Postmark:
December 26, 1944
12:30
New Orleans – LA

25 Dec 1944
9:00 a.m.
at work

Dear Mardean:-
Just a good morning note written at Christmas, I can’t remember when I’ve ever written a letter on xmas day before so either you rate or I’m starting a new foreign policy.
Say! Who is late in answering their mail now? I should have heard from you last week. However, Christmas week rush might be holding up the mail.
New Orleans is certainly an interesting spot ----I’ll have to acquaint you with the historical background of this French possession of the distant past. Stonewall Jackson and the famous pirate “John Lafitte” have both made this place famous.
You must tell me what Santa left in your fireside stocking?
And also the ward church program – anything new or interesting?
Must close now and hurry out some work.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you,
Lots of Love
Edwin
P.S. our Christmas program (enclosed it is all in Italian)



Postmark:
December 30, 1944
7 p.m.
New Orleans, LA

Army Service Forces
Hqs, 316th Quartermaster Bn
Jackson Barracks Area
New Orleans, 12, Louisiana
29 December 1944
3:35 p.m.

Dearest Mardean:

The letter you wrote on the 13th or was it the 14th – It looked like you hadn’t fully made up your mind what date or day it was –however it went to Miami Beach and then did a right-about-face to my stomping ground here at the Delta….Yup!! The Mississippi dumps right into the Gulf in these parts.

Your night life---meaning staying up so late would really put a crimp in my routine…I’m a “Getter to Bed Early” sort of an individual. I think I must have been born sleeping because I do that best of anything I’m able to do. Once I had a job working nights which lasted about two years—that was a number of years ago—I have not really recovered from that experience yet.

Your talent for making candy has aroused my very being since I am a connoisseur of the cuisine department especially candies. So with this in mind I hope that the right size box finds its way into your candy-kitchen.

No matter what information you have on the good merits of Florida and vicinity respecting weather, people or geographical data I’m fully prepared to discourse either pro or con why:--“California is the best state in the union barring none.” Of course I spent a long time in California but it is evident that Florida can’t hold a match to any State—not even Utah. That My Dear is the reason for my meandering look toward the green hills and vales of the West Coast.

If the War Department agrees with me on my desires they will send me West without wasting time and in that case it would be a glorious event to stop off in Zion and celebrate with a new acquaintance.

The Japanese money that you received is in denominations of 10 yen, 5 yen and 50 Sen. The rate of exchange goes up and down and since the war the difference is unbelievable. At one time the Japanese Yen is equivalent to our dollar. Heavens only knows how many Yen the dollar will buy now.

And now about the Hawaiian ling. . . What particular Hawaiian phrase did I write last that you want to know the meaning? I’m sure with your adeptness for finding out things that you could find the meaning without much trouble so I’ll write the whole case-history for you – that is, next letter. .

Your story about the viola and your start in the musical world was very interesting. It sounds like a Cinderella Story when you mentioned the $1000 instrument. I suppose you take exceptionally good care of it and watch it like a Police Dog.

If you keep writing Hannah about coing out to Utah she might accidentally get around to it. From my point of view – I think they got cold feet. It is much harder for them to dig up root and branch to move than it is for my brothers and I ----My two brothers Eric and George have fully agreed with me that California or Utah is going to be our home after the war. I’m going to find me a little chicken ranch and settle down. Isn’t it funny how lots of people dream of getting a small rnch of some kind and yet they live and die on what they have in just about the same area where they were born?

Thanks again for the sweet letter---I hope that you dreamed a pleasant dream after you finished that 2:30 am letter—And in the meantime be real good—shall I expect another sweet one?

Oodles and oodles of love,
Edwin