Since last I wrote to you I have spoken to you, become obsessed with a new passion which threatens to push you into second place, & written a “sample” script for Annie’s American evacuees on Trafalgar, slept in the Adjutant office, mounted the picket, eaten many fine dishes & spent a day of lectures.  Also received two very fine letters from you.
The telephoning was marvellous.  Dear you.  I hope my new love, or obsession doesn’t relegate you, it’s been such fun.  The new love is my utter, reckless & feckless devotion to shove ha’penny.  Peter & I began to play vaguely but the game has gripped us.  At break we play, after lunch, at tea, & after dinner we.  We spend panting hours crouching over the board & have battle royals.  Tense, bitter & tremendous.  We live from game to game.  We must play in Wales !
Oh, Wales, at last it attracts me.  It’s impossible, they say, to get accommodation there.  But what is the Impossible to us ?  And we’ll find something & start in an hotel.  I’ll get permission from the R.A.S.C. – to whom I’ll be attached, to live out & when that’s published in Part II orders I get 5/9 or 6/9 with servants allowance, a day. We’ll manage.  A farm’s a good idea.  You could help then. The other twelve have arrived & chosen their ports & although there’s been much shuffling, my bid for Swansea remains unchanged.
You are dead right about not wasting money & time before Wales.  Its not worth it for one weekend, one night in fact.  It’s sheer common sense & logic & reason to wait.  A waste of everything.
Yet you’ll come, or I’ll fetch you !  If I’m not on duty I’ll go to Auntie Edie’s & sleep with you.  Our economy shall be the staying at Aunties & not at an hotel.  Every night matters.  You ought to come to Wimbledon this weekend.  That although one night is not much to other people, its a lot to us.  I’ll send you a concession form or a ticket & the money.  You’ll come up when you like & meet me at an appointed time at Waterloo – where I met you once.  It’ll be late evening.  You’ll have to  at 5.20.  How, I don’t know.  Then we can lay plans for the exodus into Wales.
I’ll be home for the weekend, meeting you in B’ham, on Friday 28 August, in Wales Monday 31st till Friday 25 September, & on leave from then until October 5th when I go to my unit & have my section.  That’s all definite, Unless, unless the second front starts.  If it does bang goes everything.  So we’ll have a night in London on the 15th August, & all we can have.  The weekend after as well if you can spare the time.  But that can be decided later.  You know what’s best.  The 28th definitely, at home, en route for Wales, on a warrant.  I’ll work hard in Wales & earn our keep, never fear.  A farm’s the place, maybe, with our own largish room.  I wonder if Eileen knows any farms near Swansea, within reasonable bus or train journeys of the city.  Its an idea: consider it & try it on.
Have you got your new pay book yet ?  It should be along soon.  Takes a bit of time of course.  Let me know.
I’m very well, & full of energy & verve and that and very keen to see you again.  At  I’ll talk about you a lot.
 – the turnip field, is very neat & scientific.  And Vardy’s  obviously deserved.  Its good that you have some Recognition, It Helps.  And You’ll Have Deserved Every Hour Of Your Holiday In Wales.  I Hope The High Command doesn’t consider the time ripe for a second front yet.
I’ll have to be at the docks frem 9 to 5, but probably not Saturdays.  And I can get away in good time.  See how its pans out.  We’ll have the evenings – & the nights, anyhow.  And we’ll write.  We’ll take typewriter & gramophone & office & old clothes.
Now to bed, its quite late.  Cromwell tomorrow.  I’ve hand written this because Jock has elected to go to bed at 8.30 & I am thus, in decency’s name, bound to write and not type. Blast him!