Dearest Family,
HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JESSE ON TUESDAY -
NOVEMBER 2ND!!! Jesse will be 11 years old and it doesn't seem possible
that it has been that long since I went to Little Rock to see him
shortly after he was born. Jesse is a real individualist and I'm SO
glad he is in our family - he's going to do "HIS" things and they will
be GOOD things!!!
HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BOB ON SATURDAY,
NOV. 13TH!!! He will be the "BIG 50" and normally I don't mention the
ages of my adult children but when you can turn 50 and look and act 30
then I don't think Bob will mind. Whenever we sing "Do What Is Right"
in our church meetings I think of Bob - he has always done that!!!
This will probably be my last letter until I
return from China on the 17th and both Jesse & Bobs' birthdays will be
over So I wanted to mention their birthdays in this letter. This next
week will be such a busy and different week for our families - Bob,
Claire, Roy, John, Ann & Jean will be in Guatemala doing WONDERFUL
things and I will be in China just having fun!!! I am SO proud of each
one of you and also the spouses who will be left at home - they are
doing their part too. I have talked to John several times this week and
he is looking forward to going, being with his siblings and having a
"different change of pace" from his work. I want you to be safe so use
caution in EVERYTHING you do - PLEASE!!!! You all know that I am
definitely NOT a traveler and I worry about not being in touch with
you. Helen Jane called the "China Tour" people and told them she needed
some information on how her children could get in touch with her if they
needed to - it scares me when I think how far away I will be and I won't
be able to call you. If I get an emergency number I will send it to you
- you will all be gone most of the time too so it won't be much good.
I hope you all had a HAPPY HALLOWEEN with
lots of trick or treaters last night. I was THRILLED to have Boyd and
Preston come to my home. That little Preston was in the cutest dinosaur
costume and he is always SO happy. This has been a very confusing week
for him but he seems to "take it in stride". Boyd & Barji moved into
their new home this weekend and they decided that would be a good time
for Preston to get into a "Big Boy's Bed" so he is in a completely new
environment and then to have Halloween and all that goes with that I'm
sure he is wondering "what is going on" - Ha!!! It's good that he will
live next door to his Summerhays cousins to help him adjust. That's
life though isn't it????? I worked with Sister Lyman in the temple on
Saturday and she asked about Boyd and Barji and wanted me to tell them
hello - they lived in the Lyman's ward for a little while and love them.
I didn't really have trick or treaters last
night so maybe I will learn to not buy so much candy - I thought maybe
being in a new ward would make it so I would have more than I have had
in the past. I don't blame the little children for not wanting to come
into our village - most of the people here don't expect them so they
don't plan on them. I had the cutest "zester's" hat that I bought in New
Mexico especially for Halloween and then I forgot to wear it - WE'RE ALL
GETTING OLD - Ha!! I probably would have frightened Preston so maybe
it's a good thing I didn't have it on when they came. The little girl
who lives with Martha next door brought me some cookies and she was SO
excited about her costume - Martha had taken her to "The Mall" where
they had a party for the children. Maybe that's the trend now instead
of going door to door. I was SO happy to talk to John and learn that he
was going to have LOTS of candy because he expected LOTS of trick or
treaters and then he said "I LOVE HALLOWEEN". It has always been one of
my favorite holidays and I hope each one of you likes it as much as I
do. One of John's neighbors had brought him a big pumpkin they had
grown in their garden. Martha brought me one and I had carved it for my
front lawn.
Roy, Patrice, Emily, Timothy & Jesse - THANK
YOU SO MUCH for your letter. I was especially happy to have Jesse's
message that said "I'll see you in January" - I hope they are planning
to come for another "skiing" vacation. I will look forward to that and
I hope we will have LOTS of snow for them. We have had SO MUCH rain for
the past several weeks and they are predicting ALOT of snow during the
Winter months. We need the moisture and maybe this will be the start of
ending the drought. I heard on television that we would need three
years of rain like we have had to fill up Lake Powell again -
interesting!!! It is scary when I see how low the Great Salt Lake is -
Antelope Island isn't even an island any more. Emily - I have loved
your little e-mails!!!
Katie - I hope you have recuperated from
having your wisdom teeth taken out. Claire sent me a picture of Katie
with ice packs on her cheeks and she was surrounded by MANY of her high
school friends - she looked like she was having a party so I'm sure she
is doing fine. Everyone has to go through that and they used to take
them out one at a time but that has changed. I will never forget when
Chick Luten took all of Roy's out at once and we didn't know he was
going to do that - Roy hasn't forgotten that either.
Jeannie, Sarah, Bob & Claire - THANK YOU SO
MUCH for your visit last Sunday. I know how very busy you are and I
appreciate your visits and look forward to them. I appreciate Bob
"unhooking" my water hose from the house - I had tried and tried to do
that but couldn't. Sarah's friend boy has returned from his mission and
they have spent some time together - I believe Jeannie & Rick are going
with Sarah to his homecoming report today. Ricky, Mary Ann & David are
doing fine.
Annie - THANK YOU SO MUCH for your newsy
letter. I think it is WONDERFUL for you to have Grandpa Russ' truck.
He wasn't using it and even though it was old it had low mileage on it
and was in good condition. Lynn always used to say "every family needs
a truck" and they will love it. Annie said they would keep it at Ron's
building and use it some for his business too. The Woolleys want to
visit Susanna, Steve, Jackson & Caroline for Thanksgiving - Chandler
will be a perfect place for Thanksgiving for them. Susanna - I loved
your letter too and I could relate to your feelings about your
temperature being cooler now - I remember the hot Arizona days but I
still loved it. I LOVE the seasons we have and EVERYONE wants to live
in Arizona during the Winter. I actually love the snow and cold
weather.
I went to see Dr. Washburn for my final
checkup on my eyes - he said they were healing great. I am THRILLED
with them and I can see so much better. I'm sure this is a family trait
so some of you will be faced with it - my brother Don had his done many
years ago. I still have some swelling and they feel tight but it will
take time for that to go down. Dr. Washburn always tells me to be sure
to take zinc, anti-oxidants, vitamins a,c & e for the macular
problem and I have been doing that for a long time. I found some old
glasses the other day and I was surprised that my eyes haven't changed
that much - that's good news!!!
I am happy to have a new furnace and air
conditioner installed. It took the furnace people a LONG time - two
full days and they worked steady. I had wanted a furnace that would
allow a thermostat to be put in downstairs so it would be warmer down
there. They couldn't do that without alot of new duck work so they put
in a "cold air return" and so far it seems to be making a big difference
and I'm happy about that. I spend alot of time down there working on my
"picture project" and it gets too cold. I have tried electric heaters
but they always blow fuses.
WHO DO YOU THINK WILL WIN THE ELECTION????
This has surely been a fiercely competitive campaign between Bush &
Kerry and it makes me sad to see how divided it has made our country. I
personally feel like I won't know who our President is until I get to
China - too many problems with the voting machines. I REALLY want Bush
but even more than that I REALLY want a decisive win - not like the last
time. I am interested in things like this and the news will be mighty
dull after the election is over.
Osam Bin Laden has put in his "two cents
worth" and he is just plain scary!!!
Do you remember when I told you about our
friend who went "dingy" when we were all at Margaret's Wyoming home
about two years ago? She has never been the same and she passed away
this week. She was such a beautiful woman and it was sad - she was 72
years old. I went to her viewing but couldn't go to the funeral because
it was on Saturday morning.
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