205 2/13/1949 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson 4008 Randall Avenue, St. Louis Park, Minneapolis 16, Minnesota Sunday, February 13, 1949

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, Here it is Sunday night again. The time really flies. Mary and Jimmy are in bed and asleep and I just washed my hair and am going to have a bath after I write to you. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and I feel bad about not having the kids send you valentines, at least, but I haven't been out to the stores for over two weeks. First Jimmy had the mumps and since he has gotten over them the weather has been too cold for the car to start. It's a good thing I can order my groceries. The car needs new spark plugs but I really want to wait until spring before putting any more money into the car because right now I'm concentrating on saving money for my trip out there in the summer. Mary is having a little Valentine Party tomorrow. Just five neighborhood kids and I'm having it from about 2 o'clock until the school kids come. Mary loves to play games so is excited about the party. Monday Night Dear Folks, I didn't get my letter finished last night so will now and then I'm going to bed. Mary's Valentine Party practically fizzled out. Four of the children were sick in bed this morning. That just left Johnny who lives three houses down. I called his mother and told her to send Johnny up to play but not to have him skip his nap if she didn't want to as there wouldn't be much of a party. Anyway, Johnny and his mother both came so we had a nice afternoon. Mary and Johnny get along just swell and I'm just crazy about Charlotte, his mother. I had Charlotte over the night of my bridge party and next Wednesday night one of the girls who was here is having the same group over at her house. It was 9 below this morning and Jimmy missed the school bus as he had to go to the toilet the last minute. It would be a tragedy to miss school on Valentine's Day so I hurried and called a cab and it came right away so he wasn't even late. Elmer had brought the kids home a book of valentines to make, last week, so they had fun doing that. I have a lot of trouble with Grandma Carlson over the telephone. I told you she was on our line and she listens in all the time. I wouldn't mind that so much but when she decides she wants to use the phone and if I'm talking on it she keeps dialing so I can't hear a thing. One day she even told me to hang up because she wanted to use it and I had just started to talk to Doris. I asked Grandma if her call was important and she said no, but I had been talking for over an hour, and here Doris had just called me and I hadn't used the phone all morning. I said, "Grandma, you get off the line this very minute." and she did. She hot-footed it right over here, though, and was she ever mad but I was too so I told her how she had to behave when she was on a party line. She is used to a private line. Nellie and Florence heard about the rumpus right away, of course, and both called and said they sure felt sorry for me being on her line. I don't mind trouble like that, though, as it just adds a little spice to the day. I hope to get my private line before too long. It's supposed to be ten above tomorrow so Mary and I are planning on going down town. They sent the home-made valentines to their cousins out there but I had hoped to get special grandparent valentines for you folks. We thought of you anyway. Well Folks I'm going to bed now but more soon. Love, Helen