August 31, 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:

This is going to be a speedily written letter. I am having our Family Home Evening Group in tonight and I spent this morning at a meeting because I am on the luncheon committee for Relief Society next week. I have made a dessert but this group doesn't eat anything no matter what I prepare so I don't fuss any more. I made Francis James' surprise shortcake - it's made with soda crackers, egg whites, etc. and is really a meringue - and I'll serve it with some sliced peaches and ice cream. The peaches are SO good and after last Summer with no fruit this has been a wonderful Summer. I worked really hard on Saturday and washed my windows because they wee so dirty - yesterday the wind blew along with some rain showers and you would never know I had even cleaned them.

I spent most of last week on "the hill". I cut all the iris down and tried to get the weeds and grass out of everything - I also cut the shasta daisies off. The four top rows are just filled with flowers - marigolds, pansies, snap dragons and now the chrysanthemums are blooming so it still looks pretty. I took about twenty-five large bags of weeds over to the farm. While I was over there, Don drove up. He had been harvesting some of his vegetables - he says he just loves his garden and it has been therapy for him since he returned. One of his sons has just been made a vice-president for Bank of America in California and he is proud of that.

Saturday, about one o'clock, John came home and said he had the afternoon free if I wanted him to do anything. I have been worried about some tree roots that have come to the surface of the lawn East of the garage so he said he would dig them out. He REALLY worked hard until about 7 o'clock and then he said, "Mom, that's more than one afternoon's job" so he'll finish it another day. Daddy used to dig them out before they got very big but I have tried and I just can't do it - he dug out at least ten really large stumps. While he was working, my nephew, Daren Forrest, (Dee's son) came by with his wife and three little girls. They wanted to say good-bye because he has just accepted a job with Hewlett Packard and will be moving to Corvallis, Oregon next week. I am proud of Daren - he graduated from the University of Utah last spring and he has been working many odd jobs supporting his family for a long, long time. He is also a mechanical engineer. I was down in the garden harvesting my tomatoes, egg plant, squash and raspberries when they came and I looked like a "hired hand" but they didn't care. Roy & Patrice - Dee's daughter, Janelle who used to call you in San Antonio, is still living there but they're hoping to be transferred to Las Vegas. Dee has a really nice family.

Last night was a fun night for me. Little LeeAnna called yesterday morning and asked if they could come visit with me last night and watch "Murder, she Wrote". They got here about 6:30 and Ann had made a delicious poppy seed cake and they brought ice cream to go with it. When they left, I looked at the small piece of cake that was left and was amazed as I thought, "WE ATE THE WHOLE THING". It was really fun and after "Murder, She wrote". We started watching, Jack The Ripper" - needless to say, little Jimmy was sitting mighty close to his Dad. They left before the end of that and I HURRIED to be before I got nervous too!!! I don't have to have company every Sunday but it really helps to put everything in perspective when I have it fairly often. I hope that doesn't sound like "I Gotcha". Many Sundays I'm not even home or lese I have company.

Dorothy Woods called last night while the Woolleys were here - our friends could not possibly have been nicer - people are constantly calling just to "check up on me" and I really appreciate it. She said she was SO glad to see you on duty at the hospital when her mother broke her hip Roy - she said you were wonderful. Her mother is in a convalescent place now and is doing really well - she is 92!!! Carol just passed the bar exam and has accepted a job with a law firm in Fort Smith - Terry is still in Tennessee and Dana is still in Little Rock. I asked her if she thought Bill Clinton was going to be our next President and she said, "I'm really worried but I think he is".

I probably have more news but I can't think of it and I had better get busy and prepare some kind of a lesson for our Home Evening - Daddy was always SO good at that. It has started raining hard now - it has been cloudy all day but we so seldom get any rain that this is a surprise.

I love each one of you so very much. PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. Let me know how I can help you.
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