February 19, 2001 Farmington, Utah

CONGRATULATIONS TO BRETT - HE IS NOW AN EAGLE SCOUT!!! I just came home from their home where they had a very beautiful program and ceremony. When young men achieve the rank of Eagle Scout they are usually presented the award in a ceremony held at church but Brett didn't want that much "fuss" so they had it at their home. Claire had made a FABULOUS video of Brett's life and I just LOVED it - she did a masterful job!!! They invited me and also Bob and Alice Ezell and they had it in their downstairs' family room so they could use the big screen television screen. We met at 5:30 and had a delicious pasta dinner with Claire's famous shrimp and basil sauce and visited until two representatives from the National Council of Boy Scouts came to present the award. I was SO impressed with those men - they are so committed to the Boy Scout Program and did a great job in their talks and one of them presented Brett with a little "log cabin" scarf holder (I don't know what it is called). He has been making them for the Boy Scouts who achieve the rank of Eagle in this District for a long time and the one he gave to Brett was 429 - I remember when Michael got his Eagle this same man gave him one too. They are very well made and are a treasure.

I was VERY impressed with the Bob Mellor family tonight and it was so good to see the video - they had lots of pictures of their many trips together including the scout trips Bob has taken his sons on. I was surprised they had so many pictures of Arkansas, Tennessee, Lake Powell, the Cabin in Scofield and all their trips - pictures with PaPa, the Ezell and Mellor families - there were many of Jimmy and Brett that brought back lots of memories - Sarah was in lots of them too. It was fun to see the different hair styles that Claire and the other women had during the last 15 years. The pictures of Michael made all of us miss him more but proud too of what he is doing. Laura served a delicious "Eagle Cake" to all of us after the ceremonies were over. She is learning how to be a very gracious hostess!!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO LAURA TOO - SHE WAS AWARDED THE YOUNG WOMANHOOD AWARD IN THEIR SACRAMENT MEETING TO DAY. Everyone acknowledges the fact that this achievement is equally as hard as the Eagle is but the church doesn't have a "Court of Honor" for Young Women who achieve this - I don't know why. They make a "big deal" about it in Sacrament Meeting though and we all know how important it is.

CONGRATULATIONS TO EMILY TOO. Emily made it to the "top ten" in the individual competition of the "Math Counts" big contest in the Little Rock District last week. I don't know how to explain it but Patrice wrote and said that after that competition they did what was called the "count down round" and Emily scored EIGHTH in that which is a REALLY big deal. Roy was there with Timothy and Jesse and they were SO excited and proud of her. Her school, "Pulaski Heights" won first place over all. Maybe Emily will be able to compete in the state competition in March - WOW!!! WAY TO GO EMILY - we're going to keep our fingers crossed for your success!!!

Patrice - I can't believe you have been planning your women's conference for two years and you haven't told us about it. She has been in on the planning that attracted 250 Unitarian women from the Southwest District for a conference/retreat that was held at the 4-H Center in Ferndale. I'm sure it was WONDERFUL and I would like to know more about it - how long did it last and did you have special speakers - what kind of subjects? There is a picture of the Salt Lake Unitarian Church and a write up about their new minister in our Deseret News this weekend - evidently the steeple on it is one of the tallest in the Salt Lake Valley - a beautiful building!!!

Annie - it was SO fun to have you come to "Davis County". She had to visit a student teacher at Davis High School so she stopped in to visit me too. She wrote notes for Laura, Mary Ann and Sarah and put them in the office - the Secretary called all of them into the office and they were sad because they thought someone had died. Annie said they thought it had to be me because I am SO old and I'm not even sick - Ha!!! Every time the phone rings I think it might be the Woolleys telling me about Russell's mission call - this is an exciting time for them!!! Russell's nose has healed good.

John - Thank you SO much for all your help and interest in the Lehi property. Cheryl called me last Wednesday and asked me to go to the country recorder's office in Provo with her to check on the boundary lines for the 10 acre lot that is close to Utah Lake. Some of you know that the people who own the property to the north of us are trying to settle that estate and have found the property lines to be incorrect. They want us to sign papers that would give them 1/4 of an acre of our property. John has talked to them many times and had arranged for an attorney to work with us and get it settled but Don and Cheryl want to try to do it themselves. I decided it would be best for them to handle it but I'm not sure they will be able to do it. Don is not well and Cheryl keeps referring to "her boys" but so far they have just fizzled out on everything they say they will do.

Jeannie - I am anxious to hear how you liked the "Glenn Miller Program" in Logan. A young man who lives in the condos came up to Margaret this morning at church and said "Next Year, please include me and my wife in your plans to go to that program next year". Those of us who went are in our 60's and 70's and this couple would be in their early 20's so we were flattered - Ha!!! Jean & Ricks' ward adults went to see "Guys and Dolls" for Valentine's Day - FUN!!!

I went to dinner with Bob and Claire on Friday night - we went to a Thai restaurant and it was just delicious. I wish my Thai friends would come back and stay with me and give me more cooking lessons. Lek and Anan called me on the morning of Valentine's Day and I answered the phone by saying "Happy Valentine's Day" and Lek said, "We want to speak to Bawbwa Mennor". It was WONDERFUL to hear their voices and then the next day, Wantana called me. I miss all of them and I don't want them to call me because they can't afford it but I only let them talk for a couple minutes.

I went to see Peter Pan at the Roger's Theatre in Centerville on Thursday night with my condo friends. I have a difficult time enjoying fantasy but it was very well done. The young girl who played the part of Peter Pan had an absolutely gorgeous voice - I had to keep telling myself that she was playing the part of a boy.

Arkansas has had more than their share of rain lately. Every State has a year that is not their best and I believe that is the case with Arkansas this year. Did I hear that Jonesboro was just about swept away with flooding? We have had a lot of "dreary" days so we're all ready for sunshine.