June 28, 1944

Dear Mom

Your oatmeal cookies were delicious simply wonderful. I was awfully happy to get them. Thank you ever so much. Bob Smith (my best friend at present from Beverly Hills) and I enjoyed them especially much because we can't afford the RX this time of month. So they disappeared in a couple of days.

How do you like my mailing that Father's Day present without writing any explanatory letter. Pretty bad, isn't it. My sense of duty to home and you all (!) Has become horribly nil of late.

Did I tell you that Smith and I joined the squadron glee club? It's a lot of fun we sing in public tomorrow morning and evening. Also we get two extra reveille passes a week. That is one of my main reasons for joining. But at present I am irritated because Arleen decided she wanted to live in one of these exclusive dorms with her girlfriends and she has to be in at 11 on weeknights. And since I don't have Friday or Saturday night free I am disgusted. Of course, I think every thing should be for my convenience!!

I wash and iron all my suntans now. They look better than any laundry job ever does. Of course no laundry civilian or G.I. is at all careful about soldiers' clothes. Someone stole a pair of suntans from me a little while ago. I'll have to sign a statement of charges for another set.

I can't think of anything I need at present but before long things will start wearing out.

At present I am in a difficult position my civilian shoes have a hole in the sole and I don't want to have to wear GI's for a week. The only alternative is buying a new pair, but I don't want to have that expense.

The skin doctor here thinks that diet has no effect on acne. And it doesn't seem to. By the weigh (units!) I weigh more than 150 pounds now I don't know exactly. I'm beginning to think that I'd better cut down on starches.

I would be delighted to have any Pauling specialty I can hardly wait for a furlough so I can eat decently again. What I would like now would be a big hunk of cheese-some-thing we can have on crackers. But I'm not sure that a cheese that could be kept in my footlocker could be satisfactory.

Thanks for the information re starch. I tried some a week ago, but we had a rainstorm while the clothes were outside so no starch was left.

Last night I got to bed at 4 AM reveille is at 5:30. After taking the girls home at 11 we went down to the lake and went swimming a la nude some fun! Then waffles at some all-night joint. So toady I've been drooping.

Have you started Islandia yet? You probably are awfully busy these days.

I hope you all keep well. I've succeeded in avoiding colds almost completely up here. I had a couple of small cavities filled last week. Army food.

My love to you always,

Linus