Major GS Andrews, RCE

Survey, HQ First Cdn Army O/S

20 Dec 42

Dear Jean:

No letters from you last week, but the doll for Anita came Friday, and I took it up to let the Morris's open it. My, they are pleased and they think you are a dear. It is a nice little doll, even thought it was a fine bit of work. They say it would be impossible to get anything as nice here, and it would cost at least 3 guineas, is about $15.00. Ecila got it wrapped up nicely, and got me to write a little card "Love to Anita for Christmas from Mary Elizabeth" to put in, and it will go in the mail first thing in the morning, and should reach Anita before the 25th. It was good of you to do this dear, Anita is a sweet little tyke, and has no real mother, and rather an indifferent father. The week brought other mail, an airletter from Gert. wanting permission for her husbands cousin to read my Alaska paper at the convention of the Engineering Institute of Canada. I cabled my OK. A nice parcel from my sister Mary too, and a box of chocolates from Margaret Trorey. I feel embarrassed getting all these parcels, when I know that people at home are not having things too easy now, with higher cost of living, heavy income tax, and rations on food. When they send me parcels, I feel like a child. However, I try to share the treats as widely as possible.
Sent home cigars and pipe tobacco to old Ted Sturges, some chocs to the old Smedley couple, and am putting some odds & ends by to take up to Morris for our Christmas Dinner, and for Haywards, if I can get away to go there for New Years. Harry Luscombe, our Survey Captain is going to come up to Morris for Xmas dinner too, Poor Bert Hammond will not be able to get away. We are trying to find a foul to take. They are very scarce, and expensive.// A nice letter [?] from Mac and Ann, airgraph. really I must try to get some letters written to a few people. Managed to get one off to Locheley Haggman during the week. //We had a mess party here last night, it was quite nice, I got back rather late, and went to bed after about an hour. Had been up cutting more wood, and stayed for supper with Morris.

Today an old friend of mine came over from Aldershot to have supper with me, He is a young doctor from Winnipeg, we were on a survey together in 1927 in Northern Manitoba, He had to go back early, but we had time for some reminiscing. He's a fine chap, and has always remembered me. //Sent a small bundle of books off for our bookshelf. Another one I got over a year ago, have at last got rebound, and the old man he's made an exquisite job of it, just got it back yesterday. Will send it along in due course. There are some sweet little things in it for Mary, but think it better be a family book, at least until she grows a bit older. December has been a much nicer month than November was. The cold weather will probably come with Xmas. My work has been progressing, slowly but surely. I feel so good to have you in our own house again. I hope you and Mary will be warm and comfortable this winter, and hope you will be happy and in congenial company for the festivities of XMAS and New Years. My friend, Major Jack Wilson gave an excellent paper on the NW Territories at the RCE.

LOVE TO YOU BOTHE GER