Manzanar, Calif.
February 21, 1943

Dear Joe,

I hope you got my last letter that I wrote on saturday & also had sent on saturday. Today is sunday & we all went to church. I just forgot to tell you in the last letter that Hank (Henry) Ishizuka is in the hospital with appendicitis. Its about the third week he's been in there so he ought to be getting out pretty soon.

Last night we were all awakened by a terrible wind storm which turned into a rainstorm. The Sierra's & Inyo's are covered with clouds so we cannot see them. I just finished my studying so I thought I'd write to you a little while.

At school we are going to have final examinations for two days & all through those two days is just going to be test's, test's, test's. Man I hope Tor & I both pass to the next grade.

Mr. Smetzer is going to take about three groups of people of the camp & Kay Odahara is in the first group. She's just so excited & hardly can wait to go. Yuki Odahara left & she sure was thrilled after not going after she had at least 4 fare well partys given to her.

[Page 2]

Yoneko Kitagawa finally left too. She locked all of her suitcases & things & forgot all her keys.

Last night Mrs. Odahara gave me a sweater that she knitted & boy do I like it. It's a slip over like the one you gave me all except this one has a round neck.

Gee the Mayeda's place is getting to be a regular gambling place the way all of the gang get together & play "Majon" or what ever you call it. (They play every nite)

Mama says "hello" & take good care of yourself. Every time she thinks of you big tears are filled in her eyes.

Today the Nakatsuka's are having a farewell party for they are leaving for Minadoka (Idaho)

Tor's up at the library studing so I guess he won't write yet.

Papa said he wrote to you so you probably got his letter by now.

I just went over to see the Majorettes & I think their pretty good. (Amy was one of them) Mama has finally started Tor's letterman sweater & he seems to be pretty happy about it. The clouds are starting to rise now but it didn't snow very much.

[Page 3]

Do you remember the pink sweater that I was knitting? Well, I have finished the back & I'm half way finished with the front & I can hard wait till I finish my first sweater. (Moma didn't even help me at all.)

One night papa got a nice sand papered, shellaced, & varnished wood which sure looks nice. I'll try to give you an example.

[Drawing]

This is made from a trunk, & root. Doesn't it look like its pretty good? Well any way this is just an example of what it looks like.

Today we had baked apples in our kitchen for the first time & it tasted good with sugar & milk. For breakfast we had that & also toast, potato, bacon, & oleomargarine. (fake butter). Lunch we had salad dressing with lettuce, rice, tempura of sweet potato & carrots, apple sauce & thats about all. We have been getting milk every day. How does it feel to keep house & do your own washing & ironing? Do you miss the sunday funnies? Well now I'll write on the other side.

[Page 4]

Reverend Nicholson hasn't brought the radio as yet so I can hardly wait to see & hear it.

Well we had that valentine party at school & it was pretty good but I thought it could have been just a little bit better.

We had refreshments of punch, cookies, & candy. (I mean the valentine candy.) Gee the candy tasted especially good after not eating any candy for a long time. Gee & every time it comes to the canteen a big mob comes & its all sold out before any body can get to the candy.

Well, Bainbridge is moving out I think next week & so there will be lots of familys gone & so block 1 is going to move to block 3 where bainbridge lived & then the Dry goods & canteen is going to move back to block one again. Its going to be lots farther for every one now. Also all the teachers are going to move out of block 7 & they are going to live in the new homes that are being made behind the post office. They will have to pay rent which is going to be pretty high & hard on the teachers who aren't so wealthy.

[Page 5]

I for got to tell you but at the valentine party Bryce Nishimura & another boy cracked lots of corney jokes & so I just happened to remember one. Here it is. 1st guy. Gee my feet are cold today. 2nd guy. Gee mine are cold too. 1st guy. I think I'll put some mustard on my feet. 2nd guy. What for? 1st guy. Well I heard that mustard was good for hot dogs. Gee the sun is coming out & it seems to be that were getting much warmer. (Any way warmer than this morning.)

Mama is now taking a nap & every thing is so quiet that I can't think of much to say. They have ration examiners & so they are hard to get. We were the only ones in our barrack that got the papers instead of 800 papers coming to Manzanar only 500 come so it's pretty hard. The times is the same.

I started to write to you around 3:00 & now its 4:20 & I think I had better be closing my letter & write some other time.

[Page 6]

For the second time in Manzanar, or in his life Tor cleaned the house & it looks pretty good. Every time it sorta gets dirty dirty Tor starts yelling at us. So long until nextime.

Your Sis.

Masako

P.S. write soon.

P.S. Hoping to get a letter from you pretty soon.