811 1/1/1946 Ben Close to Sadie Erwin

Ben Close VA Hospital, Dayton, Ohio Tuesday, January 01, 1946

Sadie Erwin 1120 Cole St., Enumclaw, Washington

Dearest Sister, I am very glad to have received your xmas card and extremely welcome letter. It would have been real nice if Jimmie could have been home for the holidays, but the war being over and the prospects of his return before so very long relieves the tension that we have all been under. All our people here are on home soil again except a nephew in Germany who is due to return in February. Your family seems to be more widely scattered than mine. We are all within a few hour's drive. Soldiers can usually find somethng of interest no matter where they are. I can understand Jimmie's desire to be headed for the states again. I have been on the decline since having the flu during World War I. Never was able to quit or take proper care of myself so long as it was possible to keep going. It would probably have been much better to have done so. There has been no action taken on my case yet except to study it and know what was best to do. The holidays have delayed things some. I have regained the weight lost when I first came here seven weeks ago today. My worst trouble now is the helpless feeling from not being able to do anything. Also, the prospects that I am not likely to do much of anything again. Roma is now working in a restaurant near her room and within walking distance of the hospital. She likes the work, it gives her something to fill in the time and she feels much better than for years. There is a possibility that we can find a way to do some traveling "after soon" as my eldest grandchild used to say. I will greatly appreciate hearing from you frequently and there is no valid excuse for my not making prompt replies. Yours affectionately, Ben.