33 8/31/1944 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson 382 Robertsville Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee Thursday, August 31, 1944

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, Mary is sleeping and Jimmie is outside playing with Doug so I'll start a letter to you. We are having nice fall days now so it is quite nice here now. Maurice Hartman was up this weekend for his interview and expects to take a job here so they will be moving up soon. They are the couple who just had the baby. Anyway the whole Lake Charles bunch came over here Saturday night. Mr. Garrett, an older man from Lake Charles, who is also here was over too. His wife hasn't come yet. They have a big home in New Orleans and I was telling him how you would like to show some Spanish moss at your next garden club meeting. He said there was lots of it around his place so he would have the caretaker send you some. I gave him a box all addressed to you for him to send to the caretaker to fill with moss and send on to you so if everyone cooperates you should have it in time. Sunday the whole gang came back again and stayed until ten o'clock that night but it was kind of fun as they are all O.K. except Betty. She sees something over here that I don't happen to have need of at the time so asks for it. For instance Mrs. Haugeto gave me a nice snow suit for Jimmie last year which is too small for him now but will be just right for Mary next winter so Betty saw it in the closet and wanted it for Susan but she didn't get it. When it got around time to eat Sunday night I told everyone I didn't have a thing in the house to feed a crowd except coffee so the fellows went over to Davies and Deans and brought their food over here. Deans had a big watermelon so we put newspapers down on the floor and all sat down there and ate it. Jimmie wet his pants in Sunday school Sunday but his teacher said no one noticed it. Three new little girls started last Sunday so there is quite a crowd but they have three teachers now. Remember that nice Mrs. Brown? They are here now but I haven't seen them yet but just have to soon. They don't have a house yet so are staying in the guest house. Monday I went to a bridge luncheon at Irma Moore's house. She is the one I knew in Monroe. I didn't get home until seven o'clock so Elmer had been home a whole hour. I have my davenport in front of the two front windows and like it this way for a change. I was glad to have news about Bob Jenson and his wife. I sure hope they can fix things up between them because of the baby. I hope Glad will let me have the tailor tot later on. She almost said the buggy. She wrote and asked me if I wanted it as she was going to sell a lot of things the following Sunday. Her letter came on Friday so I knew I couldn't get an answer back to her in time so didn't write until Monday and told her I would liked to have had the buggy but didn't blame her for selling it. However she didn't have the sale until the next Thursday so said she would send the buggy to me and some baby dresses. I bet Stella's fur coat is pretty and I am so glad she was able to get one. I have to buy a winter coat but am just going to get a cloth one. Saturday night we are going over to Deans' house to play cards. I had a letter from Jim a few days ago and he was fine. He said he thought he would be going on the day shift soon and although it would be hotter to work, the nights would be better for sleep. He said he is going to send me something from there. Jimmie and Doug are running all over down by the water ditch in front of the house and Jimmie is having a wonderful time. Mary is awake now and I just gave her orange juice but she is still chewing her hand. I bought her another rattle today as Jimmie chewed the first one all up. One day this week it was really cold and Mary couldn't keep her hands warm so Elmer built a fire in the furnace that night. It soon got so hot in here we had to open all the doors and windows. Now when it is chilly I just turn on the oven and it warms the living room up plenty. Mary is just lying in her basket as good as gold. It sure is wonderful. I'm having a cup of tea and wish you were here with me. You will soon have a birthday Mom, and I wish you a happy one. I'm sending you something and hope it won't be late. This two dollars is for postage on the books. I know you don't want me to send it but you must take it as I'm always wanting something sent. Now I'm wondering if you will send the typewriter as Elmer thinks maybe he can fix it. Just tie a rope around it and here is a sticker to stick on it. If you don't happen to have rope I think it will be O.K. without it. I had to stop writing and now it's late but I'm not very sleepy. Elmer and I played a game of chess and then I warmed up the coffee and made a sandwich. Jimmie said his first bad word tonight although very innocent of it but it shows how fast they pick up things when they play with other children. It was really funny so I'll tell you about it. We were eating supper and Jimmie let out some gas. I didn't realize what the noise was at first so said, "what was that" and right away Jimmie said, "that was a fart." Doug evidently has told him that. I have been thinking of Jim so much all evening that I am going to write to him now. Between Sept. 15th and Oct. 15th I want to send him a present each week no matter how small as I was reading an article tonight about how much the boys loved getting packages. I thought things like candy, writing paper, life savers, etc. could always be made use of no matter how much he got of it. Are you having any luck in getting hard candy. I see caramels here occasionally so am going to grab the next ones I see. Well I'll stop for now folks. Mary was in bed before six tonight and Jimmie at 7:30 and I've missed them. More later Folks. With Love, Helen