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Date: November 22nd 1974
To
Susan, Tonia, and Cameron Doerksen - (wife & children)
From
Kenn Doerksen
Letter

Friday, Nov 22

Dearest Susan, Tonia and Cameron,

Thank you for your latest letter. You sounded much more cheerful, despite Cameron’s illnesses...it’s obvious you were suddenly busier again, which helps. I go out of my way to stay busy and I find the time going by very rapidly. So your losing your teeth, now Tonia. I hope the tooth fairy has found her way to our house, why don’t you draw me a picture of her for when I get home?

I am duty officer all night tonight. For the first time in a long while. I no sooner took over than a fire-fight broke out on the Green Line, but fortunately we got it stopped before it became serious, and all is quiet now. I just finished watching an old “Columbo” movie on Greek T.V. The first of the RCR are here now and our routine is changing rapidly as the new group takes over.

We played soccer on Wednesday, against a British team but not all our team showed up, so we had to dig up some other Brits to play with us. It was fun, though. Last night I attended a dinner thrown by the retiring District Officer of Nicosia district with whom I have worked on many problems. There were 11 Greeks (average age 65) and 3 from the UN including Murray Smith. The meal was delicious and it kept me from having to attend our weekly dining-in which was apparently quite alcoholic.

Ken has left as has my driver, so I feel quite lost in some respects. And to add to it, they moved me to a new office, the fourth one I’ve occupied since I arrived. But the job remains the same, busy and interesting. I had hoped to have 2 weeks with my successor to turn over to him but, despite our recommendations, the RCR is not bringing him in until the last flight, so we will pass at the airport. He will be totally lost, as it would take me a full week just to introduce him to all the people I normally deal with. C’est la vie.

I understand I made a paragraph of a national story (in at least 3 papers anyway) about our humanitarian efforts here. I haven’t seen it, unfortunately...trust you will clip it out if you do see it.

My back (the sore one) is slowly improving...just a matter of taking sports a bit easy. Hope you all get healthy (or stay that way) for when I get home. I miss you all and think of you constantly.

With all my love,
Kenn
XXXXXX

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