September 16, 1996

Dearest John & Julianna; Roy, Patrice, Emily, Timothy & Jesse; Bob, Claire, Michael, Laura, Brett & Katie; Rick, Jean, Ricky, Barbara Jean, Mary Ann & Sarah; Ron, Ann, Susanna, Jessie, Russell, Lee Anna & Jimmy:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO RICK ON WEDNESDAY!!!! I HOPE YOU HAVE A VERY WONDERFUL DAY - you're 30 something aren't you???

I am loving my computer more each day. I do believe I have learned how to send and receive E-Mail messages even though I probably haven't convinced John yet. He was over here all afternoon on Saturday trying to teach me what I need to know about this thing. Bob had been over earlier in the week and done the same thing. It was so much fun to have John show me how to check to see if anyone had written me a message - I had three messages from Bob, one from John, one from Patrice and one from Roy. They had been sent earlier in the week but I couldn't find them. John helped me to reply to them BUT then he left. I decided to try to write a longer note to Bob and when I went to send it a window came up that said, "Error getting network address for relay.utah-inter.net". I called John and he was so kind and patient as usual but he said, "Mom, I believe you need to work with it yourself without me sitting by you and then I'll come over in a day or two". I thought about it all night Saturday night and got up early on Sunday and came down to try it again and I figured it out. I had a message from Bob this morning that said he had 10 messages from me but there wasn't anything on them and he thinks I am sending them too fast. I also sent one to John and to Roy & Patrice so if you didn't get them that's the reason.

I told Bob,. this is like having a friend in the house and I'm anxious to spend more time with it and learn more. Bob and Claire and their family came down yesterday afternoon - they had been on a hike up into the Bountiful mountains - and it was wonderful to have them come. Bob and Claire came to the computer to help me and Michael was sitting behind us - he knows so much about computers it makes me realize what a smart new generation we have coming up and I'm proud of them. Katie and Laura still enjoy the playroom and it was fun to see them trying on the wigs, etc. Brett can always find things to do!!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO MARY ANN AND SARAH!!! I went to the University of Utah to hear them play in a violin recital and I couldn't believe how well they played. They didn't make one mistake or forget anything. Some of the students who played before them forgot where they were - that's okay though and I'm sure it will happen to Mary Ann & Sarah sometime. I was VERY impressed with how well they did - it was especially fun to see the concentration on Sarah's face. I "take my hat off to Jeannie" for getting them to practice as much as they have to, to do as well as they do.

Ann and I went to the Michelle Van Dam and David Hooper wedding reception in Salt Lake on Thursday night. It was held in the home of the Van Dams' friend and it was very nice. I am SO thrilled for Nancy and Bob Hooper - Nancy is the daughter of Keith - Daddy's brother. They have eight children and this David is such a nice young man. Ann is a real trouper when it comes to finding hard addresses - I would have given up long before she finally found it. The address on the invitation was wrong and Nancy said she knew people would have trouble finding it. We left here at 6 o'clock and didn't get home until after 9 p.m.

I went to a play in Lindon on Friday night. A lady who belongs to the Orem Women's Club is the director of the Valley Center Playhouse and she had invited members of the club to come see it. I went to another lady's home, Millie Ashby, first for refreshments. The play was quite like a very well done road show but it was fun to go.

I wish you could see Sasha and Oscar - the golden retriever puppies that belong to Julianna and John. They are absolutely gorgeous - they are SO cuddly I would like to sleep with one of them. They brought them over to play with Hans and Frauie on Saturday. Frauie was a little feisty at first but she finally accepted them and they played together. Sasha and Oscar found a cool place to sleep and I worried about them but John kept reminding me that they are just puppies and nap a lot - they are 9 weeks old. They will be wonderful for their children when they come along - John says their neighbor children like to come over and play with them. Bob and Claire wanted to go see them yesterday but the time got away from us so they will have to go another time. John says the dogs will get big - I wish you could see them while they are still puppies. John likes to take them out to Utah lake - he says they just wade right into the water and swim. Julianna is anxious to have a break from her school so she can start to get their home in order. They had their furnace ducts cleaned last week and now she is cleaning the walls - this is all part of owning a home isn't it?

I was so happy to hear from Roy on E-Mail. Patrice told me he was still alive and doing well but I hadn't heard directly from him for a long time. I worried about the weather in Little Rock - they were having heavy rain and I remember how our downstairs would get so damp - do you remember when our hard wood floors down there buckled? Chris called me on Saturday but she didn't mention the weather and I forgot to ask her about it. She wanted me to ask Bob if he remembered a Mark France - he is practicing medicine in North Little Rock. Was there a younger France son that was your age Roy? I don't remember them. The France parents were on the Ireland trip Chris went on. Chris is doing good - John and Marsha and their son Graham come from Fayetteville often to visit.

Russell is still "hanging in there" with his football team. He doesn't weigh very much so he doesn't get to play as often as he would like to. He kinda' reminds me of when Roy played football - he was so faithful to go to all the practices but because he wasn't a heavyweight he didn't get to play as much as he would have liked. He loved it though so he kept at it. I asked Bob if he ever played football because I couldn't remember and he said, "When I found out I could get hurt playing it, I quit". John kept getting his collar bone broken - once in Little Rock and once in Billings. I believe he would have been good if he had started earlier but because of our situation in Billings he had to wait a year to become eligible.

I am LOVING my freedom from church callings. There are so many new people in our ward who need callings that I may not get one and that would be fine with me. It is SO nice to not have any responsibilities and I could get used to it real easy!!!! I have had the nicest cards from many of the sisters in our ward. I feel kinda' like President Reagan - I'm too old for another term but I got out while people still liked me - Ha!!!

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