March 2, 1999 Farmington, Utah

The sun is shining through the window here in the den and I have such a beautiful view of the mountains with the snow on top!!! It looks warm outside but I know differently - we are having great weather though!!!

I spent most of last week getting things ready for my friends' visit. I did go to Salt Lake with Rick and Jean to attend Sarah's violin recital and I LOVED that. She did a perfect job and we were a little late in getting there and when we looked at the program we were surprised to find that she was the first one to play. That would have really thrown me into a frenzy but it didn't bother her one bit - she just tuned up and played without one mistake. It was kind of a practice for the federated judging that took place on Saturday and Jeannie said she got a superior rating that day - I'M PROUD OF YOU SARAH!!!

Claire - I hope you had a good time in Arizona playing tennis. I talked to Katie and Bob during the week and they said they were getting along just fine. Bob was supposed to move his office but he said the telephone lines weren't in yet so he had to postpone it until later.

Roy - I thought about you and Emily all weekend because it would have been such a perfect time for you to be here weatherwise. I hope it will still be good when you can come - that is one thing we can't control isn't it?

I think about John and Julianna as they are doing some remodeling in their home. I AM PROUD OF THEM - they knocked out the wall between the kitchen and the family room by themselves. That is something I have wanted to do for a long time but I couldn't figure out where I would put the cabinets. I'm sure that will make such a big improvement in your home. I'm sorry you are having such a hard time taking off the wallpaper - we didn't put it on in the master bedroom but we did put it on in the playroom downstairs and I don't want you to tell me how hard that is - Ha!!! We had to use the glue gun in certain places. I will come help you if you will let me.

I talked to my neighbor for a few minutes yesterday - he had gone to the program in Logan on Friday night so I asked him if he could remember the Leprechaun who played the violin solo. He said "Wow, she was GOOD!!!" He also said the Sunburst dancers were as good as any he had seen in Las Vegas. I AM SO PROUD OF JESSIE AND BARJI!!! I talked to Ann for a few minutes a week ago Sunday and she told me they were going to put it on in the Salt Palace on March 10th - I want to tell my Utah County friends so they can go see it.

I have had a WONDERFUL weekend with my friends. Chris came in on Friday night right on schedule and it was SO good to see her - she has not changed one bit in the last twenty years and she doesn't have one wrinkle. We came home and had a bowl of soup and just visited until we couldn't keep our eyes open. Dianne came early on Saturday morning. Barbara Sondrup didn't get to the airport until about 11 p.m. on Friday night so Marilyn picked her up and they stayed in Salt Lake. Linda also stayed at her apartment and she came early on Saturday. I had fixed that egg casserole that is refrigerated overnight so I baked that and I got some muffins from the Great Harvest Bread place so we all ate and visited. I told them about my mission and they all told about their families. I can't tell you how much fun it was to hear about everyone and since Chris has lived in Little Rock since we all left she still knew about the people we remembered.

I wanted them to go to the Rock Loft and it is close and since the Weinert's home is right on the way we stopped there to see that. I hadn't planned to go in but Rick was there so we decided to go through it and of course, THEY LOVED IT!!! Then we went to the Rock Loft and of course we had to go to the bakery next door and have a cinnamon roll. Barbara teaches a craft (tole painting) class in her home in Georgia and she wanted to go to Riverdale to see some special painting done by a famous tole painter so we went there and she bought huge things that I worried about how she would get them packed and home.

We then went to Salt Lake because Chris wanted to buy some See's candy and we all wanted to see the apartment where Linda lives. We went to a Mexican restaurant for dinner and it was SO good!!! THEN - we hurried back to Centerville where we went to the Roger's Memorial Theatre to see the play "Forever Plaid" - we were all thrilled at how good that was. We laughed continually for about two hours - I want to go to all their plays from now on. Then we came back here and visited and laughed some more until after midnight.

Sunday morning, Chris, Dianne and I went to my Sacrament Meeting. It was a missionary farewell and it was just excellent. The young man is going to Australia and they used a lot of humor in their talks. We came back here and changed clothes and then met Linda, Barbara and Marilyn in Salt Lake and headed for Park City.

We just "goofed around" most of the day - we went shopping on Main Street and we REALLY enjoyed the many art galleries they have there. The weather was warm and very nice. Did you all know that President Clinton, Hillary and Chelsea were there for Chelsea's 19th birthday celebration!!! We didn't see him but all the people in the stores were hoping he would visit them. We went to dinner at a famous restaurant and that was fun - before that we went to "Cow's" for ice cream and it was delicious - I had mud puddle so if you go there get that because it is good - it has those "rollo" caramels in it. Then we went back to our rooms and stayed up until morning just visiting and looking at albums. Linda left at 6:30 the next morning and Chris left at 8 by shuttle. Dianne, Barbara and Marilyn and I had breakfast and then Dianne took Marilyn to the airport, Barbara went to Provo and I came home.

I just can't believe that Marilyn. She is President of her own Insurance Agency - Massachusetts Mutual - she has hired her son, Curtis, as a financial advisor and her husband to work in the office. She is a beautiful woman and so smart in the financial world that it was fun to listen to her. Their daughter had a little baby boy and she didn't want to raise him so Marilyn and Dean are doing that - can you imagine having a baby to raise while you are running an insurance business? They live in Dallas and they love it there.

Last night I went to a Family Home Evening at the home of one of the counselors in my Stake Presidency. He is CEO of Barnes Bank here in Davis County and he and his wife are lovely people. They have a huge home and they showed slides of their recent trip to China and told us all about it. It was a fun evening.

This morning I am going to meet Virginia and Janet (my missionary companions) in Salt Lake to see the flower show at ZCMI and then have lunch together. It will be fun to visit with them again. I have just learned that the Country Director of our teaching program in Bangkok has been called as a Mission President - everyone thinks he will be sent to Russia.

I was SO proud of my condo while my friends were here and they couldn't believe how nice it is. I appreciate SO much all your help in getting me settled so quickly. Bob, I miss having you come over to "fix things" so I have another project for you - Ha!!!