Dearest Family,
I sat down to write my letter about three
hours ago and the phone rang and it was Linda Smithers Stringfellow -
she wanted to come visit with me. We had a GREAT visit and she just
left - I haven't seen her for a long time. It was cold in church this
morning and was snowing when I came home so I put on some VERY warm
clothes and when I walked out to the car with Linda the sun was shining
and it was like Summer - I guess this is Spring in Utah and I just hope
it won't freeze all the fruit.
I have just a little bit of family news - I
have been gone all week!!!
The Weinerts went to Las Vegas on Thursday
for the Celine Dion Concert and I believe they were home on Friday so it
was a short trip. Sarah and Mary Ann were both out of school. They
have been to her concerts before and REALLY enjoy them They also flew
to Sun Valley with some neighbor friends "just for fun" one day last
week.
I had a long talk with John about the Lehi
"stuff". The man (Gary Clark) who was leasing our 4.76 acre plot
decided to not raise cows any more so he sold them to Stan Lewis who has
been leasing our 25+ acre plot for a long time. John talked to Stan and
he will combine our acreage with that of Don & Cheryls and lease them
both for the larger herd. The Clarks have been leasing Don & Cheryls
acreage for a long time. John also advised me to send the information
concerning the recording of the LC at the county recorder's office to
our attorney, Rodney Wilkinson. I appreciate him helping me with this
and it takes alot of time - it is a PAIN!!!
Bob & Claire came over last Sunday.
Claire's foot surgery is healing good and her Mom is doing well. Claire
told me that Michael & Stacis' plane left 12 hours after they left Logan
last week - my letter made it sound like they had to make it in four
hours. I believe they are back in school by now. I hope Bob's patient
who is having his nose reconstructered after cancer destroyed it is
doing well.
I believe Jessie & Jared have been in Mexico
on their SECOND honeymoon. Their plans sounded so fun - they were going
to a rather remote part of Mexico and do some exploring (something like
that anyway). When Annie was in Phoenix one of her closest friends was
Chris Northness. The Northness family went to work for Thiokol and they
asked if my Father would sell them a piece of land in Brigham City on
which to build their home. My parents hadn't decided to sell anything
before that but they sold them a very nice piece and became good friends
with Ken & Rita Northness and they lived there for quite a long time
before moving to Salt Lake. I saw an obituary of Rita Northness in the
Brigham City papers and read where Chris now lives in Salt Lake. I
scanned the obituary and sent it to Annie. It would be fun for Ann to
search for her old friend.
Have any of you seen the movie "Napoleon
Dynamite"??? It took place in Preston, Idaho and I believe it won an
award at the Sundance Film Festival last year. I saw it while I was in
Star Valley last week and it is SO funny!!! Margaret and other condo
friends went through Preston on their way to Etna, Wyoming last week and
they stopped at the Chamber of Commerce building and bought some "Vote
for Pedro" key chains. I want to send it to Emily, Timothy & Jesse if
they don't have it. My friends all say it is VERY popular in Utah and
is putting Preston, Idaho on the map - that is a VERY, VERY small
town!!!
I had a WONDERFUL time in Lava Hot Springs
last week. I have passed that place many, many times and I have admired
the large swimming pool but I had no idea what Lava was really like.
Helen Jane told me to be sure to take a swimming suit so I did but I
kept thinking "there is no way I am going to get into a pool in the
cold, cold weather". She has a time share condo there and it was nice
and very comfortable. She told me to put on my suit, my coat and get in
her car so I did. We drove a few blocks to the "Hot Springs" and I
still can't believe it!!!! They have three large pools - one medium
hot, one hot and one very, very hot they call the lobster pool. It was
bitter cold outside and those springs were just heavenly. We stayed in
them for three hours the first day and almost that long the second day.
I would recommend Lava to all of you. We walked to their "town" and
shopped in some cute little stores - they have a nice grocery store
there. Helen Jane and her family raise cattle so she has some VERY good
beef. She fixed the most delicious meals!!!
We got there on Monday and then on Tuesday
we drove to Etna, Wyoming to see Margaret and two other condo friends
and we stayed with them on Tuesday night. We had such a good time and
Helen Jane had never been to Margaret's home so she really enjoyed it.
We watched "Napoleon Dynamite" and went to Alpine for Pizza and then
Helen Jane and I left Wednesday morning. We decided to stop in Bear
River City on our way home and see Del & Phyllis Holmgren and that was
such a treat. I hadn't been to their home for at least 25 years - they
probably have the nicest home in Bear River. Del had a stroke several
years ago that has affected his speech but he is doing much better now.
They were getting ready to go to St. George for some sports games - Del
is very interested in baseball. Many of you remember Del - he has been
such a support to me and my family all my life and he spoke at my
Mother's funeral.
Our Stake Relief Society had their "Birthday
Commemoration" meeting on Thursday night. They had Ann Benson speak to
us and she was very good and then they had a professional pianist and
his wife perform. They had many, many layered birthday cakes on
pedestals for refreshments and it was an enjoyable evening - I took a
sister to whom I go visiting teaching and she enjoyed it. She is
inactive and didn't have a dress to wear so she wore a white jogging
suit - everyone made her feel very comfortable though and I was happy
about that.
I forgot to mention in my letter last week
that I "CLEANED OUT MY CLOTHES CLOSET". I had seven HUGE garbage bags
full of clothes that I haven't worn for a long time. It was probably
the hardest thing I have ever done because I thought they were too nice
to give away and I had this secret dream that I would lose many, many
pounds and wear them again. I finally decided that was just plain
DUMB!!! I called our cousin, Paula Pack to see if she would be
interested in seeing any of them. She was SO gracious and said she
would love them so I took them to her. I don't know if they were any
good to her but at least I felt better about giving them away. It was
fun to visit with her. She has 44 piano students and she teaches in
their homes so she is on the road most of the time. I admire her VERY
MUCH!!!
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