490 5/17/1943 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson 401 Alexander, Monroe, Louisiana Monday, May 17, 1943

Sadie Erwin 1120 Cole St., Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, Jimmie and I are back home again and it seems good to be back but we had a nice time at Ferri’s and Jimmie was awfully good the whole time. We will be moving just any day so tomorrow I’m going after boxes and get everything packed away that we won’t be needing. When I know we will be moving I always get anxious to get things lined up so I won’t have so much to do the last minute. We may be here a month yet but it won’t be any longer and then we might go this week. We don’t know where we are going yet. I wanted Elmer to quit and go out to Washington and get work but then with this job he is more sure of staying out of the army for a while anyway. Deans, the couple upstairs, have already gone. They were sent to Lake Charles. We might be going there too but it is only about 80 miles from here so if we do have to go there Jimmie and I will stay here until Elmer finds us a place to live but that is supposed to be an impossible thing to do down there. I wish you had Annie to help you too Mom. I came back from Shreveport with a bunch of dirty clothes but since tomorrow is her day to come I can just leave them for her to do. It is nice having her especially since the weather has turned so hot. Jimmie remembered Elmer when we got back but he wouldn’t let Elmer hold him for quite a while. The first thing he did when we got in the house was to run right in the bathroom and throw up the top of the toilet and start playing in the water. Last week he threw a cover to a fruit jar down there and it cost us five dollars to have it taken out. The plumber had just about given up trying to get it out and he thought a whole new toilet seat was going to have to be bought but after working at it for almost two hours he got it out. He had to take the toilet outside to work on it. As soon as the toilet got plugged up I knew it must have been something Jimmie had thrown down there but I wouldn’t admit a thing until we knew for sure because if they couldn’t find it the landlord would have to pay for it and he should have anyway because he is supposed to be the wealthiest Jew in Monroe. Gladys must like Mrs. Dahlstrom a little better if she wants her to visit them longer. I’m glad Jean sleeps good at night because it makes it better for everyone if they can get a good night’s sleep. Sarah’s folks were so crazy about Jimmie it made me feel bad that you folks weren’t the ones to see him instead. He is growing up so fast I just can’t believe it and he says quite a few words now. He takes nice long naps in the afternoon now and I am so glad. He always wakes up at least once though to go to the toilet and then goes back to sleep. Well Folks, this isn’t a very long letter but I want to write to Jim and I must write to Florence today too. Elmer hates being left alone so is glad we are back. He has gone out to play ball now though and Jimmie just woke up so guess I better stop but I will write more tomorrow and answer your two letters better that came while I was gone. With Love, Helen