Tues. night.

Dear Folks,

Well here I am fairly well back in the saddle. Arrived in Salinas at 8:00 PM. last night, so you can see that things were timed pretty well all the way through. Another fellow from my group here, Jack Carr, was on the same train which made it pretty good. One train was about 2 hrs.l late in getting  to San Francisco and we weren’t able to catch the 1:00 PM train out for Salinas so had to wait till 4:00. I think I told you in my other letter about seeing the wreck. It was really pretty bad still alot of cars twisted up on both sides of the track. We got into a good bit of snow the second night out and you can imagine my surprise when I raised the curtain in the morning and saw everything in its Christmas dress.

The dogs are fine, we took them over to get their shots today. They have to go back in a week for another. Neither one cared for them very much and I am afraid we will have to carry them back the next time we go.

Oh yes! The way things look I’ll probably be here another month. Get some more gunnery and will also get back with my old class. Can’t say as I mind too much, but it isn’t definite as yet. Also about the dogs, they are just about house broke. That should be the headline of this letter.

I didn’t fly today, suppose to tomorrow afternoon but I have a dandy little cold and the way I feel now it is doubtful that I will.

Hope Karen and Tom stood the trip and everything OK. What else did you all do after we left? It was certainly good to get to see all of you again and especially the kids. I guess I don’t have top tell you and Stan how lucky you are, I didn’t think so.

The brownies were here and even though a trifle old they are still appreciated and will be put to the best use.

Dad, your box of candy was also here and is certainly what we needed. Something that you can put in your pocket and keep for later in the day. The barracks orderly likes them pretty well also, I had the box on my bed, and when we came in this afternoon, he said that he had helped himself to a couple. Did Cleda and Agnes get all the painting and everything done over at the Apt? Is everything set to move on the 15th?

Say Elaine there was something that I forgot to do and that was see Mrs. Abt.^[1]Karl Abt’s mother Has she called you folks? Stan, were you able to beat Bill D.^[2]Bill DeMoulin, Elaine’s cousin before you left or did you play anymore?

Dad, this pen really works swell and I’ll send you mine the first chance I get to wrap it for mailing.

This takes care of just about everything.

Goodnight-

With love, Tom

The latest dope here it that all of us, John Erickson etc., are all getting retained. They haven’t enough planes at Fresno.