25 Feb February 25, 1944

Letter
from: Alyce Shonkwiler
to: Private Geo. W. Shonkwiler.
February 25th, 1944, 11:30pm,

Darling,

No letter from Daddy today.  I’m so lonesome!  Will be all alone this weekend
too, as Elinor is going home.  I hate to think of Sat. night all by myself,
but maybe <? Onalee> or someone will stop over.

I certainly had a hectic day today.  First of all, I ironed from 9:00am until
2:00pm without stopping, [ex]cept to put Ronnie to bed, then made lunch for
Elinor and I, dishes,

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and then started washing in the basement.  Hadn’t washed since you left, so,
had plenty.  Just got a good start when Dr. Elliot’s wife called me and asked
if she could call and what could I say, but "yes".  She was here about an hr
and also brought me a jar of strawberry jam.  (Shall I send it to you?) By
then it was time for supper.  After Elinor left I continued washing clothes,
put Ronnie to bed at 8:00, then talked to Mrs. Evans on the phone.  She wanted
your address because Elle had asked for it.  Then Sally called,

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and anyway, by the time I got to washing dishes, it was 10:30.  Then Mrs. Page
came in, and finally I’m writing this letter.  Almost a busy day I’d say.

Ray may come home within this weekend or next for 10 days.  I sure envy her
those 10 days.  Of course, it isn’t certain, as He’s having some partial
plates (teeth) made at camp and if they’re not finished by the time he
graduates, he still can’t come home.  What a life.

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Mrs. Evans said Al had taken tests for clerking and also for x-ray work. If
he gets the x-ray schooling, he’ll be transferred to some station hospital,
but if he gets the clerk job, it’ll be at Camp Grant.  I’m giving you his
address too, so you can drop him a line. It is

  Private Alfred T. Evers
  AFN 36-902906
  Co. A, 1st Platoon
  30th BN, Camp Grant, Ill

Dick, (is it Risilians?) from Sterling called and said no one there had heard
a word from you and got your address.  He also said to tell you to drop them
a line.

Ronnie coughed a little this morning, so I put him on a liquid diet this
morning and at

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noon, but tonight, he ate a big meal and hasn’t coughed since, so maybe he
just got some fuzzy from the blankets in his throat or something.  Guess
there isn’t a thing wrong with him, as he sure has had plenty of pep all day.
He just brought all of his toys out to Mrs. Elliot, and she didn’t approve
of the toy tank, as it killed people.  He had the room all upset in 5 minutes
while she was here.  I’ll bet she thinks he’s a terror.

Elinor paid me $30.00 for two weeks today (a week in advance).  She asked me
how much I

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wanted, and I asked her if she thought it was too much.  She said no, but I
don’t know what she really thought.  S’pose I should have given her some off
for being away this weekend?  So far, she’s pretty nice to live with. Even
made my supper one night and helps me with dishes at noon and so on.  She
sure makes a hit with Ronnie.  She claims she took two years of child
psychology at college and 1 year of child care or something on that order.
She thought I had had some course of that kind as she thinks I do wonders
with him.

Bye, honey. How is your cold?

Love always,
Mom and Ronnie.