18 Feb February 18, 1945

Letter
from: Mrs. G. Shonkwiler
to: Pvt George W. Shonkwiler
February 18, 1945
Sunday, 7:25 P.M.

My darling,

Guess both Gladys and I were bad girls last night as neither of us wrote to our
husbands.  We were too busy celebrating Ronnie’s birthday, prematurely, so
you’ll forgive it this time, won’t you?

I cleaned the house yesterday and at 3:00 o’clock Gladys called from Gary and
asked me if I’d pick them up at Kensington I.C. station.  Ronnie was asleep,
so I told Mrs. Page I was going to pick Gladys up at the depot.  When I got to
the car, it wouldn’t start.  Was I mad?  I finally called Mrs. Dixon and she
was kind enough to take me down to the station.  After we got back, Mrs. Dixon
pushed my Packard about ten

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blocks, but to no avail.  It was 5:00 o’clock when I called Packard and talked
to Ed.  I told him I couldn’t get it started after buying a new battery, spark
plugs, and points.  He said he couldn’t do a thing for me as he was just going
home and besides he said he didn’t do any work anymore because he had to think
of his health.  He said he’d send someone out Monday.  Which was a big help
when we had planned on taking Joyce and Ronnie to a show.  When we were all set
not to go at all, lo and behold Ed Lewis rang the doorbell and fixed the car.
It seems he had to replace some more plugs.  Can’t figure it out, they claim
the plugs burn out because of cheap gas that’s sold now-a-days.  That’s the
third set of plugs in a month.

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Ed didn’t charge for ’em, so I s’pose I shouldn’t gripe, but I can’t help
wondering whether they did put new plugs in when they charged me $4.80 for the
set.  It was nice of him to come out on a Sat. night, tho.

Anyway, we went to the Capitol and saw a double feature[,] Alan Ladd and
Loretta Young in "And now Tomorrow" (very good) and "Doughgirls" (which was
too silly).  We sat up in the top row of the balcony and next to the aisle, so
Ronnie decided to sit on the top step and got acquainted with a cute 18 yr old
girl sitting in front of me next to the aisle.  All in all he was a pretty good
boy, and we saw both pictures through to the end.  When we came home we had,
cake, ice cream and coffee.  I baked the

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cake (a three layer devil’s food with pink frosting and coconut) yesterday
morning.  I put 3 candles on it, and Ronnie wouldn’t blow ’em out until they
burned way down, and then with a lot of coaxing.  After we ate,  we all went
to bed, dead tired and didn’t get up until 9:20 this morning.  We had breakfast
at 10:30, then sat around some and read the paper, etc.  We had dinner at
2:00 o’clock.  Mrs. Page joined us as her husband went to a card party in
La Grange and she was home alone.  I made chop suey and rice and we had lettuce
salad, coffee, cake and ice cream.  We all ate so much, we could hardly walk.
I hope my after effects

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won’t be too vicious!  When Mr. Page came home at 8:00 o’clock, he,  Mrs. Page
and I finished the rest of the chop suey and also more cake, ice cream and
coffee, so if I become ill, it definitely will be because I ate chop suey twice
in one day.  If I don’t become violently ill, my colitis must be very much on
the mend --I hope!

Gladys and Joyce left at 5:00 o’clock, to catch the So. Shore.  Gladys is

attending the Natl Biscuit District meeting 50 miles from Gary with 25 salesmen.
She will be the only woman!  Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?

She had a letter from Dick in which he gave a detailed description of his job.
He’s an orientation and

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information clerk, which includes some bookkeeping, etc.  Says it’s very
interesting and says he can’t figure out why he rates such a swell set-up.  He’s
now a Private First Class.  His brother, Les, is a Corporal and still at
Blanding.  I guess the way to get a rating is to stay out of combat.  Ellen was
back in Crown Point for a couple of days because of the death of her father,
but is back in Florida again with Les, now.

The Hases stopped in this afternoon.  I s’pose to check up if Gladys and Joyce
were here.  They had asked Ronnie and I to go to church again today, and I
mentioned Gladys coming in.  I don’t know what excuse I’ll give next week-end.
Someday perhaps they’ll give up.

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Mr. Chamberlin called me tonight around 8:30, and asked for your hospital
address.  He also said he’d written a letter to me, which I should receive Mon.
or Tues.  Can’t wait to see what he’s written.  I asked him if he found office
help, etc. and he said he’d answered my questions in his letter.  Maybe he has
a plan in mind and didn’t want to discuss it over the phone. -- Could be!  He
did say his wife was up and around again.

Before I forget I’ll give you Mrs. Page’s brother’s address, just in case it
might tell you if he’s stationed close to you, and you might get to go see him.
Mrs. Page is sending your hospital address to him, so if he’s near,

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he might drop in to see you.  His address is:

   Cpl. Howard M. Brode 1690762
   570th Bobm. Sq (H)
   390th Bomb Group
   A.P.O. 559  Postmaster, N.Y,N.Y.

(Now all you do is find him.)

1245 A.M.
I’ll finish this in a hurry now, as the Pages went upstairs and I am going to
bed right away, quick.

Ronnie’s been asleep since 7:15, he didn’t have a nap today, so I put him to
bed at 7 o’clock and by 7:15 he was dead to the world.  He certainly was all
wound up and silly this afternoon.  Just overflowing with laughter and giggles.
(Guess I’ll nickname him "Giggles."  Would you like that?[)]

I’m enclosing some snaps[,] they didn’t print the first time,  but I think
they’re not too bad.

Good night and all our love,
Mom and Ronnie

P.S.
Still no letter for 11 days.  Better get some tomorrow, or I’ll be sure you’re
on your way home.