This blog that began on October 20, 2013 has reached it’s 1000th entry with 4 months left to go. In that time, we’ve covered 4751 pages of letters (3356 from Dart and 1395 from Dot.) You may recall that we’re missing 3 months of Dot’s letters in that time frame, or the count would be higher still.

In these three years and nearly four months, a lot has happened to this young couple. Dart has washed out of the elite V-12 engineering unit at Case and gone off to Navy boot camp. Once there, he spent over seven months in the hospital, endured a serious operation on his bask, six weeks of complete bed rest on his stomach, a couple of bouts with phlebitis and the mumps – and through it all, he wrote. He was sent to California for further training, sent to sea, saw lots of action in the Pacific and nearly met his fate when his ship was struck by a kamikaze. And still he wrote. He returned to the states, still in the Navy, waited impatiently to be discharged, struggled to find a placement in college, signed on for a very heavy academic load, found a part-time job, carried the burden of a sick father and a family living in very reduced circumstances. And still he wrote.

Dot completed a retail internship at a posh department store in Greenwich, returned to Ohio for her graduation from high school, came home to find a job as a playground supervisor, babysat nearly every day and helped paint, clean, and decorate the large family home. She returned to Ohio for a year of college, went through a series of trials and joys with a wide variety of housemates, missed her family back in Connecticut, and faithfully, wrote to Dart. She returned to Greenwich, learned to drive, became a telephone operator, had an emergency appendectomy, studied shorthand, and saved money for her married life in the future. She never let up on her correspondence to her beloved Dart.

During this time, they have spent most of their time apart, but they have made the most of their precious moments together. And  on their mutual attraction and shared values, they built a loving, supportive relationship with each other, even while they finished the final stages of growing up themselves.

It’s been a great ride so far. Let’s see where else they lead us on this romantic adventure.

Dot dearest,

I’ve been losing sleep for the past few nights, so do you mind very much if I don’t write much tonight? I’m awfully tired and so very much in love with you that I can hardly stand it.

I drove Uncle Tom’s car out to Crile today, taking Burke and Mom with me. It’s a long drive, clear across the city to the southwest side and out into the country. There was plenty of snow and ice to complicate driving.

When I left for work, Burke’s train to Chicago was already four hours late in arriving. He’ll probably be six or eight hours late by morning.

Good night, Dot darling. I missed you in church today.  I love you very much, Dot.

Yours forever, Dart

P.S. I’m sorry the letter I mailed you tonight got so crumpled in my pockets today.

P. P. S. I love you.