[this letter has some missing parts due to a mouse- it is about Mom's operation in NC which kept her there several weeks longer than originally planned - jlt]

Saturday

[May 29, 1943-jlt]

Dear Ruel,

I got your letter yesterday in which you asked my opinion about using your A coupons in coming after us. I didn't answer right away because I didn't know what to advise you. I still don't know. It will probably be three or four weeks yet before I could make the train trip. There are about 100 steps in the station at Atlanta and carrying Johnnie up those will be impossible for awhile. I don't know that travel by car will be so good for me though.

I'm sitting up now and walking around a little. It is so hard to remember not to lift things. This morning I picked up a pan with some water in it and had a backache for a while afterwards. I almost topple over when I try to walk but I'm learning. In time I may be as good as new - I hope so.

It has turned so hot here this week. People say that it has changed from winter to summer and there wasn't any spring. Johnnie can wear his sunsuits now and go barefooted. Its going to be as hard to keep him cool as it was to keep him warm. I would like to get him back home and adjusted to the climate there before it gets so terribly hot.

He (you know I mean Johnnie) seems to be glad I am up and can play with him some. He has learned to accept the fact that I can't take him. He amused me last night. Buren's were here and Jewel and Johnnie were on the floor. Johnnie kept looking at her as if he couldn't decide what she was. Suddenly Jewel gave a jump toward him and Johnnie burst out crying as if he was scared to death. He likes the older children.

[some missing sentences - jlt]

I said before I'm not going to be childish about it. If I have to wait three or four weeks yet, I can. I think a car trip up here would be mighty hard on you. You would not have time to rest up before starting back home. Its really for you to decide though, so do what you want to - that's passing the buck isn't it. The doctor never did say when it would be safe for me to lift Johnnie, but he seemed to think it would be all right for me to travel back down there within three weeks after leaving the hospital. I wouldn't be able to help you drive any though. He told Dulcie to stay out of work 6 weeks.

I surely do get homesick when I think of green beans coming out of our own garden. I wonder if there are going to be any there to can in this first crop. I wouldn't be able to can any if I was there so I don't know why I should worry about that. Hope there are still some there to eat when I get home.

Dulcie said she wanted you to come up here so she could see you when you saw Johnnie. I know you are going to want to hold him for a week!

This is Pay Day for you, but I imagine your payroll is pretty slim unless the rain stopped before the week ended.

If you decide to come let me know in time. Probably I would feel like traveling around the 20th.

Love,

Mavis