120 9/11/1947 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson 3409 Fremont Ave. South, Minneapolis 8, Minnesota Thursday, September 11, 1947

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, Your nice long letter came a couple of days ago so I will write to you now. I'll have to see if I can type without making any mistakes because I am going back to work at General Mills, Monday. This machine sticks a little so I can't help but make a few errors. I had planned to take a job over at the school where Jimmy goes, at the nursery, then I could have the kids with me all day, but Florence said if I wanted to get a better job she would come over here every morning and take care of Jimmy and Mary. She goes out a lot anyway, taking care of children, and said she would rather come here every day. So I called General Mills today and talked to Mary McBrady and she said to come on down. Miss Lindeberg is still there so it will seem perfectly natural. The starting raise is a hundred a month. I am sure I could get a better job but since I haven't worked for seven years I would rather start out there and then when I get in the groove again I might look for a better job. The reason I decided to go to work is because we don't know when we will get plumbers, so since I know Florence will take good care of Mary and Jimmy, I won't have to worry about them so am very anxious to get a job. Mrs. Carlson has been feeling fine lately and is excited about Florence coming over every day. Dolores, Bob's wife, got a job in a factory but it isn't very good and doesn't pay at all good. She just sews one part on pajamas and then passes it down the line and each one sews a different part on it and by the time it reaches the end of the line the garment is completed. Last Monday I went to Hove's which is a big grocery store up on Lake and Hennepin and asked for Saturday work and they were ready to put me right to work but then I decided I wouldn't make enough by just working one day a week to make it worth while. There are so many jobs advertised in the paper every night that I have been just itching to go to work. I am so glad I was able to get the suits for you, mother. They came much sooner than I expected them but they are your birthday present so I certainly don't want you to pay me for them. I hope the candy wasn't melted. We have been having terribly hot weather up until today and it cooled off just wonderfully. Our car repair bill wasn't bad at all. It was only sixteen dollars and the car runs just swell now. The only thing there was a short in the lights and they kept going out and still do and they were supposed to have fixed that and charged for it so I have to take the car back now. You certainly had a big job done on your car. I hope it will run o.k. now. I had a letter from Glad today telling me about their trip. She said they had a wonderful time. Mrs. Dahlstrom sure is a funny person. I haven't heard from her since and of course from now on will be much too busy to go near her. Glad said in her letter today that Mrs. D. hasn't even written to her since she got back. Jimmy is crazy about kindergarten. He goes in the afternoon and that is the best for him because Mary always has a nap and Jimmy was usually pretty bored by then so now he has something to do. The school is only four blocks away which makes it nice. After I start work the girl across the street will take him to school and bring him home as her afternoon hours are the same as his. They don't allow the kindergarten children to leave the school unless some one calls for them. I was surprised to hear that Sandy didn't go to grade school but had to take the bus to another school. Where are they building the new school that Stella mentioned? That was terrible about Sandy getting bitten by a dog. Elmer said Harold would have a right to shoot the dog. Quite often lately we have been taking our picnic supper over to Lake Harriet on the hill across the street from the pavilion. We always have a good time and make a fire and fry hamburgers. Last time we roasted marshmallows. On Wednesday night Selma and I usually do something like that with the kids because Elmer works then and so does Al. Last night, though, I went down to the bowling alley with Eden to watch Wally bowl on his office team and then Elmer met us there when he got out of work. I am so glad that Jim and Ruth have a house. I think they will get along fine and I am sure Jimmy will be crazy about his baby. Stella thinks Ruth is a swell girl so I hope so can Jim, that is, Ruth and Jim can get along o.k. Well Folks, I guess I had better stop for now as I want to write a letter to Glad. I hope you are all fine and I will write more soon. With Love, Helen Friday I start working Monday and Miss Lindeberg is paying me 125 a month. She said not to let anyone in the office know it. She also gave me one of the best jobs. In the Correspondence Dept. writing letters. Tell you more later. Love, Helen