Hello my Dearest;

I received your lovely letter tonight and darling it was a nice long one too. At the present moment I am listening to Mart Kenny and he is playing all the old and new songs and he is certainly making me feel better, but I only have 6 more days darling and I will be on my way down to you and boy am I ever getting excited, how about you?
Gosh darling if you only knew how disappointed I was to know that I had been out when you phoned. Marg said that we had just gone. Mother and Dad and I went up to Aunt Mattie’s and Bill dear she was lovely and peaceful. She looked just like herself. I think dear that it better that she has gone because she was suffering a lot. It was there weeks ago that I had seen her and I am glad that I didn’t see her when she was suffering as she had lost a lot of weight.
Your Mother has been wonderful and so strong, and Aunt Agnes was there as well. As we were coming out of her place, Ruth and her Dad were coming in. She died about 7:30PM last night. Your Mother had just got there and she said “Nell, move the chair near my bed and help me in it” and your Mother had just helped her in the chair and she breathed her last breath.
I phoned your Mom and told her that you had phoned and you can bet she will be ready for your call on Friday night between 7-8 and you can bet your boot I will be over there also, but gosh I will be so excited that I probably won’t be able to talk to you.
I had a wreath sent up to Aunt Mattie’s from you and I, it should be there the afternoon. She is being buried at 3:30 Tuesday afternoon.
Bill if I am being honest with you, it is almost too much to take. From my coming down to you, to working days and nights and Saturdays, to Aunt Mattie passing, Marg’s wedding and Christmas all on top of that I am feeling that I am being pulled in every which way. I am glad that I am making my way down to you so I can sort of forget all of this and just let time stop when I am with you.
Pop is just putting our Christmas tree up and it is a nice one. He wasn’t going to have one this year but we finally coaxed him. So after I finish writing this letter I will help Pop decorate it and I also have one or 2 more gifts to wrap up yet. Dad is going to Doris’ to pick up our dresses and I am just dying to try it on and I think I will being it down with me. I don’t care if I get a chance to wear it out or not, but just to show it off to you in our own little room would be grand.
We got a nice tablecloth from Nan Wilson, my curiosity go the best of me and I had to open it. They are leaving Windsor Christmas day as they are coming up for Marg’s wedding.
Gosh Marg is getting excited now, she is a wee bit worried about Ted as she thought she would have heard from him by now because he is supposed to arrive tomorrow morning. But she does not dare go ask the Simpsons as she is trying her best to avoid them all together.
Your Pop is fine dear except that he has a wee bit of a cold, but it is not a bad one. I’ll bet you are taking a kidding from the fellows down there as I am taking a kidding from everyone up here as they are going to be watching me like a hawk when I get back (I wonder why).
Well my dearest I really have to finish now as poor Pop is having an awful job trying to decorate the tree by himself, and Beverley is screaming her head off, but I am sure everything will turn out OK in the end.
So my dearest I will be looking for you at the station. I will try and write you Friday night, so darling wishing you with all my heart a Very Merry Christmas and I hope you have a nice time but I will be thinking about you all day and waiting to hear your voice.
So darling loving you with all my heart,

Doreen

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XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX – Christmas kisses under the Mistletoe