September 20, 1999 Farmington, Utah

WAY TO GO RUSSELL!!! Russell caught an interception at Timpview's football game on Friday night and besides that he made many tackles and had his name announced over the intercom many times. I am SO happy I went to that game - I would love to go to all of them but I got my working schedule on Saturday and I have to work next Friday when Timpview plays Provo and that will be a good game too. They played Pleasant Grove last Friday and won by several touchdowns and it was a PERFECT evening - beautiful weather and great school enthusiasm. Ron had a lot to do with that enthusiasm - his company with his financial support had made a huge "box" that they had displayed in front of the crowd and whenever they made a touchdown a huge cloud of smoke or something came out of the box. IT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENING - all the Woolleys were there and since I am not with them as much as I used to be I LOVED IT. LeeAnna led her cheerleading group out on the field to hold the big banner the team ran through to get on the field and I haven't seen her with her cheerleaders at Timpview so that was special too. Russell - thank you for your phone call - I'm sorry I wasn't home but I liked it that way because I could replay your message many times - very thoughtful of you!!! I got there in time for the kickoff but Ann wasn't there yet - Ron was but I didn't see him. When Ann came I had a hard time telling her from the High School girls - honestly Ann, you look SO GOOD!!! She told me she was tired because she had been making peach jam for three days - all different kinds with things like maraschino cherries in them - WHAT A HOMEMAKER!!!

BRETT - I loved your soccer game too and I LOVE to look at the expressions on your face when you are losing - Ha!!! They lost by one point and that is always hard but they played SO good and should have won. I went to the Mellors home after a meeting I had at ZCMI on Saturday morning and Brett was mowing their lawn and Michael was digging a big hole at the side of Laura's bedroom (I guess the water fills in that area when it rains and they are going to fix it so it won't). I told Bob that I was so proud of his sons for working that hard and he said, "Mom, all your sons worked like dogs when they were that age" - did you??? I'm glad I can't remember if you did.

CLAIRE - Thank you SO much for taking Margaret and me to lunch on Tuesday. We went to the Rainbow Gardens in Ogden and I have never been there and IT WAS SO MUCH FUN. They also have a shopping area there so we enjoyed shopping too. It was especially fun to be with Katie and Abby - they are "off track" this month. Margaret is forever planning things for her friends so I know it was fun to have something planned for her and she appreciated it very much.

JOHN - Thank you SO much for winterizing the cabin. I know it is a long, long ways to go and I need to learn how to do that so you guys won't have to worry about it. I LOVE that cabin and I am not going to work forever and will spend more time up there when I get old. Chris and Wayne are coming the middle of October and we may drive up there just to see if Byrd did anything about getting the dock pulled out of the water - he usually does that when he does his. THANK you for your message this morning - I have to tell you something funny. I had two messages on the computer this morning - one from Marc and Cherri Hall in Russia and one from Nut in Thailand. I had to print the one from Nut because I didn't have her current address and when I printed it I received the one you sent also - it didn't show up on the "receiving screen" - that's the first time that has ever happened to me. I'm sure the fridge will be just fine and I'm SO glad you put the de-con around - that REALLY will help with keeping the mice away!!! The people in your ward love you and want to support you in any way they can. I ran into Steve and Cathy Frisby on Friday night when I stopped by to see you and I told them how much I love the improvements you have made in your home - I told them you had given your crystal chandelier to D.I. and they gasped - I hope that doesn't give you problems. I surely didn't need it and if the people you offered it to didn't come for it - so be it!!! I'll bet the lunch Ann made for you to eat on your way to the cabin was delicious - what a sweet thing for her to do. I LOVE TO EAT WHEN I'M DRIVING - I think that must be a throwback or something for all the time Daddy and I spent in the car in Montana.

I WAS THRILLED TO MEET RICK'S AUNT AND UNCLE!!! I have heard Jean and Rick and their children talk about Jack and Jane ever since they married and I have seen pictures of them but I had never met them until yesterday. THEY ARE DARLING PEOPLE!!! I don't believe I have ever met people I like immediately like I do them. Jack has just had some very serious surgery - a tumor on his brain stem was removed in May and he has had numerous back surgeries but he is so pleasant and fun to be with and so is Jane. The Weinerts' home teacher came while I was there and he gave a lesson about Florence Nightingale and Jack added so much to the lesson. They are staying in Eden which is in a mountainous area up Ogden canyon and will be here a week. Barji came home from school in Logan to be with them. Jeannie sent cherry pie home with me - two pieces and I ate them both before going to bed - UGH!!

Roy and Patrice - I surely hope you are doing good. I know you are enjoying Timothy and Jesses' soccer games and I believe Timothy is playing some ball games too - is that right? I hope you have received the t-shirts and video - I sent them differently from the way I used to send things. They have a packaging and shipping place here - if you haven't received them please let me know - I sent them UPS. Have you had some bad rain storms because of Floyd? I feel SO bad when I see television pictures of the North Carolina floods - I remember the dangerous snakes when we were there and I know that has to be a worry for the people.

I am enjoying my work very much. I went to a meeting on Saturday morning and the manager of the Layton Hills ZCMI spoke to everyone about the rumors going around of selling ZCMI. He wouldn't deny that it might happen but he said that President Hinckley REALLY wanted to keep it - that kinda' surprised me because I had heard rumors that the church wanted out of it because of competition with good LDS people in the retail business. He didn't say this but the rumors are all about losing money because of keeping the stores closed on Sundays and as long as the church is the largest stock holder they will never open on Sunday. He suggested that the May company is very interested as well as another company out of New York that I can't remember and then he said it is the trend now for the smaller companies to be bought by larger companies. It is SO interesting for me to work in something that I have been completely unaware of for so many years. I still would like to work on the floor but I'll do what they want me to do for now. It is amazing to me that the young women with whom I am working are so unconcerned when the registers don't balance - the register I closed on Saturday night was -$100.74 and I wanted to recount everything and start over but the girl I was working with just closed the metal box and put it in the safe and locked it and said, "Oh, that happens all the time". The money involved is handled by about six different girls throughout the day - the other girl's register was +$242.03 and she didn't do anything about that either. I guess I will learn what to worry about and what not to.

I went to a DUP luncheon on Wednesday at the Golden Corral. One of the ladies wouldn't eat anything and she looked so pale and everyone was concerned about her. She was seated right across from me so I asked several questions and finally she said, "You know, I am 94 years old" and I guess that said it all - she surely doesn't look that old. It is a nice group of women but quite different from me.

My friends, Marc and Cherri Hall, who are presiding over one of the missions in Russia sent me letters about their visit from Brother Didier and quoted from his message to the missionaries. I would like to send them on to Ricky but I know he is getting a lot of that in El Salvador too - the messages were all about seeking after excellence in everything we do. I am SO proud of my family because I think each one of you do that.