Dearest Family, August 31, 1998 8:10 p.m.

I can't believe all the rain we are having - today we came home in a blinding rainstorm and all the streets were flooded. They kept the children inside the school building after school because it was raining so hard and they brought the van to get us right up to the door but we still got soaking wet. I think the cars and buses are going to stall with water right up to their doors but they keep running. Three of my students couldn't come tonight for their lesson - they called and said they were in a traffic jam. One student came - she is a young woman (26 years old) and she just lost her job. I tried to convince her that she needs to volunteer in the schools until she can find one but I don't believe she is very interested.

Janet and Darlene left this afternoon to go to Songkhla (Southern Thailand) to conduct an English Camp - they went by night train. They have finished most of their teaching in the schools. Helen taught her last class of attorneys tonight here in the apartment and then they took her out to dinner - she wasn't supposed to go alone but I couldn't go because of my student and I promised to not tell - Ha!!! SO I AM ALONE IN THE APARTMENT!!! My air conditioner in my bedroom has not worked for a week and they came to fix it on Saturday - I was so thrilled and then it stopped working last night. IT IS SO HOT IN THERE!!! I believe I will sleep on the couch in our living room tonight.

PATRICE - THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WONDERFUL LETTER!!! I took it to school with me today and read it to my teachers. (Patrice wrote and told me about the new principal they have in their childrens' school. She has a new discipline policy and it is called “catch them being good” and the teachers and aids walk around with a big roll of tickets like they use at carnivals and if they catch a child being good, he or she gets a ticket. On Friday, the kids put all their tickets in for a drawing and two kids from each class win a pizza party!) She told me about some of the qualifications for being good and they are SO good - getting forms signed by parents, being polite, working quietly, putting a napkin in your lap at lunch, etc. She sounds like a wonderful person - even trying to learn all the children's names and giving them hugs when they come through the door in the morning. I LOVED that school even before the new principal and I'm happy I have grandchildren going there. Patrice - I know you are a big help in the school too.

Suzie just got home from her Alaska Cruise - she taught computer classes to help with her fare and she said it worked out fine. I'm glad she got to visit with Liz and Bob in Seattle and what a great thing for Joan to do - she surprised them all by flying out to be with them for a few days. I hope Suzie gets over her bronchitis illness soon. Take her a big bouquet of zinnias (Patrice said their garden is producing like crazy - flowers and hot peppers!!!) I wish I could send you some of our rain.

BOB, JOHN AND ANNIE - THANK YOU FOR YOUR MESSAGES TOO. Bob said you all have had a lot of rain too - even to the extent of some basement flooding in the Layton area. I'm glad Bob & Claire didn't get flooding in their basement.

It's hard for me to believe that my grandchildren in America are starting back to school. Brett is in Junior High and I remember him just a year ago in about the 4th grade - Susanna is home from Israel - Michael is going to a different High School (what is the name of it?) - and Jessie and Barji are getting settled in at Utah State. I am having a hard time with reality - things are moving just too fast to keep up. Helen's only son just had his second baby son and Helen is flying high - this son is in optometry school and their baby was born quite prematurely (5 1/2 lbs.) but he's doing fine. Helen has four daughters and this one son and he was adopted.

Mr. Witt, the Superintendent of schools where I am moving, called this afternoon and said he will pick me up on Friday to take me to see an apartment he has picked out for me and the new missionary. I hope it is nice!!!

Marc Hall told Virginia that we could fly to Cambodia on our way home and go see the world's most famous ruins. I almost laughed thinking about what I have said about seeing “one more ruin” - it will only cost 2,000 bahts so I will have to do it. I guess this is special because the wars in Cambodia are over now and it is possible for us to go there for the first time.

I am getting excited about my condo in America - I appreciate SO very much all Bob and John have done to help me with this. I would like to get an apartment to live in between the time I get home until it is ready - maybe I could stay in Cambodia - Ha!!!

I LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY, VERY MUCH. PLEASE BE SO VERY, VERY CAREFUL. Grandma B