Sweetheart,

I know your days are busy ones and so are mine, and I guess we should be glad that is so. It seems to me I go from one thing to another right through the day. It is now 7:45 pm and I just finished a bite of dinner. The peaches gave me a busy day alright. You see I used to have a very fine assistant but he is now on leave. I would be delighted to have him back again. I would not care whether he used the open kettle method or the mudge. Just to have him would be enough for me. I canned 3 quarts of peaches and 5 pints and also have some peach preserves which I have not put in jars yet. I got plain tired of them and just stopped.

Nell McGuire called me and asked me to a bridge luncheon tomorrow. In a way I am glad for tomorrow will be lonely day for me and I guess it is better to join the girls and keep busy. Can you remember how we spent our Anniversary last year? I am not sure but I think we had Eagletons and Parsons out to dinner. The main thing is that you and I were together and that alone would make the day a happy one.

I am enclosing a clipping about the Steuart oil firm. You know they are the sponsor or rather one of the sponsors for Fulton Lewis Jr. The case has now [sic] been decide yet. I guess they will find a way out of it. I will also send a clipping of a statement made by Ickes. They have just removed the pleasure ban and put the motorist on his honor and now this statement of Ickes. It is no wonder that people are confused and that they lose their respect for O.P.A. There is a noticeable difference in the number of cars now on the road. I bet they burn the road up over Labor Day. Well yours truly will be right here at home. Marcella called me this afternoon and asked if I would like company and of course I said I would. So she is coming out to spend the day. Remember the trips we used to have to Mifflinburg over Labor Day? Well lone [sic] we will take them again only I guess now you will want to go by plane after your experience over there.

I called Joe Keller to tell him I was sending his letter that came here from Mr Codel. He thought it a big joke and insisted that I open the letter, read it to him and then send it on to you. He said he expected one from Commander Butcher soon. I was glad to know what was in it as I knew he would certainly mention you. Joe said he was sure that when you knew he was receiving mail here that you would take the first plane home. I told him that if I thought that was true I would supply him with a box of my paper so they would all come here. Have you received the letter from Mrs. Keller or Mary yet. They all wrote to you. I owe Mrs. Keller a letter but really Sweet after I finish your letters I have little time for anyone else. After all you are the one that means the world to me. Have you received Bertha Scheniders letters? You have mentioned receiving letters only from Marcella and me and I know others have written you.

Ann and Carl left yesterday for a little vacation in the mountains of Pennsylvania. Ann called especially to ask for your address again as she said she hoped to catch up on her letter writing so you will soon be hearing from her.

I just talked to Elizabeth Delaney and she may go out on leave after all isn’t that something. I never count on that until I see her going. She and Desmond will go out about the same time if it is true. Looks as if I am the only dud in the bunch. Well come home soon – one never can tell.

The family were all upset when I came home. Harry was on a transport and his Lieut. sent Blanche a telegram. Of course it did not tell that he was leaving on a transport but told that he would not be able to write. Later he called and he was taken off as he does not have his teeth. He is supposed to get them Sept. 4 and his stay is only temporary. Mother is much upset and Blanche keeps the kettle boiling to my way of thinking. If this war would only end all the men come home again. It seems that everyone has something to worry about. There is much discussion now over the possible draft of fathers. Congress will of course play politics with the idea. Now today some Congressman gives the idea of having men from 38 to 45 drafted and put in non-combat jobs. Well I don’t know much about it but there are still plenty of men to my way of seeing.

Oh darling I do so hope to get a letter from you tomorrow. I am almost afraid to see tomorrow come for fear there will not be a letter. Of course Sweet I know you could have written in time for me to get it for tomorrow and then it not get here. Well anyway my Darling I will be thinking of you and that day five years ago when we started off on the wonderful journey of life together.

I can remember this night five years ago. We had friends in to the house and then went over to church for the rehearsal. Do you remember? Margaret was here and I believe you and she had a long chat that night after you went back to Randolph St. I remember that night well for it was the last night I would ever be alone. Even with you so far away there is still a feeling of having you with me. I can never feel really alone as long as I have you. There is a delightful feeling of belonging to you. You know darling I feel much yours. I hope you have that same feeling. Indeed I am sure that you do. After all marriage changes one. You can never again be just one person. You know I am in one sense a very independent person and I wondered if I would really like belonging to another. Well I not only like it I love it. Of course I think that is due to the fact that I really love the man I married. I thank God every day of my life that I belong to you. Oh darling I hope you feel that way too. How I wish I were with you tonight. To feel your lips on mine to touch you and to lie by your side would be the greatest joy in the world to me. Oh darling I hope and pray this will be the very last anniversary that we spend apart. I never want to spend any time away from you again.

You said in your letter that so many things had happened it seemed a year. I agree only I would say years. Darling what was the decision that you had to make concerning us? My curiosity gets the better of me. Darling I can’t seem to keep my mind from wandering back to five years ago. I wish we were just starting out all over again. I would gladly live the past five years over again. They have been very happy ones for me. In fact there is not a single time or a single incident that mars those years. Indeed you grow dearer to me every day of my life. Darling keep on growing dearer to me as long as we live. When I went in to mothers today Bobby had a letter from you. I thought it a very interesting one and so did he. You mentioned the moon. Don’t we see the moon at the same time. Oh Sweet how foolish of me. Your letter was written on the 16th and I was thinking that is was written a few days ago and there is no moon visible now. Indeed right now there are no stars for it is very cloudy and a storm is promised. However we have had that happen before and no rain. My darling we need no stars. The very atmosphere is charged with love for you and thoughts of you. Sometimes I think you must just stop in your tracks and think of me. I think so hard about you. You just must know it. The stars are very lovely messengers and they always carry my love to my sweetheart but tonight all the stars in the heavens will have to be pressed into service for my heart is overflowing with love for you. Bill I love you very dearly – and oh darling do take care of that love as you always have. Grow nearer and dearer to me as the years roll on. Goodnight my sweet and God bless you and bring you safely home to me. I hope I dream about you tonight. All my love.

Your, Ramona