orval

Tell Victor that if he don't quit eating ice like that I won't take him for anymore car rides.