Dearest Family,
WHAT AN EXCITING AND MEMORABLE DAY!!! SADAM
HUSSEIN HAS BEEN CAPTURED. I am WAY behind in my Christmas card job so
I got up earlier than usual this morning and I couldn't believe the news
was already on - I couldn't concentrate on writing my cards as I watched
everything. I hope SO much that it will stop all the violence in Iraq -
it has been SO very sad to hear almost daily of another U.S. Soldier
being killed. I am VERY proud of our troops there - they are living in
hard circumstances with their lives in danger every single minute. He
looks terrible on television doesn't he? It has been interesting to
watch the start of the trial for Wanda Barzee who is responsible with
Brian David Mitchell in the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart and they have
shown pictures of Wanda - she looks a thousand percent better than she
did when she was first picked up. They haven't shown any pictures of
Brian David Mitchell but I'm sure he will look much better too. It
will be interesting to see what Sadam looks like after they get him
"cleaned up". I thought the "spider hole" was a good description of
where they found him.
CONGRATULATIONS TO BOYD!!! We're thrilled
for you Boyd - it's a good thing you have the "temperament" you have
because all of Utah will be watching your progress from now on. I
watched some of the "Target" tournament yesterday afternoon and it is so
amazing to see golfers like Tiger Woods make mistakes that are costly -
I guess that's what makes the game of golf so popular.
Claire - thank you for your messages this
week. I'm REALLY looking forward to going to the conference center on
the 18th and I appreciate SO VERY MUCH your getting tickets for us. I
have been in Salt Lake several nights this week and there are many
people coming and going at the conference center and the grounds are
beautifully decorated. I'm looking forward to having dinner with you
and your family tonight too - I haven't seen Michael & Laura for a long
time - in fact, I haven't seen Brett or Katie either.
I know you are all super busy with your
holiday preparations and I hope you will be careful - the traffic in
Utah is horrendous and especially close around me here in Farmington.
The construction is unbelievable and the huge trucks don't seem to slow
down one bit - I very seldom drive anywhere!!! I haven't heard from the
Roys, the Woolleys or John - Jean & Rick have been in Phoenix this week
where Rick has played with Boyd in a pro-am tournament and I believe
they came home last night.
The condo group and other friends went into
Salt Lake last Monday night for our traditional Family Home Evening to
start the Christmas season at the rooftop restaurant of the Joseph Smith
Memorial Building. It is always fun to get REALLY dressed up and
Margaret arranged for a private room for us. The food is OUT OF THIS
WORLD - you just wouldn't believe the desserts and of course I had to
taste most of them. We walked around Temple Square to see the lights
after our dinner and they are gorgeous and it was fun to be together.
Tuesday morning Margaret, Patt and I went to
Brigham City where we met our friend Mary Ann Holman to give me a
permanent. We laughed as we said "How many people does it take to get
Barbara a permanent???" She gives much better permanents than I have
been able to get here and we had fun. She had arranged to use a beauty
salon in the resthome where her 94 year old Mother lives. I won't ever
let a beautician give me a shampoo and set after a permanent so I was
wet and curly but they wanted to have lunch at the Idle Isle so we all
"sneaked" in the back door and you just wouldn't believe all the people
we "ran in to". Our friend, Ida Smith was there with her friend who
lives with her to take care of her - I wanted to hide!!! I also visited
with a friend from the temple and other Brigham City friends who knew my
family - if I had looked nice I would never have seen anyone - Ha!!!
Wednesday was our Relief Society Enrichment
Meeting with a "get-acquainted social" - I took cookies for a dessert
buffet and there were many delicious candies, cookies, etc. It is fun
to meet new people from the new ward and they are very nice. I went to
the Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake on Friday to see the "Nutcracker
Ballet" - I enjoyed that SO much and it always reminds me of the times
we went as a family when Barji, Mary Ann & Sarah danced in it.
Margaret's granddaughter is dancing in it this year so she got tickets
for her entire family - some of them became ill with the flu so she
invited Patt and me to use their tickets. Saturday night (last night) I
went into Salt Lake again with Margaret to go to the "Barbershop Singing
Group's Christmas Program" - "The Saltaires Show Chorus" and I don't
remember when I have seen anything like that - it was phenomenal!!! The
men in the singing group were dressed as Santa's toy shop for the first
part and they sang different songs for their different costumes - then
the young women and young mens' singing groups from Skyline High School
in Salt Lake presented Christmas songs and they are SO good. Two
different Barbershop Quartets then sang songs - THEN they brought in a
grand piano and the guest artist played beautiful Christmas songs. The
Barbershop Men's group ended the program with many Christmas songs
ending with the Hallelujah Chorus.
This was held at the Grand Theatre in Salt
Lake which used to be South High School but is now part of Salt Lake's
Community College.
I had an interesting thing happen at church
this morning. Karen Hatch was there with her daughter Sandy Weeks and I
haven't seen her for about twenty years. Karen and her husband Earl
were in Little Rock when we were but Earl didn't join the church until
after we had left. Their daughter Sandy is now in my new ward and
doesn't live far from me - they have a 4 year old son and then triplets
- two boys and a little girl who are about 16 months old. The Father
works out of their home and Sandy drives into Lehi three times a week
where she works in a law firm she has established at Thanksgiving
Point. She is a dynamo and plays the piano for many things at church
including the program at our Relief Society party on Wednesday.
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 XXXXXOOOOO