This long vacation hardly seems possible. It’s too relaxing to last.

I sunned myself and wrote letters. Glory came after lunch and we discussed Jackie’s definitely postponed marriage. It’s such a shame!

Mother and I went to Jamaica to buy presents for Lizzie’s birthday tomorrow. When we came home we found Bill Bally here. A really pleasant surprise.

Mother, Dad, Liz and I went to Howard Johnson’s for a birthday dinner.

Mail from Elaine, Beth & Dottie. Pat Lavery’s Dad has died, too bad!

A quiet day, spent at home as various people said they’d come out, but were held up for various reasons.

It’s Lizzie’s birthday and we had a series of peaceful celebrations.

I read Pearl Buck’s “China Sky” and began to read “Jalna”. They’re both very good.

I beam at being the proud possessor of a pinkish bit of paper which allows me four months in which to learn to drive a car. I can already shift a mean gear and drive a full 20 feet by myself.

Mother, Liz and I went into the city to see a reissue of Disney’s “Fantasia” and to have lunch at Roger Corners.

This evening I went out to Mitchell Field to meet Bill. It was an impressive thrill to walk around and see the buildings and fields (all three men too!) - eat in the cafeteria and see “Hail the Conquering Hero” in the Post Theater, after entering places plainly marked “No Admittance.” It was an Experience!

Happy firecrackers! A far cry from the Independence Days of old: no firecrackers and transportation being frowned on. But then ---- this is war!

We stayed home all day again --- and I wrote nine letters finally catching up with my tardy correspondence.

We talked about Cousin Bernie getting a GFC and oak leaf clusters after 30 missions over Europe. He’s been promoted to a 1st looie in the Air Corps.

Back to work - after a real vacation. Hampered as it was by my cold.

We’ve started working on a special survey on the 13th floor. It’s interesting and fun, as ever. Our lunch at Ye Eat Shoppe was another interlude.

Mail today from Colby, Bob and Bill. The last letter was really terrific. He can write a good letter when he wants to. I’m intrigued over the possibility that he’s at OCS. Bill talks in veiled terms about it though. It would certainly be lovely.

We worked moderately hard on the 13th floor again, with time out for lunch at Loft’s.

I met Mother Glory and Mrs. Hettler at Radio City to see Cary Grant in “Once Upon a Time”. I was very disappointed in the picture. Even the stage show wasn’t as good as usual - We ate smorgasbord afterwards at the Stockholm.

I was pleased when I cashed my checks for my past three weeks’ salary and discovered that I had $66.69 for 12 days work. Darn the withholding tax - - - it could have been $75.

Cary and her mother came out for supper tonight. We talked in lazy fashion.

Jacqueline was finally married today. She appears happier; but we all agree we’d much rather wait for something better.

A terrible circus fire in Hartford - over 150 killed, mostly children.

Another lazy Saturday, brightened by an informal driving lesson: to spur me on to greater things!

This evening Irene Cam and I played bridge at Audrey’s - - - - had a pleasantly interesting time and talked past midnight.

I’m still playing second fiddle to Bill Brennan’s cause - - - the call of the wild!

A day best forgotten! My mood is unhappily not of the better variety, and I feel beat and lowdown.

The usual day at the office was changed by meeting Mother for lunch at the Dixie.

This evening I met Cary Midge and Jan Hilton for dinner at Stouffer’s before going to see the Capital show: “Two Girls and a Sailor” and Sammy Kaye in person. It was very good, and we had a terrifically good time.

Midge and Jan came home with me to spend the night. Such nice girls!

A letter from Florence Morrow

I’m tired after a short night of little sleep. - We all got back into N.Y. this morning and I worked fairly hard before meeting Glory for lunch.

This evening I went over to the Officer’s Club at 28 E 36 St. to see about going there once a week. It seems to be awfully nice and I’m going to start a week from Friday. It sounds like fun!

I met Mother and Dad for dinner at the New Yorker. It was nice.

Things are looking upwards. Work continues the same, as a momentary tension is released. - Lunch at the Dixie with the Crossley gang was pleasant!

Tonight’s H.G.C. meeting was at Cam’s. We talked and knit afghan squares.

Today’s very nice letter from Bill confirmed the rumor that he’s at O.C.S at the famous infantry school. I’m so proud of him - - - and hope to heck that he gets through without complications.

I met Cary and Beth for lunch at Stouffer’s and caught up on various back news about Everyone.

This evening was a sweet one, with time out for telephone chats with Bill Brennan, Mrs. Ports and Mrs. Dietz - - - Lou has gone to Alabama to be with Bill G. for a week or so!

Bastille Day! And Pay Day too! With time out for lunch at Toffenetti's.

