Dearest Family,
Bob, Claire, Roy & John are home from
Guatemala safe and sound!!! I have thought about them all week and I
just couldn't help but worry. I was SO happy and relieved to receive a
message from Patrice saying that Roy had called home (I believe it was
Friday) and had talked to Emily and said everything was going well. I
appreciated Bob's message last night about 6 and he told me they were
home safe. THEN about 8 p.m. John called from the airport - they had
come in on different planes. I REALLY appreciate all of you thinking of
me!!! Claire - thank you for sending the three pictures today - I love
to see Bob, Roy & John together and they look like they're having a good
time. The child Bob is holding doesn't look like he is having much fun
though and the large instrument in the picture looks very sophisticated
- maybe they are getting better equipment. I believe children are born
with a fear of men in doctor's clothing - Ha!!!
The big news for this letter is that John
will start his new job tomorrow - WOW!!! I'm proud of him for having
the "gumption" to make that change and he will love it but it's always
stressful to do things like that - he is very well qualified. He will be
working for "Omniture" and he will have to travel some which he hasn't
done for quite a long time. We're pulling for you John!!!
I just came home from my church meeting in
my new ward and it is going to be very different but it will be good.
Margaret's husband, DeLonne, was Bishop with these people about 7 - 8
years ago so she knows many people. My Relief Society President who
lives across the street from me introduced her two counselors and said
she hadn't met them until this morning. I have never been involved in a
situation like this before - I know it is a headache for the leaders who
have to staff the ward and still keep it running as smoothly as
possible. This is true of all the wards in the stake since the
reorganization.
Annie - thank you for your long message and
update about your family. I am SO excited for Susanna & Steve to be
buying their first home and it's great that Steve's brother and his wife
will be able to help them move. I'm disappointed that Jessie won't be
able to write her Master's Thesis at home during the Winter Semester -
it makes sense to me though that they would require her to be in
attendance at the University. She has surely had some first hand
experience as she has seen so many people in her area deal with the
devastating fires - I have read about them alot and they were just
unbelievable. I hope Jimmy isn't too sad about Timpview losing to Logan
in the championship game - our friend, Mel Manning, goes to all those
games and he said that loss should never have happened because Timpview
led them all the way until the very end. I'm glad Russell is planning
to live with some of his friends after this Semester - that's part of
college life isn't it? I want to meet Lee Anna's friend, Zenock. His
Father who is the congressman from the district where I live is "on the
hot seat" with the people in Utah not wanting the "nuclear waste
material" shipped to our state - Ha!!! That's politics!!!
I have talked to Jeannie briefly and they
are doing fine. Rick & Jean went to Mesquite last Monday to be with
Barji, Boyd and Preston for a few days - I believe Rick & Boyd were
going to play in a "Pro-Am Game" there.
I went to the Roger's Theatre on Thursday
with my condo friends to see "The Scarlet Pimpernel" and it was REALLY
good. I wasn't familiar with the story and Margaret had to explain it
to me as the performance went along and then "I got it" - Ha!!! I don't
believe I have ever seen such beautiful and elaborate costumes - it was
fabulous and they just used local talent. Margaret's son-in-law and
granddaughter played in it and they were very good.
There is a Boy Scout auction that is held
annually and Margaret's "foundation" supports it so she invites some of
her friends to go to it. It was on Friday night - they have LOTS of
merchandise that is donated by local merchants to auction and make money
for the Boy Scouts. Some of the things they have are very good at very
good prices and I always bid on them - it's a silent auction. Margaret
didn't think the bids were high enough on some of the items so she tried
to "bid them up" to make more money for the Scouts. It was really quite
funny - she ended up with everything she bid on: two hot dog carts, a
large popcorn machine, a large telescope, a toaster oven, a leather
chair and ottoman, and even a huge package of "pies" and other small
things I can't remember. I didn't get anything I bid on - I didn't bid
high enough I guess. They serve a delicious dinner and it was fun.
They also had a live auction where they sold big items like a
trampoline, a leather loveseat, kingsize pillowtop mattress, alot of
exercise equipment, diamond rings,etc.,etc.
My friend, Helen Jane, is home from her
mission in Nauvoo. She is SO thrilled to be home and Ellen Mae and I
are going to have a "Welcome Home" party for her on Friday. I have
invited 18 people and I kinda' hope some of them won't be able to come -
Ha!!! We are going to serve soup and sandwiches and I don't know what
else but it will be fun. I really don't know where I am going to put
everyone - the last time I had a party for this group I had it on my
patio but it's too cold for that now. We're going to have it at noon so
they won't have to drive in the dark - they will be coming from Salt
Lake and Brigham City. I talked to Helen Jane yesterday and she was
pulling up all her rose bushes in the front of her home because they are
too hard to take care of - she is going to put an antique potato digger
in their spot - sounds kinda' corny to me but her home is on her farm so
it will be okay.
We are having LOTS of good rain with snow in
the mountains - we need the moisture SO bad that everyone is very happy.
and we're not complaining!!!
Thanksgiving is coming - I'm REALLY looking
forward to being with everyone at the Woolleys - wish the Roy Mellors
could come too. Annie - you need to tell all of us what to bring for
your dinner. I am going to make "Southern Dressing" and I hope some of
you will eat it. I agree with you Patrice that it is much too early for
the stores to be decorated for Christmas - Thanksgiving is just put into
the background.
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