June 14, 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:
Wow!!!! Am I ever far behind in my newsletter!!!! This has been a busy time for all of us. I had planned to get caught up with my letter yesterday but our yard was so completely over-grown and I knew Daddy would try to do it all himself so I decided to work with him. As it turned out he trimmed and mowed all the lawn and I worked on the hill pulling weeds but it took us a long time - it really looks beautiful now and it is surprising how fast everything grows in just a week!!!!
The big news for this letter is that Grandpa Forrest passed away on his birthday, June 2nd. He died on a Thursday morning and his viewing and funeral were on Saturday from 9:30 until about noon ªboth were held in the Petersen's funeral home. We were SO proud of our family here - we had all planned to leave for Lake Powell early, early Saturday morning and they were all so sweet to change their plans. The Woolleys and Weinerts, with all their children dressed so beautifully, met us at the funeral home about 9:30 Saturday morning and were with us to meet friends and family who had come from all over. My friends have been so loyal all these years and I appreciate them so much - some came from Logan & Salt Lake as well as from Brigham City. The family from Garland all came and the funeral home was completely full - Grandpa would have been very pleased with everything. The services were short but very, very nice and Daddy dedicated the grave and he did a beautiful job. The weather was just gorgeous and the cemetery looked so pretty because all the graves were still decorated from Memorial Day - it is such a blessing for Grandpa to pass away and be with Grandmother and the rest of his family - can you imagine the reunion they are having with Bob & Lela??? I think it is so neat that he died on his 92nd birthday.
We all left Brigham City about 1:30 in the afternoon (the church was serving dinner at Dee & Judys' home but we didn't go - Ann had made sandwiches for everyone and Jean had brought cookies) and headed for our homes to get in our Lake Powell clothes. I guess we left for Lake Powell about 5 or 6 that afternoon. We had a fun, fun trip - we had to get on our houseboat in the dark and that was kinda' scary - Rick & Johnny went out to the buoy to find it and it didn't take them very long at all but transporting nine little children and all our "stuff" in the blackness of night was an experience we won't forget.
Lake Powell was absolutely WONDERFUL!!!! The meals keep getting better and the children keep getting easier - if we could just solve the last few hours of our time there we WOULD HAVE IT MADE!!! The people who were to have it after us wanted us to meet them at Catamaran (sp.?) Bay at noon so they wouldn't have to take it off the buoy. At first we thought that would be a great idea but as it turned out it was a FIASCO!!! We couldn't dump at Hall's Landing as we had planned and we had to go to Bullfrog and that made us late in meeting them. Instead of them waiting for us to unload our things from the houseboat they started to load their things on and we couldn't get close to the beach because all the places were taken so we had to anchor way out and unload that way. This was their first time on the boat and the man left to go get some ice so his wife and their 8 children were on the houseboat and they didn't know one thing about it. Ron couldn't just leave them like that so he stayed with them to help them - all the children were on the beach without shoes and the sand was burning hot - Daddy was over by the dock trying to hang onto his fishing boat - Rich was waiting for someone to bring the truck or his suburban so he could load his boat - Daddy's keys were in the suitcase which was on Rick's boat!!! Really looking back on it, it was a funny experience but at the time it wasn't funny at all. Everything would have worked out great if we could have just dumped at Hall's Landing as we had planned but that through us completely off - that is run by the Forest Service and they told us they would be there within fifteen minutes to fix the dump station but after waiting for thirty minutes they came and said it couldn't be fixed. You all know how frustrating that is to manipulate that big houseboat in those dumping areas and everyone's' nerves were on edge.
We left Hanksville probably about 5 o'clock and when we got to that turnoff going into Price we didn't have the Woolley car. We had all planned to meet at MacDonald's for a hamburger and the Weinerts waited there - finally Daddy unhooked our fishing boat from our truck at the intersection between Green River and the road going to Price - Johnny stayed with the truck to watch for the Weinerts coming from Price and the Woolleys coming the other direction and Daddy and I turned around in the truck and headed back for Hanksville to look for the Woolleys. It was a miracle that we saw them coming because there are high hills dividing the highway and there were stretches where we couldn't see the other highway. Ron had had a flat tire in his van and had had to change it and then go in to Green River to get it filled with air. Anyway, by the time we met the Weinerts in Price they were ready to send out the Highway Patrol. We all left Price about 8 o'clock and got home about 11 o'clock. Our neighbor who had been watching our home was waiting up for us - she called as soon as we got in the house to tell us there had been a bird in our house and she had to come in to let it out. She said she thought I wouldn't want her to clean up the mess (can you imagine that?) so it was still there - bird droppings all over the chairs by the den window and on the floor. We discovered that our fireplace doors were closed but not locked and the bird came down the chimney and then pushed the doors open - ugh!!!!
Daddy & I had a fun time last night. We went on a picnic in West Canyon with some of our friends from Lehi - the Dahls and the Broadbents. The Dahls bought some West Canyon property from the Rhodes family and they knew exactly where our property is over there and they wanted to show us. (The Rhodes family are my grandparents and they left their property to Aunt Marvel and she left it to us.) They have built a cabin on their property and it is just darling - can you imagine building a cabin without any electricity - sawing all the boards by hand, etc.? Our property is not nearly as accessible as their is but it is just gorgeous. Actually, we didn't go right to ours - it would have been quite a hike and Daddy says he thinks we can drive to it with his four-wheeler. There are some fairly level places right by a creek on our property and then it goes quite steep - in fact, it looks on the map like it goes to 7,000 feet elevation. When I can get any of you interested, we will have to make a day of it and go to it - it looks like it is about a mile from the road. We were supposed to play cards last night with our group here but we didn't' hear from them so we assumed they weren't having it - I talked to the hostess this morning and she said they had to play Yahtzee because you can play that with couples - I felt bad!!!
Daddy is really feeling good - I wish I had just one-half his energy. He didn't have that gag thing in his throat at all while we were on the lake - I think it is allergy and we got some Dimetapp and that has helped him. Joy Geisler called from Little Rock on Sunday and told me that Tom Brown has stomach cancer - they have removed most of his stomach.
We are SO excited to have Bob & Claire and their family come stay with us for a few days until they can get in their home - they'll be here on the 28th about noon - I believe they will get in their home around the 1st. I have to keep pinching myself to know that I am not dreaming about them actually coming to make their home in Utah. Claire had 102 stitches in one of her legs from the surgery they did on her varicose veins - we're so glad that is over for you Claire. If you all can survive the last six months you have it made - a very stressful time for you.
We're anxious to hear about your trip Patrice - we have thought about you so much. We think you are probably home by now - I had it in mind that you were going to be gone until the 12th. Roy - how did you get along? I'm sure you all got along fine and that you will be happy to be back in your normal situation again. We would love to see another picture of little Emily - I'll bet she changed in your eyes Roy while she was gone.
I hope our Lake Powell pictures turn out so we can share them with you. Johnny's boat worked great - he had the experience of getting the rope caught in the motor as happens with jet boats sometimes. He had to work a long time to get it out but he finally did it and it was a good experience for him - he was lucky to find another jet boat owner on the lake who was also an auto mechanic and he gave him some valuable pointers. That's all I'll write for now. 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!!!!