June 21, 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:
A stormy day here in Orem - I don't remember a Spring like we have had this year - very BIZARRE weather!!! Lightning struck a boat that was parked in a front yard of a home just a few homes from ours on Thursday morning - just missed their little boy who was standing by it - SCARY!!!
This week is birthday week for Michael - HAPPY 12th BIRTHDAY MICHAEL - on Saturday!!! One more year and then you become a "terrible teenager" - Ha!!! I hope you have a really happy day.
I did extraction work most of the day last Monday and then again on Friday - I'm supposed to put in at least 10 hours a week. It's fun after I get there but I can think of a million things to do instead of going.
Tuesday morning I walked with our Relief Society group and that was fun - we started at 7 a.m. and walked for an hour and then went back to Sister Stoddard's home and had muffins and juice so we didn't walk off any pounds!!!
When I came home I watered the lawn and gardens good and then took off for the cabin. As ugly as Scofield was last year it is ten times prettier this year - there is water everywhere and it is so green and lush and just beautiful. The only bad thing is that the swallows have found their old roosting place again - I had planned to put up some new draperies in the skunk room but instead I spent my time knocking down swallow mud nests and hosing off the cabin and patio. There were about 8 of them and it's unbelievable how hard and sturdy they can make them. I don't know if you remember that brightly colored string of metallic ribbons that we used to celebrate one of Daddy's birthdays - anyway I strung some of that along the roof line to discourage them from building again!!! I plan to go up again sometime this week to knock any they have built down.
Byrd Gordon is really nice to help me. That is his home and I'm lucky to have someone so close by to watch things - he really has a home in Price but he prefers Scofield. He had me get some poles for the dock - remember, we took them up when we took the furniture. Well - when he put them in last week he said, "Barbara, these are conduit pipes and they will just bend in the wind". The places where the poles fit on the dock have pulled out and he said he would try to find some new ones - just one had pulled out really but the others are loose. That is something I know absolutely nothing about so if he hasn't done anything about it I will leave it up to the men in our family - IF YOU WANT THE DOCK. I never use it. They don't use our dock either.
He took me for a ride around Fairview canyon and one of the most interesting things was a monument by the Huntington Reservoir where the found the fossil of an elephant that was 9500 years old. The have that elephant in the museum in Price so if any of the children are interested you should make sure they see it. Byrd was a coal miner and for the last few years he inspected mines so he knows a lot about that - he showed me "coal seams" and said that area has enough coal in it to be mined for years and years. That's hard for me to believe because I see coal trucks and railroad cars carrying tons of coal out of there daily.
I came home on Thursday and then went to the Weinerts to go to Ogden with them. Their daughters and also Bob & Claire's daughter, Laura, were in a dance recital at Weber University. I can honestly say I have never seen such a spectacular presentation - I felt like I was watching a Broadway play. It was mostly ballet but there were also some modern and jazz dances. They danced to music by a live orchestra with accompaniments by harpists and pianists. Their costumes were out of this world - VERY ELABORATE. Jeannie had done a marvelous job in getting good seats for us and I have NEVER enjoyed anything anymore. I just wish I had remembered to take my camera - can you imagine me forgetting my camera??? Jean has promised me she will share her pictures with me. I WAS VERY PROUD OF MY GRAND DAUGHTERS - they were all just gorgeous and danced perfectly!!! We went for ice cream and pie afterwards and that was fun but I was really nervous about driving home so late - I got home at 12:30 a.m.
Friday evening, Ann & I went to an open house for Mell Crawford and his wife Chari. It was held in the backyard of Kim & Michelle Crawford and was very nice - they had married in the Salt Lake temple earlier in the day.
Yesterday was Father's Day and I guess that will always be a very solemn day for all of us. I went to the cemetery early and decorated Daddy's grave and hurried back for church. They had asked John to give a little talk about his Dad in our Relief Society - I felt that was asking a "little much" so I said I would do it. I took his Navy Picture and they all agreed that any girl would fall in love with such a handsome man - Ha!!! I hope all you wonderful fathers in our family had a Happy Day!!!
Last night I had such a "Happy Surprise". About 5 o'clock Annie called and told me that the Weinerts were coming down. I just hung up from talking to her when they came. We just had a wonderful time and nothing pleases me more than to see the cousins play together - Russell & Ricky give the girls "fits" but I guess that's normal. Annie gave the Family Home Evening lesson (on the responsibilities that come with being a member of the church) and Jeannie brought refreshments (hot fudge sundaes with bananas, nuts, whipped cream, etc., etc.) Barji & Jessie go to "Girls Academy" at BYU for the next two weeks - they look forward to that so much during the year and they were EXCITED!!!