Sandal House
Sandal Wakefield
Sunday Mar. 18.17

Dearest Arfa

Two dear letters came from you this morning. That is one good thing about being out of London, we do get a Sunday mail or post as it is called in England. The address was quite right. Castle Lodge is where Uncle Walter lived and Aunt Edie was there till she got Uncle Walter's things all straightened out, then she took this house. So Sandal House is the proper address. I'm so glad you are in hospital but it is hard to imagine you being good and staying properly in bed. Can you possibly get to England out of it? it would be such a joy and I would keep you as good as gold and quiet till your knee got quite alright. It seems rather strange for you to be ill and me not around to look after you or even to see you occasionally. I'm sure Dr. Herald would give you a red ticket if you just mentioned it to him. Who is your M.O. anyway - you haven't given him a name. How very swagger you are - with your battman and all. I can see that we'll have to keep at least two China boys when we get back again to Nanaimo.

Aunt Emily and Ethel and [?] all came yesterday and we had such a nice time. I liked them all, and Florie[?] particularly, and they were all wanting to hear everything about you. They had been so pleased about us giving Harold a good time when he was in Vancouver and had always felt grateful they said. I hadn't thought that little episode would have counted so much. They want me to go there for a couple of days but that will depend upon whether you can come to England with your game knee. If I hear any chance of that I will be away south as fast as if I were shot from an arrow. We are going to the Cathedral to-night. Aunt Edie and I had a very nice walk this morning away out into the country - it is beginning to look like spring with the fresh young green beginning to show and the buds ready to burst. If only we got about a week of this nice sunshine, the country wouldn't know itself.

The food question has been exercising in our minds considerably but with the voluntary rationing that most people have adopted the government seems to think we will be alright. It is amazing how everyone seems to settle to the new order of things. Lord Dreadnought gave out what he considered fair quantities of meat, flour, bread and sugar and we have been sticking to it and find that we get quite enough to eat. The demand for meat was so decreased that now we can't get New Zealand mutton for they must sell the fresh meat first and are keeping the other in cold storage. Don't be anxious for I think things will work out alright. How awfully nice for you to get those things from [?] - it would be almost a little bit of home. Give Mrs Dennison my love if you haven't already sent the letter. All my love and kisses dear Arfie and thanks so very much for all your nice letters. Your little pal Alice Leighton