30 8/21/1944 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson 382 Robertsville Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee Monday, August 21, 1944

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, Mary and Jimmie are both in bed so I'll write to you. I have some diapers I'm boiling so my wash will be easy in the morning. The books came Saturday and thanks very, very much. Thursday I'll be going to the bank and will send you the money for the postage. Someday if you find something to mail them in I wonder if you would send me a couple of tennis rackets. I have one I left there and I thought maybe Jim wouldn't mind if I used one of his as I would take good care of it. I didn't find the pictures of Ruth and Jeannie in the books so am wondering if you forgot to send them. One day soon I am going to take Jimmie and Mary into Knoxville and have their pictures taken. I would like them taken separately and put in double folders or frames. I don't know what to send Jim either for Christmas but thought I would send him the picture and make some cookies. I will buy him something too if I can find something appropriate. Children like to eat Jell-O right from the box, in the powder form or better yet if it is lumpy. If you can get Jell-O there why don't you send Jim some as it would help his taste for sweets. They all seem to crave something sweet. Sunday I went to church again and almost every seat was taken. There must have been at least fifty people there, some soldiers and a WAC and some children over twelve among them. How can I meet people at church. So far I leave as soon as the services are over and go down the hall to get Jimmie and I haven't talked to anyone yet. Jimmie had a man for his teacher this time. He said Jimmie was a very good boy and Jimmie put his dime in the collection this time. The church collection must be pretty good because as far as I could see everyone put in bills. I gave a dollar. It sure is hard to get to church though. I thought I just couldn't make it Sunday as we stayed in bed until eight and then there was or is Mary to tend to and breakfast to get and so many other things but I decided in order to go I would just have to leave everything except feeding Mary so I did. We are like a real family on Sundays now with the hurrying around and Elmer shining shoes. He gets Jimmie ready for me and does the breakfast dishes while we are gone. This Sunday he washed all the floors and took the living room rug outside and beat it. It won't get so dusty now since the road has been treated. Once a month he is going to wash all the floors. We have fleas so are scratching all the time. They are sand fleas and get in the house and Jimmie gets covered with them from playing outside. Edith, the lady next door, had the exterminators out today as her house is so full of them. I don't see how that will help much since they are brought in from outside but if it does I'll have them come here too. The fleas will leave when the weather turns cooler. Edith's youngest boy is seven and he and Jimmie play together all day long. It certainly is surprising how well they get along for such a difference in their ages. Jimmie is over at Doug's house a lot and Doug puts him on the toilet ever so often so he won't wet his pants. I know your permanent looks swell Mom. Six dollars wasn't such a bad price to pay for it either. I'm glad you like the bedroom slippers and hope they are a good fit. I'm going to be looking for a letter from you Pop. I just can't believe that Beth has sunk so low. It seems impossible a person can change like that. I feel so sorry for Will and hope he can do something about Beth. Is Bob Jenson's wife still pregnant or did she manage to get rid of it. I think Bob would be better off without her and be free to marry some nice girl later on. Bob is so likable I hate to see him hurt. I just stopped a minute and made us some eggnog. I used to drink it a lot in my younger days. It must have been a terrible shock to Linden to find out about his mother. All our extra gas is being discontinued now or was starting last week so we have to get along on just our A book now unless Elmer starts driving to work and then he will get a B book. It makes every one mad because the only reason they are doing it is to try and get the men who own cars to drive them. I'm sorry for another reason too because I hoped to be able to send you folks a coupon often. If Elmer decides to drive part time I may still be able to though. I got Mary's ration book and they didn't tear out a single thing so I'm sending you some stamps. I will apply for her canning sugar too and send that to you. It seems strange to hear about Vivian Armstrong expecting a baby when it seems only yesterday that Jim was trying to make up his mind which Armstrong girl he should take out. Are they all married now. It was nice of Stella and Harold to take Dorothy Matz home. She really has her hands full with three children. Does she look the same as ever? I'm so glad you finally got your pin, Mom. Elmer probably could have fixed it too if Cully could but just figured it was something a jeweler had to do. That was really swell about Marvin Schweigle being sent so close to his cousin. It will keep both him and Bobby from getting quite so blue maybe. How long has Marvin been overseas? The Deans came over Friday night and we played bridge. Esther is just learning and does pretty good I think. Every time they see Mary they say she looks more like you. I think she does too, especially her eyes. It would be wonderful if they would turn brown. I think Jimmie really is crazy about her. This morning they both slept pretty late, until 8:30. You know by morning all four of us are in the same bedroom. Jimmie in Elmer's bed and Mary in mine. Anyway this morning I heard Mary in the bedroom talking and heard Jimmie laughing so I went in there and Jimmie was in bed with Mary telling her stories. He can always make her stop crying by just talking to her. I put her down on the floor a lot and she is so strong she tries so hard to crawl and looks like she will real young. Well Folks I guess I better stop and go to bed now. Elmer has already gone. More later and thank you sending the books. Elmer has taken most of them to work. That Cinderella Book of mine is certainly old. I had written in it 12 years old. Goodnight for now folks. Love, Helen