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After teeks came the first letter fro harder than this? Missing you is a physical aching that gripsand does not leavebreath

My solace in these waning ee that you’re safe, and alive, and healthy, and that the worst that you have to go through is serfdo old wohtest in the front The heaviest ones are for the winter Use the them, God help me, ask Vova Don’t hurt yourself And don’t fill the water pails all the way to the top They’re too heavy

Getting back was rough, and as soon as I caht out to the Neva, where for six days we planned our attack and then made a move in boats across the river and were completely crushed in two hours We didn’t stand a chance The Germans bombed the boats with the Vanyushas, their version of my rocket launcher, the boats all sank We were left with a thousand fewerthe river We’re now looking at other places we can cross I’m fine, except for the fact that it’s rained here for ten days straight and I’ve been hip deep in mud for all that time There is nowhere to sleep, except in thesoon All black and wet, I al the blockade

I’ve decided to do that fro to think of you burying your sister in Lake Ladoga

I wish you had been given a lighter cross than Leningrad to carry through your life

Things are going to be relatively quiet here for the next feeeks, until we regroup Yesterday a bomb fell in the commandant’s bunker The coo away When is it going to coain?

I play cards and soccer And I smoke And I think of you

I sent you et to eat well, ht in the palainst your heart

Alexander

Tatiana read Alexander’s letter a hundred ti every word She slept with her face on the letter, which renewed her strength

My love, my dear, dear Shura,

Don’t talk about my cross -- first heave your own off your shoulders

How did I live last winter? I don’t know, but I think ally of it now Because I y to lie, to pretend to Dasha, to keep her alive I walked, I ith Mato go through the rest of my day until sleep?

To ease ers You think it was bad before I’ Irina Persikova, who had to have her leg cut off in Molotov, infection or so I think I like her because she carries rieve for my sister