126 10/25/1947 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson 3409 Fremont Ave. South, Minneapolis 8, Minnesota Saturday, October 25, 1947

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, It seems like I just can't get letters written very often any more, but I will try to get a few lines written now. Our typewriter is just terrible compared to the one I have at work so I'll probably make plenty of mistakes. We have had about three weeks of beautiful Indian summer weather. It was so warm and nice but is turning cold now. We went over to Sears this afternoon and bought the children overshoes, as it looked like snow all day. They are fixed up now at least to start the winter, but I still have to buy them warmer underwear. Elmer's company is going to start designing a great big Christian Science church here. It is going to cover a whole block and have a great big auditorium in it. It is going to be modernistic. Elmer will do all the structural design work on it. The auditorium will probably be for the lectures. When we get into our own house I am going to start Jimmy into Sunday school and I want to start going to church. I put every thing off until we get into our house. It is coming along pretty good right now. The shipment of lathe came so the lathe men will start Monday and the plasterer will be ready to start as soon as they are finished, which doesn't take very long. You probably know that lathe is the board they put on the walls before they plaster. I didn't know what it was before. We have red paint put in the cement in the basement and porch and steps so that is a little added attraction. I am going to start looking at carpeting real soon. We bought our refrigerator last week. It cost 75 dollars, which was plenty reasonable I think compared to some we looked at. One we looked at was 125 for the same model. This lady we bought it from said it runs perfectly and she just got a new one after being on the list for a year so that was why she was selling this one. She lived in a big beautiful home and didn't look dishonest, so I don't expect any trouble with it. Next week we are going to get our stove. Bob and Dolores have moved into the city. They have a room over on 31st and Stevens in the home of a 75 year old lady. I still bet they will move in here after we leave. Still after all I have told Dolores I don't think she will do it. Mrs. Carlson should be alone anyway. It isn't fair to her to have anybody else in here. She has been feeling fine. She is going to the dentist now and is going to have her teeth out, the few she has, and a plate made. She certainly will look much nicer. Her brother died last week. His name was Nels. He was a very prominent man here and had a lot of business friends, so a couple of days before the funeral his wife, Lil, came over and made Elmer promise not to let his mother come to the funeral or to the funeral parlor. She said they had never told anyone about her and she didn't want any of their friends or acquaintances to see her or know she was Nel's sister. Of course they couldn't possibly keep Mrs. Carlson away and she always acts very quiet when she goes out any place so Elmer decided as long as she was with him and Florence and Mr. Carlson it wouldn't matter, so they took her. There were so many there that Lil doesn't even know Mrs. C. was there. She didn't do anything out of the way either and they all resent what Lil said. I'm still getting along just fine at work and Miss Lindeberg is very nice. Florence wanted to quit as she found it so hard to get Barbara up so early and get over here every morning and her work was piling up so much at home. I told her I would pay her 15 a week if she would keep it up until we got the house so she said she would. One day a week we take Mary out to her house and Jimmy stays home with Grandma. I get Jimmy all ready for school before I leave and Jimmy can wash himself after lunch. Grandma combs his hair and gives him his lunch. She likes Jimmy because he likes to sit and work puzzles with her. Oh yes I had to go to the company doctor to have a physical. He said I was in good health, but he didn't approve of my working as long as I had two children because I was too thin. However he said he would o.k. it as long as I didn't plan to keep it up very long. I also had to have a shot in the arm for T.B. Then I had to go back two days later to have them look at the shot to see if it was o.k. I went up there and the nurse (Before I go any farther, I don't have it) anyway the nurse looked at my arm where the shot was and she said oh, that isn't right, you will have to see the doctor. She took me back in another room and called two doctors in and said, "Here is another one who has it." The doctors looked at my arm and said there was nothing wrong at all. On doctor said all I needed was a few good breakfasts. Evidently, if you have it, there is a lump on your arm where the shot was given and it is inflamed. The doctor said my arm was thin and the shot made a little knot there but he just rubbed his thumb over it and that's all there was of it. They sure were mad at the nurse for making such a fuss over it. Last Sunday we went on a wiener roast with Eden and Wally and our children. We went to Como Park first to see the zoo and the new baby lions, and then we went to the Falls for our wiener roast. We went down below and you should have seen the bonfires. It was dark out by then and in every direction you looked there was another bonfire. We all had a good time. Last Tuesday night Elmer and I went to our first P.T.A. meeting. We both saw several different ones we knew in high school, who have children now in Calhoun. Jimmy's teacher said he was a wonderful boy and minded so well. At least I guess he doesn't give her any trouble and he loves kindergarten. Elmer and I might go down to the Marigold tonight for a little while. We never stay out long. We put both the kids on the toilet just before we leave (in their sleep). That is the only reason they ever wake up, and we know they will sleep while we are gone. We won't go until about nine and will get back early. Well Folks, I have to get them in the tub so will stop but tell the girls I will get letters written to them real soon. That includes Ruth too. Goodbye for this time. With Love, Helen Pop - Did you get over to Glad's for your birthday?