347 3/20/1942 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson Box 582 Newburyport, Massachusetts Friday, March 20, 1942

Sadie Erwin 1120 Cole St., Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, I just finished the dishes again so will write to you now. Well, Pop, maybe you won’t be working at the store so much longer after all since this new draft law is going into effect and you will have to register. I certainly hope this war won’t make any difference in your folks way of living. It would certainly be wonderful if it would end right away. George Ducret was made air raid warden for Plum Island. Some one turned his name in to be it. We are going to have a practice black out next Thursday night for half an hour. Yesterday Doris and I went into town since it was so nice out. We were in the dime store and I bought some hand lotion and was going to pay for it and I didn’t have my bill fold in my purse and there was twenty five dollars in it. I had just had it at another counter so hurried over there and it was gone. Then a lady came over and asked me if I lost one and she said she had just turned it over to the floor walker so I found him and he gave it to me. I offered to give this lady something but she wouldn’t take it. So I guess there still are some honest people left. My bill fold is one of those cellophane ones too so she could see that there was money in it. I was surprised to hear over the radio today that Washington and Oregon were going to have their gas rationed too. That shouldn’t keep the kids from getting out there though because they could buy all the gas they needed until they got to Washington anyway. It is going to be rationed here soon too. I had a letter from Gladys today. Did she send you the picture of her and Cully that a photographer took of them at the hospital after Cully had his knee operated on? It is real good of both of them and I certainly hope Cully will be all right now. Tomorrow night we are going to play cribbage again with Blakey and Esther, over at Esther’s house. George Ducret sent word into the Boston office today that he thought they should let us stay where we are now living until they send us to Virginia, so I hope we will be able to do that. We are pretty sure we will be going to Virginia when we leave here but I hope that won’t be for a long time yet. Maybe both George and Elmer won’t be sent either so we really have no idea what we will be doing after we leave here. I just hope we can stay here at least until after the baby is born and I have had a chance to rest up a little. I guess I’m not being very patriotic tonight because I have some fudge on cooking and it takes two cups of sugar. I guess I might just as well make it though while I can still get sugar. I have my skirt all sewed together that I cut out of Elmer’s trousers and it looks like it is going to be all right. I have it basted together and am going to sew it on the machine one of these days. Doris has Mrs. Walker’s sewing machine over at her house so I will use it over there. Henry Aldrich is on tonight so of course we will have to listen to him. I had a letter from Irma Houck yesterday and she said so many girls at the office had their husbands in the army now. Most of the married girls there will have to have their husbands go I suppose since they are working. I glad I didn’t work after I was married. I wonder if Glad and Cully will stay in Chicago until after the hockey season is over or if they will be able to leave as soon as Cully gets well again. I want them to get out to Enumclaw so bad. Well Folks the candy is just about done so I better stop and fix it. I wish you were here to have some. I am going to write to Jim tonight too. I’ll write to you again tomorrow. With Love, Helen