159 4/27/1948 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson 4008 Randall Avenue, St. Louis Park, Minneapolis 16, Minnesota Tuesday, April 27, 1948

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, I've had quite a bit of typing again the last several days so haven't gotten any letters written. I just finished my box for tonight so will write to you now. How was your trip to Portland. I had a letter from Aunt Ruth and she had heard from Hilda telling about seeing you. George sure has done a lot around here. Remember Margaret Murnan's red kitchen ceiling. Well I have always remembered it so had mine painted Chinese red. The linoleum on my cupboards is red too and it looks awfully pretty and it certainly is something different. The paint is enamel and it really shines. Especially at night when I turn the kitchen light on. George also painted the bathroom and he built shelves in the kid's room for their toys. Our front door closed hard so George took the door off and fixed it and he fixed our car door so it would open easily instead of sticking and he fixed the back doorbell and he does everything. The trouble is, he is making all the girls mad at their husbands. Different ones come over and see George hard at work and I tell everyone all the things he does and they all wish they had husbands who were so handy around the house. He had to leave for Minot, North Dakota today and expects to be gone about three weeks. It will be nice having him here for awhile and then gone for awhile because then he won't get tired of us and we won't get tired of him. He left his movie projector here and showed us how to run it so we can show the kids pictures while he is gone. Last Sunday we drove out to Hamel to see Agnes. Both George and Elmer thought Agnes was so pretty. She is awfully nice too and we enjoyed the afternoon. Jimmy was having a birthday party that night at 6:30 for cake and pictures afterward. Agnes insisted on feeding us and wouldn't take no for an answer so she hurried and fixed a regular dinner with potatoes and ham and garden salad and ice cream and strawberries. It sure tasted wonderful but it was too bad we had to hurry and eat and leave, but as it was it was seven o'clock before we got home. We were worried about all the kids invited over but they were all playing outside when we drove up. Agnes didn't have much news about home except about the religion they are in. She said Fern is bearing up well about losing her baby. Ruth and her husband bought a new car so Agnes is expecting them down any Sunday. When they come or if they let her know ahead of time Agnes will call me and we will all try to get together. Friday night I am having the Recrofts, the ones from Atlanta, over for bridge. Oh, yes we bought a blue studio couch and a big blue chair with a footstool. Also one end table and lamp and Eden had a small end table she said was mine so gave it back to me. My floors look so much better since they have been sanded and varnished. George put three coats of varnish on them and I have waxed them good two times so I can run the dust mop around now instead of having to sweep all that awful dust. I have a coffee table too that I bought some time ago from Selma. That is all I have in the living room so far. Now the next big thing I am going to get is curtains or drapes for the living and dining room windows. There are five windows. Then after that I want to get a small rug for the living room and would also like a small one for the dining room. At least we have something comfortable to sit on now. I also have to buy a set of dishes before I can entertain to any extent. I keep thinking I will quit my job but the next minute I decide I will keep it. The typing has slacked up a lot so I haven't had much typing during the weekends the last two times so that gives me a chance to do my ironing and lots of other things around here. Jimmy decided to quit school last week and for three days I couldn't make him go. When it was time to get him ready I couldn't even find him. He is back now though. He likes school fine so I don't know why he didn't want to go. Elmer had a wire the other night from Houston, Texas offering him a job there for 80 dollars a month more than he is making here. He decided it wouldn't pay him to go though because we would have to live separately indefinitely and that would take the extra 80. He said anyway, that the next move he made would be out to Washington. Carlson's house is coming along. Pierce and Mr. Carlson have put the foundation in and now the carpenters are expected soon. One of the women in the neighborhood has invited several of us over Thursday night. She wants to start a Mother's Club and she thought it would be a good way for everyone to get acquainted. I had better stop for now Folks but tell the kids all hello and I hope everyone is fine. I'll write again soon. With Love, Helen