148 2/18/1948 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson 4008 Randall Avenue, St. Louis Park, Minneapolis 16, Minnesota Wednesday, February 18, 1948

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, Spring came this week, but I'm sure we will have more winter. Anyway now the snow is melting fast and you see people out without hats on and the kids don't have to have their faces all tied up with scarves. Jimmy started school today. He is in a beautiful new school and the kindergarten is just darling. His teacher is real young but I think he will like her. He liked his other teacher so much he hated to change schools. He catches the school bus down on the highway and will ride that back and forth. This bus just takes the kindergartners. The kids were so glad to get the valentines. They love to get mail. Thanks very much. Mother you should buy a new ironing board and it would make ironing almost a pleasure. I have a huge ironing to do and just got my board today but it is such a nice size and it doesn't shake or wobble a single bit. I'm anxious to get busy on my ironing tonight. Now with a nice washing machine and ironing board I won't hate wash days. Before I quit General Mills I want to get one of their irons. They are supposed to be wonderful. Sunday I want to start the kids in Sunday school. I don't know yet which one I will take them to - 1st, 6th, or 2nd. Our car hasn't run for the last two weeks, or longer, during the cold spell. I got it started the other day so took the kids over to Lake of the Isles on 27th there and pulled them on the sled across to the island. Then when we got back to the car it wouldn't start so our garage was near by so we walked over there and I told them to get the car and fix it. It was the starter that needed repairing and it only cost us 6 dollars. Yes, I heard from Ruth. The baby's car seat was sent separately and they did get that too didn't they. I just want to be sure it arrived o.k. so you just tell me if it did or not. Alvin Pope was married at 3 o'clock Saturday and at 3:30 he was so sick he couldn't hold his head up. He was sick as could be for two days. I told Eden I bet it was nervousness but he says it was food poisoning. They are at Pope's now until his wife's furniture comes from Chicago. Alvin bought a new little house. Your store sales sure sound good. You really have a good business if you can sell for 10,000. I'm glad Jimmy has decided to stay. I hope Gladys continues to feel good and I'm sure she will. I like our house a lot but still don't like to plan on what improvements we are going to make on the house five years from now. You folks were just the age Elmer and I are now when you moved out there. I can remember how you longed to come back here. It must have been awful for you, leaving all your friends and everything. I think I would have everything I wanted if I lived out there but Elmer says we should be grateful that we are all well and have a house and he says it still doesn't mean we will be living here forever. The trouble with me is I have gotten it in for his family so much and hate his father so much that the only thing that will help me is a little more C. S. so I am anxious to start going to church again. We really are in a lovely neighborhood. It is called Minnekada Oaks. There are 40 homes in this section. Every month they are going to start holding meetings and discuss improvements. They want this swamp by us fixed into a lake. That would really be nice. Jimmy has a playmate over this afternoon. His name is Dickie and he is in Jimmy's class and lives across the street. Nellie, Elmer's sister, is really awfully nice, and she is too busy to run over here all the time and I'm too busy to bother her. She told me right at first that anytime I wanted to send her kids home to be sure and do it and I'm sure she meant it. They are more help than trouble anyway because when they are over here it gives my two something to do. I baked a pie this afternoon. It is fun doing what I want. Elmer works tonight so I will stop and get Mary and Jimmy fed early and into bed early so I can get at my ironing. Love, Helen That lot Mr. C. is buying is owned by people in Seattle so all the business deals have to be made through the mail. The deed wasn't in order so that is holding him up in getting started. Mr. Carlson really has worked terribly hard on this house. He did a good deal of the carpenter work himself. Pierce, Nellie's husband, told him now he could hang his hat (Mr. C's) here when he sold his house and was building the new one. I told him as soon as he did my hat would go out. He probably has no idea of doing that but you never know. Love, Helen Mary wants me to send you this letter she wrote to you.