Dear Gamidy,

The worst has happened, my conscience tells me. You’ve sent me a letter before my even sending you one for my bread and butter, but don’t mistake me. Letters from a grandmother are always most welcome. There’s another of my letters on the way to Groton, but there’s no doubt about my having been bad. The fact that I’ve been almost constantly on the go is my meagre excuse for such poor correspondence. Once back in Jacksonville I suddenly discovered hosts of people whom I “owed” a call before leaving for Miami, so quiet evenings in my room were not the rule.

What a glorious two weeks it was, and I’m grateful for your contribution. The flying visit to Gardiner was very worthwhile and thoroughly enjoyable. On the return trip there was a magnificent view for a good part of the way of all the Dead River and all the White Mountains, even though our altitude was only 2000 feet.

The two weeks as a whole appear in retrospect to have been as quick a succession of enjoyable events and moments as I could readily absorb. There were many high spots—one nearly six feet, brunette and what a dancer! Her face and figure not like those of many of her classmates at Radcliffe and her voice musical even over the telephone! Yes, there was another high spot—good old Mt. Morgan, altitude 2280 feet, ascended by this person for about the twenty-fourth time. There was the Empire State building in New York too. Golf, fives, Beethoven piano concerto by Boston Symphony, bird walks and canoe rides, cocktails with other attractive young ladies, victorious football game, inspection of one of Ham’s gigantic transoceanic planes were some of the other highlights, but best of all was being at home with the family, and next best was seeing old friends and relations.

Miami promises well. Our training will be very interesting, and we shall have an opportunity of flying several types of planes new to us, all, however, land-planes and not sea-planes. There are very nice recreational facilities on the station here such as tennis and squash courts, a practice golf hole and putting greens, a swimming pool, an officers' club, a bowling alley, a library and a movie theatre. The countryside doesn’t look too interesting right around here, but the Everglades are nearby and harbor many unusually interesting birds. There are too a few spots of virgin almost tropical forest not very far away and of course beaches galore. The city promises to be more interesting than Jacksonville, perhaps because it’s livelier. At any rarte it is far cleaner and obviously has a higher standard of living. Actually it’s 15 miles from here to the center of town, but there are busses for whenever (within reason) one wants to look for some amusement there. It doesn’t seem to have as cheap an atmosphere as I imagined.

Love to All

Toots

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