November 17, 1986 Orem, Utah

Dearest Johnny; Roy & Patrice; Bob, Claire, Michael & Laura & Brett; Rick, Jean, Ricky, Barbara Jean, Mary Ann & Sarah; and Ron, Ann, Susanna, Jessie, Russell, LeeAnna & Jimmy:

This will be a short letter - we have talked to each one of you except for you Johnny and I was right, we didn't hear from you this week, so I don't have much news!!! It's a beautiful day here again - the weather newsmen keep saying we are going to have bad weather but so far it has been wonderful. They are hoping for more snow in the ski resorts - they're skiing now but I believe they are going to have some kind of big competition at Park City soon and they want more snow.

We had such a fun afternoon yesterday - the Woolleys and Weinerts came after church and that always gives us such a boost. The Woolleys were already here when the Weinerts came and it was so cute - the first thing Barji said was "the cousins are here" - we really do enjoy watching them have fun together. It gets dark so early now and it was warm outside so we went "for a walk" in the dark and it was just gorgeous!!! Barji has recuperated from her tonsillectomy and now it looks like maybe Russell will have to have his out.

Bob & Claire and Roy & Patrice - we loved our phone visits with you this week and we are so excited that you will all be here for Christmas. Roy told us last night that they plan to come too - Roy has to work Christmas Eve and he wouldn't tell us when they plan to get here but they hope to be here for Christmas day - now, we're hoping Bob & Claire will be able to stay longer than they had planned!!! Our Christmas this year will be the way Christmases are supposed to be - "family oriented" and we hope you will all forget gifts for us - we know how expensive it is to travel and your visit will be our gift - I mean it!!!!

We laughed about Claire painting their house - on the outside. We hope the weather will be such that you will be able to finish it before Winter really sets in. (She said she got it half painted and then it has rained so she couldn't paint any more.) You surely have a lot of energy Claire! It was fun to talk to Michael and Laura too, and we can understand them so much better.

Patrice - it was so good to visit with you for longer than just a "hello" it seems like it has been a long time - I forget to ask you about your family - is your sister liking college and do you see her very often? Your other sister is working, isn't she? How long a break do you get from school for the holidays? I had been running up and down the hill with the children and was out of breath when I talked to you.

Johnny - Chris Jordin called me yesterday afternoon and she told me that Parkview was 70% black and Central is about that bad - she said Hall was the only good high school in L.R. now - 'course we have always felt that way but her sons went to Parkview and she thought that was the best. She also said the public schools are declining fast - there has been a big fight about incorporating the county schools into the city to kinda' equalize the racial problem - so many people moved to the county so their children could go to mostly white schools. It was fun to hear some news about L.R. - did you know that Carlton Wing was in Idaho on his mission? She said the ward was so big that 2nd ward is moving out to go to the new stake center in Otter Creek - I can remember how thrilled we were in the "olden days" when we had 100 people come including all babies, etc. We had a phone call from our Bishop last night asking us to help activate a young Elder into our Single Adult class because he had just come home from his mission (10 months early). We are so proud of our missionary - proud that you have such a positive wonderful attitude at this point in your mission and we know that you will be "gung ho" right up until the very last day. We had some of your pictures duplicated and sent them to Bob & Roy - Patrice last night said, "Wow, John looks so good and he has grown" - you really do look good. I sent the pictures of you it really turned out good - I'll copy just that page and send to you. We had a letter from Sister Lowe and she asked about you - she is living in Memphis now with her friend, Mary and is doing fine. Those days with her seem like a million years ago. We also had a letter from Louise Erekson in Billings and among other things she told us that the McCleods go to all the games and Shawn is first string quarterback for Billings Senior - do you remember those days???

Sister Lowe said she was in the 2nd Ward in Memphis, Bob and Claire, so she doesn't see you but she said she had tried to call you. Chris said she tried to call you in Memphis last Saturday afternoon but you weren't home - they had gone there to see the play "Cats".

Daddy went duck hunting Saturday - he said he had never seen so many "educated" ducks. They went out to a bird refuge West of Lehi and they couldn't hunt on that side of the lake but they could on the other side and he said he was amazed that the ducks (millions of them) all stayed on the refuge side. It was a beautiful and warm day though and he had a good time.

Daddy has built the frame for his tool shed - he took it all down so he could paint it before putting it up permanently and he's doing that now. It is going to be big so he can store his wheel barrow, lawn mower, tools and maybe the motor bikes in it - that will give us more room in the garage and we need it. it's so funny when I look around at this house and see how many things we have in it and remember how we tried to get it all in the Lehi house - 'course we also had the storage place and gave three trailer loads to D. I. but it won't be long until we'll be crowded here - I believe we're "pack rats".

Ann & Ron have definitely bought the half - share in the Milky Way so with our half - share we have a full week four times a year - isn't that great!!! There were three people who wanted that half - share so we were kinda' worried but as it turned out they got it. it had to be bought in our name because it had to be sold to one who already owned a part of it - later we will be able to transfer ownership over to Ron which is only fair because he will want to take other people besides us some times.

Rick has his boat "Winterized" so we will be ready to go again in the Spring. That is a big job to keep a skiing boat in good condition and everyone really appreciates it.

I finished out kitchen curtains - it seems like it took me forever to make them. Each curtain has 9 yards of ruffle and lace and you can't even see them unless you're right in the eating area. It would look better it I made ruffles to go at the top but it would hide our view of the mountains so I'm not going to.

I can't think of anymore news. We love each one of you so very much and we're so proud of you. PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. Let us know how we can help you.

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