Spitball Army

– 2 –

May 27, 43
Thurs.  10:35 p.m.

Hi, Lover –

Then in the distance, we saw a huge bird resembling a crane.  According to the bird book, it probably was a brown sandhill crane.  It looked as if it were swallowing with much difficulty.  We watched him for a long time, & then went on our way.  We saw so many lovely wild flowers, & hope to dig some up for our new home.  They’re so plentiful, & one can hardly walk in that particular section without trampling on them.  We wandered over to June’s & watched them dig in their garden.  She treated us to some Pepsicola & cookies.  You see, we’ve been packing all day, so felt we should get out & have some fun.

Darling, you do have a wonderful vocabulary & write such lovely, beautifully descriptive letters!  Now listen, Hon., don’t get pneumonia going in that icy water retreiving ducks, because no duck is worth that.  Did you bake the ducks & eat them?  Maybe I’ll get that chapter in the next letter.  I hope so.  I want to hear from you again right away –

G’bye Darling –

Have fun.  But take good care of yourself.  How about another flute dance?

Love,
Bev

May 27, ’43
Thurs.  10:30 p.m.

Hello Sweetheart!

I surely do love you & think of you all of the time.  I received your V Mail letters (2 of them) telling about your duck hunting episode.  The first letter came in the a.m., & then, just like a continued story, it ended in a very exciting part, where Pearson had his gun safety on, & I didn’t know what was going to happen – until the 2nd letter in the afternoon, which told about his finally landing some & your getting another; as you see, I had to wait awhile before I could get the rest of the story.  Honey, I can just see you going after those ducks – and getting up so early too.  You are such a good sport in the best sort of way – & I love you for that too.  Is this Pearson a doctor too?  Swell that you can get him to go with you.  While Aud. & I were hiking to-night, we came upon a swamp where there were dozens of ducks.  How could I help but think of you then, Darling!  As we stood there watching them, we heard a strange gulping sound and couldn’t figure out what it was.

(cont.)

[Note: The return address on this letter is on North Xerxes.  Prior to this letter, all correspondence had been addressed from South Xerxes.]

May 26, ’43
Wednesday  11 p.m.

Dearest Darling:

I do love you so very, very much.  I hope everything is all right with you.

I just returned from Club.  I’ve been attending an “arm chair” travel class where in our instructor has told about her travels in Europe and Mexico.  That was the group in which I gave my lecture on Iceland.  We had our last class to-night and next week, we end the term, and celebrate by having a picnic at Powderhorn.  Next week-end, however, the girls are planning a house party at Lake Minnetonka and I do hope to go to that.

Aud. and I really washed clothes today, but had to hang them in the basement, as this was another day with no sun.  I’m having trouble with my pen!!!

Is it difficult for you to read by “V” mails?  Yours come through very good.  And how I love you & your letters!

Rec’d a letter from a girl whom I met on the train, when I was taking a trip to Ogdon 2 years ago.  Her husband was discharged from the Army because of heart trouble – but she considers herself lucky to have him home.  Even though, I too would love to have you home, would much prefer to have you where you are & healthy, of course.

Good night, Sweet’art.  Pleasant dreams.  Join me in a flute dance?

All my love,
Bev

[audio:Amy_Winehouse_with_Linda_Ronstadt___You_Know_Im_No_Good.mp3]
This remix or mash-up surfaced about a year ago, apparently, but just crossed my radar today: Amy Winehouse’s “You Know I’m No Good” bred with “You’re No Good” by Linda Ronstadt.

Linda Ronstadt, the object of my teenage lust.  Linda Ronstadt, who reportedly has known a thing or two about being bad.  Linda Ronstadt, who at that time of her life likely could have taken down the diminutive Ms. Winehouse with one hand tied behind her back.  Linda Ronstadt, who didn’t need a beehive hairdo or giant fake eyelashes to stop you in your tracks.

Lyrically, this is a pretty obvious pairing of songs, but there is something else in the mix that solidly connects the two recordings over the nearly 30-year span…maybe it’s just the attitude.  And check out Linda’s backup singers…Amy wishes that she was that badass.

May 24, ’43
Monday  7:30 p.m.

Hello Darling:

I love you, Sweetheart.

How is everything?  This has been another rainy day; so instead of washing, Aud. and I cleaned up the house & did some more packing.  We packed our winter things – some books – & many miscellaneous articles from the linen closet.  We’re planning on being able to move into our new place as soon as the people who have bought this house insist on moving in, & rather than cause a lot of trouble, would rather let them in, though we also could have until July 1.

Rec’d a lovely long letter from Lee Burroughs from Mission Beach today.  I’ll send it on to you as soon as I answer it.  Was surely grand to hear from her.  I wrote another letter to Mrs. Kirk today.  Major Kirk is now a Col., is he not?

