Dearest Family,
I just came home from the temple - the First
Presidency had the temple workers from all over the world meet today at
different times. My shift's meeting was at 12 noon so it worked out
well with my church schedule which is from 8:30 'til 12:30.
I had a WONDERFUL time last week with some
of my Little Rock family!!! I LOVE having Roy, Timothy & Jesse with me
and hope that Patrice and Emily will be able to come with them
sometime. Our weather was not the best but they didn't complain and
kept assuring me it didn't rain where they were - they had snow in the
mountains but my goodness I don't believe I have seen rain like we had
here in the valleys for a long, long time.
They came home from snowboarding absolutely
exhausted so I know they had a good time - I saw some of their pictures
and I'm SO glad we have something like that in Utah that is interesting
for them. My condo seems much too quiet and uninteresting since they
have gone.
I believe I wrote in my last week's letter
that I was worried about avalanches. They assured me they don't go
anyplace near where they could happen. They had a HUGE avalanche on
Friday afternoon in the Park City Canyon's ski area and they found one
body this morning but will look for others they think may have been
trapped. Can you believe having to probe with 30 ft. poles to try to
find others? I don't know if I have ever told you that I had a 2nd
cousin who died in an avalanche in the Salt Lake area many years ago and
it still haunts me. The young men who get trapped in avalanches take
dangerous chances and mostly in undesignated areas. Margaret left on
Friday afternoon to go to Park City and stay in her condo for the
weekend.
Roy, Timothy & Jesse went to the Bob Mellors'
home last Sunday for dinner and to watch the Guatemala video that Claire
has put together. They REALLY liked the video and watched it again in
their rented van while going to snowboard and were anxious to show it to
Patrice & Emily. I had seen it at Christmas time but Claire told me she
has improved it so I want to see it again. The first thing the boys
said to me when I got home from a fireside I had attended was "BRETT WAS
THERE". They were thrilled to see Katie too but I had told them that
Brett wouldn't be there because he was in Provo for school. I'm SO glad
they could see each other before Brett heads off for his mission. They
had seen Jimmy at John's home last weekend - JImmy will go on his
mission too before they see him again.
The last time I talked to John, he mentioned
something about the Roy Mellors' New Year's letter and I worried that
maybe I had misplaced it somewhere. I was VERY happy when mine came
yesterday and I just LOVE it. It describes Patrice's new job and all
their activities for the past year - THEY WERE A VERY BUSY AND HAPPY
FAMILY DOING GREAT THINGS. Roy & I called Chris & Wayne while Roy was
here and I believe they also mentioned having received the New Year's
letter. They suffered a great deal more damage to their home and yard
from hurricane Ivan than they had told us about. I think it will take
them a long time to recover.
I went to a temple fireside last Sunday
night. The speaker was Chieko Okasake and she is an excellent speaker.
Her husband died unexpectedly quite soon after he had returned from
Japan as a Mission President and that was at least 15 years ago. I have
met her several times as she has attended things in my Orem ward.
John - thank you for "keeping up with
me"!!! John was sick when we were at his home last Saturday and then I
didn't hear from him for several days and I worried that he might have
the "bad" flu bug. He stayed home from work on Monday to try to get
better and was feeling well enough to go to San Diego on Tuesday. He
said he tried to call Roy before he left but our line was busy all the
time - we must have been on the internet.
Barji & Boyd - thank you for inviting Roy,
Timothy & Jesse to your home to see Preston & Gracie since they couldn't
go to the party on Saturday. Roy felt bad they just couldn't make it -
when I told him about her invitation he said "Mom, I can't even get the
boys out of the car". When they did get out of the car they were
practically asleep while walking around - they were "zombies" - Ha!!!
Susanna - thank you for the childhood
pictures of Doyle Reeves to show the resemblance between him and
Caroline. It is REALLY interesting to see how family features show up
generation after generation!!! I just can't believe Caroline's eyes -
noone in my family or Lynn's family has had such beautiful blue eyes.
Are Doyle's eyes still blue? He is a very handsome man so Caroline is
lucky!!!
Jeannie & Claire have given me some pictures
they took at our Christmas Eve party and I LOVE THEM!!! That was such a
special party and the pictures of me with Caroline & Gracie make me
happy. I'm glad to have one of the "Gingerbread House Candies" and
everyone seriously working on their individual gingerbread houses. The
little girl who lives next door to me brought her gingerbread house over
to show me so I took a picture of her by my Christmas tree and it's SO
cute. Her name is Janee and she came over last night to "Play house"
with me - she went downstairs with a big sack and brought many of the
food things from the playhouse kitchen down there up to my T.V. room and
she had so much fun. She lives with my friend Martha who is doing a
great job with her but they don't have many playthings. That's an
interesting situation!!!
Jeannie came over one day last week and we
decided on a menu for Jessie's luncheon at the Lion House - thank you
Jeannie. She also called in all the information and filled out the
necessary forms. I was THRILLED to receive the wedding announcerment
from Jared & Jessie - it is just beautiful and I'm SO glad I will be
able to attend everything. I'm anxious to see Ron's building - it is
perfect for their reception. I haven't seen his building for many, many
years and I will always remember when it was under construction. That
seems like a hundred years ago - Ha!!!
Annie - thank you for your message too.
Your home is "BUZZING" with all kinds of excitement right now and I know
things will work out perfectly for Jared & Jessie. I'm glad they have
an apartment to fix up.
Bob & Claire have been in Mexico City the
last few days visiting some friends. I believe they will be home later
this afternoon and I hope they have had a good time. Laura came home to
be with Katie.
I have been "summoned" for jury duty on
Wednesday. Everyone tells me I won't be chosen to serve and will be
able to be home around noon so I'm not cancelling my D.U.P. assignments
for that day. I will be surprised if I have to call people to say I
won't be to the meeting, etc., etc. I'm supposed to be co-hostess for
our meeting and will make a gingerbread cake the night before just in
case. I would really like to serve on a jury - I have been summoned
many times in Salt Lake but was never chosen and I was disappointed.
This one is in Layton and that's all I know about it.
I feel SO bad for all the people who have
lost their homes and property in Southern Utah - I am convinced more
than ever that I don't ever want to live near water - seas, oceans,
creeks, rivers, etc.!!!! Right now I am hoping for more snow in
Farmington - we have had very little snow so far this year and when I
hear about Cache Valley being covered up with snow I can't believe it.
I think Utah State even cancelled some of their classes because of all
the snow. I can't help but worry a little about the "runoff" in Utah
County when Spring comes - that always causes problems to our property
in Lehi.
I can't think of anymore news - I LOVE EACH
ONE OF YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH - PLEASE BE SO VERY, VERY CAREFUL IN
EVERYTHING YOU DO - Grandma B XXXXXOOOOO