Sunday - March 2, 1980

Dearest Ron, Ann & Susanna, Rick, Jean & Ricky and Roy,

We are having the strangest weather - most of last week was really warm and Summery and everyone was getting Spring Fever - in fact, one day it was 80( and then Friday night it snowed and we had a real cold spell with ice all over everything. They had predicted three to five inches of snow so we settled in to have everything that was planned cancelled but we only got less than one inch - they were having the Stake basketball championship games at Jacksonville and they cancelled those but everything else was on schedule.

Roy - it was so good to talk to you last week - we worry so much when we don't hear from you - you seem so far away! I taught at the Franklin school last Monday and Joyce Springer is the principal - when she found out I was there she came to the classroom and threw her arms around me and hugged me right in front of all the children - and said "How is Roy?" - I couldn't believe she had remembered your names because I surely couldn't remember the names of her daughters. She wanted me to promise that I would have you go see her the next time you come home - she was genuinely interested in you and was so pleased when I told her about your schooling. She said her oldest daughter is going to SMU and her other daughter is living with her Father in Texas so I assume Joyce and he are separated. Do you remember Corte Haggard? We received a wedding announcement from him and they getting married soon. The announcement was a picture of both of them and Corte looks so much like his mother - nothing like he looked the last time we saw him. We surely hope everything is going good for you - we have wondered how your physical exam turned out - not so much for the scholarship but we hope you are in good physical health. (I just re-read this and I don't believe it's called, a scholarship, is it?)

Ann and Jean - it was so good to talk to you both last night and I was so grateful that you called right when you did because you prevented me from putting the curry powder in the casserole and mine was so much better than the other one - we made it again today it was so good - in fact, the best one we have ever made I think. Roy - I was making a chicken casserole for the High Priest's Social last night and it was one from Frances James' cookbook and Jeannie had made it - it called for curry and she said it would be better without it and it really was. We are so happy that you two get together like you do - we hope Ron and Rick had fun skiing - I'm surprised that you still have good skiing because I have heard you have had a lot of rain!!! We are also glad that little Ricky is doing better with his ears. Annie - we loved your two letters this week - I couldn't believe it and they were so newsy. Your new drapes sound so nice and Claire had told us about your family room rug - she said it was all just beautiful and they loved yours and Ron's talks and watching Susanna. We're proud of you for being able to teach at this point of your pregnancy and we hope you won't overdo!!!! You don't have too much longer to go and we know you are getting excited and we surely are too. We're thrilled that Sue had a little baby girl - one of each, that's really great and we know the Woolleys are thrilled - it sounds as though you really had a good time with them. We have worried about your varicose veins - Claire has them also, even when she isn't pregnant, and Bob explained to us what they were - no wonder they hurt. Jeannie - we are constantly worried about your Crohn's disease problems and hope you will keep us informed - are you able to take the medication that keeps that under control? The dietician that is in our Ward will finish up soon (I believe I told you that) - she is just a doll but she insists on wearing pants to church and its driving the members crazy.

Well - we started the new schedule today and it is absolutely wonderful - for the first time in thirty years, Daddy and I went to church together and the chapel was completely filled - 188 attended ours and over 200 attended in the second ward. We had a lot for our Relief Society and I can understand why this has all happened - everything just fell into place so naturally and now there won't be any meetings for the rest of the week except for special leadership meetings. We are really thrilled about it. Our meeting schedule is from 1 to 4 so we were able to fix dinner before our meetings and then Bob and Claire came for dinner and stayed for our spiritual Family Home Evening and then tomorrow night we will have the activity part of Family Home Evening. It makes Sunday a happy, family day like it should be - Daddy is going to arrange it so he won't have meetings on Sundays except for Ward Conferences. Roy - you will love it - Priesthood at 3 in the afternoon!!!!!!

John went to his Easter Ball Cotillion last night - we had bought him a new suit at Cohns with Claire's discount and it is really beautiful - it is really a new Spring suit and it was really Wintry last night. Daddy and I were invited also - we went to the High Priest Social first and then to that - the Convention Center was decorated so nice with Spring Flowers and all the girls were in their long beautiful dresses - Johnny really had fun.

Rex Pinegar - one of the General Authorities - was in town to tour the Mission so he said he would speak if we wanted him to. He gave the most beautiful talk I believe I have ever heard last Tuesday night - there weren't very many people who came to hear him but it was really excellent.

I taught every day last week - one day at Franklin and the rest of the week at Woodruff - I had a second grade class and they were terrible - there are only about three white children in each class and most of the blacks just come to play and it is really a challenge to try to control them. The reading teacher that I substituted for two weeks called me early this morning to see if I would teach his class this next week - he had an operation and will be out all week. I am happy about that because that is so enjoyable and I'm familiar with what is going on. Patti Dillahunty teaches at Woodruff - she is in first grade and is such a cute girl - I didn't get to visit with her very much though.

Pete Hipp and I went out to Helen Bridges last Thursday night for a fashion show. It was really fun but I bought a dress and I hope I'm going to like it when it comes because it was expensive. Helen was so thrilled that you went to see her Ann. Janie was there that night and she has changed so much I think - smokes a lot and seems to be quite hard. I saw some pictures of Dianna and she is so pretty but very unhappy and with lots of problems. I also saw pictures of Doug and his wife and their home and it is really gorgeous - a real Southern plantation.

Terry Woods is here and they just called to invite us over for Lasagna on Tuesday night - John wants to go out to Jacksonville for the basketball tournaments so I don't know what we'll do. They are so hard to say "no" to. Carol was at Cotillion with John last night and she looked just darling - a beautiful dress and she's so pretty. Daddy rented a "rototiller" yesterday morning in all that ice and snow and tilled up our garden plots and while he was at it he did the Woods also - this is their way of thanking him for that and he really enjoyed doing it - hard to do things for them!!!!

Nelson and Sherry Rivers have brought the James' home and they are remodeling it - they're making a game room out of the garage and then they're building a big garage in the back of the house. That is such a beautiful home and now it will be even bigger and prettier. I guess the James got away late Friday evening - Barbara Sondrup and Marilyn Harris went over to help them clean up and they said Frances refused to leave until the house was spotless for the Rivers to move in.

You should have seen our home last Wednesday night - the Mutual kids "rolled" it with about tow dozen rolls of toilet paper - it was really beautiful - hanging from all the trees and tied onto the front door and around all the windows - Daddy got a picture of it and I hope it's good. We have had that done a dozen times but never with this much paper. John didn't go to Mutual and this was for him!!!!

I can't think of any more news - Mr. Hinton wrote and said that noone came to contest the Will so now they will go ahead with the appraisals. We have decided to not build our home here this Spring - there are so many homes for sale and there just isn't any money available so we would have a difficult time selling it - and we will have to pay so much inheritance tax on Aunt Marvel's property that we felt it best to just hold off until everything is settled. Daddy, John and Bob are disappointed and so are the Smiths - we don't know how you felt about it Roy - but we all felt this wasn't the time to do it. We may change our minds in a few months but right now it's off!!!

We surely do love each one of you and we're so proud of you - please let us know if we can help you in any way.

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