553 2/25/1944 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson 1414 Cole St., Lake Charles, Louisiana Friday, February 25, 1944

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, I had another nice letter from you today. I feel so sorry for Nell Bannister for losing her baby. It seems like losing the first one would be especially heartbreaking. I wonder what caused it to happen. Today my bassinette came from Ora Dell and I’ll always be willing to loan her anything of mine because it came back looking just like new. They had repainted it and the mattress wasn’t even soiled. You wanted to know if Elmer wanted his golf clubs but he won’t need them as he works all the time anyway. This park by us is just a playground for children and doesn’t have a golf course. Elmer has to work this Sunday again. Last Sunday he worked too. I bought gas then and went to buy some more Tuesday but had lost the gas book. The book had just recently come out and was to last for about three months. Elmer can get it replaced but had to get a notary public to sign a slip. I don’t know how long it will be before we get the new book but I think we can borrow some coupons until then. The overalls you sent Jimmie look so cute on him and he likes them so well he doesn’t even wet them. Our rain is still with us so it is chilly enough for him to wear overalls. Your kitchen and bedroom will look real nice with the new paper. That must be a hard job for a woman to do but didn’t you and Mrs. Sweigle paper the kitchen once? Today I bought a pair of unrationed shoes as I didn’t have a coupon and the heels on my good shoes were too high to be comfortable. The unrationed ones are awfully stiff but I think I’ll get used to them. I hope they wear good because they cost six dollars. I don’t want to sound like one of these funny mothers who think their child is perfect, but Jimmie is so good he doesn’t give me a bit of trouble. He plays so well by himself and has several beat up old cars that he just loves and amuses himself all morning long playing with them. Today I bought him some crayons and a color book but he still likes his cars better. The only thing is he is with me all the time so is pretty much of a mama’s boy but I guess that won’t hurt him. Today I bought a little throw rug and when I put it down on the floor he said he liked it. A few minutes later he started to take my Kodak back and I told him not to touch it so he put it down and walked over to the rug and said, me doesn’t like rug. Me stands for Jimmie but he just says the last part of it. That first letter Jim wrote to me still hasn’t been forwarded. If Frances did forward it, it certainly should have been here by now. I don’t see how Enumclaw can meet that Red Cross quota of 4800 dollars because there aren’t that many people in town. Some people will have to make some awful big donations. Let me know how you came out. You did swell on the bond drive. Wednesday I am going to get a permanent and don’t even know yet what I’m going to do with Jimmie but am hoping some friend will help me out. It will be the first time I have left him during the day since we have been down here. They are trying to hurry this job through and are asking for only three month deferments now for the men so the baby is certain of being born in Lake Charles. I hope Elmer will be able to go on to another job instead of the army when he is finished here. Well folks there’s a piece of chicken burning a hole in the ice box so I guess I’ll go and eat it since both Elmer and Jimmie are in bed. Love, Helen