04 Jun June 4, 1945

from: Mrs. G. Shonkwiler
to: Private George W. Shonkwiler
June 4th, 1945, Monday,

Darling,

It is well after midnight, and I should be in bed, but guess I couldn’t
sleep if I didn’t write you, so here I am.

It’s a about a month since I received Dan Sweeney’s wife’s letter, and I
just now wrote her a few lines. She’d mentioned my coming to <? Banny>
sometime, and I in return asked her to come here.  I doubt either one of
us will do either, however, as in a way, it’s kind of silly for us to get
together at all

Page two.
unless, of course, we might, after you and Dan come home.  I had two very
nice letters today from guess who, dated May 24th and 25th. I’m glad you
finally got those powders, as I was afraid you might be suffering without
them.  By the way, how is the stomach and skin and so on?  And also your
sinus. Of course, the sinus doesn’t bother, except in cold weather, I s’pose.

This meat situation is bad, but as we eat lots of eggs, and I haven’t
minded too much as yet. Of course, now I hear milk, and

Page three.
eggs are going to be scarce. That will be something as Ronnie and I eat
more than a dozen eggs per week now, and at least two or three quarts of
milk per day. Ronnie prefers eggs to cereal, which the doctor said is okay.
Mrs. Carlson, (across the alley), asked me a couple of weeks ago if I cared
to have fresh eggs, as her mother has chickens. Was I glad, as the store
eggs aren’t at all good. I’ve had four dozen so far from her at 50 cents
per dozen. These are the first fresh eggs I’ve had since we got

Page 4.
them from Dick Weseliands (or how do you spell his name?).

Do you have a combat infantry medal? I noticed Elmer Sirest’s son  has,
and wondered if you did, too, or is that something special?

I’ve been busy all day today mowing the lawn and digging dandelions. I mowed
the whole lawn except for about one third of the backyard, which Mr. Page
finished when he came home.

We had frost last night, and the temperature all day today has been 39
degrees, or 40 degrees, and windy.

Page five.
I had wool slacks, vest, blouse, and suit coat, and scarf, and still
froze while cutting the grass. It didn’t help my cold either.

I got a pound of pork cutlets last week, and have had them broiled, fried
a couple of days last week, and today made a stew (r is it chop suey), with
the balance, and still have enough for tomorrow? That just goes to show you
how far one pound of meat has to go nowadays. If only a person could get
a chicken, but guess

page six.
that’s wishful thinking, as there just aren’t any. I put my name on a list
a week ago for a chicken, so I hope some time in the future I may be lucky
enough to get one. Who knows? Even Murray’s mother can’t get a chicken out
there. Imagine.

Ronnie has been out all day today. Dressed in snow suit, hood, and mittens,

of course, plus sweater underneath. (Such June weather.) Went out after
breakfast and came in for lunch and his nap, then out after

page seven.
his nap and in for supper and then spent a few minutes with Mr. Page
while he was digging. Mr. Page dug up an 18-inch garter snake and Ronnie,
with his "sawed-off shotgun", shot it and also shot every worm as the
earth was turned over.  The gun of course is wood and with a trigger
which makes a noise as he clicks it.  After a few minutes he went over
to play baseball with Mr. Dixon and Bobby.

At 8.15 he came in saying,

page eight,
 Mr. Dixon had sent him home.  (I, of course, had called and told him to

send him home.) I told Ronnie to be real quick while undressing as I was
listening to Lux Radio Theatre.  You’d have laughed seeing him tiptoe
around and talking to me in whispers all the while he was getting ready
for bed.  Even said his prayers in a whisper, he’s a model child at times.

After Ronnie was in bed, the Pages asked me to join them upstairs so I
brought some sewing up with me.  I’m making a vest in short pants for

page nine.
Ronnie and also a cap, short pants and loafer jacket.  He sure needs
clothes to look his best at Sunday school on Sunday,  but I manage pretty
well as it doesn’t take much material and I can also make things out of
cast off closing.  He grows so fast it’s all I can do to keep lengthening
his old clothes all the time too.

I’m glad to hear you saw Al Evans again.  Is he as nice as his wife, I
wonder.  I like her very much.

page ten.
You asked if I plan on moving before July? When I said "if we’re still here
when the Tasties move in to their new home," I meant that you might be home
by then and we’d move to Glenn Ellyn, but I guess there’s no chance of
that happening after all.

Martha mentioned that if I wanted to go to work after July, she’d take care

page eleven.
of Ronnie during the day.  Would you mind having him stay with her during
the day?  It might be a good thing as Tommy and Bobby are so tough with
Ronnie and are teaching him to be such a toughie that it might be a good
idea for him to play with other kids too.  I’m pretty sure Martha would
take good care of him although I,

page twelve,
wouldn’t know what to pay her.  Maybe she could set a price.  What do you
think?  Why don’t you want me to work at Pullman?  Any particular reason?
I could probably inspect as they need them at present.  I wouldn’t want
to do heavy work anyway. Besides I wouldn’t care to work at Smith’s.  Oh
well, maybe you will get home and I won’t have to work at all  (that is
outside housework, I mean).

Good night, darling.
All our love always, Mom and Ronnie.