October 12, 1980
Little Rock, Ark.

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

We are finally having some really beautiful weather - it is such a cool day today with a cloud free sky and very low humidity and everyone feels better. We still are behind in rainfall but I'm sure we'll catch up.

Rick - please accept our sympathy in the death of your grandmother - we are so thrilled that you and little Ricky were able to go to Milwaukee for the funeral and we know you will have a good time being with your family again and showing off that darling little guy. We are disappointed that this might make it so you won't be able to come to Arkansas for Christmas but we understand and we know your Mother really needed you at this time. We loved talking to you Jeannie and I think we talked too long - little Barbara Jean sounds just adorable and we can hardly wait to get the pictures - we're happy that you are feeling good and we hope you'll take good care of yourself.

Ron - we're sending you the copies of the meadow and the pasture in Lehi the way they have been surveyed - if you have time we would appreciate it so much if you would look them over and see if they are okay before we give our final approval. The deadline is October 26th so we don't have much time. Don originally wanted the North side of the meadow but the way he had it divided, it just wasn't fair so we drew up some different dividing lines and said we wanted to North side but we would flip a coin to determine which one got which side of the pasture he wants when actually it was just a matter of making each side equal. We'll call you next Saturday to see if you have had time to look them over - we are writing to Mr. Hinton and will tell him that maybe Ann will flip a coin to determine who gets the East and West side of the pasture. We're satisfied with the division of the Meadow if the well is at the line - we can't really tell from the drawing. This is such a hassle and it will really be a relief when it is over. We're so glad that little Susanna is better and she'll probably start to gain weight now and we're dying to see Jessie - wish you would send us some pictures - I have the ones you sent us lined up on our Hutch in the kitchen and try to imagine how much they have changed - all our friends come in and check to see if we have any new ones. Beautiful children!!!!

Roy - we're assuming you're still alive and all is well - we keep thinking that surely one of your roommates would let us know if anything happens to you. Whenever Bob and Claire come over the first thing they say is, (Have you heard from Roy????") We know you're really busy - I'm going to send you some self- addressed postcards that you will just have to check so I'll know you are still there. I wonder how Robert is by now - he was really, really low when we saw him last - Daddy took him to catch his bus last Monday - he's a nice guy who needs more responsibility than he has ever been given. Hall beat Parkview last Friday night by about three points - the first time in seven years!!!! Johnny went to the game and he said it was really good - there is quite a bit of rivalry between the two schools in our church groups - Garic Power and the Littlefields and some others go to Parkview and the Smithers and Lucases and others go to Hall - John, of course, feels very loyal to Hall. The Razorbacks won their game yesterday too - I guess Wichata isn't a very big threat to them - but now they have only lost one game and that was to Texas.

Daddy is in Stake meetings today - he said they were holding 5 courts!!!! I didn't ask him who was involved because he couldn't tell me - there isn't anyone from our Ward though. Do you all remember Bishop Bill Henderson - he has a daughter Debby and a son Chip? He spent two years in Arabia trying to sort out some marital problems and financial problems. He is back now and has a divorce from his wife and is dating Marilyn Glasgow - we think that would be a wonderful relationship and we hope it works out. Marilyn has five daughters and she has been divorced fore a long time and then two years ago her husband died. They both seem so happy - Bill has built a home in Cabot and his son Chip lives with him and their daughter Debbie is living in an apartment - Sister Henderson is very different but I feel sorry for her.

Ralph Hipp has been in the hospital and they have discovered that he has a malignant tumor on one of his ribs close to the spine - they aren't going to operate - they're treating him with radiation. Pete just lives at the hospital - she visits her mother on the fifth floor and Ralph on the seventh -this could be a very sad Christmas for her.

Daddy and I both taught all last week - Daddy was at Parkview is Algebra and I was at McDermott in second grade - I just about went crazy!!!! It is a very frustrating experience to work with such low, low, low children - the discipline problems really got to me one day and I picked up a ruler and held it to the cheek of one of the little girls and said, "And, I don't want to see that silly, little smile again", - the room got really quiet and I looked up to see the principal standing right by me. I would have been very happy if he had sent me home and taken over but he just smiled and walked out of the room. The only thing most of the children understand is very hard spankings and I can't do that and they think they can get by with murder. The teacher is supposed to be back tomorrow and if I get a call to go back there I'll scream!!!! I really enjoy it most of the time but this year, so far, I have had some very difficult classes and it could be that I didn't teach last year at the beginning of the school year.

Bob and Claire came over last night and brought us some ice cream - Claire had eaten a peanut at some friend's house the night before and she is allergic to them and really could have had some problems - they had to go home and she took her medicine to make her throw up. We didn't know about it until yesterday when their friends called us and they were concerned because they couldn't reach them by phone. Bob has put some French doors up in their home dividing their living room and dinning room - their home is really nice!

Johnny went to Petit Jean Mountain yesterday for Super Saturday - he left early in the morning (about 10) and didn't get home until past midnight - he really had a good time - they had a hay ride and a dance and lots of fun. He has been making a poster for Science all week and it is really good. My work this type writer won't space now and I can't fix it so I'll stop!!!
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