October 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:

What a beautiful day we are having!!! Our trees are just like gold with the sun shining so brightly and it is cool and so comfortable. We haven't had a killing frost yet but we are supposed to get one soon.

Let me report on some of the things I mentioned in my letter from last week. Daddy's visit to see Dr. Middleton went really good - he says he is doing so well he doesn't want to do anything to "rock the boat". I couldn't agree more - he isn't in any pain and sleeps and eats good!!! He gets REALLY tired in the afternoons and we probably shouldn't plan anything stressful after noon. He has lost lots of hair but most people don't even notice it. I am SO proud of him - he still has his zest and enthusiasm for life and is involved in lots of things and I have a feeling I will be saying that same thing in ten years!!!

WE GOT OUR TRUCK OUT OF THE BACK YARD!!! We had pulled up all the tomato, squash, pepper and cucumber vines and had cleaned off all the weeds from the hill and piled it full - John came home from work one day and said, "Let's get the truck out". Daddy drove and just as he got to the bottom of that little incline John got a running start and gave it a big push and it just drove right out. What a relief!!! We took all that stuff to our farm in Lehi and dumped it and left the truck overt there. That is SO handy and really fun to do.

Wow - this is birthday week!!! Mary Ann celebrated her birthday on the 10 of this month and this week starts with Timothy's on Wednesday, Susanna's on Thursday and Roy & Patrices on Friday. We hope you all have wonderful times as you celebrate - little Timothy won't "understand" as Emily would say. This is a special birthday for Susanna and for all of us as she starts into her "teenage" years - what a lovely, lovely teenager she is!!!

We had such a fun time at the cabin this past Saturday & Sunday. Bob and Michael, Laura & Brett came down early Saturday afternoon and when they got here Jimmy had called and invited Brett to come stay with him instead of going to the cabin. I told him I would cry if he didn't go with us but that didn't phase him on bit - he was too excited about going to the Woolleys!!! SO - Daddy & I went with Bob & Michael & Laura to go to Scofield to go deer hunting. We got there about 5 o'clock and hurried to get on the four - wheelers to go to the mountains before dark. Daddy & I were on one and they were on theirs. Just as we got into the thick trees Daddy saw a little two-point buck. He got off the four-wheeler and got his gun all ready and the little deer just sat looking at us. Bob & the children were right behind us and they stopped too but just about that time the deer started up the mountain side. Bob & Michael tried to find him again but he outsmarted them. I was glad they didn't shoot it but we never did see another buck - we saw a lot of does & fawns. There were lots of hunters up there but it was a fun family thing - there were quite a few Daddys with their children.

We stayed in that area until dark - there was a stream of water right there and we hoped the big bucks would come for a drink of water. When we got back to the cabin it was dark and we fixed us a bar-be-cue sandwich and played cards for a little while before going to bed. Bob had taken the scouts for an overnighter on Friday night so he was really tired - Michael & Brett had gone with him so they were tired too. They have turned the water off in Scofield so we had to use the "outhouse" and ration the little bit of water we had stored up there but everyone was a good sport and we got along just fine.

Sunday morning after breakfast (Daddy fixed his usual of sausage, eggs & pancakes) we went hunting again. Daddy prepared a "Dutch oven stew" to cook while we were gone. I have been on lots of four-wheel drive expeditions but I have never seen such beautiful country as we saw this time. The weather was just gorgeous and we went up high onto the mountains - it was fun to see all the hunters camped out along the way. We didn't see anymore deer but it was fun anyway.

We got back to the cabin about 1:30 and Daddy & Bob wanted to "winterize" it so Daddy asked Michael to go check the Hav-a-Hart trap under the house (they have to go under the cabin to drain the pipes). WELL - Michael came running back and told us there was something in the trap but it was dead. We really didn't believe him but asked him to go back and see what it was and this time he came back running even faster telling us it was still alive. I'll have to admit that we still didn't believe him but we went to see anyway and would you believe he had trapped that pesky skunk that has lived under our cabin for the last four years. When Daddy & I were at the cabin about two weeks ago we had some leftover ribs and Daddy put them in the trap just as an experiment, not believe they would attract anything.

I wish I could have had a video of Daddy, Bob & Michael all under the cabin trying to devise a way to get the trap out without having the skunk "spray" them - they were laughing so hard they could hardly work. Finally - they got a rope and tied it to one end of the trap and pulled it out and it was really a sight to see that darling little skunk in there. They carried the trap down to the lake and Bob took off his shoes & socks and rolled his pants up - he carried the trap out into the deep water and put a rock on it to weigh it down. They left it there about fifteen minutes and of course the skunk drowned. We took lots of pictures of them taking the skunk out of the trap and will send you some. That memory was worth a million dollars!!!

They did winterize the cabin and we left Scofield about 5 o'clock. Bob had to go pick up Brett so he probably didn't get home until about 9 and we hope he had time to get rested up.

Friday night, Daddy & I went with Ann, Jessie & LeeAnna to Salt Lake to City Rep - they put on "Phantom of the Opera" and it was just excellent. We were all so excited to see the Weinerts because they have tickets too but they didn't ever show up. I finally called them just as the show was starting and they had forgotten. They hurried and got ready and came - we couldn't believe how fast they got there. They wouldn't let them come into their regular seats until intermission but they did get to go into the back seats so they didn't miss much. Susanna had a party to go to so we missed her. I wasn't familiar with the story but Jessie knew it perfectly and told it to us while we were waiting in the lobby. I am so thrilled that we have had the opportunity to go to those things and I think it's wonderful that the children are being taught these "cultural things".

I believe I have told you that I was in charge of the luncheon for Relief Society for October. We had it last Wednesday and it was SO good. Daddy & I went to Smiths and bought thirty pounds of brisket. Daddy did all the preparation and really it was the best brisket I have ever eaten. Everyone just loved it and asked how to prepare it. I had assigned the slaw out and the lady who fixed it didn't grate it fine enough but it was still good. The two ladies who did the dessert fixed orange sherbet with 7-up mixed in and it went so well with the bar-be-cue. I'm really glad my turn is over and that it turned out so good.

I am having more dental work done. I had a cavity in the molar that was holding a four tooth bridge. Chris had to take the whole bridge off to fix it and at first he wasn't sure he could save that tooth - he was talking about an implant and I was ready to do something different. I have had two, two hour visits and it won't be completely done for two more weeks - big deal!!!

We had a surprise last night. We were both tired and Daddy was watching the world series and I was showering when the doorbell rang. It was Paula Pack and her husband (I can never remember his name) and one of their daughters. Paul is the daughter of Daddy's brother Keith. We had a good visit - they live in Jordan and are really sweet people.

We had a bigger surprise when we came home from Scofield. John had left us a note telling us he had traded in his Jetta and bought a 1990 four wheel drive Jeep - something Eagle. We knew he had wanted to change cars but not quite this soon. He is in Las Vegas on a business trip for Viewpoint and he wants SO much for them to be successful that he was quite nervous about this trip.

You'll never read all this and I don't blame you. We love each one of you and we're SO proud of you!!!
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