Thursday - Aug. 10th [1944]

Dearest Sugy puss -

Am topside standing a watch - somebody's sick and I'm taking his place - and though its [sic] seven-thirty tis still a while before sundown. How are you tonight, angel? Been kind of fidgety today and restless as hell - but it was really quite a find day - and profitable to boot. Had a steak and did a watercolor - and all in one day! Had one of the colored stewards pose for me in his boxing trunks - and I has [sic] a wonderful time with the sketch. I think it's pretty good, Snoon. I've been using my watercolors ever since I snatched their virginity away when I did your birthday present. Some of the sketches have just been spotting colors - drawing with the brush - and its swell fun and good practice. The color is put on fast - and just suggestive - it's kept wet and the drawing with the brush imposed on it. I remember when I used to sketch in anatomy class in like manner - they were real quickies - and like *all* quickies, darling, they held a lot of promise! The one decent water color landscape I ever did - the one from Rockport - was done with much the same technique.