658 1/25/1949 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson 4008 Randall Avenue, St. Louis Park, Minneapolis 16, Minnesota Tuesday, January 25, 1949

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks: Elmer is working tonight and I just got Mary and Jimmy into bed so will write to you now. I had a letter from you yesterday and also today. Thanks for the birthday wishes. You shouldn't send us birthday presents. If you haven't bought one for me yet, don't do it. Elmer will certainly like getting the Monitor. I will let you know when it starts to come and when these three months are up I will subscribe for it. You know the Monitors I get from church are from one to two weeks old at least and he still reads them and enjoys them. Fate was against me Sunday. We were getting ready for Sunday school and church and Elmer was helping the kids dress and also frying eggs and he said he would like to go to church with me. He has never mentioned going before. I told him I would love to have him go so we all got ready and piled in the car and the darn thing wouldn't start. Jimmy and Mary and I came back in the house and Elmer worked on it but couldn't get it going. There was ice in the gas line and he got that out and the car would have started then but it got flooded and it has to stand for several minutes after that before it gets over being flooded so it was way too late to go to church. We stayed home then and in the afternoon Clara called and invited us over for Sunday night supper so we went there and the kids played and Clara and Vernie and Elmer and I played some bridge. I'm sure Elmer will go another Sunday to church as long as he wanted to this last time. Monday, Doris Ducret had a birthday luncheon for me. It was only 2 above out so Mary and I planned to take the bus but that crazy car started so good that I got over there fine but coming home it was snowing and coming along France, just off 50th, they are working on the streetcar tracks. All the dirt is dug away from the tracks so they are exposed and the snow blocked the view of the tracks being opened like that and I got stuck in the tracks. A streetcar was tied up on account of it but pretty soon a nice man in a truck stopped and tried to push me out but the wheel of the car was wedged down some way real close to the track. Then the workmen came over and they got a tow chain and finally managed to pull the car out and everything was o.k. The head boss of the workmen said two cars had gotten stuck the same way the night before and they got a hundred dollar fine for it but when there is no warning I don't see how anyone can be fined. Back to Friday night now, I went over to Frances Woodfill's house. The car ran all day but the temperature was dropping so fast I thought I would take a cab over there and was so glad I did as the temperature was down to 20 below when we were ready to come home and Ralph's car wouldn't start but Joyce Praull pushed him so it finally did. I had a very nice time. Roberta is so pretty and both she and Joyce are very nice and Mamie is too. Mamie sounds just like Speck I think. Leila Woodfill was there too. Bertil and Ralph and Mr. Woodfill were there but stayed out in the kitchen. This was a sewing club. I thought Ralph looked much older and he was so quiet and seemed so changed. Frank looks very nice. His hair is snow white but is very becoming. He can retire next year from the P.O. but doesn't plan to do it as he doesn't know what he would do with himself. Mr. Praull is very sick with cancer. I can't remember him at all. Mrs. Pope plans to do exactly like that woman in Enumclaw with the magazine subscriptions. Her friends are supposed to subscribe from her. I would much rather be doing something more active and more independent. Mrs. Pope is hale and hearty so should think she could find something more enjoyable. Friday night I am having the Bohms, the friends from Oak Ridge, over for a six o'clock dinner. I planned it that way because I wanted the children to come too and this way we can all have a nice evening. I don't think Bohms play bridge though. I have wondered too if Stella would hate to give up her nice house. We'll have to know the move is for the best. I hope they find a house they like in West Seattle. They certainly won't have any trouble selling their house in Enumclaw, but they will probably have to spend more for a house in Seattle that isn't anywhere near as nice. It has snowed steadily all day long so the snow is really piling up. Everyone hates winter, but can you imagine me, of all people, so far enjoying the winter very much. I bought a snow shovel today so shoveled out to the road and also shoveled a driveway up in our yard so the car won't have to be parked out in the road as the snow plow goes by and practically covers it up and then I have to dig the car out when I want to use it. It wasn't so hard giving myself a Toni. I have given Tonies to me before. The only hard part is my arms get kind of tired when I roll up the back Warnie Martin called last night and said he was leaving on the midnight plane for Seattle. He thought if he had a chance he would give Glad and Cully a ring and say hello to them and he also wanted Betty and Andy's address so he could call them. Warnie has a good job for the airlines and is home most of the time but now and then has to fly out to Seattle or New York or Chicago on a quick business trip. Everything is paid so that's pretty nice. He will be back Saturday morning though so can still come to our party Saturday night. Well Folks, I had better stop for now. Elmer should be home before long and I usually make coffee. Did Jim get back from his Republican meeting o.k.? How does his new car run. Do you have Ruth's new address. Aunt Ruth I mean. I thought I had written it down in my address book but find I haven't. Yes, I have too. I just looked again and I've crossed out the old address and written down the new so you won't have to tell me. Goodnight for now Folks, and I'll write more soon. With Love, Helen