August 8, 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:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURA!!! Today is your 10th birthday and I hope you have a wonderful day. I'll bet you have a fun party planned with your friends - this is a good time of year to have a birthday because there aren't too many conflicts.

Daddy's 73rd birthday was last Thursday. I took a purple chrysanthemum plant over and someone had put a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers on his headstone and with the flowering yellow and orange chrysanthemums around his grave it really looked pretty. When I went over yesterday the flowers in the vase were wilted so I brought the vase home - I believe it must belong to you Ann and that was very thoughtful with every thing you had to do.

There have been so many new graves over in Lehi this Summer-there is a new one every time I go over there. They are clearing the ground just East of where Daddy is buried and it's a good thing because they really need it. I have just been sick about the young man who brought Aunt Marvel's home over there. Roby Brown is his name and one of his Uncles had just given him a horse. They had brought it back to the house and as he was getting on it, it threw him and he fell on that cement driveway we had and landed right on his head. He died in just a few hours. His wife and four little children were standing right by him. I went over to see his wife one day last week but she wasn't home so I went to see Alice Broadbent who is the grandmother. She said they had had a big trip planned to go to Disneyland so they had gone there.

What a wonderful trip we all had to Lake Powell and when I think of all the things we did without any mishaps, I am very grateful. The only thing I would change would be for me to not bring any food - we didn't need it and Bob & Claire had to eat my food. I didn't plan very well so none of mine was frozen and so I insisted on eating it before it spoiled - Bob & Claire, Laura, Brett & Katie all left on Sunday and we had Ann & Jeans' delicious dinners after that. Bob & Claires' dinners were delicious too. I kept expecting imported caviar to appear any minute - they all brought gourmet meals. I am really a "Plain Jane" cook!!! We had delicious treats too!!! I came home with canned food that I left at the cabin because most of it I didn't even take.

I keep laughing as I think about what happened to Rick & Jean. They had arranged for "Sea-Doos" which were a big hit and lots and lots of fun for all of us. Rick kept telling the children to watch the tanks of gas because when they had to go onto the reserve tank they only had 10 minutes to get back to the houseboat. Well - Rick & Jean left the houseboat to go exploring one evening just before dinner and it was the dinner that Bob was cooking filet mignon steaks and of course we were all interested in eating. They didn't come back for so long that we finally became very worried - Ron was just getting in his boat to go look for them and it was getting dark when here they came being towed by another ski boat. They told us that they were stranded in the middle of the lake and FINALLY this boat stopped and asked if they needed help and Rick said, "Pardon me, sir, but do you have any Grey Pou Pon?" Doesn't that sound just like Rick? They were gone for over two hours.

Little Sarah learned how to ski and next year I know that Jimmy will learn. Sarah is just 8 years old - we were all SO proud of her. The weather was hot but really just perfect for all the time we were there - we all slept up on top and it got cool enough for covers towards morning. On Monday night we thought about leaving a day early and the more we thought about it, the more it appealed to all of us. Ron had broken teeth on both sides of his mouth - he never did complain but we knew that they had a very busy weekend ahead of them so we used that for an excuse to pack up and leave. We left Moakie Canyon about 9 o'clock on Tuesday morning and didn't leave Bullfrog until 3 o'clock - it just plain takes a long time to do everything.

I had driven my own car - we thought that maybe Laura & Brett would like to stay longer after their parents left and there wouldn't be room in the other cars to bring them home. They decided to leave with their folks so I drove home alone but it was kinda' fun. I decided to stop off in Scofield and spend Tuesday night and that was REALLY a treat - I turned the big water heater on before I went to bed that night and the next morning I showered for 30 minutes - Ha!!!

We missed Michael who went to Scout Camp to earn merit badges, John who had a trade show in California and Roy & Patrice, Emily & Timothy who went to Gulf Shores, Alabama for a week's vacation.

Roy - thanks SO much for your phone call to tell me that Joy had come through her surgery fine. I called and talked to her and she said you couldn't be her anesthesiologist but she just cried when she told me you had come to see her - she said, "Thank you Barbara for having such a sweet son". I appreciate that SO much Roy. I'm anxious to hear about your trip - I'll bet you weren't any hotter than we were and I know how much you all love a beach vacation - you have had both hot and cold vacations this year.

Bob - I WAS SO PROUD OF YOU LAST NIGHT. They did a television segment about his Medical Mission to Mexico and they interviewed him. You just did a wonderful job and reminded me SO much of Daddy - I watched him at 5:30 and called the Woolleys to watch at 10:00 and then they didn't have it - I'm sure it was because the movie ran over time - they'll how it again I'm sure.


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