Dearest Daddy –

Guess what I’ve been doing – besides loving you – waiting for the mail & looking in unbelief at how beautiful our daughter is. She’s especially beautiful today – braids & sweet & oh darling she’s so much like you – everyone says so.

Well, dear, what I’ve been doing is “boxes” again -& oh dear. It’s wonderful & terrible how many lovely things there are in this world – cuz I’d like to save everything - & it just breaks my heart to throw things away. & Darling when we get our home again I’m so grateful you’re like me! – Hope little L.A. doesn’t get wrong ideas by seeing me throw things away these weeks. If only she knew how I hated it. – I’m trying to save as much as I can get by with – Mom is just opposite & she trys to make me throw things. But I know these pictures & things will help Louise in school some day.

I have movie stars from 20 years ago! & I’ve kept some of them for you to see dear.

Much Later

Dad came just then with the mail & oh was I happy. Two letters. No dear of course I don’t mind your missing writing letters some days. I know how busy you are – I love your letters & the more I get the better – but when you’re busy it’s plenty ok by me. Darling I love you so & miss you. – The snow is wonderful & I hope you’ll like it as well as me if we are ever together in it – which I hope we will be – so you’ve got winter dear & I bet you look swell in your OD’s. – I’ve never seen you in suntans but I know how swell you look. I sure hope those pictures of you you speak of are forthcoming. – I’m so glad you thought of my birthday November 1^st – it gives me a thrill - & for pete’s sake! Don’t worry about a present. When you’re back home I spose I’ll expect you to worry about one for me – for November to come!

(Louise – in bed – just called to me – Mommy Mommy! & so I hollered upstairs thru the register what do you want? “More more” – More what? Thinking maybe she meant she had to do more toi [use the bathroom] - but she said “more kiss” – so I went up & kissed her & the dolls once more!!! Oh we had fun – she loves the pictures & etc. I throw away. – The movie stars of years ago sure were interesting. I found a good looking young John Barrymore holding his very tiny baby Diana in his arms! & etc. which we’ll look at together some day. – I had millions of pictures all sorted out in files according to Artist. – or etc. Gee it hurt to disturb their order! But I did. – There are gobs of pictures of babies – But they I didn’t mind to throw away cuz now I’ve (we) got little Louise.

I had gobs of homes – recipes – rooms partys - & etc – & beautiful women galore & interesting pictures. Saved all that Louise will be able to use in school someday. The recipes & how to take care of babies show that I was waiting for you & Louise all the time.

Got a card from Jenora – she’s with Frank again. Gee sweetheart I can’t help but be some jealous of them. They’ve been so lucky & to top it off they’ve got more years ahead of them to be together. I just hope we live to be very very old so we can be together that much longer. –

Theckla’s husband is planning to be a rural mail carrier when he returns. Has asked me to ask Dad for information. –

We’re invited over to Hammond’s Wednesday nite for supper.

Yes, Ruth Bailard is the oldest Bailard girl. She’s 9 mo. older than I am. - & oh boy does she have a mean & I mean mean boy! 5 ½. Her girl is 8. – Ruth is funny – but then her whole family is screwy. Your folks aren’t so very fond of them either. – I had asked Ruth to help with Christmas program – but I wish I hadn’t – now – because I can’t do much with her kid if she’s around, & he’ll disrupt the whole practice!!! – Maybe she’ll not be here. Her husband is a Major & will see her at Christmas time – then he’s to go overseas. –

Lux just came on – 5 minutes late – so I didn’t hear who & I can’t recognize the voice. Magnificent Obsession.

We washed today & how they froze on the clothes line. Darling I love you & I suppose you’ll get tired of hearing me say I want us to be together in snowy weather. – Don’t get me wrong I still want to live in Los Angeles, but I want to be in snow for a few months together. –

Found this paper in my boxes! Oh gee I’ll be glad when we’re together - & things are right again. I guess the snow has closed things up – so maybe I’ll go to Crosby on the train - & then Lou & I would have to stay overnight & then maybe your mother would get an idea to ask us.

I’m getting excited for Christmas. Sometimes when I think of Louise & I having our Christmas without you – I can hardly bear it –but you & I will have to consol ourselves with the fact that Louise will have a happy Christmas – I’m excited because she will be. I pray God to give you a happy one – Sometimes, my dear, I can’t even think of it – our being apart then – but I know will just love our next Christmas 1945 that much more. Oh won’t it be heaven?

The star was Don Ameche – tho it surely didn’t sound like him. – The star girl was Claudette Colbert – but I’d recognized her voice. I couldn’t make a mistake on hers. –

I get such a funny feeling looking at my boxes & thinking of my childhood.

Well – darling I must close - & listen to the play & Information Please.

I don’t have much room for Louise’s & my things so it’s hard to keep my room neat – Have to pile them up.

I hope we can have a big house someday. Do you?

I wonder where Don lives now. It’s funny I haven’t heard from Marie & Dorothy since I wrote the second time. Hope they’re ok. - & I also wonder about Marye Louise & her husband. Hope they’re half as happy as we are – if they are, they’re happy. – Darling no one could ever be as happy as we are – could they?

I hope Aunt Julia is better. I wrote & sent her a bunch of pictures.

Every night I eat an apple. I wish you were here to eat one with me. Louise loves them. “Appy” she says.

Today I looked at my pictures I love best “Nell Brinkleys” - & she draws lovely little girls so when Louise woke up I called her my little Nell Brinkley - & she said “No No Binkey” “Packy Binkey” – meaning she wasn’t Nell Brinkley & I was. -& then all afternoon she’d roll her eyes at me & say Binkey Binkey! Oh she’s funny & so very cute & adorable.

Sometimes I wonder how she can be so cute. I’m glad we love each other so much. Cuz that must be why. – She’s perfect. – Oh I wish you could hear her talk. You’d love it. You’d love it – love love. I wish I didn’t wish so hard for you. Dearest dearest take awfully good care of yourself. Darling take the very best care of yourself. We love you so & want you to feel good, the very best you can.

God bless you my darling.

I love you

Patsy Irene