July 24, 1943 Sailors in Church, Sully's Visit, The Circus, No Knead Rolls and Jellied Tomato Salad

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"Your letter hasn't come yet this week, but we'll probably get it this morning.  The weather has been very comfortable this week and I wish it would stay this way.

Last Sunday we went to church in the morning and to the library in the afternoon.  There were so many uniforms in the audience--especially sailors.  It gives you a peculiar feeling to be listening to the preacher or the choir and at the same time hear the officers barking commands to the soldiers drilling.  The chapel is on the old campus and that's where they drill.

Sully was here a few minutes yesterday.  He is 4F and has been called again.  He has heart trouble so we don't think he can pass the examination.  It has been two years since he was classified 4F, but I don't think it will be that long before B has to be examined again.  We don't worry, though.

We've been reading some books.  One was "They Were Expendable".  It is a true story about a torpedo boat crew in the fight for the Philippines.

Wednesday night we had our Jewish friend here for dinner and then he took us to the circus.  I had pork steaks, French fries, peas, jellied tomato salad, hot rolls, chocolate ice cream, cake and iced tea.  Sounds good, doesn't it?  I made the ice cream in the refrigerator.  Try getting some ice cream powder and make some in yours.  I just mix a large can of pet milk with a package and turn the box to the coldest place until it is hard then turn it back to medium until I use the cream.  I have an awfully easy roll recipe, if you want it.  You don't have to knead it at all.

The circus was good, but it is certainly different from the pre-war circus.  There aren't so many acts and of course they lost most of the animals in that big fire a few years ago, so they don't have any menagerie.

My June commission check was $39.15 but they took $2. off for tax.  The next one I get will have the 20% out.

I hope you are both just fine.  Be good and write soon."

                                                Oodles of love,
                                             
                                                           B & Bonnie

 NOTE from Ann : Below is a partial review and synopsis of They Were Expendable, W.L. White, 1942:
 This is not a book to read as history, in the sense of seeking facts and figures about an event in the past. "They Were Expendable" is ostensibly an account of the exploits of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3, which gained glory amidst the disaster that was America's defense of the Philippine Islands in the opening months of the war with Japan (December 1941 - May 1942). But this is wartime journalism, and it is replete with inaccuracies and exaggerations, not to mention a few passages that were subjected to military censorship. This must be expected of a book that was written only a few weeks after Allied resistance of the Philippines formally ended in humiliating surrender; William L. White had no way to corroborate or fact-check the stories told to him by the four youthful naval officers he interviewed for this book. But as an emotional record of the early, sometimes despairing days of the war against Japan, "They Were Expendable" is a work of truth and power. This is not so much a slam-bang story of naval warfare as it is an account of the emotional trauma of defeat suffered by a nation accustomed to victory.  (From a review by Edison McIntyre, May 30, 2004, Amazon.com)


No Knead Rolls

Dissolve 2-1/4 tsp. yeast in 2 T. warm water.  In large bowl, beat 2 eggs, 1 c. warm milk, 1 stick oleo, 1/2 c. sugar and 1 tsp. salt.  Stir in dissolved yeast.  Beat in 4 c. flour.  Cover and refrigerate 3 hrs. or overnight (better).  Divide dough in 4 parts. Roll as for pie.  Brush with melted butter.  Cut in 8 wedges.  Roll from large end.  Put on greased cookie sheet, 16 to a sheet.  Let rise double (finger will leave a dent when ready).  Bake @ 15 min. or till done (lt. brown).  Brush tops with a bit of melted oleo.

Jellied Tomato Salad

2 14-1/2 oz. cans sliced baby tomatoes
1 tsp. dry onion flakes
1/4 c. chopped celery
4 whole cloves
1 T vinegar
2 dashes hot pepper sauce
1 small pkg. lemon jello

Thoroughly drain tomatoes.  Put juice in pan with onion and cloves.  Bring to boil and simmer covered 5 min.  Strain & add hot water to make 2 cups.  Stir in vinegar, pepper sauce & jello.  Stir to dissolve jello.  Add tomatoes and celery.  Put in small ring mold and chill till set.