France
Jan. 31/18

Dear Cath:

Yesterday's mail brought me two letters from you, one of them containing the photo and to say that I was pleased is putting it mildly. I was really quite delighted - thank you so much. But would you mind telling me next time you write, how it is that you always take such dandy photos while some people (yours truly for instance) always make a fizzle of it - never took a decent picture in my life, but then of course there's nothing strange about that - daresay they're usually quite flattering.

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Those dots are supposed to represent the time it took to come from our billets up the line. We made the trip without any interference on the part of our friend Fritz and I am now seated in a nice cozy dugout a mile or so behind the firing line. Things are quiet, the weather fine and altogether this promises to be a pretty good trip. By the time this reaches you, all being well we will have done our turn in the front line and be back in our billets again.

Am glad to hear you had such a dandy time during the holiday and I have a pretty good idea of how you felt when it came time to go back - I've been there myself. But I imagine it must be pretty quiet around the old town now.

And so that sister of yours had to go and freeze her tootsies! She certainly must have enjoyed her skate. Still she has my deepest sympathy for it's no joke. I know that well enough for I had mine nipped last winter doing sentry. Hope she is feeling O.K. again. And how does she like her new school? Tr�s bien I s'pose. It must be great to be able to get home every week-end and if the work isn't too hard the change sure will be an agreeable one.

Perhaps you already know I met Lawrence Vannan a few days ago - I mentioned it in a note I sent your mother. He is in No. 3 Co'y and judging from appearances, life in France seems to be agreeing with him all right. He's looking tip top.

Say Cath did I thank you for those lovely socks you knit for me? Don't believe I ever did but I'll do it now. And I must say you're getting to be an expert with the needles. How long does it take to make a pair my size? - I'd just like to know if you don't mind telling.

Who do you think I got a letter from last week? O, I know you'd never guess so I'll tell you - Burnett MacD. And a nice long one it was too. He told me all about the deer supper served by the men on St. Andrew's night. Guess it was quite a success eh? Gee I hope we can manage to pound a little sense into Fritzie's head this year so that I'll be in on the next one. Just think! That's the second supply I've missed and it makes me so darn mad. St. Andrew's eve in Rome is all right but it's not in it with St. Andrews eve in Ridgetown.

Do you know I've actually started a diary! Yup, it's a fact. Mark Shaw sent me a dandy pocket diary for Xmas so I've decided to jot down a line or two each day. Of course to tell the truth I don't think it's necessary for I can remember nearly everything that I've done and every place I've been since I cam over here but there are little things I'm liable to forget that might make interesting reading some day apr�s la guerre so I've decided to jot them down.

Well this is the end of my paper so will say bye bye. It sure is a jumbled up letter but I'll try to do better next time.

Yous
Leslie

P.S. I'm afraid your mother is teaching Babs bad habits. - L.S.