271 6/28/1948 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson 4008 Randall Avenue, St. Louis Park, Minneapolis 16, Minnesota Monday, June 28, 1948

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks: Your nice letter came today with the cute pictures of Gary. Ruth and Jim look good too. I'm going to look up Jimmy's pictures at that age because Elmer and I think Gary looks just like him. Thanks very much for sending me the pictures. Their house looks so nice and they have a lovely yard too. I like your note paper so much, Mother. I'm going to get some for myself. Your letter written Friday reached me on this morning's mail (Monday) so that was good time too. I'm busy getting ready for Stella and Harold. I'm planning a big party for this Saturday night. Friday I plan to have a birthday party for Bernice. I'll have Eden, Selma and Eva and their children over for it. As long as I don't know what time they will arrive Thursday, in fact Stella said it will be in time for dinner, but they may be delayed a little so I thought I would have a big kettle full of chow mein made, then in case they are late it will still be good. I'm going to spend Thursday morning baking cookies and pie and maybe I'll get the birthday cake made then too. I washed today and will iron tomorrow and Wednesday I will get my house cleaned up. George got back last week so will be here but he offered to go over to Recroft's but I called Ruth today and they are expecting company from Florida Thursday. I didn't ask her if George could stay with her but intended to until she told me about her company. George can keep his bed upstairs, and I was thinking it will be handy to have him here because he can be our babysitter when we go out. Mary and Jimmy have twin beds so we will double all the kids up in that room. I also have an army cot that maybe Bernice would rather sleep on and then Jimmy and Mary can sleep together and Sandy can have the other twin bed. Stella and Harold will have our room and Elmer and I will sleep on the studio couch. George finished putting the white enamel on my kitchen cupboards tonight so it looks very nice in the kitchen. The walls are also white enamel and then I have the bright red ceiling. Stella will tell you how it looks. The children's room has the first coat of paint on. Our room is the only room that isn't painted yet and now we think we might put wall paper in there instead. Our weather hasn't been at all nice either. We have had two weeks of rain and since we don't have any grass yet you can imagine the mud that got tracked in. Today after mopping all the floors I made the kids take off their shoes and overalls before they could come in and I hooked the front door so nobody could get in that way. I managed to keep the mud out pretty well then. I think the rain is gone now though so I'm sure we will have perfect weather while the kids are here. I hope to get a Toni in my hair before they get here. I don't think Carlson's will get into their new house before next spring anyway. It is going very slowly and Mr. Carlson hasn't even ordered his mill work yet and that takes at least six months to get. Maybe he will decide to sell it before he ever moves in. I'll tell Stella all the news and gossip and she will tell you. I sure hope you can come in the fall, Pop. I just looked at the pictures of Gary again. In one picture it looks like he is standing alone. Jan Martin, Warnie Martin's wife, called tonight and she wants to have a party for Stella and Harold too. I know Stella will want to look up a lot of her friends too so will wait until she gets here to make any more plans. Well Folks, I will stop for now and I'll let you know when they arrive. Thanks for the pictures, and tell Jim and Ruth they better plan a trip here too. With Love, Helen