191 11/16/1948 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

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

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks: I just had a letter from Mrs. Ellsworth and her address is Ackley, Iowa - c/o Minnie Folkers. She left Minneapolis the 9th and Charles and Leila drove her there and stayed overnight and then came on back to Minneapolis. She thinks she will be comfortable there, at least warm, but the house isn't modern. She will miss any social life I think because she is used to playing bridge and seeing people from the army life with Charity but she will probably be going back to be with Charity in the spring or summer. I hope so. Last Thursday night I went to the PTA meeting at the school. It was also open house and Jimmy wanted me to be sure and look in his desk and see his books and things. I just opened his desk and someone hollered across the room, Helen Carlson. I looked up and here it was Marion Bohm, my next door neighbor in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. They left Oak Ridge about two months before we did and that was three years ago and I hadn't heard of her since. We were good friends there and saw each other every day and Jimmy and their little girl Norma Jean played with each other all the time. Norma Jean sits right in front of Jimmy in school but of course they were too young then to recognize each other now. We were awfully glad to see each other and sat together during the meeting and talked the whole time. They have been here almost a year and they don't live far from us so we are very anxious to get together. I thought that was quite a coincidence. We are having our house weather-stripped. The man started yesterday and is here now and will have to come back tomorrow. It will make our house so much warmer. Last winter when the wind blew it was so cold in the kitchen I could hardly stay in there long enough to get the dishes done. I made Stella a white silk blouse for Christmas but I sure had an awful time with it. I know now that amateurs shouldn't try to sew on silk as it slipped all over and I made lots of mistakes and had to rip more than sew. I wondered if I should send it to her but tried it on and Elmer thought it looked nice so I will send it but if she doesn't like it she can at least wear it around the house. It is a nice piece of material but I certainly wish I had bought some other kind. I wish I had gotten this sewing bug earlier and I would have made more things for Christmas. I just couldn't think what to get Ruthie so last night I made her a pair of slacks. My machine is supposed to go back today but the man hasn't come for it yet. I did a lot of sewing the month I had it and in the spring I hope to have one of my own if I can get one that doesn't cost too much. I went to the Singer Company to inquire about buying one of these portables. I think I told you the man said they sold for 85 dollars but they told me at the Singer place they don't even have them to sell since the war and for one of their rebuilt portables the price is 150 dollars and I don't want to spend that much, in fact it is impossible. I certainly want to get out there in the summer so will have to start saving for it right now. I'm taking care of Karen this afternoon but she is over here all the time anyway so it doesn't make much difference. Nellie thinks she is pregnant again for the fifth time so has gone to the doctor. She hopes she isn't and I hope she isn't too. Friday night we were invited over to Warnie Martin's house for bridge but when we went out to the car the lights wouldn't go on so we had to call a cab. Warnie brought us home and we were having a big snow storm and strong wind but by morning it was gone and there is still no snow although it is plenty chilly out. It won't be long before everything is covered. Anyway I took the car to the garage yesterday to have the lights fixed and the brakes relined. I can get it late this afternoon but think I will just wait and go down tomorrow and get it. Elmer works late tonight. He has been working Tuesday and Thursday nights and Saturday mornings so he doesn't have much time to work on Mary's doll house but he wants to at least get the main things done and then he can finish it up after Christmas. It is going to be a wonderful doll house and Elmer is doing such nice work. I got out of our Christmas Eve date and am so glad because we had taken it for granted that we would be bringing the children if we went but when I told Ruth that I thought we would stay home she said well I suppose it would be hard to get a baby sitter on Christmas Eve. Why we wouldn't think of leaving the kids home on Christmas Eve, and having to hurry them off to bed so we could get out. For the first time since we have been married I'm having to have desserts for supper. We have never cared if we had dessert or not so I've never bothered much but now Jimmy thinks it is just terrible if I don't have dessert. He has a wonderful appetite now. He eats a good breakfast and has a hot lunch at school and eats when he gets home from school and is starved by supper time and then he eats as much as Elmer does. I hope Mary will start doing that before long as she hasn't eaten a good meal for three years. Well Folks, I guess I had better stop for now but I hope you're fine and tell Ruth to get busy and write to me. With Love, Helen