October 26th, 1943

Dear Mom.

Your letter arrived yesterday for a change I am going to answer it right away.

The first and most important thing, I saw Bob over the weekend.

We didn't do much other than talk for the time we were together.

I met him in the Union Station in Toronto about three o'clock Sat. afternoon. The first thing we did was to up to the "Y" where Bob had got beds for us for the night so I could leave my bag there. We wandered around for a while then had dinner then went to a show. After the show we were going to go roller skating but we were both a little tired so we went down to the "Y" and bowled a couple a games. Bob won one game and I won the other. Just to top the evening off we were in bed by eleven. The next morning were up at eight-thirty. We went to mass at St. Michael's Cathedral at ten o'clock. After mass we went to the Active Service Canteen for breakfast. The next thing we did was to start to look for a park that there was supposed [to] be a zoo in. Well after riding around on the streetcars for about an hour we finally found it. The Service ride the streetcars free on Sunday in Toronto. There was a zoo there all right and I saw a few animals that I had never seen before. The only trouble was that the weather was quite chilly and thinking of raining at any time so we didn't stick around very long. From there went back to the A.S. Canteen and had dinner. When we left there we went up to the "Y" again where we were presented with a couple of tickets for supper which we made good use of just before we left to catch our trains. Mine left at eight but Bob's did not leave until ten.

I was back in camp by the time Bob left Toronto. It is only an hour from Toronto to Hamilton and about half an hour from the station to camp by street car.

Well when I started this my intentions were good but I slipped for I am finishing this on the 28th. This was started at noon that day and I put it away and didn't think of it until tonight.

Since I started this I think I have found out that I will not be getting my furlough yet. As far as I can find out I will be going to Berryfield [Barriefield Camp, Kingston, Ont.] for about five or six weeks. That is for work on the guns themselves. There is nothing definite as yet though. There is a possibility that I can get my furlough when I finish there (if I get there.)

Should things work out that way I may be home for Christmas.

Now I will mention the weather, at the present time it is raining, it has been for two days now. It was raining when I got off the train Sunday night but not on Monday or Tuesday.

There are five Frenchmen going strong right behind me while I am trying to write this and I am having a heck of a time to concentrate.

Will you send me Aunt Lyda's address, I lost her letter with her address on it. We get a long weekend on the fifth of Nov. and I am going to try and get down to see her, if I can make [it] I will have to let her know.

Things are going fine here for me I have finish[ed] everything but for two days in the blacksmith shop and two days in the tinsmith shop. At the present time they have got me helping to repair some of the machines.

I am getting so that I am very seldom out [of] camp, only one or two nights a week. Last week I was only out one night and so far this week only one. The main reason is that there is nothing to do in town except go to a show and I can stay in camp and do that for nothing. There is one every night but Saturday.

Well I will close for now as there isn't anything else I can think of.
Love
Ted

P.S. The card I got in Toronto with Bob.