July 24, 1989 Orem, Utah
Dearest John; 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:
Happy July 24th!!! Chris & I have been watching the parade on television all morning but they just announced it would last until 1 o'clock this afternoon so I decided to write my letter. I really wanted to go to the parade but we decided it would be too far to walk before we could get a close enough place to watch it. There have been people camped out on the parade route for days!!! Daddy & Wayne have gone fishing on Utah Lake - I don't believe Daddy is even aware there is a parade - Ha!!! Chris and I waited out in front of our home to watch the little neighborhood Primary children parade past - they were just darling all dressed in Pioneer clothes with covered wagons. Ann & Ron came over for a minute yesterday and their children were all excited about marching in their parade and it was supposed to start at 6:30 a.m. this morning with a ward breakfast afterwards at the Bateman's home.
We just absolutely LOVED our trip to Lake Powell and we REALLY missed Roy, Patrice & Emily. I couldn't begin to tell everything that happened but I will tell a little about it. We all met at our home last Saturday, July 15th, at 6:00 a.m. (that is all except John and he got here about 7:00 a.m. - Ha!!!) We went in a caravan and went a different route because there has been a lot of road construction on the other route - it was just beautiful but about 65 miles further so we didn't come back that way. We stopped at McDonalds for breakfast and other stops along the way and got to Lake Powell about 1 o'clock that afternoon. From the time we got our house boat anchored at "The Three Nephites" (we have changed that name to "The Bay of Kissing Pigs" because of a rock formation that looks like pigs kissing) until we left we just played and played. We swam; everyone but Daddy & I skied; many did the knee boards; Rick took the children on the bumper rides; Ron taught the children how to rappel (sp.?); Bob & John found a super diving place off high cliffs; they all went on the catamaran (sp.?) and Bob & John rode it all the way from our camping place back to the docking place; and we all ate, ate and ate. IT WAS JUST WONDERFUL!!!! We all felt the food was exceptional this year - all the families brought delicious meals.
We had a "few" little problems. The most serious was when Ann & Jean were water skiing and somehow when Ann fell her ski came back and hit her in the forehead. We were all SO happy we had a doctor with us. Bob took care of her and they went to the infirmary at Bull Frog and he had to take fifteen stitches to close it up - he said it was quite deep and we're all grateful she didn't have a concussion - she bounced right back and we all forgot about it.
The Weinerts and Bob Mellors and John came home on Wednesday night - they left Lake Powell about 6:30 p.m. so they didn't get home until the early hours of the morning. We haven't talked to the Weinerts or Bob Mellors but we hope they found Katie was well cared for and their homes all okay. We missed Katie but she would have been miserable and so would Bob & Claire - they had their favorite baby sitter care for her. We talked to John for a minute Saturday night - he had to come home to go with his ward to the Manti pageant Friday night and the a group of them went to Yuba Lake and camped out until Saturday afternoon.
Wednesday before everyone left we moved the houseboat to the buoy. Daddy was worried about a wind coming up and he felt he and Ron would have problems with it. I'm still trying to decide if that was necessary - Ha!!! The water at Lake Powell is SO low that the boat rocked on the buoy all night and we tried to sleep with a clang, clang all night long for two nights - A MEMORY!!!!
Thursday, Daddy & I went with the Woolleys in their new ski boat to see Rainbow Bridge - that's over fifty miles from the buoy. I REALLY hope all of you will be able to make that trip sometime - it is absolutely gorgeous all the way and the bridge is something you should see - it is a national monument!!! We baked a large lasagna that Ann had brought and took it with us and we ate every single bit of it. We kept stopping on the way and jumping in the water - it was 107 degrees that day. A very special thing that we saw was a place where the Mormon Pioneers lowered wagons and supplies down a steep crevice as they were settling the valley - there is a marker anchored in the deep water telling about it. That meant a lot to all of us but I was especially happy because I had to teach the lesson in Relief Society yesterday and it was on the Pioneers and that made my lesson. We left the buoy about 9 o'clock in the morning and didn't get back until about 9 o'clock that night so it was a long trip but well worth it!!! We stopped many places along the way - one place was "The Hanging Rope" marina and I will never forget watching Ron with HUGE cups of ice cream for everyone - it was SO hot and it was in the middle of the desert and the last thing you would think would be available would be ice cream!!!!
When we got home, Ann went to the top of the houseboat to fix the beds and guess what - ALL THE MATTRESSES WERE MISSING!!! At first we thought someone had come onto the houseboat and stolen them but they were the only things missing and we finally determined they had blown away. There hadn't been any wind while we were going to Rainbow Bridge but evidently there had been wind there. We laughed about it and will replace them and that is another memory.
The Woolleys had a few little problems with their van on the way home - their air conditioner went out (the Weinerts had gone out on the way down) and by the time they got home their van wouldn't shift into reverse - they laughed about that too and will put it in the shop for repairs tomorrow - we're glad we made it home!!!
Chris & Wayne came in on Friday morning before we left for Lake Powell. They had had a few little problems with their motor home on the way - they had to have a new transmission put in and some wheel bearings. I'm kinda' worried about starting out for Alaska but we have talked it over and decided to start out with the options to make a shorter trip to California if they have more problems with it.
Daddy & Wayne plan to go to Chris & Dicks in Salt Lake tomorrow and get all the supplies for the bathroom in the cabin. I don't know how long it will take them to finish it but we probably will not leave for Alaska until about August 7th. DADDY'S BIRTHDAY IS AUGUST 5th - THAT IS A SATURDAY AND WE WILL HAVE A BIRTHDAY DINNER FOR HIM THAT NIGHT ABOUT 6;30. WE WILL INVITE HIS SISTERS AND THEIR HUSBANDS AND WE HOPE ALL OF YOU WILL BE ABLE TO COME TOO. PLEASE DO NOT BRING PRESENTS!!!! (Roy we will miss you and Patrice & Emily for that too).
Chris & Wayne spent most of the week we were gone to Lake Powell at the cabin - they really like it. They brought a lot of things to make seafood gumbo and we are loving that!!!
Ron had a birthday yesterday - Ann said she asked him what he would like to do and he said SLEEP. I could relate to that!!!! Little Jimmy's birthday is tomorrow and his sisters and Russell have big plans for his party.
My brother Don and his wife Cheryl had an open house on Saturday night for their son, Chad, who has just accepted a call to serve a mission in Japan. Daddy & I and Chris & Wayne went to it - it was very, very nice with delicious food. Chris & I went to his farewell yesterday morning - Daddy had church meetings he couldn't miss. His farewell was so cute - his whole family with the exception of one brother was there and they all spoke. I was proud of all of them. They have been a very "sport" family and this son Chad has won regional baseball championships as a pitcher. My other brother, Dee and his son Daren, were also at the farewell.
Dianne Power is supposed to be here this week. We plan to take her to lunch tomorrow with Helena Jacobsen if she comes. Helena called me and she had been to Trumbull, Connecticut visiting her daughter and had visited with Dianne - she says Dianne is not well - can't get rid of her headaches. The Sondrups are moving to Nashville this month - they love Trumbull so they are kinda' unhappy about it.
I hope this prints okay - I'm having a few problems. 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.