We’re wrapping up a month in which Dot didn’t miss a day of writing letters except when she was in transit to and from Cleveland or personally with Dart and his family. Similarly, Dart only skipped two days. It seems as if they’re both more committed to maximizing their contact with each other as the huge separation of Dart’s deployment looms larger.

Dart is overjoyed to have received a bundle of letters today; three from Dot and a slew of others from friends and family. His old buddy Fred has landed in the Marianas with his Marine unit and seems to be taking it all as a great adventure.

Dart spent this  morning helping to dig a drainage ditch to siphon some of the water out of the camp. He thinks if the water runs uphill, it just might work!

The temperature has dropped at Shoemaker, so Dart is cocooned in all of his woolen garments and two blankets as he writes the letter. His heart, however, is warmed by a letter he received from Pop today. His dad wrote how much he and Dart’s mom enjoyed their very short visit with Dart and Dot. They’re so grateful their son has found such a nice young lady whom they’ve come to care about as well. If the two feel “that way” about each other, it’s alright with them. Pop tells his son that the war will end soon and the next phase of his life will run smoothly for the young couple because they have each other. Their love for each other will help them laugh off life’s irritations and their time of preparation for the rest of their lives will pass quickly.

“So there, Dot. You have what my parents think of the whole set up. If only all the parents of boys would love their son’s chosen one, the way my parents love you, the world would be a better place to live in.”

Dot is awe struck with the glorious full moon shining in the crystal sky this evening. She promises Dart that someday they will be able to stare at a full moon together.

She thanks him for the clippings he sent and tells him she’ll include them in their memory book for posterity.

In answer to his question, she writes that none of the suits she wore in Cleveland were ones she’d made. She’s glad he likes her clothes. She likes his, too, although she’d much prefer to see him in “civvies.”

Now we learn of another skill Dot’s been hiding. She took out her old violin today to see if she still remembered enough to play a few Christmas songs. To her surprise, she did, although her family would agree she’s not Carnegie Hall material. “But,” she asks, ” if we all played Carnegie Hall, who would Franklin Simon use for sales girls?” Then she quipped that her mother plans to buy her a new bow for Christmas, but she plans to keep her “beau” permanently.

Next, she got out her guitar, with less agreeable results. She thinks maybe she should just give all her stringed instruments to Spike Jones and his City Slickers.

Today was the deadline for mailing packages before Christmas, so if his arrives early, she hopes he’ll honor the label and wait until Christmas morning to open it. I wonder if she could have ever imagined a day when someone could order something on December 24 and have it delivered on the other side of the country on Christmas Day?