Chicken Feed

Fri. 15 Dec. ‘44

[cut out by censor] (5:20 p.m. your time)

 

Dear folks,

Well I feel pretty good today. Right now we are listening to some music being broadcast from the recreation room here on the boat. I got a good night’s sleep last night and the world looked a lot better this morning. As soon as I washed and shaved and ate my breakfast I spent the rest of the forenoon on deck. The old ocean had smoothed out a little and also I guess I’m getting used to it by now. I got stuck for a little calisthenics this afternoon. I don’t mind it but it’s really been a long time since I’ve done any. They just sang a couple Xmas carols. It takes me back a year to the nights when the girls from the Tri Delts & Chi Omega houses used to go around signing [singing] evenings back at Arkansas Univ.

Not much to write about tonight that I can talk about. When you get that first check use it on the “outside” for little things such like a few Air Mail stamps. I’d like to send these air mail but I’m hoarding my stamps to use so you’ll get the last letters, or I should say newest ones, first when I land.

We just had a little practice with the monetary system of the nation we expect to be in pretty soon. It is going to be a headache I’m afraid if we get a chance to do any spending. I still think Alexander Hamilton had the right idea with our decimal system of currency. I can learn the American equivalents of their currency pretty easily but making change with their chicken feed is something else.

We’ve been issued books on a couple foreign languages and also have had some classes. One language I don’t know anything about and wouldn’t learn very soon I’m afraid. The other I know a little about and think I can catch on to pretty fast.

Well it’s nearly bed time so I’ll sign off once again until next time,

So long

Love

Arlington