Dear Mother,

We are getting along fine & having a wonderful time (wish you would stay there longer – you need the vacation). Daddy has broken a record – he went to the show twice in one year (extravagant, isn’t it?)

Yesterday the temperature was 29º (above zero) and today it is exactly 32º (freezing) but it hasn’t showed yet.

Speaking of snow, I’ve called all over town trying to find a store that has some toboggans. The nearest I’ve found to a toboggan are some skis at the Sport Center (I didn’t buy them, I just located them).

Lewis got his report card yesterday. He got O.P. (outstanding progress) on everything but arithmetic & writing in which he got S.P. (satisfactory progress).

We got out of school Thursday & Friday in addition to Sat. & Sun.

Thursday we went to Claudelle’s & ate & ate & ate.

We had chicken, dressing, cranberry sauce, creamed celery, sweet potatoes, & pumpkin pie.

B.M. has a regular arsenal at his house. He has a .410 double barrel shotgun, a 12 gauge automatic shotgun (5 shots), a 17 shot automatic .22, and an old flintlock squirrel gun which I think belonged to his grandfather.

I have memorized the Morse code & hope to pass 2nd class signaling soon. Our patrol is about 60 points ahead of the next highest patrol in the patrol contest. The troop will have a supper for the winning patrol at the end of the contest (about Jan. 1). The patrol with the least amount of points goes on K.P. & the rest of the troop (except the winning patrol) foots the bill. We don’t want to peel potatoes or foot the bill so we have to win.

I am enclosing a letter to Ina Marie.

Your eldest offspring,
Walter Dove