I met Mother and Dad and came home with them stopping at Howard Johnson’s for supper.

I went over to Glory’s for a while this evening.

Another lazy Saturday of reading ‘n’ writing; given some excitement by going to the Valencia with Glory, Cam, Irene and Stephanie at night to see “It Happened Tomorrow” and “Address Unknown”, neither of which were too remarkable - or mebbe I’m still too restless at double features.

Absolutely nothing new. Just another interlude! Sundays are an institution!

A busy day as I sandwiched a walk over to Dr. Weiss’ inbetween work at Crossley.

Being Cary’s birthday, she had an informal gettogether at her apartment. It was interesting to meet a lot of the people I’d heard so much about. She seemed well pleased over her entrance into the ranks of the 19 year olds.

Another day best forgotten as I withdrew into the recesses of an indigo blue funk. - brought to the crucial point by the fact that the Officer’s Club is looking for those more sophisticated than I, at present, and I won’t be going there.

I met Mother and Dad at the China Clipper after going to the Newsreel Theater - excellent films on the Fall of Rome, Invasions etc.

I drooped along a bit more with spirits and exuberance still hitting a new low.

A spurt of optimism came with my first official driving lesson at the Long Island, Driving school in Jamaica. I’m terribly enthused about the whole thing!

I met Mother after work today to see “Bathing Beauty” at the Astor. It was quite good.

Mail from Bill Floyd and Janet. Bill’s letter was sweet as always, while I still keep my fingers crossed that he’ll be a lieutenant at the end of his 15 more weeks. - It was good hearing from Floyd, after such a long silence. He’s apparently in the thick of the fighting in the Southwest Pacific. - Janet wrote about going up to her farm in August with the rest of the KDs.

Payday to reward us after giving us energies to the thankless task of working on sustainers.

I went over to Brooklyn to meet Dad for supper at Schrafft’s before coming home together.

An educational day as I took my second driving lesson and improved enough to execute a mean U-turn or two.

To the amazement of family and myself, I took over sewing Lizzie has been doing for War Relief and whipped up a dotted swiss child’s dress. A domestic twist!

I concentrated on being lazy inbetween writing several letters and engaging in family bull sessions.

And so another week begins with a day of work and meeting Audrey to see “Dragon’s Feet” at the Music Hall. It was an excellent portrayal of Pearl Buck’s novel and I enjoyed it tremendously. - We ate at a Chinese restaurant afterwards, and then came home.

A day of the usual work ended by meeting Mother and Dad in Brooklyn, eating at the Candlelight Restaurant.

The war news is muchly improved . with signs of Germany’s cracking after an attempted assassination of Hitler last week. It’s inconceivable that the war may actually be over soon.

Bill Brennan called to ask me to go to a movie with him, while I was out.

A pleasant day, followed by a pleasanter evening. My third driving lesson showed a slight improvement over past ones and I’m spurred on to optimism.

Glory, home from her vacation stopped by, and then Ann and Jay with their fiances, Paul and Rod, and Joe came out. We danced and had a lot of fun, talking and the like. Joe asked me to go out with him Saturday night.

I drooped at work and then came home for a quiet evening.

The mail was extraordinarily good today; as I recieved two letters from Freddy, one from Floyd and one from Bill. They were all grand; and Bill’s verged on the extremely perkolatorish side of it all.

Payday again, as my savings accumulate.

This evening Mother and I met Dad at the station and then came on home.

Aud, Camilla and Irene came over to play bridge and share the usual gabfest until after midnight. Audrey spent the night here and we talked some more. Renewal of old times at Lake George.

Another real good letter from Bill written before leaving for five days maneuvers. Such a nice guy!

This morning I had my fourth driving lesson before Mother and I took Aud home; and then I went to the P.O. and bought a ¢50 war bond.

This evening was really grand! ---- like one of the prewar days. Joe and I doubledated with Paul and Ann. We went out on the Island -- to the Bolers for drinks and then to Valley Stream Park Inn to dance and talk. It was so good driving in a car, listening to the radio and being with a civilian (Joe was medically discharged from the army - works at Custom House - has tough hours.) It was a lot of fun - made me homesick for the old days.

I woke up in a happy frame of mind today - life is steadily improving!

This morning Mother took me out driving. I got along without serious mishap. Then, after dinner, I drove over to Gloria’s where she, Irene, Cam and I played bridge. I was sadly defeated!

And so the weeks roll on! The day at Crossley was made noteworthy by the hiring of two girls, one of whom turned out to be Idris Clerk, whom I hadn’t seen since graduating from 35, seven years ago. A small world indeed!

This evening Mrs. Potts came out for dinner. It was the first night I had ever met her. She really seems to be a charming person - though extremely talkative.