18 December, 1955

Dear Mamma, Daddy, and Crellin.

I have not yet begun to think about Christmas, though now your letter and present have come. Thank you very much, and for the wonderful packages. I have opened the packages and have the presents in my room. Linda is still in Edinburgh, and will have Christmas there or with the family I expect. I might go up but I rather doubt it.

Philip Ulrey is in England and comes to Cambridge fairly often. He is quite a nice boy and I am glad to see him. Perhaps I can get him to come to Christmas with me. We can drink and be merry. Perhaps I could make an egg nog on government whiskey. I have been driving my car some and am getting quite good at driving it. I drive a little fast perhaps, and English drivers are terrible.

Robley Williams is coming to Cambridge next year, and the reasons for going to Berkeley are rather less, but I expect I shall go anyway for a bit. It is too bad though, because I hear his stooges are not very good. I must get a fellowship though.

I gave finally some of those short trousers to Dorothy Hodgkin and the others to a school teacher friend for one of her poor pupils, a scruffy little boy in need of aid and assistance. Dorothy is beginning to work on insulin. They are well.

My work is a little held up at the moment with my inability to interpret a couple of difference Pattersons, but I hope they will come out. Rather a lot depends on it. This typewriter has [] () + = @.

Alex Rich is going home pretty soon. The government is getting worried. Don Caspar is here, and while he might get fired, it looks like he will be here for a little while longer. People are generally a little sad. Jim is working on poly adenilic acid. It looks like it is tetragonal with four fold screw. The boys are still wondering about collagen, but now are thinking a little on RNA. I want to finish my thesis and go to Italy. I need a little holiday sometime, though I suppose I do not really work hard enough to deserve on. I may go to Madrid since it appears I am giving a paper. How is the rotating anode? Perhaps we can take some pictures of the flagella. Thank for the presents and merry Christmas and happy new year.

Much love,

Peter