08 Mar March 8, 1945

from: Mrs. G. Shonkwiler
to: Private George W. Shonkwiler
March 8, 1945, Thursday 10 o’clock PM.

My darling,

Hi, how are you? Still love me or do you still only miss me at times? (Or is
that what you said?)  Am I trying to pick a fight? Could be.

 12 o’clock midnight,
Burning the midnight oil again. The Pages came down and we had some of Erga’s
donuts and coffee.  I’ve just got to weigh myself soon or else, ’cause I may
be getting fat and that would be a calamity.  With four meals a day, I
should either gain or give up eating.

I didn’t write yesterday so decided I’d better write a long letter tonight
or you might decide some of these Parisians will be nicer to you than I am.
(After all, what have they is there and I’m way over here!)  ’taint fair.

Page two.
 Mrs. DeYoung visited me yesterday morning again for a couple of hours.

She’s giving her time three days a week as a nurse’s aide at the hospital
and as they didn’t need help yesterday, she stopped on her way home to see
me. She asked to be remembered to you and said she intended to write to you.
In the evening, Marge came directly from work and had dinner here with us
and later we sewed for a while. I didn’t have a very exciting meal but it
was good and when people eat here, they have to eat according to my purse
now-a-days. We had a beef stew (with carrots and potatoes), tomato and
cottage cheese salad, bread, butter, apple pie (homemade) and coffee.
Murray stopped in at eight o’clock after working at Smith’s and we had

more pie and coffee. He had taken a couple to look at a house. They left
at ten o’clock.

Page three.
And as soon as they were gone, Mrs. Dixon came over for some sewing advice.
She was making pajamas for Bobby and couldn’t figure out how to make the
fly in the pants. I helped her and by the time she left, I was too tired
to write and with my cold, decided I should sleep. My cold is better today,
maybe I’ll recover. We had 45 degree temperature today and most of the
snow we had the other day melted again.

I almost forgot, I sold the last pup yesterday for two dollars.  Not a
cent of profit but sure glad it’s gone although both Ronnie and I and
even Judy were getting so attached to it. We miss it terribly. All in
all, I got $43 for all the five pups.

Page four.
Of course I spent four dollars to have their tails cut and several dollars
for food plus $2.50 for ads but was still lucky to get as much as I did.
The pet shop offered me $1.00 apiece for them so you can see discounting
the $6.50 for ads and tails, I still got $31.50 more than the pet shop
offered through my own efforts. I’ll bet you’re tired of hearing about
puppies by now, aren’t you?

I’ve been sewing most of today and almost finished two <$ wash> dresses
already.  When I finish, I’ll have to start making sunsuits for Ronnie
provide my eyes don’t give out by then.  Can certainly by sewing now as
ready-made clothes are so high. A dress I can sew for $2.50 or $3.00
would cost $15.00 to buy and then they’re

Page five.
very poorly made. And sunsuits for Ronnie that I can make for fifty cents
cost three dollars or more to buy and then they’re hard to find. When you

get home, honey, I want to take a long long vacation away from sewing,
cooking, scrubbing, washing.  I’ll sure need it too. Maybe even this
summer I can get to a lake for a week or two to rest. As long as I’m home.
I always find work to do it seems.

I had a nice letter today from Judy, Fred and my Aunt (you remember them,
 don’t you?)  I’m enclosing it so you can read it if you wish.  I hope

what she says about Ronnie and my role as his mother comes true and that
he will never cease loving me because I’m not his

Page six.
real Mommie, although it’s hard for me to realize I’m not sometimes
because I couldn’t love him anymore if he were my own. At least I don’t
think so. (If this war keeps up, I will never know.) Time will tell.

I went shopping at the Avenue tonight as Mrs. Page was home with Ronnie.
He was in bed of course asleep. I bought an overseas <? cartan> and some
buttons, thread and so on. and <? danghnuts>. I met Vida, Ben and Edamae
while up there. They were shopping for a suit or Edamae.  Made me so
lonesome for you as I got to thinking how you and I and Ronnie used to
shop etc. Ronnie asked today, where is daddy now, Mommie? Wish I knew

Good night, honey, and lots and lots of love and kisses for you,
Mom and Ronnie.