190 11/8/1948 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson 4008 Randall Avenue, St. Louis Park, Minneapolis 16, Minnesota Monday, November 08, 1948

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks: Mary is in bed but Jimmy is still sitting up listening to radio programs so I'll have to hurry him off to bed pretty soon. Last Saturday I went over to Francis Woodfill's to watch the football game. Elmer was invited too but he worked Saturday morning and got home just as I was leaving so I left Mary home with him. Jimmy had gone to the matinee. It was just as well that Elmer didn't go with me because Bertil had gotten a football ticket from a friend so had gone to the game. Francis' children were all at the matinee too so we had a very nice two hours watching the game and talking. I like Francis a lot. It seemed so strange to be sitting there with her in the same house and now we are both older than you folks were when you were seeing each other. Sunday I took the kids to Sunday school and then went up to church and Gwen Winters and I sat together and Frances sat right in back of us. After church I took Rose up to the Hasty Tasty to eat again and we sat in the car and talked so long the kids were hollering to go home. I told Rose about Beth and of course she was just shocked. Afterwards I wondered if I was supposed to say anything about it or not but you didn't tell me not to. All last week I sewed for Mary. I first made her a pair of red corduroy slacks and then three dresses and they are just as cute as can be and I am so proud of my work. The first two dresses are cotton ones but then when my work seemed to turn out o.k. I bought her some nice yellow wool material for a party dress and that one too turned out just right. A size four pattern fits her perfectly. On the yellow wool dress I outlined the neck and sleeves and bottom of it in light blue wool yarn. Just before I left for church Sunday morning Mabel Bray called and invited us over for Sunday night supper so we went over around four o'clock and had a nice supper and evening. Mabel gave me a lot of clothes for Mary that her little girl had outgrown. Every Sunday the children get a Monitor and Elmer likes the paper so much that he wants me to subscribe to it. Mary is in the same class as Francis' two youngest boys. I asked Rose Sunday again how John was and she said he was progressing slowly but at least he was reading Science which seemed to be helping him. One of these days I'm going to ask her what is wrong with him. Jimmy is certainly coming along with the piano. I bought a beginner's book and he has learned all the notes now and can play almost all the pieces in the book, both the right hand and the left hand, although he hasn't started pieces yet where he uses both the hands at the same time. Jimmy always amazes us how fast he learns but then probably most kids are just as quick. Rose thought it was wonderful that I was teaching him to play and I told her if he still likes it after some time that I want her to give him lessons. Pop, I am disappointed about your not coming but to tell the truth I wasn't too surprised. I don't blame you for not coming in the winter time and it has turned cold the last couple of days. If you could have come in October it would have been just perfect weather. When you didn't get here in October I told Elmer I wouldn't believe you were coming until you were actually on your way. I know it is hard for you to get away but I think the change would have been awfully good for you. I certainly hope I can get out next summer and maybe you can get back here the following fall. It would be fun showing you Minneapolis after all the years it has been since you have been back. Well I'm going to cut a blouse out but first I just have to get Jimmy into bed and I hope you folks are both fine and I'll write a longer letter next time. With Love, Helen Mother when I put that blue wool yarn around the hem of Mary's dress I remembered not to put it right on the hem but just above it. Remember how you had to take out the hem on those two dresses I made for Ruthie and Bernice and I had embroidered on the edge? Well I have the holidays all lined up and I am tickled to pieces. Thanksgiving we are invited over to Ducret's for turkey dinner. Then Christmas Eve we are invited over to Recroft's but we are going to try to get out of that and I must go over to talk to her right away because Elmer thought it would be much nicer if we just spent the evening showing the children a good time and he said he would much rather have any of our friends stop in here than go any place. Then I asked him if he would just as soon have Ducrets over here Christmas Day for dinner since we are going over there Thanksgiving and he thought that was a good idea. I got a couple of good pictures of Mrs. Ellsworth and will have some prints made and send them to you. More later Folks. With Love, Helen