Dearest Family,
HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CLAIRE TODAY!!! I
believe she is "30 Something" and I know she is having a WONDERFUL birthday
because she and Bob are with three other couples on a trip to Costa Rica. I
had to look on the map to see where that is - Bob said the temperature and
area is similar to Hawaii and without the crowds. It looks like it is
between Guatemala and Colombia and they are familiar with that area.
I have the Super Bowl on so I can see the ads -
I don't know one thing about the teams but it is fun to see the clever
advertisements. Our church times are from 12:30 - 3:30 and today was our
ward conference. They showed a film about temples and announced that the
meetings would be over by 3 o'clock - I joked that many of the men would be
happy to get home and settled before the games started but noone laughed -
Ha!!!
Patrice - thank you SO much for your long and
newsy letter. I love to hear about all your activities and I was happy to
know that you are familiar with the Sundance Film Festival and I wish I
could tell you about some of the films that were presented. There were such
long lines waiting to get in to see some of them in Park City and we didn't
want to stand in them so we didn't see any of the plays. I asked someone
about "Levity" because it had been advertised as being special but the
person I asked said for me to see it and then tell her what it was about
because she couldn't understand it!!!
Jesse - I'm sorry you didn't get your snow
storm. Dana Woods Adams had written to me and said they were expecting a
big snow storm. Patrice wrote that Jesse had his day all planned to stay
home and watch cartoons because he just knew the schools would be closed but
it didn't happen - Ha!!! I'm glad you got to go with your friend to the
trick motorcycle show at the Alltel Arena and to spend the night with him.
Timothy - SO you are in the "Mathcounts" program now and you had a team
practice. Do you like it as well as Emily did? I'm glad you had a
sleepover too. Emily - I want to learn more about your debate tournaments.
It is fun for me to hear about Parkview High School but I'm SO happy you are
going to Central. I would love to see the National Park Museum at your
school and review the Civil Rights Movement that had a start at Central
High. I remember those days even though we hadn't moved to Little Rock at
that time.
Roy - I am THRILLED that you are keeping up with
your former High School friends. They were very special young men and I
would like to hear more about them. It is difficult for me to believe that
you would go on a backpacking trip in the middle of Winter though -
temperatures in the low teens doesn't sound like something you would choose
to do. I can't imagine your being able to take enough warm clothing in a
backpack - I hope you didn't freeze!!!
Patrice - I know it is fun to just be able to
watch a movie of your own choice and relax. I too am worried about the
predicted war - WHAT A DIFFICULT DECISION TO HAVE TO MAKE. I trust our
leaders though and feel they will have enough evidence to help them make the
right decision.
Russell - I love to read the letters your folks
forward to me and I'm glad you are receiving my letters. Michael and Ricky
both laugh when they tell me they read every word while they were on their
missions but they don't read them now - Ha!!! It is sad that you have only
received half of the Christmas packages your family has sent to you -
hopefully they have gone to some needy people. You mentioned that you would
be visiting Johannesburg when your parents come to get you at the end of
your mission - I think that's GREAT!!! I am interested in the kind of
service projects your Mom has in mind for the missionaries - I can just see
her taking quilting frames from Utah to Madagascar - Ha!!!
I talked to Jeannie on Friday night and she said
Baby Preston was having a "sleepover" with her and Sarah. Boyd had planned
to spend most of the Winter months in some warm and dry state like Arizona
so he could practice his golf but Utah has been as warm and dry as any other
state so he has been able to stay here and that has been WONDERFUL!!! Rick
and Ricky have spent the weekend in Phoenix for the "Phoenix Open" golf
tournament - that is a tradition for them and I'm SO glad they can do that.
Sarah has been busy with her cheerleading for the Davis High basketball
games.
We had such a good time in Park City at
Margaret's beautiful condominium. There were ten of us - four couples and
Margaret and I. We walked up and down Main Street and we saw some VERY
strange looking people so we decided they were movie stars. It was SO
crowded that we couldn't find a parking place so we went to "The Lodges"
where Margaret owns a rental condo and they took us in their limousine and
dropped us off and then came back for us!!! I think Park City is "where the
action is" and it is fun to be there. We also went to the "Outlet" stores
and they had a good sale on king size pillows so everyone bought some except
me and I didn't need any.. I wish you could have seen Margaret's van - it
had so many pillows in it the driver could hardly see to drive.
We came home on Thursday night and I was
unloading my things from Margaret's van when I had a funny accident. I
tripped over the rug in my garage and broke my fall with my hands and I
still don't know how I did it but I cut my arm. Margaret saw it and told me
she thought I should call Bob because it was quite deep. I was sure I could
put some "super glue" on it but it just wouldn't stop bleeding so I finally
called Claire and she had Bob call me - actually Margaret came over about an
hour after it happened and insisted that I call Bob. He was at a fireside
and had people waiting for temple recommend interviews but he came over and
said "Mom - get in the car we need to go to the clinic". I felt very
important to be in the Tanner Clinic about 11 P.M. getting some stitches!!!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH BOB!!! It really hurt at the temple
yesterday but it is all better today and I can take off the bandage on
Wednesday.
We are all concerned about our Utah weather - it
is just like Summer and all the golfers were out in my back yard this
morning. There is no snow in sight according to the weather forecasters and
we need moisture SO bad!!! We were asked to fast and pray for snow in our
meetings today and when that happens we quite often get more than we need or
want - Ha!!!
That's all the news, I think. I LOVE EACH ONE
OF YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH - PLEASE BE SO VERY, VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING
YOU DO. Grandma B XXXXXXXOOOOOO