June 15, 1992 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:
WOW - it's a cold day here in Orem and I have the furnace on. We have had some rain though and that's really good. We had a big wind storm here on Friday night and when I awakened on Saturday morning I could see I had my work cut out for me. The wind had blown big branches off the trees and the lawn was covered with little sticks. John was in Montana so I had asked Jon Theobald to mow my grass but I knew he couldn't do it with all the sticks on it. I raked and got all the "stuff" gathered up and put it in the trunk of the car and took it to "the farm". I just came home in time for Stewarts to spray for bugs - I don't ever remember having that many and I told them to douse the entire house and yard so they did - now I have to clean all my windows - Ha!!! The yard is a constant job but I guess it's good for me because I feel good and it's fun to see the vegetables growing - I already have yellow squash and the tomatoes, cucumbers and egg plant are all growing like crazy.
I "attacked" my freezer on Saturday night - it had partially defrosted and was a mess. I threw out SO MUCH good food and I'm determined to be a better grocery buyer from now on!!! I put the old refrigerator together - I had taken the top of it apart and was kinda' surprised that I could get it back together. I had put a lot of soda in the coils and all around everything I had taken apart - that was hard to get out. It still smells of fish and shrimp and if it stays that bad I'll just get rid of it.
Jeannie came down on Thursday and we had so much fun for the few hours she was here. We went to the cemetery to put fresh flowers on Daddy's grave and then to the freezer locker to put in some meat from my freezer. Then we went to the "Sensuous Sandwich" place for lunch, then shopping for a few minutes and then she had to leave to go home - I LOVED HAVING HER COME!!! Their children are all playing ball and some of their games were that afternoon - she said even Sarah is playing and I'll bet she's a star!!!
I had a fun Friday too. I left here about 5 o'clock so I could be to a reception for Nicol Sondrup by 6. They had a reception and receiving line from 6 'til 7 and then dinner and dancing from 7 'til 9 - I had told them I wouldn't stay for dinner. It was a beautiful wedding party - Nicol's dress could have been for royalty and she is a beautiful girl. Barbara and Kevin looked really good. The place they had it, "Chart House" by the new Delta Center, is very small and seeing the Sondrups brought back so many memories I didn't stay very long. Roy & Patrice - do you remember that the Sondrups came to your wedding? They asked about you - they live in Nashville now but have just been transferred to New Jersey.
I left Salt Lake and drove to Bountiful to go to a dance recital that Laura had invited me to. It was held at Bountiful High School and it was a very elaborate recital - I LOVED IT. I couldn't help but realize that they had surely found the right thing for Laura - she was just darling and in "Seventh Heaven" as she performed. She isn't sure she is going to take it again next year though - she told me "it takes too much time" - if I understood her right, she has been practicing for it since December. It is surely good for her though and I love to see little girls doing things like that. We had yogurt afterwards.
I have a friend and neighbor who makes dolls - I mean she really makes dolls!!! She is a professional and has a business license to sell them - she just finished an order to go to a store in Jackson Hole of Western dolls and also ballerinas. She enters competitions and said she has received all blue ribbons except for one red because the judges thought the eyebrows of one of her traditional dolls looked more French than German - can you imagine that??? Anyway - she came over the other day to look at my "old" dolls and give me suggestions on fixing their eyes - she said she would try to do it if I can't find a doll hospital. While she was visiting with me she heard this noise and said, "Barbara, you have a bird in your fireplace". I don't know how long it had been there but the fireplace was a mess and I had to wash all the logs. I got Daddy's fishing net and she caught it and took it out on the porch - it got caught in the net and when I went to help get it out I accidentally closed the door and we were locked on the porch. We were really a funny sight and neither one of us could climb down - we waited until we could see a neighbor girl and she came in the front door and rescued us. It taught me a lesson and I am going to have a key made to leave out on the porch. This friend's name is Roberta Olsen and her husband is a doctor in general practice at IHC.
I went to the temple last Wednesday. It was our Ward Temple night - I went early so I could go through a session before the rest of them came. It was the first time I had been since Daddy's death and I knew it would be hard but I got along fine. It is a wonderful place to go and now I'll go more often.
They released Jim Griffin as the Stake President in the Little Rock Stake yesterday. Joy Geisler called last night to tell me that Dick Cobb is the new Stake President. When I told John, he said, "Dad will roll over in his grave" - I had the same impression - Ha!!! Daddy taught Dick a very valuable lesson and because of that Dick has grown personally. Much to Dick's credit though because many men would have lost their testimonies and become inactive. Do you all remember that Dick was Daddy's counselor but Daddy couldn't put up with his lack of humility and had him released. Dick is a wonderful man who has really grown personally and Ann will help him a great deal. Joy said that in introducing him yesterday he said, "What do Bill Clinton & Dick Cobb have in common? They both have wives who could do as good a job as they could". That's all my space. PLEASE BE CAREFUL!!!