I wish you could have been here to see it. Basic isn't really so bad I guess, once you get used to it. I really like target practice. We've used some pretty powerful guns and I understand that soon we'll get to fire even bigger artillery too. I'm even getting used to all the schedules and routines.

At first I wasn't sure that signing up for this training was the right thing but now I know it was. It's hard work sometimes, but I'm really beginning to enjoy it here now.

These pictures are of some of the guys in my barracks. The one in the middle with the red cap is Frank. He is the biggest nut I've ever met. He is always cracking some kind of joke, as you can see. I think the other guys get irritated with him, especially Sgt. Bell, but I think he's great.

The tall serious looking guy in the one picture is Grantley. He's the barracks commander, and proud of it. He says he has been in the military in one way or another, his whole life.

Before coming here, he lived at the Douglas Academy, that's a military school. His father is a Colonel, his Grandfather is a General and his Mother is a Doctor for the Navy and lives on one of their boats. Pretty incredible, Huh? He's a nice enough guy, but I don't ever remember seeing him smile.

The last picture is of Martin and me. Don't panic, I haven't started smoking. The picture was taken on the day that he finally got word from his wife, Alicia. She was very sick for a while, but they found out that it was because she and Martin are going to have another baby. Their baby will be born sometime in April, just like Kallie. Anyway, that's why we have the cigars.

Martin and I have made each other a promise. As soon as we get leave long enough to do it, I've invited him and his family to come and stay for a visit with us, I hope you don't mind, then I'll go and stay for a visit at his home in Chicago.

While we are on the subject of home, I realized when you told me about the snow, with all the hurry to get ready to leave and everything, I completely forgot to rake the leaves in the back yard and pile them on your flowerbeds.

See if you can get Larry to come round and do it for you. Your tulip bulbs won't survive the cold if you don't get them covered, especially if we have another winter like last year. I sure wish that it would snow here.




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