Shorncliffe
June 10, 1916
My dearest Dear,
The old Midlothian Wharf post-mark and the "Valhalla" heading certainly do look good. How I should have enjoyed being there to help you open up! You must convey my greetings to the pump and the fire-place and everything else, not to mention the Blackmores and the Rousels, and all the rest. To-day I expect you are in Burk's Falls with Mrs. Knight. Give her my best when you see her again. I am so glad for you to have the chance of seeing Cecebe put on her summer dress; and in the cottage the flies will probably not bother you much. I am keen to know just how you get along. Who works the pump; and who pulls up the boats? You mustn't let father do too much. Your talk of Johnny cake and other things makes my mouth water. Wouldn't I just love to sit down to a real Cecebe meal with a Cecebe appetite. We have Shorncliffe appetites all right; but the meals are hardly ever commensurate with them. There is really enough; but there is very little variety, and the meat is usually pretty strongy. We hardly ever have anything served in the way of desert. Fortunately there is JAM. We each have a jar and consume it at nearly every meal - I mean we eat some of the jam out of it. Jam and oranges take most of my pay, except what I spend on eats down town. We non-smokers frequently hold enquiry meetings on the subject of where the smokers get money for both cigarettes and jam. The answer in some cases is that they "bum" their jam. We really do very well on the whole. To-day, we had smoked herrings for breakfast and very good mulligan for dinner. The bread is also very good. But at the same time I could stand my own cooking for a day or so, or yours. Mr. Field's socks arrived O.K., but when I went to deliver them I found that the bird had flown. He is Lance-Corporal now, and has been sent to Bramshot for special training or something. Hicks didn't seem very lucid on the matter. I will keep the socks for a while and await a chance for delivery, unless I happen to want a clean pair myself, which is not likely, as I am so well supplied.
I have written to father to-day and you will probably see the letter in time; but for the present I will tell you that we are through our exams. and are now marking time, while we wait for orders. I don't know what we shall be doing to keep us busy next week - probably signalling or musketry. In my theory I averaged 90.8%, not the highest mark by several, but well over 85 is classed "Distinction." Don't know what I made in drill yet; but no distinction I am sure.
Give my love to the Follows.
Your devoted Bun
