Dearest Family,
I just came to my home from the Woolley's
home where the Utah family gathered to hear Russell give his missionary
report and have dinner. I HAVE NEVER HEARD A BETTER MISSIONARY REPORT
OR HAD A MORE DELICIOUS DINNER!!!! As I sit down to write my weekly
letter to you my first thought is this is the end of a perfect week. I
have known about Lake Powell and the Roys' visit for a long time and I
have been SO apprehensive that I have worried and worried and now I am
SO grateful that everything went well and noone was hurt and the Roys
are back in Little Rock safe and sound.
I take my hat off to the Woolley family -
they have had so much going on and just trying to schedule airport
comings and goings with Susanna, Steve and Jessie is mind boggling. I
was SO happy to see Steve at the church today because he wasn't able to
go to Lake Powell and he is just here for the weekend - Susanna,
Jackson, Steve and Jessie will all fly out tonight and go back to their
respective homes in Arizona and San Diego. It has been a WONDERFUL
thing for them to all be together this week to welcome Russell home and
just "hang out" as a family. It was a thrill to see Grandpa Russ today
at the church - he is doing so well with his new knee and only uses a
cane on the advice of his physician. Ron's sister Sue and her husband,
Calvin Grondahl and son Eric were all there along with Mimi and they all
look GREAT. Ann also invited about ten young people who had come to
hear Russell's report - he had been with them at the MTC - they were SO
happy to have all that delicious food. One of the young women was from
Madagascar and she was SO pretty. One was from France, one from New
Mexico and others from South America. Ann is such a gracious hostess
and makes everyone feel SO welcome. She had delicious grilled salmon
(and LOTS of it), a very different and good vegetable salad with sesame
seeds in it, two fruit plates, green salad, different kinds of breads
and cheese cake and a lemon cake that her famous neighbor and cook had
made for her - both with raspberry toppings.
I LOVED having Roy, Patrice, Timothy and
Jesse with me for a couple days - it wasn't near long enough and when
they left I thought how selfish of me to have them come here instead of
having me go to Lake Powell even for just one day so we could have been
together and they would have felt okay about going directly back to
Little Rock from there. Utah broke all kinds of records with the heat
being 100 degrees or over for ten consecutive days while they were here
- it is still hot but it has been cooling down at night to the 70's. I
always feel bad about the meals I serve while they are here and each
time I determine to do better the next time but it seems like I never
do. Today while we were at the Woolleys I absolutely couldn't believe
all the delicious fruit Ann served - honey due melons, cantaloupe,
blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, kiwi, pineapple, huge grapes,
etc., etc. The main reason I noticed this is because I had a bowl of
old cherries, and a bowl of old grapes that I tried to keep fresh before
the Roys came and I put wet towels over them - kinda' funny the emphasis
I put on saving things - I'm from the depression era!!! Timothy and
Jesse are perfect gentlemen and a joy to have in my home and they could
come stay as long as they want anytime!!!
I missed Emily - I talked to her one night
when her Mom had called her and she is happy and doing GREAT in her
school. This morning while I was driving to Provo I listened to a radio
talk show and they were interviewing several women who are leaders in
Utah government - one was Oleen ? who is the Lt. Governor in Utah and
she had just returned from Little Rock. She said the most interesting
parts of her trip were seeing Central High because of its historical
significance and also going to Winthrop Rockefellers' Ranch - he is the
Lt. Governor of Arkansas. She said she thought Central High was one of
the most beautiful schools she has ever seen. She also said it was 100
with 99 percent humidity and she thought she would surely die - Ha!!!
Roy & Patrice planned a trip to Salt Lake
one day while they were here and they invited me to go with them. It
was almost like they were the native Utahns and I was the visitor - I
didn't know about the planetarium in the new Gateway shopping center and
it is absoultely fabulous. I am SO happy I was able to go to it and
even Margaret hasn't been there - Ha!!! We ate lunch in the food court
and I'm also happy I had been there because of what happened there that
night after we had left. They had a big Pioneer Day rodeo in the Delta
Center which is close to the Gateway and a bull got loose and ran to the
Gateway food court. It jumped on a table very close to the very spot
where we had eaten and then jumped 20 feet to the bottom floor where
they lassoed him and took him back to the rodeo. John, Laura and Bren
were at the rodeo that night and they said it was really exciting. I
even got turned around at the Gateway - I have been there at least ten
times and it was the first time for Patrice and she knew where she was
going and I was lost. OH ME!!! Timothy & Jesse had fun playing in the
"fountain" - I have read about how popular that is but I hadn't really
seen it.
The Lake Powell trip must have been
everything everyone wanted it to be and without exception they have all
given credit to John for making it so much fun - they called him the
"Cruise Director". I was happy that I wasn't there in all the heat but
I would have endured that to have watched the "Watermelon" game and I
have appreciated the pictures Claire has sent to me on the internet that
have shown all the fun everyone was having. Everyone has also talked
about how much Roy taught them about the solar system as they looked at
the stars each night from the top of the houseboat. I have also heard
alot about the delicious food that was provided - that doesn't surprise
me one bit.
The only bad thing that happened was that
many people came home with ear infections - some of them very serious.
Ricky was right sick for a couple days until Bob could help him - he had
gone to another doctor who wasn't a specialist and he couldn't do much
for him. Others who were sick were Russell, Ann, Katie, and Sarah - Bob
took his medical equipment with him today and he cleaned out all our
ears - not much fun for him but we all appreciated it very much - THANK
YOU, THANK YOU BOB!!! They said that Jeannie and Grandma B won the
prize for having the most ear wax in our ears. Jessie was Bob's nurse
today.
It was fun to meet that adorable Amber Ezell
today who was here with Katie - she is the daughter of Claire's brother
Steve and has been here visiting over the 24th. It was also fun to be
around little Jackson and Preston - beautiful babies who require
constant watching. Steve was worn out trying to "walk" with Jackson and
Susanna was happy to have some help - Ha!!! Boyd wasn't able to come
because he was in Denver for a golf tournament - Rick had to conduct in
his ward so he didn't make it either - Laura and Michael couldn't come
from Logan. Lee Anna's friend Owen is in Alaska with his family but
will return to go into the MTC on Wednesday for his mission to the Czech
Republic - his health is better. Jeannie's children were all there;
Ricky, Barji, Sarah and Mary Ann and David, a darling couple. John was
alot of help in the kitchen today - I remember how much I used to rely
on him when I would have parties. I'm SO proud of my family and wish I
could take credit for all your abilities and goodness.
I know Russell was VERY proud to have so
many of his family come to welcome him home and hear his report and I
know that all his family was VERY proud of him to represent our family
in such a WONDERFUL way - his talk was just perfect!!!
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 XXXXXOOOOO