499 6/14/1943 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson 401 Alexander, Monroe, Louisiana Monday, June 14, 1943

Sadie Erwin 1120 Cole St., Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, It’s ten o’clock and time for bed but I thought I would write a few lines to you first anyway. Elmer is reading a magazine and it’s hot out and I’m not very sleepy. I had a nice letter from you today and one from Stella. I know you want us to come out there as much as I want to get out there so I think it is swell you tell me exactly what you think about our making a change, like being sure we should do what seems to be the best. If you weren’t sensible about it then I wouldn’t be but this way I want to be sure and let Elmer do the deciding instead of my insisting on going no matter what. The trouble with going to Lake Charles is that people go down there and quit their jobs and come back because they say there just isn’t any place to live at all. The hotels only allow you to get a room for one night if they do happen to have a room and lots of people have taken tents down there and there isn’t even a space to put up a tent. The company says they will find us a house but probably Elmer would have to go down first and find a room or sleep in the car or something and maybe in a month or so they might find a house and maybe not. We think now that if the company can find us a house or apartment we will go but if they can’t we will come out to Washington and Elmer will look for a job in Seattle or Tacoma or Portland or someplace around there and Jimmie and I could stay with you until we found a place to live. A man just came back here from Portland and he said there were plenty of places there but I know you said in one of your letters a house couldn’t be found in Seattle or Tacoma for love or money. We decided tonight we would just wait and see what happens. Tonight’s paper said they may not draft fathers now. That is one reason I have kind of hated to have Elmer quit this company because they would get him a deferment where some new company wouldn’t because he wouldn’t have had a chance yet to prove himself worthwhile to them. Another reason this is a good company to be with is because they have so many foreign jobs and we would get all over the world when the war is over. In a few months they are going to start a job in Haifa, Palestine and Elmer thought if it looks as though he would have to go into the army about that time he would just as soon go over there and work because he would make a good salary and that would be such good experience he probably always would have a good job with this company. Of course Jimmie and I couldn’t go over there with him during war time but I still think it would be better than the army. The landlord came snooping around today because he knows two of us in the building are moving and is anxious to find out when but we can’t tell him yet since we don’t know but I told him today I was pretty sure we would be out of here by the last of the month. We will be for sure unless Elmer does go to Lake Charles without us. Annie came today and took all the curtains down and did a terrible big wash. I stayed around most of the day just to see if she did eat because she never ate in front of me but I noticed so much food gone I knew she did and I certainly was right. I had a roast in the icebox and we hadn’t eaten much of it and she ate practically the whole thing so I ardly had enough for our supper tonight and she drank a quart of milk and drank three cokes during the day. I’m getting so I can’t stand her but am going to hang onto her as long as we are here for the washing mainly because when you send it to the laundry now it takes two weeks before you can get it back. Jimmie and I went swimming again this afternoon. The pool is wonderful but the water is actually hot because our weather has been so hot, but Jimmie likes that and he is getting so brown. I am so glad those shoes fit you mother, they never did feel good on my feet. I bought them in Holly Hill and never wore them much. First the Jew shoe clerk said they were six dollars and I said I didn’t want them and he kept coming down a dollar at a time and I still didn’t want them but then he came down to three dollars so I decided to take them even though they didn’t fit so good. I have a black pair of pumps I’m going to send and maybe one of you can wear those too. They are in good condition but have never felt good on my feet either. I’m going to get that canvas jumper sent soon and will send the shoes with it. Thanks for offering me your shoe coupon, Mom, but I can get along alright. Jimmie used both his and Elmer’s and I bought a pair of white shoes for me. Jimmie needs some more shoes now because the high top ones are so warm and I though I would get him some sandals but we can use our 18 stamp now. I don’t know when we will get our number three ration book because they said don’t mail in the slip if you aren’t sure what your address will be in July and we have no idea what our’s will be. Jimmie loves to be outside so much that we always have to let him out after supper and then when I bring him in he kicks and screams and acts just terrible. After supper tonight I took him out and the seven year old boy upstairs said he would watch Jimmie so I did the dishes. Then I went out to get him and he was over next door and had turned these people’s outside faucet on and was sitting in a big puddle of water and drinking the water and was covered with mud. I certainly don’t have many dishes to pack because Jimmie has broken almost all of them. As soon as he finishes drinking his milk he throws his glass on the floor so I bought him a plastic one but he doesn’t like it. I guess he likes to hear the glass break. Just lately he has become conscious of eyes and as soon as anyone picks him up he tries to pull their eyelashes. Well Folks, Elmer has gone to bed so I guess I will stop for now and go too. I certainly hope we will get out there but I suppose it will be Lake Charles. Elmer is going to talk to his boss again Wednesday so I’ll let you know what we find out. Pop, I hope you have a happy Father’s Day and I hope you both have a nice anniversary. It will be the 32nd one won’t it. Love, Helen