January 4, 1999 Farmington, Utah

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO RON YESTERDAY AND TO JIMMY ON TUESDAY - Ron is 30 something and Jimmy will be 14 years old. The picture I have of Jimmy on my "board" was taken when he was about 6 so it is hard to think of him just about grownup - he certainly has grown tall!!! I need new pictures of some of my grandchildren - I probably have them but just have not taken time to find them. I have lots of family pictures but not individual ones.

RICKY IS HOME SAFE AND SOUND AND LOOKS JUST WONDERFUL!!! Meeting him at the airport on Thursday was one of the happiest times of my life - most of my family was there to support him and each other and he was the perfect picture of a "returned missionary". His suit had truly been worn and his suitcase that he hadn't unpacked completely for two years looked as if it had been all over the world. I thought he was much too thin but as his Mother said, "He looks healthy". It was GREAT the way their airline schedules worked out - Barji and Boyd caught an earlier flight - John's flight from New York came right on time but fortunately Ricky's flight was more than an hour late. I hope my pictures turn out good - John took most of them. I had gone to dinner at "El Matador" with the Weinerts before we went to the airport and that was fun. They had to take two cars anyway so I went with them and I appreciated Mary Ann "taking care" of me - she's a good little driver in hard things like finding the right lanes to get into when you leave the airport and she's a "pro".

WOOLLEYS - I hope you are having a super time at Lake Powell because you surely do deserve it. They have been planning Ron's family reunion on the house boat for many months and then just as it was time for it they found that both engines had gone out. Ron, Jessie, Jimmy and Russell went to Lake Powell last Tuesday to see if they could "spur" the workers on to get them ready for Saturday (I heard that it cost Ron an additional $500 to have them work on their day off). Ann, Susanna and Lee Anna left Saturday morning with Ron's family and I haven't heard from them since - I know that Ann had been preparing the food all week. I hope Steve was able to go also - he is in school and it's hard to miss. Ron's family will just LOVE it if everything works!!!

JOHN - I had a nice letter from Sam and Jesse Gulati this morning on the internet. I LOVE my blazer and appreciate very much your getting it for me. That is such a fun "connection" and did you know that your neighbor Mike Theobald knows them and has had clothes made by them - Mike has traveled to Thailand often in his church job. I am SO glad you were able to be with us at the airport and I have worried about all your traveling - he had to be at the airport by 10 o'clock Friday morning to go to New Orleans. I also worried about your lawn because you said it had turned brown while you have been gone and since I didn't have anything special to do on Saturday I drove to Orem and watered your lawn all day - THEN, the Theobalds came over and told me that I needed to get some spray for "bill bugs" because that is what is wrong with it. It was getting late so I didn't do that but if I have time this week I will see if I can go spray it for you. I just LOVE your home and it was fun to be there and Moki and Tar are WONDERFUL dogs - I have never gone out in your backyard before because I haven't wanted them to jump up on me. I had old clothes on this time and I wanted to water some of your trees and bushes so I was out there a lot and they didn't jump up on me even one time - you have surely trained them well to not do that. I hope you are having a good time in New Orleans - I know it must be very hot and humid but it is hot here too!!!

MICHAEL - how is the MTC??? Bob and Claire took him to Provo on Wednesday and left him at the MTC and they haven't heard from him since but then there hasn't been time. I think about you all the time Michael - I receive letters from Russia and Mexico about missionary work so I am still a little bit involved. I am amazed at the success they are having in Russia - they are having as many baptisms as we had in Montana. One of my former companions is serving in Mexico with CES (Church educational System) so her mission is quite like the one we had in Thailand. Her name is Helen and you asked about her Michael - she was really impressed with you. She has learned Spanish well enough to communicate at church - she is a very smart woman!!!

WEINERTS - what a WONDERFUL family Barji is marrying into. I was invited to their home last night for a "family shower" and I had such a good time. Boyd's grandmother, Cleone Frischnect, was there and she looks so very, very young and she is a year older than I am. She is tiny and such a pleasant and sweet person and her daughter, Boyd's Mother, is very much like her - it will be fun to become better acquainted with her. Their home is very lovely and HUGE - they have a "gym" downstairs for their grandchildren and they played so contentedly all the time we were there. Boyd has such nice sisters and brothers and they are very close as a family. They served a buffet dinner and they had enough room for all of us to be seated and most of us at their large table. I REALLY enjoy "games" as you well know and I was happy to find they do too - we played games and that is such a fun and good way to become acquainted. Lynn was NOT a game man!!! Barji and Boyd are so much in love and it is fun to be with them - I am looking forward to the BIG day on Friday and I know everything is going to be perfect!!!

BOB, LAURA, BRETT AND KATIE - I am SO envious of your "planned" trip to Glacier National Park not this week but next. They are going shopping today for their food. When I asked Bob why Claire wasn't going he said, "There isn't room for her. We have reservations at a campsite and we can only get them for four people". Claire - are you sad? That is my kind of vacation - not any more but I truly loved being in the outdoors like that. I believe that is why I enjoy the Scofield Cabin - it is definitely rustic and in an area not ruined by too many visitors. I have been looking at some of our Montana Mission slides and so many of them are taken at Glacier National Park - IT IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.

ROY MELLORS - the people I hear from in Arkansas tell me you are having VERY HOT AND HUMID WEATHER. I am SO looking forward to having you come to Utah - I will even turn on my air conditioner while you are here - Ha!!! I just love having my doors open in the mornings and evenings - BUT it gets hot in here during the afternoons. I spend a lot of time downstairs where it is SO comfortable.

I have some news from Cissy and Charles Beyers. Cissy called me the other day to invite me to Steve's third marriage on August 12th. It will be in Salt Lake at a church but she really called to see if I wanted to be invited so she didn't give me any details. I told her I would be at Susanna and Steves' wedding that day - isn't that a coincidence? Steve's second marriage didn't work - Cissy said his wife suffered from "bi-polar depression" - is that what it is called? Cissy tells me that Steve's first wife has just ruined his name and his relationship with their five children - how sad!!! His third wife is 39 years old and she is a psychologist working for the church in Salt lake and she comes from a very strong Mormon family and her parents are very concerned - can you blame them??? Her last name is "Parks". Steve has transferred to a bank in Salt Lake and they will live there. Cissy also told me that Shawna is still having problems - the heat in Arizona is very hard on her.

Margaret and I went to Salt Lake on Wednesday to celebrate my losing my job at ZCMI. That will be an adjustment for me but I'm sure it is for the best. I will find LOTS of worthwhile things to fill my time - the mother of the little boy I used to tutor talked to me yesterday and said she would appreciate it if I could do that again. He is now in Junior High. I may go into the schools that are close - I don't want to travel into the Humanitarian Center - it's too far and too much traffic. I also don't want to get TOO involved. Once I get interested and started in doing my personal history I will probably enjoy doing that - I don't quite know where to start and no one can tell me because I want to do it my way. I have people tell me they hate the automated phone system at ZCMI.