560 3/6/1944 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson 1414 Cole St., Lake Charles, Louisiana Monday, March 06, 1944

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, I just finished the dishes so will write to you now. We had a letter from Elmer’s sister today and she said their father had broken a bone in his hip and was in the hospital. She didn’t say how it had happened. Thursday night I had fried oysters for supper and I guess they didn’t agree with me because I lost them later and didn’t feel very good the next day so Elmer stayed home from work and took care of Jimmie. I have felt swell again though since then. Friday we had a telegram from Kenny Hinch, the one at Camp Claiborne, saying he and Johnny, his wife, would arrive Saturday night. I was glad I was over my sick spell because there was lots to do to get ready for them. It was lots of fun seeing them but they only had Saturday night here and had to leave Sunday afternoon. Camp Claiborne is about 75 miles from here. They brought their dog along which is a man-size English Bull. They fed him the leftovers from each meal. Leftovers that Elmer and I could have made almost two meals out of. Then Sunday morning the dog got sick all over the kitchen floor. I can’t understand how people can forget a dog is a dog. I like them but think they should stay outside. They treat this one just like a child. Our landlady, Mrs. Gillard, has a day bed so they brought that up for Kenny and Johnny and they said it was a good bed. Gillards said we could have the bed any time we wanted it. Jimmie plays outside practically all day long now. There is a little four year old girl living next to us who plays with him most of the time. Her name is Linda Rose but for a long time Jimmie called her Sandy. If he is outside alone he runs away. At least he goes walking along pulling his wagon and can get out of sight in no time. The other day I went to look for him and two blocks away was a crowd of people and as I got closer I spotted Jimmie’s red overalls in the middle of the crowd. They were all wondering where he lived because he was trying to get his wagon across the street and that is the busiest street because it is the main street up from town. He was having so much excitement he didn’t even want to come home. Usually, though, he stays in the yard but I have to keep looking out to see if he is still there. Mom, I am so glad you bought such a nice purse. I bet it is lovely and it will probably stay nice a long time. I still haven’t received that first letter Jim wrote to me. He has heard from me by now though and I sent him the colored pictures. He liked them. It was nice you had Jack and Gertrude over for dinner. I’m glad Gertrude can be with him. We haven’t heard from Bob for quite a while now but maybe a letter will come before long. Elmer hasn’t changed his address to the magazine yet. I just asked him why he didn’t change it and he said he would just get it changed and we would have to move. I think he is crazy because I’m sure we’ll be here four months longer anyway. I’ll make him change it though. Pop, I was glad to hear from you too. If a lot of men are being laid off at work that must mean there aren’t so many ships being built. You said it wasn’t quite 5 A.M. when you were writing to me so I guess you still have to get up real early. Nell certainly had a big baby I bet she will never have anything to do with that doctor again. That was a terrible thing to have happen. I wish you could see the beautiful flowers that grow in almost every yard here. The camellias have been in bloom but are going now. Jessie’s mother has five bushes in her yard so she gave me quite a few. Now the azaleas are in bloom and they are about the most beautiful floral bushes I have ever seen. The bushes grow real big and they are just laden down with red and lighter red blossoms. As common as they are here the flower shops still charge two dollars a blossom for them. The lady next door gave me a bouquet of red roses today and I just love them. After I lost the gas book we went back to the gas station but it wasn’t there. The gas attendant was a Cajun so didn’t understand what we were talking about. All he thought was that we wanted more gas with no coupons. It wasn’t at our regular gas station I had bought the gas. The Cajuns are the Canadian French and this part of the country is where most of them live. They all talk French so you always hear it when you’re downtown or around a crowd. Several times I’ve been in a store and a girl has come up to wait on me and I thought she was just darling and then when she talked she used such terrible English I knew she was a Cajun. Two big gasoline tanks caught on fire out at the plant last week and are still burning inside the tanks. It could easily have caused a lot more damage than it did. I did need a shoe stamp because I just can’t wear those unrationed shoes I bought. They are so awfully stiff but then Johnny Hinch gave me one when she was here so I can get a comfortable pair now. I’m still going to try to get the other ones broken in though. Well Folks, I guess I will stop for now and make Elmer write to his folks. He didn’t have to work last Sunday and I was so glad since Kenny and Johnny were here. Kenny expects to go overseas this month. He said Bill Corl had gotten a discharge from the army because he had gotten gun powder in his eyes while on maneuvers. Now his eyes are so bad he can’t even get a good job. More later folks. Love, Helen