446 3/12/1942 Sadie Erwin to Helen Carlson

Sadie Erwin 1120 Cole St., Enumclaw, Washington Thursday, March 12, 1942

Helen Carlson Box 582 Newburyport, Massachusetts

My dear Helen, I have not heard from you for two days, neither have I written. Have been so busy getting Jimmie’s clothes washed and ironed and sent to him. Jimmie said in his letter yesterday that you were writing often and said he enjoyed hearing from you. He and the boys seem to be getting along fine with their housekeeping. Harold bought Bernice some roller skates yesterday. She is a very happy little girl. When I stopped there today she and the little Hall girl were out skating on the sidewalk. She does fine. Stella said she had another kimono or more to send you. When you wash little woolen jackets or booties wash them with ivory soap in luke-warm water. If you do they will keep their color and not shrink. Stella spoiled some of Bernice’s clothes by having the water too warm. Today was nice. For a while I had both fires out and the kitchen door open. Bernice Swain and baby came home Wednesday. Mrs. Swain said the baby had a lot of dark hair. Margaret Duchateau has a baby boy. She is married, and has been for more than a year, but do not know her married name. Ed Smith expects to quit the store any day now. Just waiting for a call from the shipyard in Tacoma. He has given notice at the store, but will continue to work until the call comes. We had a letter from Gladys today. Presume she has written to you about Cully’s knee. He seems to be having quite a time with it. She wrote as though he did not expect to play again this season. If they do not go to Florida they should be out here quite early. We will be glad to see them. Bernice talks a lot about Ruthie. They should have a good time this summer playing together. One of the kid’s Greenwater neighbors that spend their winters in California has just come back from there. Mr. ___ told Papa today that there were eleven strange planes over Los Angeles one night. One helpful thought, whether we are in sickness, pain or accident is that we live in mind, not matter. Nothing can touch us in mind. The Scientific Statement of Being is something everyone should know – page 468, S & H. Do you have mail in there Sunday? I am wondering if this will reach you before Monday. I’ll send a letter Saturday too, then we will see how they go there. Papa has gone to bed. He is working hard these days. We heard the Aldrich family tonight. Poor Henry gets into a lot of trouble, and he really is a good boy. When I hear of all those oil tankers going down in the Atlantic it makes me wonder if Teddy Matz is on one of them. He works, or did, on a Standard Oil tanker from Texas to the Eastern Coast. I am sure Mary would write if any such news came from him. I must write to her anyway. I have not written to Jeanette since Christmas either. Each week I think I am going to get so much done, then don’t. I have not gotten my watch yet. I was in last month and he said he wanted to keep it a little longer to check it. Will stop the next time I go up town to see if it is ready. When a man is that slow can’t see how he can make a living. Perhaps he doesn’t on watch repairs. He sells a lot of jewelry so takes his time with repair works. Maybe that is the way it is. Hope you are having nice weather by now. It is too bad the rain has to come in your front windows. Does your landlord know about it? Well, it comes in around my sunroom windows when it rains real hard from the east so I shouldn’t say anything. More later. Much love to you and Elmer. Mother.