1979 Family Letter -Nov.11

Sunday afternoon

November 11, 1979

Dearest Family,

I started this a little earlier than usual in case I shouldn't . . . . the usual time.  Just wanted to tell all of you that we were glad to hear of Gerry's surgery which he had done on Thursday.  The doctor found not one but two slipped ruptured discs.  We aren't happy that the surgery was needed but do hope that it will do much to alleviate all the pain that he has been suffering for so long.  He will be in the hospital for a week after surgery so should be getting out about Thursday.  He was on IV after the operation but looking forward to ice cream last Friday nite & the beginning of food (soft diet) on Saturday.  I do wish we could have been out there to help a little with Wendy for it means a good many hours away from her Mother and Daddy but she seems to be adjusting well under the circumstances.  We did make reservations to fly out & then we found that he (Gerry) would not need to be hospitalized for three or four weeks - decided we wouldn't want to be in the way of his recovery program.  Perhaps we will be able to get together later either in Oregon or a more southerly climate at Christmas time since he will be away from work until the first of the year.

Dad has started a fire in the fireplace so I have moved the typewriter right up in front of it to get the full advantage.  It is a typical November day today - cold and dampish and penetrating.  Most of the leaves are off the trees except the red maples at the side of the house which are still holding tight.  Dad bought about six trees in Hillsboro this week and had been busy planting them between rainy spells.  He got one for the Lions Club and one for the parsonage and an apple to replace the one that was destroyed by a storm this summer and some apple and pear trees for here.  We miss the persimmon tree that the Leonard Shaws had in their yard.  Someone tracked the fruit into their house last fall so she had the Pratts chop it down.

We appreciated letters from you this week and glad Roberta hasn't had any more bee stings.  I know she is busy studying but always good to get her long letters.  We didn't realize that John is in a different department now and is working from 10AM to 8PM which may be good in the morning but not so good for any evening plans.  Do hope that we didn't upset any of your plans for Thanksgiving but hadn't known that you were thinking of coming Saturday instead of Thursday.  We did invite the Baines family and Mimi is not sure as her family from New York may possibly come to Ohio; she is to let me know this week as they will let her know by then.  There are about 20 of them so as it stands now if her family doesn't come the Baines and her Aunt Eleanor will come here.

It was nice talking to Serena and we were sorry to hear about Debby's accident in the lab with her hand and the broken glass but no doubt she was happy to have a week in Ohio with her family.  We had hoped that she (Serena) might consider coming home for Thanksgiving  too - with Debbie but guess that ride is out now.

By the way, I forgot to say earlier that we would be glad to have you, John and Carol, stay through the weekend.  I know that John has to be at the bank on Friday and Saturday but Carol is welcome to stay here and then John would get back to New Vienna all the sooner and still go with the Go-Getters Class to Cincinnati.  They announced this morning that they have a large number of the young people going - the newly weds and even some not married yet.  (MV wanted to know if she could go with them but we didn't think they wanted high-schoolers but they do want to get a nucleus of a new Sunday School class.)

Serena is getting her apartment fixed up more and more and continues to be working at the insurance company and is thinking about flying to Kansas City from Midway airport during the Christmas holidays. 

Sorry that Marion's trip to Denver wasn't more gratifying as far as her craft work was concerned but know she and IT had a nice get together.  Glad that IT likes her work in the floral business.  Sounds like quite a change from teaching.

There was a storytelling seminar at the Dayton Public Library followed by a luncheon and another speaker who has written a new book on the subject.  Jeanne Liggett and I made reservations and Dad decided to accompany us but of course didn't stay for the meetings.  We did have a nice visit with Mrs. L. going and coming.  They are entertaining Malaysian students for Thanksgiving - those of you who know her know that the Liggetts used to live there and are now more or less in charge of the foreign exchanged students at Wilmington College.  They gave us some Indian newspapers for you, Roberta, that were printed in Washington D.C. by the embassy there!

We got home in time to get the eaves at Grandma's cleaned of leaves (John especially will appreciate this good news).  Did borrow Fred Hughes's ladder for the job as it is lighter and I can handle them by myself, while last year in using Wells long ladders it was all that John and I together could do.

MV has MYF tonight and the two of us went over to the old air base for a square dance get together.  They say that an evening session is equivalent to walking six miles.

[Love, etc.]