19 7/13/1944 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson Box 1310, Knoxville, Tennessee Thursday, July 13, 1944

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, Mary is in bed and Jimmie is all ready and Elmer is telling him about Peter Rabbit. Jimmie can recite most of the nursery rhymes now. Tomorrow I am invited to a dessert bridge. I guess I already told you, didn't I? It's at one o'clock so I'll have to leave a bottle for Mary. I've meant to tell you about the dress you gave me, Mom. It washes just swell and I wear it all the time. Elmer likes it too. Elmer said today two FBI men came to the office after McKim. Remember you met him and his wife. Elmer has no idea why they wanted him. Every week we have a little Oak Ridge paper delivered to the door, just about Oak Ridge goings on. It says it is not to be taken off the area or be mailed. There is nothing in it but I wanted to send it to you. Elmer says I shouldn't because our mail can be inspected at any time so I'm not even supposed to tell thing I hear. I don't hear anything though except what I have already told you. Yesterday after I had the house all clean, it didn't look like it ten minutes later as Jimmie's toys were all over the living room. A Mrs. Mignet came to call on me and it looked as though I hadn't done a thing. After she left I got busy on the back bedroom and scrubbed it and cleaned it all up nice. I put all the cardboard boxes under the house and made a swell play room for Jimmie and moved all his toys in there. I put the bed up and have the Indian blanket on it. He likes it back there and has the bunks to climb on. I cleaned out the chest in there and have it for just his toys and books. I've told him he can do anything back there he wants to as it is his room. When I see his thing all over the floor in there I can see how impossible it was to keep the living room looking nice. I have a big stick which I have never touched Jimmie with and probably never will, but when he doesn't mind me, I tell him I'll go get the stick and he does anything I say. He even picks up his toys now. I'm going to try not to mention the stick too much though or he will get so used to it it won't work anymore. He plays quite a bit with the seven year old boy next door now. I am so glad because he needs a child to talk to and be with some of the time. Mary's bowels don't work very good but I got one of those government books on the care of babies and it says sometimes the breast babies have bowel movements only once in three days and that is O.K. This book also tells all about when to start giving her the different foods so I am so glad to have it. Jimmie will like the tennis ball. He has wanted a ball for a long time. Last night Doug, the boy next door, came over to play with Jimmie. They went in the playroom but Jimmie came out and wouldn't go and play. Elmer told him he should go in there so Doug wouldn't take his toys home. Jimmie turned around and ran in there and came back with his green car you bought him and his old car. He said Doug could take everything else. I took Mrs. Davy downtown with me Tuesday but had her come over here and I said if she wasn't here by ten I wouldn't wait so she was here on time. She left her kids with her neighbor. That poor neighbor is really stuck now. Betty finally paid me for the broom but I had to mention it cost a dollar and a half. The picnic was in back of Deans, among the trees. Olney made a picnic table and some benches so it is nice back there. The picnic cost each couple 90 cents and every one paid except the Davies and they didn't even bring anything as they had just moved in. What do you think about Roosevelt running again. I sure hope he doesn't win out. I am glad you sent Jim the fountain pen. I hope it will work alright. Have you heard anything more from him? Elmer's books are really the main ones we want so don't send the others. Mr. Carlson was brought home a few days ago but will be layed up for quite a while. I don't believe Bob was hurt seriously as in each letter he sounds as though he might be sent back to the front any time. I guess I will get ready for bed now. We have the crib up now for Mary in your room and she sleeps there during the day but I still put her in the basket at night and have her by me. This baby book I have says some children aren't trained until they are three years old so maybe there is some hope for Jimmie. He usually tells me now but after he has already gotten his pants a little wet. Well goodnight Folks and I'll write more later. Mom, was the trip home just awful. I bet you got so tired you could hardly stand it. Love, Helen