Dearest Family,
I didn't write my letter yesterday because
Roy, Timothy & Jesse are here with me and I didn't want to take the time
to do it. They came on Friday evening about 7 o'clock and I'm SO happy
to have them. They left early on Saturday morning to go to Powder
Mountain to snowboard - I left early Saturday morning to go to the
Temple so I didn't really get to visit with them until they got home on
Saturday night. It was SO funny - they hadn't been here very long
before Timothy and Jesse were out making snowballs. They don't seem to
be bothered by our VERY cold temperatures!!! AND we have LOTS of snow,
fog and haze BUT it's Winter.
John called on Friday night to talk to Roy
and while I was talking to him before they got here he suggested that we
get the family together on Saturday night to have dinner. I told him
that would be wonderful if HE wanted to do it since Roy had told me to
NOT plan any family get-togethers. I also told him I would prepare
dinner for anyone who could come. That was the last time I heard from
him or anyone until Bob called about 5:30 on Saturday night telling me
the "kids" were getting together at the Weinerts and they would come
over here after their meeting. I was REALLY in the dark but I was also
thrilled they would come. Roy and the boys got home in time for Roy to
go to the meeting and the boys stayed here with me. It was SO funny -
Patrice called while they were eating and I heard Timothy say some
people were coming for dinner but we didn't really know who - Ha!!!
They were meeting to discuss plans for Lake
Powell and the houseboat - I think!!! It was WONDERFUL to have them
come: Ann & Ron, Jean, Rick & Sarah, Bob and John. Claire had already
made plans to spend the evening with Laura so they didn't come. It had
been a kinda' funny day at the temple - we were SO busy even with the
terrible foggy weather. I was with a young woman for a time and I told
her I was going to fix salmon for my family and I wanted it to be
special. She got SO excited and told me she had a FABULOUS recipe for
salmon because she had gone to Alaska with her parents and they had
brought back many pounds of salmon and halibut. She called me as soon
as she got home from the temple to give me the recipe - honey, liquid
smoke and salt poured over the salmon, then coated with bread crumbs and
baked - it was good but would have been better if I could have grilled
it. You all know how I love to try new recipes and it was a fun
afternoon but wouldn't have been quite so hectic if I had made it
before. I also made a clam chowder recipe I had never made before - I
forgot to bake some cookies as I had planned BUT in spite of everything
I LOVED it. It was especially fun to have Timothy & Jesse visiting with
us at the table and they told us about their snowboarding experience.
It was also fun to hear some family news.
Russell has been translating Madagascar for the church Missionary
Training Center programs (I think that's right) and I'm SO proud of you
Russell. I'm SO happy that he is keeping up with that language because
it is one of the hardest to master and he is so good at it. Laura has
been offered a job at a mortgage company using her accounting degree
when she finishes school in the Spring - I'm SO happy that she likes
Logan as well as I do. Boyd will be making his PGA debut in Hawaii next
week and Rick & Jean will probably go to help with Preston - Barji, Boyd
& Preston left on Monday morning.
Jessie is back in San Diego finishing up the
work on her Master's Degree. Lee Anna - thank you SO much for your
e-mail and I think you would be the smartest of all my grandchildren if
you could learn how to be as good a cook as your Mom - Ha!!! Lee Anna
is taking some classes in nutrition at BYU. John is learning about the
ills of horses - he told about an abcess that one of Laura R.'s horses
had and how it was lanced and was GROSS!!! John enjoys going to a
riding stable in Lehi to ride his horses - I believe I know where it is
- Brimley who used to lease some of the Lehi property for his horses
built it before he built a HUGE place further West. Rick gave us a good
description of the Celine Dion concert they had been to in Las Vegas on
New Year's Eve and Jean imitated a character in the "Lord of the Rings"
movie. We also discussed the recent robbery and murder on a Book of
Mormon Tour group in Guatemala which was VERY interesting because of the
trip Bob, Roy & John had gone on. The man who was murdered was a very
prominent architect from Ogden and it is SO sad!!! Ann told about how
this man had gone to help the driver who had been shot. Sarah is
excited about going to the University of Utah and she started school
this morning. Patrice told me that Emily had placed fourth in a big
competition for the Little Rock Youth Symphony Orchestra - Emily
promised me that she would bring her flute the next time she comes to
visit and play it for me. Timothy said he also qualified for an
Orchestra playing his saxophone - THAT'S WONDERFUL!!! We passed a HUGE
BUBBLE yesterday while we were in Salt Lake and Jesse told me it was a
swimming pool - he swims regularly now, even in the Winter and I know he
is good.
I went to Salt Lake yesterday, Sunday, with
Roy, Timothy & Jesse to attend their church services. It was a very
interesting day for me - the Minister of the Unitarian Church in Salt
Lake is Reverend Tom Goldsmith and I have seen his picture many times in
our newspapers. Have any of you read the "DaVinci Code"? Roy was able
to access the subject of his sermon yesterday by going on the internet
and it was "The DaVinci Code Explosion" and I wanted to hear that.
Chris Jordin calls me quite often and she told me she was reading that
and would recommend it. I have loved other books she has recommended.
Rev. Goldsmith is a very good speaker and Roy got me a "hearing device"
at the church so I heard every word which was WONDERFUL. They have alot
of excellent musical talent in their group and I could hear that too so
it was special. After the meeting they serve refreshments and Roy was
looking for Timothy & Jesse so I "busied" myself by looking at some of
the literature they had at a table. I picked up the book "Unitarianism
in Utah" and was reading it - the lady at the table said, "Please take
that book if you would like" SO I DID. I wanted Roy to take it to
Patrice but the boys said she already has it. It is an interesting book
and I read where a daughter of the fourth wife of Brigham Young was a
Unitarian. Their chapel is very beautiful and the people were nice.
We also went to REI and Kirkhams to do some
Outdoor Clothing Shopping. We don't usually shop on Sundays but I
convinced myself that yesterday was a special day and I bought some good
Winter walking shoes and some sweaters - GOOD DEALS!!! The weather
wasn't very nice but it was fun to be with my Arkansas Family which is
such a rare thing for me. I was VERY impressed with the patience I saw
in Timothy & Jesse - they found interesting things to do while Roy & I
shopped and I didn't hear one word of complaining. I thought it was
most unusual to hear Roy tell his boys he would buy them some clothes
they wanted if they found something BUT they didn't want anything!!!
I am VERY happy that we have a new slate of
officers for our D.U.P. camp for next year. I have been Captain for
three years and I told them it was time for someone else to do it so
Allene Leonard consented to be the nominating chairwoman and she has all
offices filled. They won't take over until June and that will be fine.
I have enjoyed it and I have learned far more than anyone else.
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