No 162

G S Andrews, Major RCE

Survey, HQ First Cdn Army O/S

19 Apr 43

Dear Jean:

No letter from you last week, but a wonderful big parcel came, I think it was posted in Feb. It had wonderful things in it, Klim, cookies, tobacco, the lemon powder I took up to Morris's, with a certain amount of zeal knowing that I will likely get some nice lemon pie, in due course. They had just finished the last tin, so this one was very welcome. I was up there Sunday evening for a couple hours wood cutting, and supper. Your letter to Mrs M. on 13 Mar had come, so in that sense I did get a letter from you last week. It was a fine letter, and they are so pleased. I guess Mrs M has told you that they have secured 6 hens, and they are laying pretty well just now. They are preserving most of them for next winter, but there is the odd one for making lemon pie, etc. Some time if you are in the vicinity of a haberdashery, would you get me a couple of pairs of braces, either "President" with the pully arrangement, or the heavy "POLICE" kind. I tried to buy a pair here the other day, and the only thing for sale at even the best hops is terrible, no elastic in them, and if you bend over suddenly, they pull the buttons right off my trousers. I suppose a pair of garters would be good to have too, the ones here are just the same as the braces, I don't like wearing garters, but for special occasions it is nice to have your socks pulled up smartly. The weather here has been simply marvelous lately. More like summer than spring. We are in double summer time again, so it means long evenings. once or twice a week, I eat my supper early, and ride up the hill to Morris's for an hours woodcutting. This evening it was cooler having rained in the afternoon, so I went for a bike ride. On Saturday night, Lyle Trorey and I went into London to have dinner with Gordon Godwin, who has recently returned from Sweden. He certainly has a wonderful job. He says his wife and daughter have gone out to Victoria maybe you have met her. So far, this war has been a dead loss from the stand point of seeing the world. however I guess it is more important to have done a bit of useful work. But I cant help envying BIll Hall, and chaps like Godwin. I cant imagine any less interesting place to spend 3 years than this country. I saw Charlie Swannell last week in London, we had lunch one day when I was up on business. He is over on some kind of a course, and I believe he expects to return to Canada afterwards. He looked well, and seemed to be enjoying the experience. He didn't have much news of Victoria, having been away from there longer than I. He says that Joyce is greatly engrossed with their small boy. I believe she too is heading for the West coast during her husbands absence. I thought there was a chance of me returning for a short time on some special business, but it look now as tho that is definitely off I guess I'm just one of the plodders. No hits no runs no errors.

Oh well it will be over some day.

LOVE TO YOU BOTH,

GERRY.