George's Letters: 2-10-1943

Wednesday, Eve.


Dear George,


   Hello Sweetheart! How are you? Fine, I hope. Me, well, not so good. I nearly passed out at work twice today. Boy, did I feel rotten. I feel a quite a bit better tonite though, thank goodness.
   My mom isn't home from the hospital yet.


Thursday
   Well, I started this before I went to bed last nite and I'm at now so I'll try & get it finished. I'm eating lunch at work right now so I'll write between bites.
   As I told you Mom isn't home from the hospital yet and from what the doctor says she probably won't be home for another three weeks. Gene and Donnie are both home sick in bed with "cat fever". You have probably heard of it. It is a form of the flu. Me, I feel better today, thanks. I'm not all out of it yet though.
   Say, you know what, I received the sweetest valentine from the sweetest fellow named Geo. E. Bargheart! No kidding, darling, that was the sweetest thing I have ever received, but tell me, since when have they started having card shops aboard ships?
   I haven't as yet received my teeth but then I suppose it will be Summer before I do. I can't have any impressions taken yet though because I have some (illegible word) that are coming out of my gums so I have to wait some more. Such a time. I don't see why they don't just take me out and shoot me. I'd be a lot better off and so would everybody else.
  Say, little one, pardon me for asking but did you have a brother named Clarence that was in the Navy? Just curiosity. Thanks.
   Well, this is Friday nite and so help me I'm going to finish this letter.
   I had to work until 9 last nite at the plant and didn't get home until 9:40; so when I did get home I went straight to bed. Now this evening, I've washed dished and cleaned out the icebox and sprinkled clothes and have some soaking that have to be washed and as soon as I finish this I'm going to iron. Oh, yes, I have a hem to put in my suit skirt that I got back from the cleaners today. It is now 8:30 and I'm listening to the president. Oh, I forgot, I have to wash and fix my hair yet too. I'm beginning to look like a rag picker's daughter. Ha! Ha!
   Gee, darling, I don't know what else to tell you. There isn't any news here only that my family have all improved a great deal, aren't out of bed, yet, though. It snowed this morning, now every thing is slick and clean.
   Gee, whiz, sweetheart I've got to sign off for now and have a swell valentine day. Remember you are still my valentine and I mean it too.


Lots of Love
Ethella

George's Letters: 2-3-1943

Feb 3, 1943
10:00 P.M.


Darling George,


   Well, now that I have the scrubbing done, and the house cleaned up, and the clothes sprinkled, and a story in a magazine finished, and two candy bars ate, and the supper dishes all done and put away, I guess I can take time out to answer your last letter. Oh yes, I forgot, I had to put the two small boys to bed and answer the telephone a dozen times and burn the waste paper. Gee, whiz, I'm not at all busy, or am I? No wonder I haven't written to you.
   I believe I wrote and told you that they took Mom to the hospital and operated on her. Well, she is coming along fine and will be home in about a week if nothing further occurs.
   Believe it or not, I'm the boss now, and what I say goes, by golly. I get up about 5:30 or 6:30 in the morning and get myself all ready to get to work and breakfast for five of us and dad off to work and the two small boys started on the process of getting their small chores done and ready to leave for school by 8:30. Then I work all day from 8:00 til 4:30, then I get home about 5:00 and help dad get supper, then I have to do all the work there is to do when you try to keep house and work all at the same time. I get up and do the washing and clean house real good on Sunday.
   However, I don't mind doing it as long as I know that my mom is going to come home all well.
   Well, it was 10:15 P.M. when I went to bed, so here I am again. This is Sunday, Feb.7 afternoon about 6:10 and before I get started to clean up to go to a show with my girlfriend. I have accomplished a lot today. I've washed, done all the ironing, cleaned house, washed and fixed my hair and got three meals. So you see I go at an awful high rate of speed. There isn't any news outside of the fact that they have rationed shoes here in the states. We are having Spring thaws right now. My mom is much better but don't know when she will be home. I've got to sign off now & get over to the hospital to see her. Good - by for now, my darling. With all my love to the sweetest guy.


Ethella

George's Letters: 12-24,25-1942

December 24, 1942

Dear George!

   Merry Xmas! Sweetheart! This may be the day before Xmas but by the time you get it, it will probably be New Year's day.

