Dear Ma,

Your postcard telling about Skipper arrived to-day. It’s hard to tell how one feels about it, but I suppose it would perhaps be a blessing to him if he did die. Of course I don’t know how Gamidy’s death affected him. What a remarkable coincidence (or is it entirely a coincidence?) that he should get pneumonia so soon after Gamidy. Very likely you know by now how it is developing, but I shouldn’t be surprised if he pulled through. I assume Pa has gone to Gardiner unless Skipper is not yet at the acute stage.

Your book also arrived to-day, as did Pa’s, and I’m most grateful. The first looks more than pleasant. The Torrey I know and love, as I do all his books.

It’s been very cold lately, not only down to the low twenties, but very windy, and my birthday has been no exception, though I understand it’s frigid again up north. Fortunately I had an easy day to-day, not that anything was planned, but it’s nice to be able to relax a bit on one’s birthday—nap, walk, movies in the evening, etc. I’ve only recently discovered that raiding the pantry, refrigerator, etc. is not particularly frowned upon—milk, eggs (if one wants to cook them), ice cream (if there’s some opened), etc.

Last Friday I bicycled to St. Augustine which is about 25 miles away, and after riding around a bit checked the bicycle in the station and caught a train to Jax. After going to an amusing movie, “Star Spangled Rhythm,” on the silly side, spent the night at the main station. There is a 10:30 P.M. train to Green Cove, if one doesn't mind starting back that early, that I’ve caught, but one often doesn’t get out of the movies until later than that. Actually I’ve not been in town much lately.

Love to All

Toots

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