Friday, August 4, 1944

Great Aunt Peggy's visit is coming to an end.  Grandma enjoyed having her and being out of uniform for a while.  She really looks forward to never wearing a uniform ever again.

I hate to see Peggy leave.  She likes it down here and has had a good time.  It is like a vacation for me in a way.  I have been able to sit around in shorts and go out in the yard without having to get into uniform and that seemed wonderful.  Well, someday I will be able to do it again and never have to worry about the war -- if it will only get over soon.  It looks like things are going well now tho.  Bud doesn't seem to think that it will last too long."

Photographs played such a role in 1940s letters.  They were connections to home and to the people you loved.  Grandma talks about the letter Great-Grandma just sent with photos of Great-Grandpa's tombstone.  She's anxious to see the photos because she isn't home to see that his tombstone is properly handled.  She cannot control the situation and as her anxiety is a genetic trait, I can understand her agony and frustration.  

"I just called Peggy up and she said we had two letters from you.  I am anxious to get home and see the pictures of Daddy's tombstone.  Peg said that she likes it."

Photographs were the touchstones of this generation.  Film and getting pictures developed were major costs, and photos were reserved for special occasions.  WWII gave this generation reasons to produce photos because you didn't know if you would ever see that person ever again.  Life held more meaning and people wanted to capture moments that were precious to them.

"We are going to finish up our films this weekend so Peggy can bring the pictures home with her.  We have only two rolls.  I want to get a picture of me and Bud when we got on our swimming suits, but our whites.  He always wear whites.  I usually wear my greys but I want me to be in white."

Grandma can be pretty sneaky when she wants to be.  She wants to be in her whites so she can suggest to the viewer of the photograph that her outfit is more bridal.  Maybe I am reading too much into it but Grandma would totally do something like that.

One of my favorite photos from the lot

On July 19, 1944