April 18, 1988 Orem, Utah

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

It's Monday morning and Daddy has been out working on his brick wall for hours. He has worried for a year now that he didn't get the rest of the wall finished - it really doesn't matter to me but it really matters to him!!!! Johnny worked with him several days last week and they hauled over a hundred BIG bricks from the Lehi brick yard to our lower yard. It will separate the rock hill from that lower vegetable garden and will really look nice but is a LOT of work and Daddy gets too tired but I can't talk him out of it. Daddy has two speeds - going a hundred miles an hour or stopping - isn't it funny the way our systems are different??? I most always go the same speed - slow and steady!!! The problem is when we try to change our basic makeup - at least at our age. I try to figure out how our genes transferred to our children but I can't. Johnny is out working with him this morning - he is the sweetest young man with the most stable disposition of all of you - Ha!!! I can awaken him out of a deep, deep sleep and he is ALWAYS pleasant. Daddy has terraced the hill and planted petunias on a lot of it - it will be beautiful if they grow - it is so sandy and hard to water. That hill has been a real source of joy and frustration!!!!!

Patrice - thank you for your sweet and newsy letter - we love hearing about little Emily. We laughed about Roy baby sitting her while you visited friends (she cried most of the time and of course he couldn't feed her) - every new Daddy needs to experience that once in awhile. Crying babies just drive me to distraction but we have to remember that is their only way of communication and they're not always hungry or uncomfortable. We loved talking to both of you too and we'll be looking for the Air Force to call us about coming to get some of your things - that was really smart to send the power of attorney. We were amazed when you said that yours and Roys birth announcements were exactly the same - you two really have a lot of coincidences in your lives - you might make the "Guinness Book of World Records"- Ha!!!!

Claire - we hope you and Katherine have worked out a good schedule by now and we also hope your legs are much better. We are counting the days until you will come out to look for a place to live - a couple weeks from now!!!! Have you heard anything about the politics in Utah??? We're not usually that interested in politics but Utah has had a very unusual thing happen. Governor Bangerter has had to make some very unpopular decisions (one of which was pumping the Great Salt Lake) and as a result he will probably have a hard time getting re-elected. One of his best friends and also best supporters has been John Hunstman who is a multi-millionaires businessman. A month ago Hunstman announced he was going to run for Governor - after spending $300,000 on his campaign he suddenly withdrew from the race last week - everyone is trying to figure out why - he says it was for business reasons. We think the Democratic candidate will win.

Jeannie & Rick got home from Mexico last night. We haven't talked to them yet but will call tonight. Jeannie called on Thursday night and said they were really excited - we hope they had a wonderful time and their children were fine.

We haven't seen the Woolleys this week (that's unusual). Would you believe that Pete Wiggins Jr. has moved to Sandy, Utah??? He called us on Thursday and said he would come down to see us on Saturday - we had planned to take him to see Ron & Ann and their family but he didn't ever show up - typical Pete!!!! He is working for Bruce Wright - do you remember him - he was a Bishop in Little Rock for a short time and his wife, Maria, was an excellent seamstress and weaver, etc. etc. Little Russell & Jimmy have been under the weather - Russell has had pneumonia and Jimmy tonsillitis - they are all better now.

Johnny's illness was finally properly diagnosed and it was probably the strangest thing we have ever had in our family. He went to see a dermatologist last Monday - he asked him if he had been in a hot tub lately and when he said he had been in one Wednesday and Thursday and then broke out on Friday, the Doctor said "You have Hot Tub Folliculitis" - he put him on some sulfa medicine and he is just about all better. The Doctor said it was the worst case he had seen in Utah and the fact that he was in excellent general that was "Erythema Multiforme" - whatever that is. The bacteria in the hot tub caused it. Johnny has his final exams this week and then he is finished with this semester - he has done very well. He still doesn't know about the Boston job - we're trying to talk him into going to school Spring Block and working part time here.

Johnny and two of our former missionaries (Elders Baker & Jackson) took the old blue boat our on Utah Lake one day last week and they really had a good time skiing. It was fun because we watched them with the power scope from our porch. They want to "fix it up" and I think that would be a good idea!!!

Daddy went fishing one day last week with his friend Ray and they caught 19 of the most beautiful trout you have ever seen - they went to Scofield. (Daddy caught most of them - he is trying to teach Ray how to fish - he is a hunter more than a fisherman.) Saturday Ray & Daddy went to the Salt Lake Temple for the temple marriage of one of their other hunting buddies - he and his wife have 5 children but had never been sealed in the temple - it was a neat experience for them. I'm out of space - we love each one of you so very much - PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL!!!!

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