January 21, 1991 Orem, Utah

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

I have "my act" together better this morning than I did a week ago. I have often scolded daddy for not hiring more work done around the house rather than doing it himself but after the carpenter experience I am grateful he is able to do SO many things. After that man left, Daddy went downstairs and built him a "mitre box" and figured out a way to put the moulding on. The next day he rented a special kind of saw so he could cut the boards at an angle and he had it all up by noon - that is something we have wanted done for two years and it looks SO nice. We have had fun re-decorating our dining room.

Elaine (Daddy's sister) has painted some of the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen. She had a public showing just before Christmas and we picked out two we really wanted and she brought two others so we could have a choice - we still chose the same two we had seen at the showing. One is a vase of pink flowers and the other is a close-up view of s sunflower. We put the pink flowers in the dining room and we had a hard time choosing a place for the sunflower because we don't have anything yellow in our home. We have it in our hall going into the kitchen and it is hard to look at it and not feel happy - the brightness just jumps out at you. We understand from Ramona that Elaine's son, Matt, doesn't want her to sell anymore - he wants to keep them in their family!!! Matt is in law school at BYU and he and his wife, Haley (from Spain), live with Elaine.

We went to the Coulters on Thursday night and we had a WONDERFUL time - we all talked a mile a minute. The Coulter family is very special to us - you probably remember that they came into the church when Daddy was Branch President so we have seen their growth in the church from the beginning. They left their family and their roots in Arkansas to start over and bought a home in Farmington (close to Jeannie) and have lived there 18 years now. Daddy & I remember how foolish we thought they were to spend $60,000 for a home in an unfamiliar area - how foolish we were!!!

Marge & Ed Lucas haven't changed one single bit!!! He is in charge of the "sleep disorder clinic" in one of the hospitals in Fort Worth. They haven't sold their home in Little Rock and say they may decide to go back there when they retire - they are renting it and it isn't far from where you are Roy & Patrice. Their daughters, Bang I and Bang II, are in Oceanside, California. Barbie is doing her residency in Pediatrics there and Marilyn is working for a company there but may move to New York. They gave us all the news of friends we all had in Little Rock who have moved to Fort Worth - the Tolmans, the Merrifields and others. IT WAS A FUN EVENING!!!

When we went to Farmington on Thursday we left a little early so we could "drop in" on the Bob Mellors & the Weinerts and that was FUN. They are all doing good - the Mellor children were all involved in a "craft" project that looked like a lot of fun and the Weinert children were practicing their piano. WE REALLY LOVE BEING WITH OUR GRANDCHILDREN.

Jeannies' doctors are doing some more consulting to try to decide if and when she should have her surgery - she really has some outstanding doctors and they have helped her for many years. They even call her often to see how she is doing. We are available whenever you need us so just let us know.

Daddy had another blood test last week and we go to Dr. Brown on Thursday to find out the results. We both really "hate" those visits!!! Daddy feels really good - he went ice fishing with his Lehi buddies last Friday and they caught their limits. Daddy cooked them yesterday and they were absolutely delicious. I told him that my friends don't believe me when I tell them that I have a husband who CATCHES the fish, CLEANS the fish and COOKS the fish.

Thanks for your phone call on Friday Roy - (he called to tell us that the O'Donoghue's long time neighbor and friend, Walter Thomas, had passed away). Daddy & I stayed with the Thomases when we went for Roy & Patrices' wedding and they were just wonderful to us. He had a heart condition and was doing well but then suffered a stroke. We're SO happy you are all well and we're looking forward to your visit!!!

The Woolley childrens' school had another "wax museum" and this time Jessie participated. Last year Susanna was Clara Barton in it and this year Jessie was Queen Elizabeth I. Daddy & I went to it and I was amazed at her costume - Ann had made it and it was really beautiful - black taffeta with a gold lacey overskirt and lots of jewels on her crown and all over.

Wednesday afternoon I was watching the Donohue show because he had some government officials on it discussing the Persian Gulf crisis - Daddy came upstairs and we watched it together and tried to figure out why President Bush didn't "start the war". Just as it ended at 5 o'clock they announced that the allied troops had attacked Iraq. Daddy, John & I just sat glued to the television set and couldn't believe that we were witnessing the start of a war. It was our ward temple night and Daddy & I were going to go to Jessie's wax museum thing and then go to the temple but we decided to come home instead and watch what was happening. We don't know how each one of you feels about the war but it seems to us right now that it could go on for a good deal longer than was originally thought and that is SO sad. It has brought back so many memories of our involvement in World War II and it is so different because we almost have a front row seat. Our hearts ache for the families who are suffering and those prisoners of war - Saddam Hussein is so cruel and unpredictable!!!
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