475 3/29/1943 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson 401 Alexander, Monroe, Louisiana Monday, March 29, 1943

Sadie Erwin 1120 Cole St., Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, I’ll answer your letter better now that came this morning. It was a regular summer day out today and Jimmie took one step this morning. He stood up a lot today every time I stood him up and he would stand for quite awhile and then sit down but one time he did take a step so I think he will walk before long. Sarah and I went down to the hospital to see Jane Tourek so Mrs. Craig stayed with Jimmie and they went down to the drugstore and had some ice cream. Jimmie really seems to like Mrs. Craig now. This other Negro named Annie was here today and she is really good and I am getting lazier all the time. I was going to have a pork roast for dinner tonight so she cooked it for me this morning and fixed the carrots and potatoes and did a big washing and ironed the things too. The roast was really good and she told me to get some yeast cakes so when she comes Thursday she can make some hot rolls and I’ll just have to put them in the oven a little before Elmer comes home. You were right about an older woman probably being better than these young girls. She just took over and is so friendly and talks good English that I almost felt like she was a white woman. Jimmie seemed to like her too because he followed her all over. I bought Jimmie the box of chocolates today and am going to mail them tomorrow. I’ll also mail the tea to you. I sure hope they won’t start drafting married men with one child or Elmer will have to go. How I wish this war would end. Oh I have to tell you about the word Jimmie says. You know down south everyone says hey instead of hi and the other day when the laundry man came he said hey to Jimmie and Jimmie said hey back to him and has been saying it ever since and I have tried for a long time to get him to say hi and he never has said it, so maybe he is going to talk like a southerner. How long does Glad have to stay at Kling’s? I know she will be anxious to get home and be up and around again. I hope Cully gets out there soon. How is Stella? Does she still belong to her bridge club. I sure am glad I have stopped for the summer. Today Helen Campbell called and she is the one I don’t like to play with but she wanted me to play today and I was so glad I wasn’t going to because it is so hard to stay inside in this nice weather. I wish it would stay this way all year long. I think it is nice Mrs. Martel worked for Glad. You must have been working for me when I had Jimmie because it went so easy. Why did she work for Jim. Was it just to be sure everything went along alright or didn’t he feel so good? I wish you would send me the letter Mr. E___ sent you. He certainly sounds like a nice man. I am going to buy Jim a wallet so don’t get him one because I will buy it tomorrow and mail it tomorrow. Well Folks, I am going to stop now and wrap the candy and the tea and maybe sew a little on my dress but I’ll write more later. With Love, Helen