August 27, 1978 - Sunday

Dearest Ron & Ann, Rick & Jean and Bob & Claire,

We have been so worried about you, Ron & Ann - we didn't think you were going to be gone this long - I'm sure you must have told us when you were coming back but we can't remember - we have called your home every night for the past weeks and you're just not home yet!!!! When we read of that bizarre hijacking in Switzerland we wondered if you would be on that plane. WE'LL BE RELIEVED WHEN YOU GET HOME.

Bob and Claire - we really loved your long and newsy letters. We appreciate; your looking into the insurance on Aunt Marvel's home - that's a big relief - when we come out in October we'll go to the insurance agent and have it renewed and also increase the coverage. Claire, I appreciate your sending the things that didn't reach the addresses you had for them - I don't understand why the Garretts didn't get theirs (sp.?) either - she called me the other day and said her Mothers and Fathers had come but it was the same address and all - I'll forward it on to her. We are so excited that you are re-decorating Aunt Marvel's home and the gold carpet sounds great - it will be a lot of work for you and we don't want it to interfere with your schooling or work. It will be so much fun to go there when it isn't so depressing and dusty - it has been impossible to clean with that antiquated vacuum cleaner. We're anxious to hear how your talks turned out - they sounded wonderful. I wish you would give us an appraisal (honest) of living in Lehi - would it be a good place for Johnny to go to school? We are so discouraged with our schools here - they are trying to get the teacher's salaries increased so they have had a lot of studies made and the results were revealed in the papers last week - headlines that read, "Children going to the public schools in Little Rock would be better of going to any other school in the United States" - we don't think its that bad but the busing has definitely ruined our schools. Johnny starts tomorrow at Forest Heights and we're keeping our fingers crossed that he'll have a really good productive year.

Rick and Jeannie - we're sending the airplane tickets for Mother and Daddy - I called them the other night and Daddy definitely wants to go - told them you would have their tickets and would seem to it that they got on the plane okay. We love and appreciate you very much. Bob said you were getting discouraged about your home being so slow getting completed - surely you will be in by the end of the month - painting is the very last thing they have to do. It will be so much fun to get in and start doing all the things you want to - will the carpet be put in before you move in? Jeannie - Frank McGhee's father died - there was a nice write-up in the paper about him - he was just 56 years old. Benson came by the other day and left his card - We were in Florida.

Daddy and Johnny and I went to Lake Maumelle last night fishing - I caught the biggest bass - Johnny caught two smaller ones and Daddy caught a little bream. It was really fun. We were in Daddy's little duck hunting boat and we stayed fishing clear across the lake until after dark - it was really scary coming back - Johnny was running the motor and one time he about tipped us over - I said it was worse than Space Mountain at Disneyworld. Our big boat has had the motor taken apart most of the Summer - Roy keeps saying he will get it put back together but he can't find the time. His car has been taken apart most of the Summer too - one night last week he had the carburetor taken apart down here in the den when we went to bed at midnight and he was planning to go to Fayetteville the next morning - it took him a little longer to put it back together than he had planned but he finally did it - Daddy is just amazed at how he can do things like that - he bought a Toyota Manual and just tackles every kind of a job.

Did I tell you about Roy having his wallet stolen? I can't remember if I told you or not. It was the day he was observing surgery at the hospital and he had to "Scrub down" and put on a gown so he took his wallet of his pants and put it in his gown pocket. Anyway he had his money card in it and Penney, Sears and Gulf credit cards. We called all over and got them stopped but Friday he found out that someone had taken $100 out of his account and he didn't have that much so they asked that it be taken out of his savings account - Daddy was most upset they would do that so he things they are not going to make him pay it. The sad thing is that the bank said it was someone he probably knew.

We had the Jim Wood's children over one day last week to got swimming - we took three of them and not one could swim - Johnny wore himself out catching them as they came down the slide. They are going to move over closer by us the first part of September. Ann - did you notice the8r picture in that package I sent you - you didn't mention it.

I also had the Brown children over one day because their parents are painting the home they have bought and renovated out by Catherine Collins. Their children are really sweet - three little girls. The Boons are the people who used to live in Jerome and knew Ron's parents. By the way - we hear about the Kenworths all the time - they are in Rogers, Arkansas right now and if we had known we would have looked them up when we were there a couple weeks ago. Everyone who knows them just loves them.

Bobby Brown came home from his mission last Friday - I saw him this morning at church and he really looks good - so mature and grown-up.

There was Missionary Fireside at the church Friday night - we made a freezer of ice cream and went. We had planned to ask Terry if she would go with us but she seems to not want to have anything to do with the church right now so we're leaving her along. She brought over a beautiful plaque she has made for your Bob and Claire - it is a piece of wood with your wedding announcement on it and then she has burned the saying. "For Time and Eternity" on it and decoupage it - it is really a beautiful gift and you will love it. We will probably just bring it out in October if that's okay. She loved her trip to Colorado - now she plans to just work at Wendy's or someplace for a few months and then go to work for the Baptist Youth Organization or something like that - I think the Baptists really got to her while she was on the Colorado trip. She appreciated your letter Claire - that was so sweet of you to write to her.

Our new neighbors are moving in the old Bridge's home - Johnny is anxious to see the young girl - she's thirteen and will go tot Forest Heights with him - she looks adorable.

Our Mission President's family will be going to different schools and they are a little apprehensive - one will go to Henderson, two to Fulbright (a new school in Pleasant Valley), and two to Gibbs. That is a beautiful family.

Well - I had better close - we're going to take this to the Post Office and then go see Aunt Marvel. She is doing fine - the heat has bothered her but it has bothered everyone - 104( one day last week and we haven't had rein for two weeks - I'm ready for Fall and Fall weather.

We surely do love each one of you - we're so proud of you and hope you'll let us know if you need anything.
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