Had another young boy ask about buying our Ford today.  I do really intend to sell it this July but only on an all cash basis, as do not want to bother with any monthly payments.

Honey, I do love you so much & do get so lonely for you.

With many flutes of kisses,
Bev.

Friend BTM, over at the worstweblogintheworld, recently posted about some new music that he’s been enjoying.  Among the titles was April, by Mark Kozelek’s band Sun Kil Moon.  I hadn’t heard it much since I bought it, so I pulled it off the shelf.

I’d purchased the album from the artist’s website, as I like to do when possible, and opted for the two-disc version signed by Mr. Kozelek.  When I opened the package this afternoon, I stood looking at the signature.  For a long time.  To me, it looked like he had written:

1505
yll

“1505, y’all!”  I say that all the time when I mean to say my name.

What the heck does this say?  Any takers?  HELP.  I just hope that the translation isn’t so obvious that after hearing it I will feel like a big weenie.

National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition” today aired a spot focusing on the unusual but inspired collaboration between classical violinist Hilary Hahn and one of Spitball’s favorite songwriters and persons, Josh Ritter.  The two became acquainted due to an academic connection between their parents, and seemed to fall naturally into a sympathetic musical relationship.  Hilary’s violin adds a tender air to Josh’s songs (listen to “Girl in the War,” below), and Josh has re-interpreted the Goethe poem upon which Schubert’s song, Erlkönig, was based (see the video for “The Oak King,” also below).  Their duo concerts contain duelling versions of “The Last Rose of Summer,” doses of Hilary fiddling solo classical works, several Josh Ritter chestnuts, even his soulful handling of the guitar part in Paganini’s Cantabile, a duo for violin and guitar.  It is refreshing to see two highly-regarded artists stretching beyond the boundaries of their respective musical realms with such interesting results.  Bravo!

Stream the NPR segment in its entirety here.  The webpage includes streaming audio of the pair’s entire Metropolitan Art Museum concert.

[audio:Josh_Ritter_and_Hilary_Hahn___Girl_in_the_War.mp3]
Josh Ritter and Hilary Hahn perform Josh’s “Girl in the War” – from the Met Museum concert.
This track is downloadable at Josh’s myspace page…CLICK!

Video of Josh Ritter performing “The Oak King,” which is his interpretation of the Johann Wolfgang von Goethe poem upon which Franz Schubert based his famous song Der Erlkönig.  Josh has incorporated a musical motive from the Schubert piece into the guitar part for this song.
[audio:Schubert___Der_Erlkonig_(excerpt).mp3]
[Note: This video has extremely low volume…for maximum impact, turn your speaker volume up, Up, UP!]

May 21, ’43
Friday  10:00 p.m.

Hello Darling:

I love you – It’s so grand thinking about the day when you’ll be returning.  In the meantime, it’s up to me to keep busy and try always to be happy; however, I know you’re able to face whatever comes.  I can tell by your letters that you’re enjoying the country immensely.  I’m so glad – and say, if you keep on doing all that good cooking – pheasant, French Fries, and what have you – am afraid you’ll never be satisfied with “your truly’s.”

Finished my project at N.W. today, and am now going to do other work there; mainly handling correspondence and student nurses.

Aud. and I hiked down to Lake Harriet to-night – just a nice hike – about 4 miles round trip.  Some youngster is reported missing in Mpls. – not sure whether he drowned or was kidnapped, but they were going to use a powerful light to-night in the water, and see if they could locate his body – we came home before they started.  We really had gone only for the hike and then came upon a big crowd gathered round.

Sweetheart, I do miss you so, and long for your fond caresses and kisses.

Thanks for another wonderful letter today.

G’night Lover,

Love,
Bev

(AP photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

May 19, ’43
Wed.  11:30 p.m.

Sweetheart Darling:

It’s really quite late at night, but here I am as faithful as ever, writing – loving you too – always!  I just got home from Club – took a nice hot sudsy bath, jumped into bed and thought of you.  Of course, have thought of you many more times during the day too, Honey.

This has been a beautiful summer-like day.  Aud. and I finished up the ironing this a.m. and then took Betsy over to Lake Callahan and went biking around the lake – then over to Cedar Lake, and back again.  It was loads of fun and am so glad Aud. enjoys that sort of thing.  She’s out to her Club to-night.

Am now going to read the same book as you’ve been reading, as was able to get “The Long White Cloud” to-night at the public library.  I know it will prove to be very interesting reading, and thank you for your suggestion.  We’ll probably – maybe – be reading it together – though apart.

Saw some interesting movies on Mexico to-night.  I surely would like to see Mex. City and some of those older lovely cities in the heart of Old Mexico.  Of course, probably have been as close to them as I’ll ever get, living so close to the border and also being right in the border towns.

Here’s flutes of kisses with all my love –

G’nite
Bev