February 21, 1994 Orem, Utah
Dearest John; Roy, Patrice, Emily, Timothy & Jesse; Bob, Claire, Michael, Laura, Brett & Katie; Rick, Jean, Ricky, Barbara Jean, Mary Ann & Sarah; and Ron, Ann, Susanna, Jessie, Russell, LeeAnna & Jimmy:
WE HAVE SNOW!!! We had a beautiful snow storm yesterday and then it snowed again during the night and everyone is SO happy. It isn't cold and I can just imagine how crowded the ski slopes must be - it is that powdery snow that is supposed to be special.
I have talked to each one of you this week so I know you're all doing good. I actually haven't talked to John - he left a message on my phone yesterday while I was at church telling me he wouldn't be home until this Thursday. They had extra things to do in Europe so they were staying a few more days. I will never get used to a "normal" phone message from Europe - he sounded like he was in the next room. I am REALLY happy John is having this opportunity to travel and he appreciates it too although I'm sure it is hard to be away from Julianna this long. I have tried to call her several times just to say hello but I haven't been able to get her.
Emily - thank you for calling me back. (She had written me the cutest letter and I called while she was in the bathtub so Roy had her call me back.) I'm always hesitant to call them - their children are all at the ages where it is almost dangerous to leave them to even answer the phone. Patrice was at a church meeting and as Roy said, she and Jesse are connected, so he was home with Emily & Timothy. Timothy was trying to get ready to get in the tub and he got on the phone and said, "Grandma B, I can't get my feet out of my pants". Patrice, thank you for your sweet letter - May and June are going to be busy months for you. It's fun to hear about Joan's wedding plans - I hope it will be the "fairy tale" wedding she wants because she has been planning it for a long, long time. I will try to find a reliable woman to help with child care also even though I believe the children will be where we are most of the time. I'm SO glad you got through the ice storms in Arkansas okay - I had talked to Joy earlier and she said they were bad.
Jeannie and Rick it was SO much fun to see you during the week. Thursday afternoon, Rick called from Utah Valley Hospital where he was helping to put in a pacemaker and said that he and Jean were planning to go to St. George with their neighbors for the weekend but he was having problems getting away. Rick's partner is a woman and she had gone in labor that afternoon so he had to take her place. A little while after he called, Jeannie came with her neighbors, Camille and Gary Simmons. They called and talked to Rick and found out that he could come down on Friday so Jeannie left with them. Jeannie told me, "Rick will probably ask if he can come spend the night here because he can't go home because we have a babysitter". He came about 8:30 and he had a lot of homework to do so I visited with him for just a few minutes and then I went to bed (you know me and my early bed time hours). I honestly didn't hear him all night - I can just hope he stayed here because his car was gone when I awakened about 6:30 the next morning. I hope you had a good time in St. George - I don't believe the weather down there was all that good. Ellen Mae called me on Saturday and said she had been to a basketball game for one of her granddaughters and she said Mary An was on the opposing team. She said she went up to her and said, "Are you Ann's daughter?" and Mary Ann said, "No, I'm Jean's daughter." Was that really you Mary Ann - Ellen Mai said you were really a "scrapper".
The Woolleys came over last night and we had a fun time again - we watched the video, "John The Baptist" and then they had questionnaires printed up to test how well we listened. I was proud of the way they were so well prepared because my home teachers, Steve and Cade Frisby, were here. I am VERY impressed with my family and their Family Home Evenings because there is such an emphasis on that in the church and I can report that I have one every week (almost). I know that all you others do it too in one way or another and I'm proud of you. I know the Roy Mellors don't follow our church formula but they have Family Home Evenings in their individual way and that's what is important.
Bob - I just love those pictures you sent to me taken at West Canyon and I don't believe I ever thanked you. I put them on Michael's "frame" and then forgot about them. I hope when you take your Boy Scout Troop there in March that it is warm. I'm glad you and Claire had a good time on your cruise - they went to San Diego and then along the coast to those small Mexican villages and also to Mazatlan (spelling ?). Thanks also for handling that "Mining Guy" - I'm really thankful I don't have to deal with that. Bob and I talked about going to the cabin - I would love to go see how things are but I wouldn't want to spend the night. I could take my car and then you wouldn't have to bring me home if you decided to stay. Steve Frisby was saying he had been to Fairview recently and there was A LOT of snow so we may not even be able to get to the cabin. I hope there is a lot of snow so there will be lots of water in the lake this Summer.
Daddy and I invested some money in one of those Prudential Security Limited Partnerships that you have probably heard a lot about on television. Prudential is spending millions of dollars to get that taken care of and they had five different meetings for people in Utah to attend. I went to the one in Provo last week and it was REALLY interesting. Two men were in charge of the meeting - one was an attorney - and I was surprised in the advice they were giving all of us. They said to make sure Prudential would understand all the facts involved when we made our claims and they were NOT sympathetic with Prudential. I sent in my claim the next day and they are supposed to respond within 90 days and then I can reject their settlement or hire an attorney - I'll let you know what happens!!!