708 2/17/1942 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson Box 582 Newburyport, Massachusetts Tuesday, February 17, 1942

Sadie Erwin 1120 Cole St., Enumclaw, Washington

Plum Island Dear Folks, I just finished a letter to Jim and will write to you now. I had a nice letter from both of you today and of course was glad to get it. I am glad you liked the valentines. It is swell that Jim passed all his exams. He said he didn’t do so hot in them but as long as he passed he at least has more of a chance to do better this next semester. I am glad that he can go on and finish this next semester but it is too bad he won’t be able to earn any of that money. I wish you could visit me too this spring, Mother. You too of course Pop. If I can find a girl to come and help around here when I come home from the hospital I will get her. I am going to try and find out about one anyway. Those wool stockings sure are swell to wear around here. Today I walked down to the beach and the breakers were just wild. Worse than I have ever seen them. I should say better than I have ever seen them because I like it when they are real big. Some of the swells looked as big as a house and I know when they broke that it splashed as high as a house anyway. I still didn’t have any film so couldn’t take any pictures but it was cloudy out today anyway so may have been too dark. I stood a long time and watched the breakers but the tide was coming in and each wave came up so much closer that I left and went for a walk around the island and it sure is nice here. We like this place by far, much better than any of the others. This is one place I will miss when we leave and I will always wish we could come back here I know. If you folks only lived here or near here it would be perfect. It is funny that the ocean was so wild today because there was no wind and it was warm out but yesterday there was an east wind and that affects the water the next day. Last night when we went to bed I thought it was raining but after listening I heard it was just the ocean roaring. It is making a lot of noise tonight too. This afternoon I was over to Doris Ducret’s again. I see her just about every day. Yesterday I cleaned the kitchen real good. I washed the curtains and the woodwork and the floor and swept down the walls and ceiling. Today I had a lazy streak and didn’t do a thing except pick up around here and just did the necessary things. Tomorrow I want to wash out a few things and I also have to go into town to take my laundry in so I probably won’t get so much done. I am glad you like getting the Saturday Evening Post, Pop. We like it too and they usually have some pretty good stories. It would be swell if you folks could come and see us. Did I ever tell you that Betty and Andy had moved over to her Aunt’s house. They were over there for Thanksgiving and her uncle fell dead and then a week later her aunt was run over and will be in the hospital for quite a while so Betty and Andy have moved over there. Another aunt of Betty’s is there from Minneapolis and it makes it nicer for Betty because Andy works seven nights a week so Betty isn’t all by herself now. Well folks I have a book I have started so guess I will stop for now and read some more of it. I’m not surprised you got a letter unsealed from me because I usually don’t seal them until just before I mail them in case I want to add something so I probably forget to seal them once in awhile. I will write more later and tell Stella hello. Love, Helen