Dear Joe,

How are you and DeLores getting along these days? Your mother is ok so don’t worry if she doesn’t write. She has such bad hands as you know.

We have a Victory Garden in the back of the house now that the shed is tore down. We have lettuce, radishes, parsley, beans, onions, carrots, tomatoes and more carrots planted. I dug the garden up and Mother did the planting. I’m sure glad we decided to have one as that way she doesn’t have as much time to sit and think. The weather has been just awful lately. It has been raining off and on for quite some time.

I am fine except for a bad cough as a result of a cold last week. Aunt Linka is better now so let’s keep our fingers crossed. Jenny said she would rop you a line as soon as she has time. Yes, Aunt Jenny is busy in the garden, but it is awfully cold by the lake now. I sure wish it would warm up.

Now I’ll give you the dope on the neighborhood. Mrs. Bohlander has been quite sick, but is better now. She has to walk on crutches for some time. It seems she has something wrong with her spine. Adina has been taking care of the Bohlander family and is feeling fine. Mrs Stone fell and sprained her ankle so now she is walking on crutches also. Some fun, eh? Junia Dean got a discharge from the Air Corp on account of his eyes. Next month he is going in the Army.

The Valley boy came home on a furlough last week so he dropped in for a few minutes. He is stationed in Georgia but doesn’t like the outfit he is in. Milton Stone has a good job now in the railroad office and Gordon works at New Brighton. Aunt Minnie sent us a letter last week and asked about you. I gave her your address so maybe she will write to you. She hasn’t been feeling too well lately. Your cousin Milton is now a Lieutenant and is still in this country.

Mother bought a monument for Dad Ackert. It is going to be put on his grave for Father’s Day. The Ackert kids said they had written you a letter so I suppose you have them by now. Ralph sent them each a Vmail letter and were they ever thrilled. They called me up and read them over the phone.

I got a telegram from Ralph last Thursday and for a minute I thought it was bad news. He sent that instead of a letter as he is too pretty busy to write much.

Well guess I have told you all the latest gossip so will close for now. Mother sends her love to you and DeLores. She wants to know if your legs ever bother you anymore. I don’t care if you don’t get a chance to write to me as long as you write to Mother.

I hope you come home soon and Ralph too then we will really celebrate. Say hello to DeLores for me.

Lots of love from both of us.

Bernice

P.S. I hope you have received your cookies from Mother by now.