June 6, 1994 Orem Utah

Dearest John & Juliana; 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:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JOHN TODAY!!! I can't believe you are 28 years old but you are!!! He dropped by last night for just a minute to pick up his mail - I will never see him when he gets a permanent address. He REALLY keeps busy with school and work and married life.

Roy & Patrice - have you been to the wedding in Connecticut yet? I didn't put Joan's date on the calendar but it seems to me that it was the first part of June. I'm anxious to hear all about it and will call you soon. I hope you took some pictures that you can have duplicates made that you will share - I would love to see little Emily & Timothy in their "wedding clothes". Did your dress work out Patrice? Was the weather good? I know your Mom enjoyed having you all home once again and did you see Mrs. Thomas? She is surely a lovely person. Did Liz come with her friend?

Did you all hear about the tornado like storm we had in the Orem and Provo area? Last Tuesday I decided to drive into Salt Lake to go to the Mormon Handicraft store to get some ideas for some quilt blocks our Relief Society has been assigned to make. It was raining and I couldn't work outside which is what I need to do so I thought that would be a good day to go. When I got to the Lehi area on the freeway there was a REAL cloudburst and cars were pulling off the road to wait it out so I did too. I must have sat there for about 15 or 20 minutes before it let up. I went into Salt Lake and on the way home I turned to radio on and they told about the "microburst" storm that had hit Orem-Provo and uprooted trees. I was almost afraid to come home.

I got here about 4 o' clock and my backyard was a disaster area. What few trees were left were completely damaged by the storm. Huge limbs had broken off and were wedged in the trees and scattered all over the yard. My neighbors, Jae Theobald and Cameron Fredericks, asked if they could clean it up for me and I said "yes". Jae used his chainsaw and climbed way up in the trees and it scared me to death but they were very careful. They worked until way after dark and had the patio all swept and it looked so nice until I saw it in the daylight and it really doesn't look very good but there isn't anything I can do about it. They took three truckloads of limbs away. One good thing about all this is that I won't have many leaves to rake up in the Fall - Ha!!!

The damage that was done in Provo was unbelievable. They estimated 9 million dollars in damage - a lot of that at the BYU campus and also the Provo cemetery and it was done in 10 minutes.

Ann and Ron had been in Salt Lake taking Susana & Jessie to the airport so they could leave for Europe. I knew they were not at home and that worried me more than anything but I called as soon as I got home and LeeAnna answered the phone and said they were just fine. Ann told me later that it missed them - the center pole of their awning was blown down but a yard figurine they had on their patio that wasn't even nailed or cemented down didn't even blow over. It was a weird and devastating storm.

They have talked to Susanna & Jessie once and have sent them some faxes and they are having a wonderful time. WHAT A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR THEM.

Bob & Claire and their family stopped in last night on their way home from the cabin. They said the fishing was really good and they had had a good time. I am VERY proud of Bob and the time he spends with his family - he had taken the Boy Scouts with Michael and Brett on a campout on Friday night in West Canyon. Michael called me on Saturday morning to tell me about that and then they went home and picked up the rest of the family and headed for the cabin. They had a "Work Party" at Scofield this weekend and I was worried that Bob would feel like he had to help but he said they weren't working while he was there and instead they invited them to the breakfast on Saturday morning, I AM REALLY PLEASED WHEN YOU ALL ENJOY THE CABIN AND WEST CANYON.

I am also very proud of Rick and the time he spends on scouting trips with Ricky. They had a wonderful trip on their annual outing up in the Wyoming area - they used canoes to get to where they camped and fished.

Ron and Roy also spend lots of time with their children. One thing I have learned is that the time when your children are young doesn't last very long and you can't do it over so you had better do it right the first time.

Ann & Jean are going to St. George today with their girls; LeeAnna, Mary Ann & Sarah to attend a Suzuki violin seminar or something for this week. I had thought they would stop by because Jeannie left some of her makeup here from last weekend but I haven't seen them and it's getting late afternoon. I know they will have a WONDERFUL time and I think it's great that Ron and Rick will care for the other children while they're gone.

My evaporative cooler wouldn't turn off except at the circuit breaker box so the Sears man just came out and fixed it. It only took him about five minutes - he had to put a new switch on and he said they just wear out. I was kinda' hoping he would have to get up on the roof to check it because I also lost the new American Flag I just bought and I thought it might be on the roof entangled in the cooler someway - Ha!!!

I went to the cabin last Thursday and just LOVED it. I painted the door an off white and may paint the whole cabin that color.

P.S. I FORGOT TO TELL YOU THAT ROY BASS DIED. HE AND HIS SECOND WIFE MAXINE, WERE LIVING IN PLAIN DALING, LOUISIANA AND HE HAD HAD CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE FOR SEVERAL YEARS. I TALKED TO DOROTHY AND DAN AND THEY HAD GONE DOWN FOR THE FUNERAL YESTERDAY.

DOROTHY SAID THAT ALL THE CHILDREN WERE THERE. THE ONLY ONE ABSENT WAS ANNA, DAVID'S WIFE, AND I GUESS SHE DOESN'T EVER ATTEND ANY FAMILY FUNCTIONS.

JOHN ROBERT WAS THERE AND SO WAS HIS EX WIFE, KAY AND THEIR CHILDREN. KAY HAS MOVED AND LIVES IN CONWAY IN A LOVELY NEW HOME SO NOW JOHN ROBERT IS TAKING HER TO COURT TO SEE IF HE CAN REDUCE HIS ALIMONY AND CHILD SUPPORT MONEY - WHAT A RASCAL!!! THE WOODS SAY THE PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT THE FORMER BASS HOME ARE NICE.

I'M GOING TO SEND YOU DAVID'S ADDRESS IN CASE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEND A SYMPATHY CARD. THEY WERE ALL SO NICE TO SEND CARDS WHEN DADDY DIED.

DR. & MRS. DAVID BASS
236 EAST HICKORY STREET
PONCHATOULA, LOUISIANA 70454
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