July 15, 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:
Daddy just came up from the garden with his arms full of yellow & zucchini squash - our first harvest!!! Our tomato plants are loaded but not ripe and we also have an Anaheim pepper that's just about ready - they're the kind of peppers we use in making chili rellenos. We have been eating wonderful bing cherries all week and we're hoping there will be some apricots - most of them were frozen - I want to make more jam!!!
Tomorrow is Ricky's 12th birthday - we hope you have a perfectly wonderful day Ricky!!! We plan to go be with them next Sunday when he will receive the priesthood - we're SO proud of you. Daddy & I commented yesterday when we watched the Deacons pass the sacrament that our first grandson would soon be doing that. We had planned to go watch Ricky's baseball game on Saturday evening with the Woolleys but his team was eliminated in the playoff that morning so we didn't go. His team won a championship game and they were honored in a parade on Saturday morning and they also received trophies. What a thrill!!! Rick has been their coach and Jeannie said they have had such a successful time. Ricky is a natural sportsman and we hope he enjoys it for many years - I believe it's the pressure to win that defeats too many of the young players.
Emily - thank you SO much for the beautiful picture - we have it on our refrigerator just below your photograph so we are reminded of you constantly!!! We are thrilled to see that you are able to print your name and we know your Mom spends a lot of time with you teaching you things like that. We really miss you Roy & Patrice and wish you could come "cool off" for a little while. We know you are having fun fixing up your home and we're anxious to hear more about it - you can just do a little at a time but that's what makes it fun. Is Timothy crawling yet?
Bob - you surely do spend a lot of time with the Boy Scouts - we hope they appreciate you!!! He takes them camping almost every weekend he has off. We don't know where you go but we hope you have been able to find some cool places because it has been HOT. It was fun to talk to you Claire and we know you're doing good.
The Woolleys have had a stressful week but they will come out just fine - nothing ventured, nothing gained is my philosophy!! We're SO proud of Ron for having the gumption to go ahead with his desire to have his own company - he has earned it and he should have it. We're also proud of Ann for supporting him in this. There is nothing that reveals the "real person" like an injunction where money is involved - Daddy & John went to some of the meetings with their attorneys & judge.
Daddy & I and Ann & Susanna, Jessie, LeeAnna & Jimmy went to the Mellor family reunion on Saturday morning. They had gone to SO much effort to make it a nice affair - much nicer than last year. They had it in a Senior Citizen's Center in American Fork with big tables set up with flowers on the tables and lots of good food and a nice program and lots of genealogy. We bought a disc and if it has any new information on it we will makes copies for all of you. I just know that those people are going to go to heaven and I am ashamed at the things I don't do to help. They put the Roy Mellor family in as a presidency for next year (I wish that meant you in Little Rock Roy) so Daddy will assume that responsibility if he can. Carol & Elly were there from Manti, Ramona & Winston were there from Orem, Shirley & Glen were there from Provo and also Carol Ann from California - Carol had Carol Ann from her family, Shirley had Holly from her family so we were THRILLED when Ann came in to represent our family. I tried to talk John into going but he was busy fixing up the yard for his party - a lot of his cousins were there - Jimmy & John Willardsen and Jared & Stephanie Pinegar - he would have enjoyed it!!! Daddy is SO quiet about it that we don't know if it is important to him or not so we don't blame any of you for not supporting it.
Daddy & I went to the cabin last Tuesday and were watching television about 10 o'clock at night when John came. He had come to tell us about the death of Ellen Mae's mother. She was 88 years old and had been in ill health for quite awhile so we weren't surprised but we were surprised to find out she had been killed in an automobile accident. She was with some of her cousins and another cousin, 76 years old, was also killed and their 86 year old cousin was driving. John spent the night at the cabin and then we all left to come home the next morning. Daddy & I went to Brigham City for the viewing and then drove back up there on Thursday for the funeral - they are like family to me and I REALLY appreciated John taking the time to come tell us about it. They had to find Ellen Mae at Lake Powell.
Daddy & I went fishing all day on Friday - we caught 12 of the biggest catfish you have ever seen. Daddy had forgotten to take his fishing box so we ran out of hooks or we would have stayed even longer. Wayne & Chris will be here on Wednesday so Daddy will have a fishing partner who will be able to help him do some of the lifting and that will be good. We will plan our Alaska trip and will let you know the dates we will be gone!!!