Not since Sunday have I written. Mea culpa ! But I’ve been quite occupied. Our quiet & dull routine is gone & we are very busy. And as I have all the Administrative reins again, as in our Hey-days, I’ve been joyously busy. This job is the key job really, it’s laid down to be the 2 i/c’s job & usually is. It’s sort of adjutant & covers everything. Hence it’s pleasantness –  proper handling depends our successful or failure, & thus it’s very satisfactory to do. Usually the senior Captain does it, but as Allan is so very good technically & the other Captain is useless, he is being the technical captain & U. is far too stupid for Admin, so he stooges about & I have the very pleasant task of running the admin. So we are all happy & as I am not too bad at it now, knowing the ropes & the coy, & having done it well in two shows, everything goes beautifully well. All this is why I have not written letters as frequently as before, let alone Things. But I’m frightfully fit & full of glee & have had three superb letters from you, & some from Mother as well.

                        Mummy Hanson had called, & had been generally Mummy Hansonish. As a matter of fact I think my face may be lean and now ! As a campaigner of 12 months service ! I don’t know. But because you like the picture I am well content. The  in the A.M.C.C. Was the one on all sappers cards, to save us censoring here. I got one by mistake. The “work” is but a  pamphlet I’ll send the copy specially autographed by the officers as a sort of testament. I only get a fragment of credit in the group. It’s anonymous of course. Non è importante.

                        The idea of baby chicks thrills me. Bless us all. Nice to have one ear-marked (!) for Mother. Dickie will like them. I often wonder what he’ll think of me ! I suppose, if I don’t think much of him we can’t send him back ! Too late now.

                        Brushing my suits ! What morale ! Grass in the turn up of the trowsies, too – Oh dear.

                        A little letter from Johnny Cape. Sea mail. It’s awful me not writing anything. Oh, what is our Harrap book actually called ? I was never clear about that.

                        Allan & I found time yesterday to run over to Gragnano & we saw the family, all very pleasant. We stayed till ten, & ate a vast feste meal & my particular pet, Gatti – she of the large grey eyes & freckles, long legacy & with two plaits
was very kindly disposed to me. A jolly most friendly crowd. You’ll like them & they all glowed & exclaimed & crooned over Richard & over you, “Molto bella, sua moglie” they said & I said, “not half she isn’t”.

                        So sorry Things are being troublesome. Poor you. Be brave & sling ’em around. Some might stick. How are our finances & up to what date are my “Advances” debited. The one piece of information is useless without ‘tother. We’ll need a sofa & so on one of these days. Country house sales is the thing. I expect prices are all to the sky.

                        Barebones &  me, – 10/10.

                        Have you hung the picture ? Where ? Over the fireplace in the sitting room is all I can think of. Does it ruin the room. It’ll mellow down as the years pass. Oh dear.

               I have written here a patchy letter. Sorry. But I’m a devout lover & very proud of you.