Aylmer
Wed. night Jan. 1942

Howdy Everybody:

Guess you are well and happy as usual. Well, so am I so I guess everything is O.K. I hope you are having a little better weather up there. Down here has been not too bad except for 3 days last week when it was so darn cold we had to keep the engines running all noon hour because if they were stopped 20 minutes they wouldn't start again. They cool so quickly, water condenses in the cylinder and forms on the plugs. Mum, I got your most welcome letter tonite and have to admit you did a very good job of writing. You covered pretty much of everything. I got a letter from Jim too this week and he has hopes of getting started on his new job early in February. It will be a change for him but I envy him too. I guess I'll be getting across the pond soon now anyway—once we get our quota of women on the station—I pity them.

Yes, I figure it was going to be too darn stormy to get a ride home and I had a ride to Toronto so I went down with Couling. He took Hamson's car. We thought we wouldn't get back because the drive shaft started to vibrate so bad we almost shook to pieces. However, we got in and last nite we pulled the car into a hangar and put a new clutch in it and have yet to fix the drive shaft. We are going to do the rest in Mathewson's barn (Mrs. Mathewson is Barb's [his brother Elmer's wife] cousin). Bertha is quite fine and Ed is making airplane wings for Massey-Harris and has been working since June and I never knew it. Betty Cormack [a cousin from Paisley] was there too. I had a fair time and may go again soon. Next time I get a pass is Jan. 24. I hope to come Thursday nite instead of Fri. and come back Sat. so if the weather is bad I'll use the train. That will also let me in on a dance too I hope, or are they having them all winter?

I am up at the recreation rooms and Couling and Hamson are supposed to come up and we are going over to eat a chocolate cake at Mrs. Richards. I hope its as good as you bake. I haven't been able to get down to Mrs. Benner's since Christmas so hope to make it before Sunday. Things are just usual around here: a wings parade Fri. and some more wild Australians will be on their way to mess up some Japs. They sure need to hurry eh? It seems funny the press preparing us for loss of Singpore, the "Britain" of the east. Well, hope you are all well and that I'll be seein' you a week from Friday. Carry on Canada.

Bye, Bill