02 Apr April 2, 1944

Letter
from: Alice Shonkwiler
to: Pvt George W. Shonkwiler
April 2nd, 1944
Sunday night, 10:30 p.m.

Hello honey,

How is my husband?  Fine, I hope. Just can’t get used to calling you that.  But
so be it.  After about 50 years of married life, I’ll probably call you most
anything.  I’ve been thinking of you all week.  I’m wondering how you came out
on the rifle range and whether or not you survived the ordeal.  I secretly
think, tho, that you came out on top.

How is the dermititis now?  I really sympathize, as it must be awful not to be
able to sleep now when you work hard all day.  Maybe you should go to sickbay
and see if they can fix you up.  I s’pose that’s harder than ever to do now as
your schooling has begun and you will miss out on classes.  I guess you’ll have
to do as you think best.  I of course want you here with me and would

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of course advi[s]e you to try to get a discharge, but then again, I don’t want
you to be considered a "gold brick" either.

I am sending you a Pkg. and hope you will get it right away, as it is
perishable.  So handle with care when you get it, it might break.  Please keep
it right side up, if possible.

Marge stopped in today to sew some things on my sewing machine.  Then Edith and
Ernest and Joan Hayes and a Mrs. Guilpaul (or something) was with them.  I of
course was in a dither as I was baking a cake and had chicken, vegetable and
potatoes on the stove, salad on the table.  Ronnie had put up a fuss about
going to bed etc.  They would walk in at the darndest times.  Of course Ronnie
heard them and wouldn’t go to sleep all afternoon.  Even tonight he had a time
going to sleep.  Poor kid!  He has ideas of his own about

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what he wants to do now sometimes.  Really has a temper at times.  Does he get
that from you?  Of course most of the time he’s a pretty good boy.  Only thing
is he starts throwing things when he doesn’t get his own way and I wish I knew
how to break him of it.  At times like this, I wish you were here.  So you
throw things when you get angry?  Gosh, I hope not!  I s’ose maybe I would if
I got real mad, but as yet I haven’t - thank goodness!

Just washed and waxed the kitchen floor tonight, as I’m home alone and always
work when I should be relaxing.  I get too lonesome when I just sit around.
Eleanor and Murray are on six days a week again starting tonight, so I’m alone
6 nights a week now instead of five, which make it bad.

Have you heard from Gladys if Dick passed his physical?  I may go out there
week-end after Easter if all goes well, altho I doubt if Marge and

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Murray will be going out there, as Murray has to go to work on Sunday nite.
Guess I’ll take the South Shore, and they can meet me.

Guess Murray is going to stay at Pullman now as they are thinking of having
4-F’s drafted for war work anyway soon.  He doesn’t know just what to do I
guess.  He hasn’t found a buyer yet for his house.

What kind of clothes do you advi[s]e me to take with me for Ronnie and me?
Is it or will it be real warm, or will spring clothes do? (Wool suites etc.)
Are they wearing white down there? Do you think Ronnie or I will need sun

suits or swimming suits?  Are you wearing summer dress uniforms?  Let me know
so I won’t bring unnecessary luggage.  Should I bring Ronnie’s toilet seat?
Guess I’ll have to at that.

Fern got her divorce or rather Jack did.  They had quite a write-up about her
in the "Sun" as a war bride who married only for the allotment etc.  She was
rather embarrassed, I guess.

Will see you soon and keep your fingers crossed.

Love,
Mom and Ronn[y]

P.S. I’m still going to Rockford Wed. or Thurs. and stay until Sunday afternoon
when Oralee will ride back with me.