9 Wright Street,
Saint John, N.B.,

April 13th. 1945

1.30 P.M.

Dear Bill:

Your letter of March 28th. came to-day. I am glad your ankle if better. and I see you have your appetite with you, so you are not fading away exactly. I am fading away to a ton right now. Getting around is more burdensome every day. These last months are the worst. It seems ironical but the poor fur coat that made so much trouble is the only garment I have to go out in. It sure is working overtime. Lil is trying to fix an old coat up for me, to do for the few remaining times I may go out. Dad says we certainly should know better at our age. Too late now eh?

No person would be more glad than I if we could plan on you being home for Christmas 1945. India seems so very far away, for a little guy like you. Frank Doherty is in Belgium I think. Did I tell you George Banks is missing over the Irish Sea? I had a letter from his mother. She is heartbroken. He was the younger shorter of the two airmen we entertain-ed the last New Year you were home. He was a Sgt. Navigator.

By now you will have had the news of President Roosevelt's passing. He died so suddenly. He was a splendid man. and a great leader, and will be greatly missed.

Dad hasn't read your letter yet, but Brian wrote you this epistle two days ago and wanted me to send it along. so I thought I would write you a "foo" lines. and get it off.

Brian and his dad went to a father & son banquet at the "Y" last evening. Dad enjoyed it too. He should get out more like this.

Brian gets a great deal of fun out of the "Y" programs. He would like my very much to go to camp with the boys, but $36.00 is a lot of money and I'm afraid that it is just out for this year. I may be selfish in some ways but I always enjoyed seeing the youngsters getting a break. more so than any enjoyment I might get myself. Summers in the country were no rest to me, with so little to work with but then again the greatest benefit to all concerned.

I can't understand, why you have not had any mail from "Steel Towers" as yet. There must be half a dozen, at least, somewhere in transit.

I have some good help now, but I never know just how long it will last. She has her little boy three years old with her and he is very spoiled. I do all in my power to ease things, but he simply won't let Mary Kay alone at times. Of course the mother claims he doesn't act like that at home, but he didn't learn to slap back at his mother or sauce her in this house, eh? He won't stay at the table long enough to eat his meals, then he meanders around to Mary Kay's place and tries to get her going. and she gets the worst of it sometimes. The help situation is a great problem now. The mother is grand and we like her very much. I don't know what we will do, if she doesn't stay. Can no longer do any heavy work.

Mary Kay is still taking her eye exercises. It will be sometime before we will see any marked improvement. She gets out every day and is fine and healthy otherwise.

Well, Old. Bill, take care of your long lean lanky self, so that we can look forward to having our family complete on Xmas 1945. I can hardly believe that by that time, if all goes well, we will be seven. Not so bad for a small mother eh.?

Good-bye now Bill and the best of luck. Keep your chin up, all is well at home. And we are pulling for you. Don't forget Your Maw what love yo'. Mother.