Minnicog Island,

Midland Ont.,

July 3, 1944.

Dear Ma Pa & Ruth:

Just a few lines to let you know that I received your post-cards to-day. Outside of my feeling plenty blue to-day I am okay. I feel blue because I wont be able to spend any week-ends that I get off, with Rubert for a while. I sure hope it wont be long  before Rubert and I will be able to get to-gether again maybe it will be soon be over and we will both  be home again, and that sure will be a swell day when that day comes.

If it wasnt for the pact that in another couple of months I hope to be able to come home on leave –and I have been looking forward to coming home on leave every day since I left—I would try and be drafted out of there to “Halifax” too. Rubert sure knows how to take care of himself so he will be okay, and from what I have heard the shipwrights go to work around the shipyards so for gosh sakes dont go worrying because Rubert will be okay. He told me that he would be writing us all and let us know how things are going.

I am going to write to Rubert to-night after I finish this letter to you all, and I will write to him at least three times a week so my letter writing sure will keep me busy.

Im not sure whether I told you before or not, but Larson’s wife is staying at the Georgian Hotel. Rubert and I met Larson and his wife in a Café in Midland on Saturday. She sure looks like a swell girl. We had quite a few Sundaes while in Midland, Rubert sure likes them. They sure were alright too because it was plenty hot.

Thanks a lot for writing to me Ma. Ill bet your garden sure does look swell now, Ma. Are your carnations out yet. I sure remember how I used to keep getting flowers from you last year to give to Lorraine. Ill bet Lorraine kind of misses the flowers and the rides home. Did you plant a lot of vegetables this year too Ma?

How are you making out with your garden this year Pa. Do you think you will have as big a pumpkin as you had last year? That sure was a big one, wasnt it?

I was going to do some washing to0night. I have a couple of pair of socks, a towel and a couple of shirts to wash. Seeing as how I have quite a lot of letter writing to do I will have to wait until to-morrow night though and do it then.

I may go to Midland on the Liberty boat this Wednesday night and I have been wondering whether I ought to phone you then if I do go. If I do go Wednesday I may not be able to go Saturday. If I dont phone this Wednesday or Saturday, I will phone you sometime next week, and it will then be either on a Monday or Wednesday night. It is practically impossible for me to set a day a week ahead now, because it will be another three weeks before I will get a long wee end off. We only get one long week end off a month now, but can go to Midland one or two times a week.

The blueberries ought to be ripe in a week or two now so I will be busy picking them in the evenings. I hope they are good to eat right off of the trees. Maybe they are only good for making pies though. I sure like blue-berry pie, and I often get it when I eat in a café. Rubert and I had a piece in the “Ontario café” in “Midland” yesterday, and with a piece of ice cream on it. I  hope I get the rest of my pay soon so I can send some more home to you. Rubert was telling me that he was sure he heard my name called out at York when he was getting paid, so they probably have some of my pay there. Rubert was feeling pretty good on how much pay he got, we sure get pretty good pay alright. He was telling me too about how much money he had for you to put in the bank for him Ma. Rub, sure must be pretty well fixed now as for as money goes, and he sure has earned it too. I wish I had saved more of mine when I worked in the shipyard, but I’m not too be off either, am I?

To-day they stopped letting us have something to eat at nine o’clock. I guess there are too many fellows here now to have it any more. Maybe it is not so good to eat before going to bed anyways.

Well I guess I will have to stop here for to-day, as I have yet to write to Rubert, so hoping that you are all alright at home I will stop here and write again to-morrow.

Love to you all Art.