May 31, 1988 Orem, Utah

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

It is NOT a pretty day in Orem today - it is really cold, rainy and windy and a fun day to stay indoors!!!! This has been a miserable weekend for those Memorial Day vacationers who had planned to spend their time on the lakes or in the canyons in this area. We read in the paper where a 65 ft. houseboat and two other boats were sunk down at Lake Powell - they were unoccupied so they must have come loose from the buoy or something. I can't think of anything scarier than to be on the houseboat during a storm like they had down there. The Batemans have had the Milky Way this week and I surely hope it clears up for them so they can enjoy at least the last few days of their turn.

I'm writing my letter on Tuesday this week - I knew the mail wouldn't go out yesterday and we had a party here last night so I spent the day getting ready for it. It was our turn for the card group last night - Johnny calls it the "Geritol Group" and he's about right. There are some really sweet people who belong though and we enjoy it - we played "hearts" last night - that's the closest to bridge of all the games we have played and Daddy & I prefer that but I believe the others like games like Yahtzee, Scrabble, Rook etc. I made pecan pies and then fixed lots of fresh fruit for dessert - most of them just had the fruit!!!

The big news for this week is that Roy & Patrice have bought an electronic piano. We have never seen one but the way they described it, it really sounds neat. Roy says he can play it while Patrice is asleep and he wears the earphones so it won't awaken her - what a great thing for children who are just learning to play - Ha!!!! Jeannie says she has seen one that can record what is played so when you play it back you can spot your mistakes. We are SO thrilled that you are practicing again, Roy - Patrice is very good and I'll bet you will have fun playing duets, etc. I don't know of anything that has given me more enjoyment through the years than to play the piano when I'm all alone in the house - I think you are really smart to keep at it. I would like to get an organ some day!!!! You will be going to visit your Mother this week Patrice and again, we hope you will have a wonderful and relaxing time. We really appreciate your phone calls!!!

We had such a wonderful time on Sunday. Jeanne called and said they would come visit us if we were going to be home - I told her that we were planning to decorate the graves in Brigham City so she said they would go with us. We got to their home about noon and had a delicious dinner with them - how they could prepare such a feast in such a short time I will never know!!!! After dinner Rick drove us first to put flowers on his Mother's grave in Farmington and then to Brigham City to put flowers on little Christopher's grave and my parents and brother & sister's graves. Dee & Judy came to the cemetery while we were there - Dee had tried to get in touch with us and had talked to Johnny and found out where we were. Grandpa Forrest is not doing well at all - he is almost in a semi-coma and they didn't expect him to live through the day. We went to see him and couldn't get any response from him - he opened his eyes a little but that was all. It would be such a blessing if he could quietly pass away and I expect a phone call telling us that he has done that any time. We got back to Farmington just barely in time for Rick to get to church to teach his class. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR GIVING US YOUR DAY WEINERTS!!!! We heard Mary Ann play her violin and she is doing great and we saw a "wind" costume that Jeannie had made for Barji to be in a play. Jeannie told us that she had gone to May Ann's recital and Barji's play and had taken a roll of pictures that would mean so much to them and then had exposed the roll when she took it out of the camera - she called Rick and cried - he brought her a "stupid proof camera" home from work that night. They haven't sold their home yet but they have had a lot of people look at it - the lot next to them has a new home being built on it and that really improves their home.

The Woolley children are out of school and as Barji says, "that isn't fair" - the Weinerts won't be out until this Friday. Ron is deeply involved in their landscaping - they have it contracted out but knowing Ron, he is supervising it. The children were over for a little while one day last week - they're doing fine and Ann is busy thinking of things to keep them occupied this Summer.

Bob & Claire - one more month!!!! I know it is going to be hard to leave Memphis and all the friends you have made there - it is always so hard to make changes like that but you will simply love Utah and this will be "home" in just a short time. Claire - I'll bet it is hard to leave your yard that you have worked so hard in! Remember - we are available to help in any way we can!!!

We had one of the most enjoyable times I have spent in many a day last Saturday. It was Daddy's 50th reunion from his high school graduation and we all met in the Manti Temple at 10 a.m. That temple is just exquisite - the church has just renovated it at a cost of 7 million dollars and you can really see it. They haven't made any structural changes but all the interior has been redone - carpet imported from somewhere, etc. After the temple session we ate in the cafeteria and then toured the new High School (really nice), the Seminary building and then we went to the old High School which has been converted to the city offices. Daddy & I drove all over Manti and into the canyon where he used to go hunting & fishing and then we went to the banquet. They do the neatest thing in Manti - they have an "Alumni Association" which organizes reunions to be held each year in ten year sequences. This year they had seven reunions held that might starting with the class of 1918 (there were a kit if people there too), 1928, 1938 (Daddy's class), 1948, 1958, 1968 & 1978. There must have been 500 people there for the banquet and it was just wonderful and a beautiful program after the banquet. They publish a booklet about each class and in the page for Daddy's class the article mentioned his name three times; he was Secretary & Treasurer for his class, he was on the winning basketball team that went to the state championships and there were three of them who went to the FFA National Championship competition and they won. I was SO proud of him and he had never told me about any of that. All of his classmates were so thrilled to see him - you would have thought he had been President of the United States or something - Ha!!! I believe I told you that Utah's Mother of the Year was his girl friend all through High School - she was there and she came and gave him the biggest hug and kiss - she turned to me and said, "I can do this because I am the Mother of the Year" - she is a DARLING woman!!! We didn't get home until about 11 o'clock and we were worn out but it had really been fun. I took a lot of pictures and I hope so much that they turn out so I can send you some and also send some to his classmates. We went to see Jim & Caulene Braithwaite in their drug store - they are SO special - he is Daddy's nephew and is buying his Father's store. Daddy's brother-in-law, Elliott Braithwaite is still in California recuperating from heart surgery - he is doing fine but the doctor won't release him to come home yet - he and Carol are staying with their daughter, Ann Willardson in Rialto. We took flowers for Daddy's parents who are buried in Manti.

Johnny has spent a lot of time fixing up his boat - he has the same interest for that, that most young men have in fixing up cars. I worry a little about him because he would prefer doing that to dating - I guess the right girl hasn't come along yet!! His boat really is pretty and he says it works like a charm - I just hope no one gets hurt on it - it goes SO fast. He kinda' likes his work - a couple weeks ago he loved it but I believe the charm has worn off - Ha!!!! I still wish he would go to school the Summer term. He is such a joy to have around and we must seem like we are 100 to him!!!

Daddy is doing fine - really has a lot of energy. He has ordered a "top" for his truck when he doesn't have the camper on it. He still has that "gag" thing in his throat - you know when you have something in your throat and you cough to clear it out - well, he can't clear his. He goes back to the oncologist this Friday but I know he will just say, "you shouldn't still behaving trouble with that". I guess that is all part of his problem and as he says, he can live with that. I don't believe I told Bob & Roy about the number count of his last PSA test - I called and got it from the urologist in Salt Lake. The first one was 73, the second one was 40 and this last one was 19 - that is still high because normal is 4 but Dr. Middleton said the significant thing is the trend so he thought that was good.

We love each one of you so very much. PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN HELP YOU!!!! I couldn't get the other computer to work this morning.

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