February 21, 2000 Farmington, Utah

Today is President's Day and I believe some of you have the "day off" - I hope you have a happy and safe day!!! I have talked to Jeannie and she said that Rick is going to take Sarah skiing and with all the avalanches going on I will worry about that all day. Oh Me!!!

The big news for this letter is about Jessie. She had an implant in her "accident eye" about a month ago and she has had problems adjusting to it - she has had double vision and headaches and has been just plain miserable. Last Tuesday she called Annie from Utah State and told her that she had "floaties and explosions" in her eye so Ann called their ophthalmologist in Provo. He was very alarmed and immediately made arrangements for her to see a specialist in Salt Lake at St. Mark's hospital. Jessie drove from Logan and met her Mother at the hospital. The doctor there discovered that she had a DETACHED RETINA - Annie has told me that when this happens they have about 24 hours to get to a doctor or it would be too late. This doctor performed surgery on her eye and in doing so he examined the implant she had had recently. He gave Ann some good information that they all needed and this was SO interesting to me. He said sometimes the brain takes a long time to make the necessary adjustment to having the implant in - meaning of course that in time hopefully Jessie would get over the headaches and double vision. When Jessie was with me two weeks ago I could tell she just wasn't feeling her best. Can you imagine having double vision? I get dizzy just thinking about it.

I talked to Annie a few minutes ago and she said Jessie was feeling a little better from a one, being the lowest, to a four. That still isn't good enough but they are thinking they will bring her to Farmington this afternoon and then she and Barji will go back to Logan - Jessie's car is still at St. Marks hospital and Barji came home with a friend so that will work out good. - hopefully Jessie will pace herself and get the rest she needs. The surgery is just excruciating and she has gone through a lot. Jessie is a REAL trooper and doesn't want to get behind in school and since she has missed two days she is anxious to get back.

I just saw a list of the best U. S. Presidents on the Good Morning America program this morning and of course, Abraham Lincoln was number one. That made me think of my experience in Thailand and remembering how much the people there revere their King who freed the slaves - he was King Chalongakorn (sp.?) and he is the King who is represented in the movie, "Anna and the King".. The best University in Bangkok is named after him and his picture is in all the schools. Just a little bit of trivia - Ha!!!

I talked to Patrice after I heard about the tornadoes in Arkansas. She told me they were mainly in Benton and did quite a bit of damage but no fatalities - she also said the sirens had gone off in Little Rock and the children in the schools all had tornado drills. That is scary!!! We had terrible wind storms in Utah this past week and the damage in Brigham City was disastrous - a woman who had just come home from work and was walking into her house was killed when a big tree fell on her. They usually have the worst winds here in Farmington but we didn't have them this time. We have had a beautiful and very mild winter and everything in my garden is budding out.

It was fun to talk to Patrice, Timothy and Jesse and they are doing GREAT!!! Roy and Emily had gone to the store to buy some ice cream and goodies for a little party Emily was having with her friends after a dance that night. The dance was a "Snowball" for Daddys and Daughters and Patrice said Emily was excited - I'm sure Roy was too!!!

Bob and Claire came over on Saturday night but I wasn't here. My Relief Society President had called to remind me of the temple day for our ward because of ward conference and she invited me to go with them and then to dinner afterwards. I had just eaten two huge bowls of potato salad and about a dozen pumpkin cookies but I went anyway - Ha!!! I just LOVE the potato salad I make and it has lots of raw onions in it. I had made pumpkin cookies to take to my visiting teaching ladies and I also made some for myself - Ha!!! Laura came to see me at ZCMI on Friday night - she is so darling and she has darling friends. Michael also dropped by one night with his Dad to say "HI".

I haven't talked to John this week but Michael said he was doing good - I know he keeps busy. Annie said he and Michael didn't come for dinner last night and she said she thought John had been traveling during the week. Can you imagine having a "standing invitation" to come for dinner at the Woolleys on Sunday night? She doesn't put any pressure on them but they know they are always invited and they go most of the time.

Russell and Lee Anna went to California over the weekend to perform with their school choral group at Disneyland - HOW FUN!!! Russell didn't get home until about midnight and he told his Mother he was going to sleep for three days - Ha!!! They went by air but Russell came home with a friend whose car was still at the airport and they were later getting home than Lee Anna.

I am still working and it's fun but I expect every day for them to tell me they don't need me. The May Company has lots of "work people" in the store taking measurements, and it's interesting to try to figure out what they are going to do. When they need me they REALLY need me but a lot of the time I just watch to make sure the associates don't come out with merchandise without receipts - it is SO funny to have them open their purses for the security guards!!! The training program REALLY emphasized how much theft there is in the department stores!!! One night last week one of the security guards RAN in front of my desk heading for the main floors - I never did find out what was going on and I really didn't want to know.

I went to the Bountiful temple for my interview yesterday. They wanted me to commit to two days a week but when I told them I was working, the temple President was VERY NICE and asked me which day I would like to work. I told him Saturday and then he asked me which shift and I said I would work the shift they needed me to work - guess what he said??? I am going to work the early, early morning shift and have to be at the temple and dressed by 5:15 a.m. - ugh!

Ricky - this is for you!!! There are quite a few missionaries in our area right now and I pass them as they are riding their bicycles. They are so cute and even though I don't know them they always smile and wave so enthusiastically. It's surprising to learn there are many non-members in this area so they keep busy.