Dear Son,

Just a few lines to let you know that I am still alive. I am writing slowly because I know that you can't read that fast. You won't know the house when you come home as we've moved. About your father, he has got a lovely new job. He has 500 men under him, he cuts grass as the cemetery. Your sister Mary had a baby this morning. I haven't found out yet whether its a boy or a girl so I don't know if you're an aunt or an uncle. I went to the doctors on Thursday and your father came with me. The doctor put a small tube in my mouth and told me not to talk for 10 minutes. Your father offered to buy it from him. Your uncle Patrick drowned last week in a vat of Irish whiskey at the Dublin brewery. Some of his workmates tried to save him, but he fought them off bravely. They cremated him and it took 3 days to put the fire out. It only rained twice this week, first for 3 days then for 4 days We had a letter from the undertaker. He said that if the last payment on your grandmother's plot wasn't pain in 7 days, up she comes.

Your Loving Mother. P.S. I was going to send you 5 pounds but I have already sealed the envelope.