June 18, 1944

Dear Margaret,

Today was another of those long, lazy days. There were a clear blue sky, a powerful sun, and a cooling breeze. In the morning after reading the Sunday paper, which is usually a summary of war news, I sewed. Your kit is proving invaluable. All the buttons on my battle jacket were loose, a trouser seam was ripped, buttons were off my shirts, and holes were in my socks. I am badly in need of a feminine helping hand, for my clothing is starting to disintegrate. I was considering using that darning material for the holes in the socks, but a previous effort along those lines proved disastrous. What is the trick to it? In the afternoon we went for a long walk. This country is surely beautiful. There are no cane fields here, and the countryside is in a more natural state of rolling hills of brush and eucalyptus and palm trees. The industry is grazing. There are no fences, and cows, horses and sheep wander all over the place including the highways. There they constitute a major traffic hazard.

Much love,

Herb