January 2, 1990 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 NEW YEAR!!!! We hope 1990 will be a wonderful year for all of you. Daddy & I talked about some changes that will come this year and I guess the biggest one will be with the Roy Mellor Family. Looking back over our lives, the hardest times have been when we have made major moves like they will be making. The physical part of it is hard but the most difficult are the emotional ones - Roy & Patrice have made so many friends in San Antonio and they have such a lovely home, I know it will be hard for them to leave. I'm glad they are moving to familiar territory - at least for Roy. We will always love Little Rock and we're looking forward to their move.

We have had an absolutely wonderful holiday - including my birthday - and thank each one of you for your thoughtfulness in making it so happy for us. Our friends and neighbors have all been so thoughtful too - that 12 day of Christmas was so much fun and we can't find out who did it - we asked at church on Sunday and the only answer we got was "you'll never find out". The weather has certainly been beautiful - we took our outside Christmas lights down yesterday and it was just like Summer out there - John had taken the ones down from the very top of the house and I made Daddy promise that he won't insist that we put them up there anymore. Our neighborhood is decorated like Temple Square but we'll decorate on the ground level from now on!!!

We have made so many trips to Salt Lake, Layton & Farmington during the past two weeks that it seems good to be able to stay home today. I told you that Daddy had his blood tests taken on the 21st - it takes a week to get the results back - well, they called us on the 28th to tell us the PSA was a little high and they wanted to have it retaken that very day so we went back up there - we won't get the results back until the end of this week. It was "5" and they said the normal was "4". We have kept a record of those PSA tests and two years ago one test was "73" and then "35" - I don't know if it is the same test, do any of you?

Daddy really feels good and Dr. Brown, the cancer doctor, says that is the best test. Dr. Middleton is very thorough and wants to be able to treat the cancer quickly if it spreads again and we appreciate that - we really like him. He also took Daddy's cholesterol tests and his nurse said they were normal.

Daddy went ice fishing with his buddy, Ray, last Friday and came home on Saturday. They went to Piute in Ray's pickup and it was SO cold Daddy said there was ice all over the inside of it when they woke up. It was windy too and I don't believe it was a wonderfully successful fishing trip but Daddy loved it - he only caught one big trout and that is unusual for him. We have a little electric heater that we use in the den sometimes instead of building a fire in the fireplace and Daddy sat right in front of that trying to get thawed out all Saturday evening - Ha!!!!

He is building his gun cabinet finally - he built it in his workroom with plans to put it back into the wall where it was supposed to go. Both John and I just knew he would never be able to get it back there but after working for several hours this morning it is there in a perfect fit - he kept saying "I know it will fit, I measured it!!!" I'll be SO glad to have all the guns in there where they can be locked in - I have never liked guns anyway and they are a real worry to me with children around.

Daddy has perfected his "fish smoking" recipe. He smoked some trout and catfish all day yesterday and then left them in the smoker all night and they are just delicious - drier than before.

My childhood friend, Ellen Mae, had a birthday dinner for me on my birthday - she had invited two other couples who were also childhood friends and we REALLY had a wonderful time. Marian & Malcolm Jeppson and Clinton & Aris Holmes were there - the dinner was delicious and we just visited and visited. THEN, on New Year's morning (yesterday), Clinton & Aris had their annual breakfast so we were all together again - they always serve pancakes with frozen sliced peaches (from Brigham City) with whipped cream, ham, orange juice, etc., etc. Another friend was there, Emma Lou Thayne, (actually she is married to one of our childhood friends, Melvin Thayne) and she is quite a famous Utah author. Her new book "As For Me And My House" is just out and Ellen Mae gave it to me for Christmas - I want each one of you to read it. It is really good - many of her books are poetry and she is so intellectual that they go right over my head.

Dorothy & Dan called - Daddy wasn't here but I talked to Terry & Dana too and that was fun. Dana wants to have you let them know when you move to Little Rock - Roy & Patrice. Carol is in law school at Fayetteville - her husband is working to put her through. Terry still lives in Nashville and still has three dogs to travel with her - ugh!!! Joy Geisler also called - she is such a sweet friend. We called Chris & Wayne yesterday and they said it has been terribly cold in Arkansas and Alabama - 6 degrees in Little Rock during Christmas. They had planned to spend time at their cabin in Hot Springs but it was too cold.

John went to New Orleans with a BYU "Flag" football team - he left on Wednesday and will probably be home tomorrow, Wednesday. He called us after he got there and said it was warm enough to swim in the motel pool - I'm SO glad because he really wanted to go someplace warm. We hope he has had a wonderful time and will be ready to settle down to a hard semester - he is taking 16 hours and that is a lot for him. I'll be happy when he's home - I just feel better knowing he's around even if we don't see him often, he is always SO willing to help. Our weather is turning cold today and there is a big winter storm moving in - we REALLY need some snow for the skiers and moisture for the ground!!!

We love you all so very much. PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL!!!!

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