November 22, 1981 Little Rock


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

I'm up in the study upstairs with my down jacket on typing this letter - it is really cold here for the first time this Winter - it was in the low 30's last night - the sun is out and it is a beautiful day. We had Ward Conference this morning and it was really different for Daddy to not have to go to any of the meetings except the general ones but we definitely feel it is time for others to take over and they are doing a great job - President George Wing was the main speaker this morning and he has grown so much - Cissy and Charles Beyers were here and Charles is doing much better now after his long recuperation from his ulcer surgery. There are many wonderful and devoted members in our stake and it is really refreshing to sit back and hear them speak - you sort of get the "whole picture" when you're not right in the middle of it. Chris Jordin conducted the Relief Society meeting and did such a good job and I can remember when she wouldn't even give a prayer.

Annie - we really loved your long phone call - I was with Bev Culwell shortly after our talk and said I felt badly that we talk so long and she said when Carol calls them they very seldom hang up before they have talked at least an hour so I felt better. I hope your bill isn't too high. We spent most of yesterday shopping for Christmas and I wanted to find something special to send you for your birthday in the line of decorations for your open house but couldn't find anything - I'll keep looking - they have some great bazaars here for the Easter Seal Foundation but they're not usually until later in the month of December. We would so love for Ron to come to Texarkana on business even if you couldn't come with him - if he could fly right into Little Rock he could surely take our car to Texarkana and that way we would get to see him.



Roy - how is school coming??? Last week was National Education and Book Week and at our school they had a local children's author come to tell about some of the books she has written - guess who it was!!! Your school teacher at Brady - Strelsa Machen. I talked to her after for a little while and she asked all about you and said to tell you "hello". I bought three of her books for you for Christmas - I thought it would be so good for you to keep them for your own children. They are about her family whole roots are in Arkansas history in them - she mentions a Prothro family and I have wondered if they are related to Jill's family. She is also a very good friend of Dot Tuckers isn't she - wasn't her daughter in Janice's weeding. Daddy and I lived in the home of an old lady who also wrote children's books in Fort Collins, Colo. When we were first married and I have always regretted that we didn't buy any of her books.

Jeannie - we're happy you are feeling better and hope you can soon get off the heavy doses of your medicine. Rick - we are so proud of the things you are doing to your basement that will be so wonderful for your family to sort of spread out. Our first home in Laramie, Wyo. only had two bedrooms and we left there when Bob was a year old so we had three children and I have always told Daddy I would have been happier there if he had finished off our basement and we would have had more room - we did have one room finished in the basement but the entrance going downstairs wasn't enclosed so we didn't use it very much and the way your home is built is just ideal to have all that extra room. The shed to hold all your other things will be so nice. Ricky will be able to make all kinds of noise now!!!

Johnny went to Fayetteville with the Young Life group from here - they had chartered a bus and they really had a good time - he has some of the nicest friends we have ever met - we tell him that they are the kind of young men who would be members of our church if they lived in Utah - by the way, Neil Kirkpatrick is not one of his friends - he has chosen the liquor, drug and material things of life for his happiness - he wrecked his first fancy car so his folk bought him a Mercedes Benz and he won't be 16 until February or March. John and his friend night on watch a Western on Cable and it's so neat to have them in our home. He received a letter from his girl friend in Salt Lake this week - he is so fortunate to have friends in Utah as well as here. he was really hoarse last night from yelling at the game - I imagine you have heard that the Razorbacks lost to SMU 32-18 - it all happened in the last few minutes of the ball game too - Daddy and I went to Skaggs to do some grocery shopping and when we went in the Razorbacks were ahead 18-15 and when we finished our shopping we had lost 32-18. They will still go to a bowl game - the Gator Bowl.

Bob, Claire and little Michael are doing fine - Michael is growing so fast and he just giggles and is a little doll. Claire is on the Relief Society Stake Board so she had to attend the Ward Conference in Little Rock 2nd ward today so they didn't come to our meetings this morning. They were over last night and we watched a little TV and played a little bridge. Bob is re-writing their home so he was tired - he loves to do that sort of thing. He has two weeks off at Christmas time and he's looking forward to that. Claire's parents aren't coming for Thanksgiving - they have bought a home on the outskirts of Houston and really like it there.

Daddy, John and Bob are really getting excited about duck hunting - it is supposed to rain here tonight or tomorrow and they're hoping it will because that brings the ducks in. they are practicing their "honkers" every spare minute they have and it drives me crazy!!!!

We wish we could all be together this week-end - it doesn't seem possible that is almost time for Thanksgiving - the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is so short and then it seems almost like it is Spring here - maybe we'll have more winter this year - everyone seems to think we will but I doubt it.

the refreshments for
Last Friday night I was in charge of/the Ward Activity and it was so unorganized that I got so cross I will have to repent for the rest of my life. Last Sunday, I tried to get the Bishopric to announce it and they said they didn't know enough about it so they would have to cancel it. One of the sisters had reserved the "Handicapped Puppeteers" to come and present the program and when she found out it had been cancelled she became very upset so the Bishopric called me on Wednesday and said we would it. I didn't have time to call and give out assignments so we cooked a turkey and sliced it for sandwiches and had rolls and the trimmings and hot cider punch and cookies - some of the sisters brought vegetables and dips. It really turned out nice and everyone who came had a good time but there weren't very many who came - one of the members of the Bishoprics (Bro. Person) came up to me and apologized and I said, very curtly, "I want to come to one of your correlation meeting so I can see what you guys do there!!!!" Daddy was ashamed of me!!! I am teaching school too much and getting too bossy and critical!!!!

I know this is really early to ask favors but Ann and Jean and your families - would you please reserve August 11th, this Summer, to help me give an 80th birthday party for Grandmother Forrest - there are not enough refreshments or gifts in the world to make her happy like the presence of each one of you - so when you are planning your vacations would you please work around that day - I don't even know what day of the week it will be but I know it is going to be very important for her. And - if you are any where around Brigham City during the Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays, I know they would be so happy to have you just drop in for a minute - you have their only great-grandchildren and even though you don't think they are important to them, they really are.

I had better quit - I am making so many mistakes!!!! We surely do love each one of you and hope so much that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving - please let us know if we can do anything for you and PLEASE BE CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO.
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