January–April 1954

Curium 25 March 54

Dear Ellen:

Thank you exceedingly for yours of 6 & 18 Mar. The list of TC numbers is a help for which I am grateful; the problem of the by-blows is with us still, however. I wrote Sue for a complete list long since, but she hasn't produced. But perhaps she will love me to that extent after she gets the prints of her pet TC from Reuben. But of P-numbers for Bamboula you may use [handwritten: unless Jack squawks before I close this letter.] [handwritten: He did: we printed the lot.] Glad if the new machine pleases. I expect there may be other things to be transferred from here to Gordon. If I should have to make a trip with them or for other reasons and RSY approves it could go along then.

Linda thinks you and she have met, at Myrtou. Did you not visit there with Saul once upon a time? She says she converted you to eating raw rolled oats for breakfast. This is something you have concealed for from me! At any rate, she is English and hails from the Institute for Archaeology in London, Univ. ce also in 51, duplat Taylor at Myrtou in 51, and travelled in Greece and Cyprus. She dug with J. She threatens to go on to study at the British Institute in Ankara in June for the summer. She came back to Cyprus on Feb. 15 on the same boat as Christophis, who worked with GHA Wright (who was one of a party of Britishers put to work for a week or so) came to Gordion one spring and whom RSY put to work for a week and have been for ten days or so in Nicosia. Whereupon we grabbed her and she works very boarding and keeping her ever since. She works very thoroughly and very well, she has a delightful sense of humor, we haven't fought yet, and her appetite has a pure, exalted magnificence whose potentialities we have not yet been able to ascertain. That's Linda in a nutshell, except for the deep, dark secret that she is addicted to sucuk, also known as ipli, and I wouldn't be surprised if she inhaled halva on the sly, too.

Christophis had a very satisfactory time in Athens. He also to work with Travlos until Mycenae, Kolidaurus and Corinth. He got got in a trip for a raise almost as soon as he got back, the ungracious brute struck me up for a raise almost as soon as he got back. The ungracious brute on the theory that now he was so all-fired educated (at my expense!) doubt he was worth more! I am somewhat just so one won't forget humans are humans! one like that once in a while going to school. Mihail says he's too old and too educated to learn a trade now, which I gleefully quiet and amiable when we do. We don't see him so much, and he is merely quiet and amiable when we do. Andriko works for Nicola in his ear, whence the carpenter with a hole in his ear, How well you know us, and Cyprus! Spring fever is indeed a prime obstacle here, so as not to be able to see the glorious gloomy recesses of the apotheke, Linda in the landscape and the sea. We had a wonderful week-end in the Kyrpas with the Seltmans to celebrate the advent of spring: Kantara, Ayios Philon, Kanakaria, Apostolos Andreas, and the sanctuary of Aphrodite Acraea on Cape Andreas. I fell in love with Aphrodite's feet at the latter (RSY may show you kodachromes some day soon). I wrote RSY so, and am expecting a cable next week telling me to come home immediately! Ever, O Bilen, thine!