Ostheim, Germany Dec. 30/18

Dear Jen:-

Suppose if I don't soon write, you will be thinking that I am on my way back and be expecting me home soon, but no such luck. There are all kinds of rumors floating around that have us going back any time after the first week of January until next fall, so I guess when we get about two days out on the Atlantic we will know thata we are on our way back.

Well Xmas is past once more. Suppose you had a big crowd at home as usual. We certainly had a great dinner here. Everything that a person could wish for. The only thing that was lacking was the turkey. They had a big bunch of them ordered, but it seems that they went bad on the way up the ligne, and had to be ditched. At any rate they never reached us. We had a nice piece of roast mutton and cold ham though, so we wern't too bad off in the ligne of meat. They had lots of Canadian fruit, chocolates and cakes, and plum pudding, and of course what goes at all army feasts, "if you want it". I had a menu card, but mislaid it some place. Will send if I can find it. Last night the Sergts. had a big feed on their own and invited all the corporals, so of course I wrang n on that. They had roast goose, some that they bought live and killled so they were good and fresh. It is a long time since I eat as much as I did last night and Xmas day. I had a picture taken when I was over on leave and just got them a few days ago. They are just about as good as those others I had taken over there one time. I seen the proofs of these just before I came back and thought they were going to be pretty fair, but it seens as if they can spoil them one way or another, and they came pretty nearly getting lost in the bargain. One day I got the envelope they had been mailed in all torn to pieces and a piece of card board in it, and a string tied around to hold it there, but no pictures were to be.................

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