GRACE LINE Monday, Jan. 2
4:00 P.M.
ON BOARD
Santa Rosa
Dear Family: –
Well, tomorrow we are scheduled to dock at Curaçao at 9:00 A.M. and will probably lie at rest until 6:00 or 7:00 tomorrow evening. Thence on to La Guayra. Everything so far has been fine and you can tell Dave, for me too, that I have not been seasick at all.
I have written Cecilia a fairly detailed account of the first day and a half of the trip so I will just give a short resume and for details you had better see her. Friday afternoon and Saturday morning I spent in exploring the ship and meeting a few of the many friends I have made up to the present. Saturday aft. I spent reading, I believe, and writing. In the evening we had a Welcome Dinner in order to promote a more universal feeling of good-will among the passengers, which was fairly successful, and then a party in the combination Club Room and Bar. No, I didn’t get drunk, in fact all I had was a bottle of Pabst Blue Ribbon and then I sat around and watched everyone else have a good or bad time, as the cases may have been. I retired about 2:00 A.M. Sunday (yesterday), Jan.1, 1939.
I woke up too late for breakfast, which was from 9:00 to 10:00, so I slept again til 1:00 and had lunch. I made a few trips around the deck and by about 3:00 it began to blow quite hard. I sat in my deck chair and read a little and then studied my Spanish book until about 5:30. By that time there was quite a strong breeze but it was very warm so I took a shower and dressed in white for dinner. At: 9:00 there was a showing of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which I enjoyed very much and then dancing in the Club Room until 12:00.
I got up in time for breakfast and then spent about an hour watching the waves, sea and flying fish. Then on the boat deck, way up on top, I played a game of shuffleboard, which I lost 102 to 92, and then went below to dress for lunch. After lunch there was a game of horse racing at which I won $1.25 for Mr. Burkhardt, I didn’t bet at all, and then I came up here to the lounge which brings me up to the present.
At 5:00 there is to be trap-shooting which I will watch, then supper and at 9:00 a pre-showing of a brand-new movie which has not yet been released at the theaters, so they say. After that I shall probably retire in preparation for tomorrow.
This letter and the one to Cecilia will leave Curaçao by plane tomorrow, I believe, so it will probably be a few days before you get another. Well, so much for that.
The sea has been quite smooth and the weather fine so far. Right now I am perspiring sitting on the deck in the shade of an open window with my white suit on so you can see it is a little bit warm.
Lots of love,
Laddie
"Greatest Generation" Life Lessons 