February 22, 1993 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 just walked home from my class and it is much colder outside than it looks. They said on the weather news this morning that it was going to get in the 50's today but I doubt it. We have had A LOT of snow this past week and I have to keep reminding myself that it is just February. I'll be glad when I can work outside in the yard - I kept telling myself last April that I was going to get a headstart on the yardwork this year - it seemed like there was a lot to do all of a sudden last year.
I have a new calling in church and I am really excited - they sustained me yesterday as the Secretary in the Young Women Auxiliary. I am really looking forward to it and am SO relieved that I won't have to prepare a lesson each week - that has been hard!!! I will also be able to attend part of Relief Society each Sunday. The Bishop told me they wanted me to stay with the Young Women and this is a perfect calling for me. It will be fun to work with the new President too - she is really on the ball!!!
I have my new drapes up and they are just beautiful and I love them - I am so relieved. They are kinda' dark and make the room dark but it is a look I have wanted in there. I hope I can find some accessories now to tie it altogether.
I was SO excited on Saturday - John called me from Milan, Italy!!! It was 12:45, noon, here and it was 8:45 there - he was getting ready for bed. He said he loved Monte Carlo - he said everything was so clean and he didn't see any litter or anything. He said Italy reminded him of South America and that surprised me. He said the language barrier was really hard in Monte Carlo but other places he had been able to understand about half of what people said. The next day they were going to drive to Switzerland - they were driving a BMW. I guess they made some good contacts at the meeting in Monte Carlo - at least John said it had been successful. I'm SO thrilled he has been able to go on this trip - he said he would like to live over there but just for a short time. He'll be home Sunday, the 28th.
What do you all think of Pres. Clinton's new economic plan? I can't help but feel bad for those of you who have worked so hard to get in the upper income bracket and then have to pay such heavy taxes. I didn't vote for him but I have to admire his vitality and ability to communicate with people - I don't know when he sleeps - he surely has a lot of stamina and seems to thrive on being with people. I don't even attempt to understand all the implications of the tax laws he is proposing but I know the Republicans are not going to let him have an easy way of getting all of them passed.
The Woolleys came over last night and brought their "own" popcorn and it was really good - freshly popped and buttered. They came over during the half time of the NBA game. I been with it this week and wasn't' aware of what was going on but I guess this was a big think for Utah and two of the Jazz players shared the MVP trophy (Karl Malone and John Stockton) and the West team won in overtime an then by just 3 points. Jessie, Jimmy & LeeAnna & I went downstairs and turned out all the lights and watched "Murder, She Wrote" in the dark until the NBA game was over. Jimmy was in charge of Family Home Evening and had planned it all by himself - he's studying nutrition in his class at school and he had planned a game using the "Yes-Yes" and the "No-No" foods - it was so cute. Congratulations to Susanna & Jessie - after they left last night I ready the Sunday paper and discovered their names in the Honor Roll for their school. Ron is back at work already - he still can't sit but makes a makeshift bed and works with his lap top computer. I think it's so neat that he will come over here even though he has to lay on the hard floor.
I met Ellen Mae & Marian in Salt Lake last Thursday and we had so much fun. Malcolm invited us to eat in the General Authority's dining room and that is always special - we had prime rib, mashed potatoes and banana cream pie - low cal - Ha!!! Do any of you remember Al Choules from our Phoenix days? He is now a General Authority and I talked with him and we reminisced about our times together in Arizona. He & his wife, Rosemary, were in New York where Al served as Mission President - the last 6 weeks of their mission Rosemary was ill with breast cancer and then she died a year later and he has remarried. He still seems SO sad and that was ten years ago - Rosemary was only 55 years old. He told me that they visit with the Haggards occasionally and Jerry is slowly recovering from that stroke he had - they live in Sandy.
When I got home from Salt Lake I hurried to go to the temple where our ward was meeting for Temple Night. That's the first time I have been to the Provo temple for a long time.
Friday night was our Ward Valentine Party and it was SO nice. It was just for adults and DeAnn Garrison invited me to go with her because her husband was out of town. They had a black couple entertain and they were wonderful singers - Ann told me later that their ward put on their wedding reception a year ago. The dinner that was served was my kind of food - it was a taco salad with all kinds of fillings and just delicious.
I have worried about all the storms in the South - Tennessee and Georgia got it yesterday but it seemed to miss Arkansas - this is kinda' tornado season and I'm always happy that Roy & Patrice live so close to the Fire Station where the alarms are.
I haven't heard from the people from the "North" this week but I will see Jeannie tomorrow - we're meeting in Salt Lake just for fun. I'll bet the Bob Mellors are "cruising" - I hope so!!!