1983 Catherine's Letter - Aug. 2

August 2, 1983 

Dear Mother & Dad,

Hi!  I thought I'd see if this typewriter still works.  It has its problems.  It originally belonged to the library but was supposedly dropped on the floor by some former employee and then sat in the back room at the library for several years until I resurrected it and had it repaired.  It works (most of the time) but is very temperxmental.

It was good x talking to you both on Sunday.  We did go to the Cove shortly after that.  After we got back home we had a terrible hail storm (it hit only Madras, we heard later that the Cove & Culver area didn't even get any rain.)  We had 1½ of rain in about 45 minutes causing flooding in downtown Madras and the hail damaged several area crops.  Some of the hail was as big as ping pong balls.  Our grass was completely covered with hail.  It seemed especially amazing as it been so hot during the day.  The temperature went from 98º to 49º.  The water came up to the door at the library but stayed outside.  Our street in front of the house was completely covered with water and it was flowing over the curb on the other side of the street.  Glad we live on the high side!  Our garden plants were damaged but not too severely.  The squash leaves got a little shredded and the tomatoes lost some foliage.

We are looking forward to going rafting this weekend possibly a short trip on Saturday and a long trip on Sunday.  Wendy would go with us on Sat. and stay with a friend on Sunday.  The Saturday trip is pretty definite but we aren't sure about Sunday yet.

The library has been very busy this summer.  We had 180 in our Summer Reading Program "Reading Makes Pictures in Your Mind."  We just had our end of the program part on Friday.  We had prized donated by local businesses and everybody got a paperback book.  The books were bought with money donated by organizations and other businesses.  Wendy got a Berenstain Bears  book, a jawbreaker, some balloons (also for everyone), a free ice cream from the Dairy Queen and a free pass to the movies.  It seemed to go pretty well but of course there are always things we can improve on for next year.

We have an extra employee at the library through Sept. who is paid by the government work experience program.  She is 18 and just graduated from Culver H.S.  She is a good worker but is only capable of doing some things.  (She can't type, for instance).  Debbie is going back to school the end of September, she will be a Junior at George Fox College after taking two years off to work at the Madras Library.  She hopes to go on to get her library degree.  I'm not sure what I am going todo yet as the Carla (the new girl) is willing to work but is probably only capable of doing about half of what Debbie has been doing.  I may have Carla work about 20 hours and get somebody else to work the other 20.

Well, I need to get ready for work so better be closing.

Love,
Catherine, Gerry, DeeDee & Wendy