   For heaven's sake, why haven't you written to me. I've just about went "Frantic"!!! waiting for a letter from you. Everyday when the mail man comes around I'm right there to see if I got a letter from you. Did you get the package I sent to you? If so, how did you like them and were they in good condition? I certainly hope so.

   I have some very good news for you. I started to work last Monday night at Collins Radio Company. I work from 5 til one o'clock in the morning. I'm in the shipping dept. and we aren't very busy right now. We just finished an order for spare parts for radios for the navy. These things go all the way to Africa. Any how, the five girls in that dept. work so fast that they can't keep up with us. Well, so much for that! Now, you know what I do all evening. I don't have to work Xmas nite so I guess I'll go to danceland for a change. I don't have to work New Year's eve, either.I don't know what I'll do then. Any how that is too far ahead for me to say just what I'm going to do just yet.

   Well, I'm going to have to finish this later, as this little war worker has to get ready to go to work. See you later!

   Behave yourself at that U.S.O. dance tonite, and leave those southern babes alone? Do you hear?!

December 25th, 1942 3:00pm

   Merry X-mas! For sure this time my dear sweetheart! I got the most wonderful Xmas present of all by getting your letter when I got home this morning. After I read it I went to be and bawled myself to sleep because I wanted to be near you so badly during the holidays. I couldn't hardly stand it while the girls on the assembly line were singing carols last nite. You will never know just how much I do miss you and I do love you until we get to see each other again. I'm glad that the package arrived o.k. and that you liked them. I don't know that it is just a good thing that you are not here. Boy, if you were here would I be the happiest girl on earth. No kiddin' either! Yes, darling, I hadn't had a letter from you for two weeks until this one I got last nite. I was afraid that you had all ready been shipped out and I was just petrified every time I thought of it. Boy, you sure have it easy, sitting around in the lounge like that are you (illegible word). How was your Xmas dinner? Fine I hope. Have you still got your negro to guard.

   Yes, my darling I knew what you meant by being persuaded but I was just curios as to know what you would say about it. Maybe I wouldn't be bad or at least not mind ii (being bad) if you were here to receive me for being bad. (How about it kid?) No, I don't imagine I look any different than most women when they haven't any clothes on. Maybe you do know and just are bashful and won't say anything about it. Oh ya! If I had you here, I sure would paddle you for opening that box. Ha! Ha! Darling, I enjoy your not getting me any thing for Xmas, because what you did do with your money was a lot more sense! I was more thrilled to think that you bought those two $100 war bonds. Darling, I'd have been very disappointed if I had received any thing from you then found out later that you were going to spend the money for war bonds, besides, they'll do both of us a lot more good.

   Well, now for what the old (illegible word) got me. I got two prs of the most beautiful pink silk pajamas and I proceeded to put one on and I'm going to save the other pair, to wear when I get to go on my trip. In case you are still in the U.S. or even home, I'll wear them when I come to see you! Oh joy! I can hardly wait to wear them. I got a lovely yellow moonstone ring from the lady I used to work for. A small wooden pin, a wooden bracelet, a bottle of "Tweed" perfume. Boy, does it smell. I put some on this letter so you can smell it. (arrow) The perfume is here. Have a whiff so you will know what I smell like. A gold soft chain necklace, a teddy bear pin, and a corsage of red white & blue flowers, nail polish and polish remover, and a real fancy sachet for my closet. Any how I didn't get the compact or the bracelet, so I guess I'll just have to buy them myself.

   Well, darling, I'm very much relieved that I heard from you, but I do wish that you were here with me. My sweet. I've got to end this now and go up stairs and get dressed, it is now 4:30 and I should be asleep. Any how, my smallest brother got an airplane that runs in water so me & the two boys are going up and play in the bath tub in the water with the airplane. Got to go now and please don't wait so long the next time to write.

   Good-bye for now, my dear darling, and I really mean it too. With all the love that any girl could possibly give to the fellow she loves. See you later. Sweetheart! 

   All my love from the bottom of my heart. If I had you here I would kiss you and love you to pieces. Lots of love,

Ethella

(written in margin at bottom of page)

The Xmas card was very cute and the picture was very good & sweet too.