Letters do not type themselves. I guess if I do not take out the typewriter and type the letter it does not get done.

I have put off a bunch of things over the last week or so, and know how easy it is to just not do anything but read.

The only thing I have not let up on in the least is the walking. For some reason even though we have had a whole bunch of thunderstorms, I have not had a problem with the 9:00 to 10:00 AM hour yet. I have set the standard that as long as the yard is open, I will walk.

I have also stuck with the extra hour (10:00 - 11:00 AM) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. As of this morning at the 6:00 AM sick call, I am down to 203 pounds. That means I have lost another four pounds in the last three weeks. I am averaging four miles an hour.

I have just asked Mom and Dad to buy a couple of cotton shorts. Try walking in these polyester long pants. I take a quick pit stop on the two hour days, and have been running my sweat drenched t-shirt under the water in the bathroom sink. This helps keep me cooler during the second hour.

I received yet another letter from Smith Corona. This one is written as if the last letter I sent was the first contact with the company. I guess they do not have any reliable system for following up on open customer requests. I had included the RA number in all the letters that they assigned many moons ago, but that did not seem to mean much on this last letter.

I did get the new print wheel yesterday and they did not make me turn in the old one. I also received one two-pack of official ribbon. Between these two things, I think I am back to getting clear text. This letter was printed using the new wheel and real ribbon. I am only going to use the new wheel for your letters for now, using the old wheel for drafts.

I was really awed by the long email from Tammie. Well let me not get too excited, and take it slow. I will include an acknowledgment to those who have written to me in this or the next mailing.  ¶ 10:13 AM