27 8/3/1944 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson 382 Robertsville Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee Thursday, August 03, 1944

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, Jimmie and Mary are both in bed and asleep so it is quiet around here at last. Mom, Pop was just fooling you if he said you were too old and fat for ankle sox. You're not old and you look twice as young as you are and you're not too fat but just look nice and you should wear ankle sox. Mrs. Elliott, Mary Frances mother, is at least your age and she always wore stockings to the store and I told here how I got you to wear ankle sox so she does now too. Keep fixing your hair like you did here as it makes you look especially pretty. I had a letter from Mildred Culley today and she said she thought you were just lovely and regretted not knowing you longer. They took a three week vacation and had their little girls eyes straightened in Houston. They will be staying on in Lake Charles as Mr. Culley is working for Cities Services. We will love the jam you have put up for us. You are still going to an awful lot of work for me. Remember that sticky candy we brought from Lake Charles and had in a piece of wax paper. Jimmie finally ate the last piece a few days ago and ate the pieces of cookies in the ice cream carton. Tonight I took Jimmie up to the sand pile and we stayed until almost dark. Mary goes to bed for the night about 7:30 now and doesn't wake up until 5:30 or six so that makes it nice. After eating in the morning she goes right back to sleep and sleeps until 9 so I usually have the washing done by then. I do practically all of it except Elmer's work pants and his shirts and the big sheets. Sometimes I rinse them out too. Tomorrow afternoon I play bridge next door so will have a busy morning trying to get my work finished. We had another piece of furniture to put together that Elmer had bought with the kitchen set. I didn't even know what it was but Elmer assembled it Sunday and it is a nice chest of drawers. I gave it a coat of paint today. Betty still has my two blankets so I'm going after them one day soon. I wish she would have them cleaned for me but I don't suppose she will. She came over yesterday morning and scared the life out of me as she never knocks but just walks in and I didn't hear her and suddenly felt some one standing next to me. I was using the wash board, otherwise would have heard her. She wanted a ride to town but I wasn't going. I never go over to her house so she has kind of quit coming over here every day like she did, thank goodness. Tell Stella I'm going to get a letter written to her soon. I don't think I'll ever get caught up on my letter writing. Can you buy Jell-O there. There doesn't seem to be any here at all. Today I was able to get cocoa for the first time. I'm glad you heard from Jimmie. I bet a lot of things have happened he would like to tell us about. Mrs. Elliott's boy is at his port of embarkation now. He is a gunner. Well Folks, I should get a letter written to Selma so will stop again for now. Do you folks get to bed any earlier? It seems like I stay up later every night. Don't work too hard Pop, but you probably do. I'm so glad you are feeling good. Do your feet bother you any? More later. Love, Helen