Love Is In The Air. . . .Our First Home Together. . . .#10

Our plan to have me return to California, was set in motion much
sooner than we had thought. I had only been home for a few days
when George's first letter arrived telling me what had happened the
Saturday we had left him at the main gate of the Naval Training
Center in San Diego.

When he reported, they told him to go to his assigned barracks
and wait for instructions. His company of 40 men were assembled
there. An officer arrived and told them they would have Sunday
to get packed and ready to receive their orders. George went to
church Sunday morning and spent the rest of the day getting
packed and ready to go wherever his orders sent him.

Monday morning they were rousted out of bed very early and told
to have their beds made, barracks clean, dressed and ready to go.
They were formed into four columns of ten men each, to be
marched to an assembly area where they would receive orders for
their deployment. Nerves were taut and anticipation was high.
As they were marched in formation through several turns, they
were halted in front of the Personnel Office building. The officer
yelled "Halt!" and when they did, another officer called out
George's name and told him to "Fall Out!". He handed him an
envelope, said "These are your orders", and as the rest of the
company marched off, he was told to go into the building. They
sent him to a desk where he turned in his papers and after the
officer read them, he was told, "You will be serving here and
will be assigned to the Security Division.

We were so very relieved and happy. The time George spent
working for the FBI in Washington D.C., and the national
security clearance he had, was keeping him in the states and
in San Diego.

George and Lee immediately started the search to find us an
apartment in Westminster. Hopefully, they wanted to find one
near Jack and Lee's home. Housing was very limited due to
the Korean War and the many service and government
families who were struggling to get settled in the area. It
was hard not to be discouraged. How excited I was when a
letter George had mailed on August 28th, arrived.

With butterflies in my stomach, I opened it and read:

Dearest Ina,

Only five more days to go. Boy, it hardly seems true. I can
hardly wait for them to pass. The thing above is a drawing of
the apartment. It is about as big as Jack's living room. It is
just the right size for us. It has a pull down bed and a couch
and easy chair. They aren't new, in fact they are a little old,
but they are still good. All they need is covering.

It is all done in plaster and tile in the kitchen and bathroom.
It has a shower and no tub. There is a big closet in the bath-
room. It really is a nice big bathroom. In the kitchen, there
is a gas ice box. It is small but just the right size for us. There
is a small 4 burner stove with a full oven. It is also gas. It
is a cute kitchen and there is plenty of room to put things.
That is all there is. It is really clean and has a tile floor and it
won't be hard to keep clean. They have a laundry in the
garage that you can use at any time.

So, you will need all of our bedding and kitchen utensils, every
thing you need to keep house. Oh yes, don't forget a cookbook,
I think you will need one. Ha, Ha! (cook book is underlined,
very funny George!)

Lee is going to have the lights and gas turned on so all you will
have to do is move in. Jack put down $20.00 to hold it, so
you better have $45.00 to pay on the rent and to pay him back.
I'll get $18.00 Thursday. Boy, won't I be rich?" (He had worked
for Jack the previous Saturday.)

Ina talking. . .David and I were going to pick him up in San Diego
on Friday he gave me directions on how to get there and where to
meet him.

He ended the letter thus:

"I have to run and mail this letter, so must quit, and this will be
my last letter to you. Sure do love you lots, Love George

You can tell that he was excited about us being together again,
as was I. It was a happy meeting in San Diego and what fun we
had moving into our very first home together.

It was a really cute studio apartment. It was very near to Jack
and Lee's home. There was a store within walking distance
where I could get most of the necessities I would need.

We were sad to tell David goodbye but were grateful to him for
all he did to help us.

In true David style, he bid us goodbye with these words of
wisdom, "Stay off of those crazy freeways and away from those
wild California drivers, and be careful not to breathe too much
of that Southern California air, it won't do you any good."

It was a short weekend for George and I, but we had a wonderful
time getting settled into our first home together. We put some
of our pictures and other personal items throughout the house.
By the time George left on Monday morning, it really did look
and feel, like a home.

I still had enough settling in to do to make the five days before
he could come home again, pass quickly.

I planned on going out early in the morning and get several
newspapers to see what kind of jobs, if any, were available.

And so, with a smile on my face and sweet dreams when I went to
bed, I looked forward, with joy, to another beautiful day. . . .

To Be Continued. . . .