35 9/12/1944 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson 382 Robertsville Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee Tuesday, September 12, 1944

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, I have been trying to get a letter written to you all week but have been trying to stall off a cold and going to bed early. Jimmie and Elmer both have one but I felt fine today. First I want to tell you, Mom, that stationary I sent you for your birthday is just a substitute present. I sent to New York for something I thought was cute and something you would like and that is slow in getting here but should be any day now. I should have had them send it direct to you but didn't think of it at the time. The people next door are from New York and get the New York Sunday paper and everything that is advertised has an order blank right under it. I had a letter from Jim yesterday and he said he really wanted a cigarette lighter and had asked you to send him one in his Christmas package. I have one on the way to him but if you have too or have already bought one or plan to he will be glad to have two because they seem to either get lost or broken. I sent him a box of cookies and things to eat and have a fruit cake to mail and still hope to find him some hard candy. He sure will like the tuna fish you sent him. The typewriter came before I though you even had time to receive my letter. Thanks so much. Elmer has been trying to fix it and is sure he can do so but hasn't gotten at it yet. The Hartmans got their house about the third day they were here. They have a three bedroom flat top. I am sending you a gas coupon and sure hope you can use it with the license number on it. I'll tell Elmer not to write it on the next ones we get. I certainly will be glad to have the little panties. Jim's are all warn out and I haven't seen any for ages in the store. I will be so glad to have the Quarterly too. Don't three months go fast though? I'm so glad Koenigs have heard from William. They feel much better I know. I like my permanent so much and it seems swell to have curly hair again. By the way this money is for the typewriter postage and don't tell me I shouldn't send it. I just happened to think did you get that letter with the two dollars for the books? I didn't tell Mrs. Elliott about Mary Frances making fires after all. I know I should but hate to because she is so nice but she would probably appreciate knowing about it. I haven't had Mary Frances since though. I bet it was nice up at the cabin Friday. I sure would like to be there. I'm going to buy you folks a chess game for Christmas but I imagine it will be hard to learn just by the directions. It takes quite a while to learn anything about it at all but is a swell game for two people and I know you folks would enjoy it after you learned a little about it. I don't think I will give Mary much pablum because she eats good now but just doesn't seem to like it. She loves apple sauce and cries when I stop feeding it to her. Next week I think I'll start giving her the vegetables. I'm going to take the bed out of the little room you slept in Mom and just have that for a play room. I'll have two beds then in the back room and am going to get twin spreads for them. The baby bed will be in there too. With the bed in the playroom the kids jump on it and pull the spread off and the room looks like a mess. Later: I finally got Jimmie to sleep but he seems to have a fever and I had to hold him on my lap so he could go to sleep as he could breathe better with his head up. If he only knew how to blow his nose it would help a lot. Well folks, I haven't written to Bob Carlson for ages so want to do that now. I wrote to Jim last night. Hope you can use the gas coupon and goodnight for now. Love, Helen