Thailand Letter
(This was received as a paper letter and Bob scanned it and emailed it to the family)
August 6,1997
Bangkok, Thailand
Dearest Family:
I have heard from each one of you now and that makes me very happy!!! I had letters from John, Patrice, Bob and Claire -THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!
I have been concerned because I hadn't heard from John and Roy and Virginia knew it so when she got the mail on Monday she said, "Well - you have finally heard from John unless you're writing letters to yourself'. John had used a return address from Barbara J. Mellor on his envelope - AND - then the next day I received the letter from Patrice and Emily.
John - you have REALLY been busy. I am SO glad that you have finally rented your home and I'm also thrilled that Julianna has accepted a teaching position in Lehi - THAT'S JUST WONDERFUL!!! Now if you can just sell your Sasha and Oscar - I have an idea you don't really want to have them leave you. I'm glad that you are happy with the evaporative cooler – I think August and September are the worst months in Utah - they're hot and humid but nothing to compared to Thailand. The cooler doesn't really work as well during those months as it does during the less humid months. I know my bushes really need to be trimmed - do what you think is best and I believe that little cottonwood tree was dead before I left so it will need to be cut down. Many of the neighbors have hinted that I needed to trim the front evergreen bushes. My yard is a "pain" unless you keep at it almost every day - I always give up about this time of year. The sprinklers on the lower level have never worked consistently - sometimes they swivel back and forth like they are supposed to and other times they don't. You need to turn the valve on that sprinkles down there though because if you don't the bushes in back of the wall will die and they would be hard to replace. Is the St. John's Wort still alive? I had hoped that the Theobalds or the Littles would water it when necessary before you got moved in. I hope so much that your Siggraph Trade Show goes well - I know that has always been a "pain" but what isn't that is worthwhile? I'm SO anxious to hear more about Julianna's job in Lehi. Please don't send any more mail that comes to me - just open it and read it and tell me about it. I'm glad that Becky and her family had a good time while in Utah - Julianna is such a fun Aunt for her nephews.
Patrice and Emily - I LOVED your long letter too. Emily - I am THRILLED you are learning to sew and your Grandmother Suzie is such an expert you will get good training right from the start. I can just see you cooking dinner in your beautiful kitchen - I would love to have one of your "hidden hot dogs" - I'm kinda' tired of rice and "stuff”. Your SLUFY (Summer Laureate University for Youth) sounds great. I can't believe Timothy is going to basketball camp - that's just super. I'm SO happy that Jesse has learned to swim - that is a real milestone to have all your children safe in the water. I told Virginia about your saying that Buddhism is so serene and that explains it perfectly - it is VERY difficult for me to understand that much devotion to a man but I surely can't criticize their teachings or their way of life. The Branch President of our church here was converted from Buddhism and he is a great person. Patrice -I AM SO PROUD OF YOUR GENEALOGY INTEREST - let me know what you find out about the information you receive concerning Charlotte Elizabeth Mellor.
Laura - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ON SATURDAY. I worry that I am going to forget to mention someone's birthday - I have them on my pocket calendar but not on the big calendar like I do at home. I hope you have a SUPER birthday party or something with your family:
Michael - I loved your letter telling me about your ward celebrating Pioneer Day with everyone wearing pioneer clothing and bringing umbrellas so you could all sit outside in the sun - I'll bet that was VERY hot and uncomfortable. Brett - WAY TO GO - on getting so many merit badges at Scout Camp. Katie - you would REALLY stand out in Bangkok - there is not a blonde person anywhere - when I look at the 4th graders I teach I think of you. Claire - thank you SO much for those wonderful pictures of the children and also at Lake Powell. I hope you had a good time at Cedar City for the Shakespearean Festival. I'm glad you have talked to Skylar - that must be one of the hardest things a person is ever asked to go through - call her often and talk about Burgess.
I still can't believe a11 the WONDERFUL experiences I am having. Last night we went to have dinner with the Governor and it was unbelievable. We all met at our church building in downtown Bangkok - can you imagine the Governor and all the other dignitaries going to our little church building? We all sat around tables and listened to him give his "VISION" of what we are hoping to accomplish - it was WONDERFUL. He is a very nice and gracious man and also very young. The Mission President, President Goodman, spoke and presented the Governor with a huge arrangement of flowers and then we were served 7-up. They provided vans for us and took us to the nicest hotel in Bangkok for a buffet that was out of this world. The Governor was SO cute and went around to every table greeting people and when he got to ours I got out my camera to hurry and snap his picture. WELL - he walked around to where I was sitting and asked me to stand up and then took my camera and I thought, "Oh no, he is going to confiscate the film and have me arrested and I would be like the Elder who sat on the Buddha". Instead he handed my camera to one of his "officers" and posed with me so he could take a picture and then there were about ten other pictures taken of me with the Governor. I AM FAMOUS - HA! !
He gave each one of us a gift - a sport shirt with his picture on it. Did you all know that he has a daughter at BYU? If my picture turns out good I will send it to Susanna and see if she can meet her. I'm sure that won't be hard with 33,000 students - Ha!!! This would all be much better if I didn't look like a clown - my hair is still so frizzy and it rained that day and as Virginia and I waited for the bus we got drenched. Mainly because we walked across the walkway over the road and when we got on the other side we found out we were on the wrong side and had to go back over and it was raining cats and dogs!!! I had bought that little jacket made of Thai silk and even though the sleeves are too short I wore it and it got soaking wet!!!
There is not enough money to buy the experiences I am having. The dredging they did on the canal is all piled up in front of our townhouse and it is yucky but I haven't seen any more "eels". We had a pipe burst this morning and we couldn't find out how to turn off the water - we called our principal and she sent one of her "officers" out to fix it. Everything is kind of "Nigger rigged" as Daddy and Wayne would say. We are going to see "The Bridge Over the River Kwai" - I mean the real bridge where it took place - our whole teaching group is going. Bill Marriott is a good friend of Elder Hales - Virginia's brother in law - and he wants one of his Bangkok Executives to meet us - we will do that on Monday. I'm going to try to cut my hair myself. We teach at least five hours every day and come home SO tired and now tonight a neighbor young man is coming over for a teaching lesson.
WE LOVE IT AND ARE VERY HAPPY.