Dearest Family,
I have enjoyed reading letters from Claire
telling about the fun their family is having with their new boat and also
seeing the pictures. Brett is REALLY good on the "wake board" and that
looks more difficult than water skiis. They go to Willard Bay which is
quite close to Layton and it doesn't seem as crowded as other places. I
have never seen the boat launching places but there are always boats on the
lake so I'm sure there are some nice ones. I can't help thinking of the
many times we took our boats to the lakes in Arkansas and they were far away
from Little Rock and some of the launching places were quite primitive to
say the least. We were surely brave to do some of the things we did - brave
or stupid!!! I remember Lynn taking Bob, Roy, John and me to a remote place
and getting us settled in our trailer with a small fishing boat and then he
had to leave to go back to work - I believe it was on July 4th and it was
VERY HOT!!! The name of the lake was "Lake Greeson" and I wonder if Roy &
Patrice have taken their children there to camp and fish. Bob and Roy
decided to go out on the boat and put a "trot line" in the lake and they
left our trailer about 5 p.m.. It became very dark and no sign of them - I
was standing at the edge of the lake with "little Johnny" and I was crying
because I just knew they had drowned. A man came by and tried to comfort me
and stayed with me until we could see a dim flashlight on a boat coming
towards us. Needless to say - they didn't go out at dark again that week.
WOW - how times have changed and I'm glad!!!
I'm sure all of you have listened to alot of
news about Elvis Presley this past week as they celebrated the date of his
death - I believe he died 25 years ago. I hope Katie and Emily have watched
the coverage of "Graceland" - I think it is SO neat they were able to go see
that this Summer. They are much too young to know anything about his
popularity but he will be a legend for forever. I was never an Elvis fan
but I have respect for anyone being able to have as many admirers as he did
and still does.
My family was very much in the "news" last week
and it was so much fun to read about some of you in the Deseret Newspaper.
There was a large picture and feature article about Boyd winning the Utah
Open Golf Tournament and they also featured him on television. Then there
was a large picture and feature article about the Davis High Marching Band
and Drum Line and there were actually two pictures of Brett - he is always
so serious about what he is doing and I love it. They have been invited to
participate in the Rose Bowl Parade on New Year's Day and that is such an
honor. THEN, there was an article about the Provo School Board and their
decision to not close some of the schools they were considering closing and
they quoted Ann Woolley as saying she thinks the community wants
neighborhood schools and her thoughts are that those desires should be
honored - good for you Annie.
I was also interested in a full page picture and
article in the Church News about Mossie White. Her husband was John's
Bishop at the time he was shot in the abdomen when we were on our mission in
Billings. Bishop White stayed with John at the hospital until they released
him and then he took them to their home. Sister White called me and I will
never forget what she said, "Sister Mellor I will care for your son John
just as if he were my own son" and she did. We called Annie and she went to
get John the next day and she cared for him. It's so funny because now Ann
and Mossie are working together on the Provo School Board. She is from
Norway and is just a marvelous woman and this article was to honor her for
all she has done since converting to the church and moving to Utah and being
National President of the the School Board Association. Ann and Art
Willardson sent me a beautiful plant as they remembered Daddy's birthday -
they have always been SO thoughtful. Ann said that Jimmy's baby is having a
difficult time with his health problems - sad!!! Memory has a 6 month old
baby girl - that makes 11 for them with hers, his and theirs. I'm anxious
to see our new little baby boys again - I know they're growing fast!!!
Annie and Jessie will be going to San Diego this next week to get Jessie
enrolled at San Diego State College. That's all the news. I LOVE EACH ONE
OF YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH. PLEASE BE SO VERY, VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING
YOU DO - Grandma B XXXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOO