Thursday, April 09, 2020

1980 Family Letter -Mar.26

Wednesday ---
26 March 1980
Dearest Family --

Spring may be here according to the calendar but doesn't look or feel too warm outside (or inside) yet.  There's to be a high of 40ยบ.  Today is the day Mary Virginia and the band take off for Washington having to meet at the school by 5:30 PM to get to Chillicothe to take the Amtrak.  They will be staying at a Howard Johnsons in Wheaton, MD.  The jazz band is to play tomorrow morning so hope that the train isn't too far off schedule for they hope to drop off their luggage on the way from the train.  They will be busy the whole time and have a good bit planned -- don't envy the chaperones keeping up with them.  We offered to go if they really needed chaperones but evidently they had enough.  There are quite a few parents and boosters just going at the same time but not actually on the train with them like the Wendell Mahanes, Harold Thornburgs, David Haines and others.  The Bill Wolfes are driving a truck with the uniforms & instruments.  They are leaving after school today which I sure don't envy their ride.  The Tolles and Cindy and Mike Daye had planned to go originally but Arlene's father is very critically ill with cancer in Florida so they won't be going.

Appreciated all the letters this past week and hope all went through with the closing for you Morgans yesterday.  Hope all got straightened out on the check -- would like to see a picture of your new place.  Roberta, your pink envelope arrived Monday postmarked top and bottom on both front and back (4 times) and enjoyed the clippings too.  And yesterday the second letter arrived -- both very interesting about your work and activities -- hope you enjoy your aerobic class and do hope that you take golf lessons eventually too.  Frank Waters was promoting this for a long time.

Glad that John and Carol were able to go down after Grandma and hope that the weather is nice for them the few days they are there.  Wish we could have gone too but just didn't work out for this year.  Anxious to see all you come in Saturday (day before Easter).  Wish that more of the family could come too -- especially Serena since she is the closest but guess she has a couple of friends coming in but if they change their minds don't hesitate to come on home for we'd love to have you.

Our square dancing has slowed down considerably but it isn't because we haven't had the chance to go for there is at least one party a week where the Clinton County raids (tries to get banner).  There were two last week plus the club's own dance.  We did go to a special catch-up practice Sunday evening and plan to go to the workshop tomorrow night.

Appreciated those Spanish cartoon-lessons from the Miami Herald, Mother Uible -- plan to take them tonight to show the teacher.  He's a young fellow from Lynchburg who used to teach Spanish and is dong a good job if we can just absorb it as quick as he tries to teach it.  There are so many different personalities in the class and the first night we gave our personal reasons for taking it.  One of the women in there turns everyone off for she thinks she is as good as the teacher who puts her down every once in awhile almost with clapping from the others.  This woman hopes to go to Brownsville, TX and open a business of some sort, she says.  She told Dad on one occasion that she is a gourmet cook.  They have decided to offer the class for another seven weeks and most of us are interested and think it should soak in better.

We wondered why we had a call to Tempe on our phone bill last month and decided that you must have a Tempe number -- too bad that you can't transfer your calls without added charge, Roberta.  Last month we also had a call someone made to Greenfield -- it's never too expensive but adds up and I'm sure is a nuisance to the phone company.

Just can't believe that Uncle Bill Horton is no longer actively associated with the stock brokerage but nice of him to help the other fellow get started so is easing off gradually.  I am sure you all enjoyed Marianne and the boys but it would be different when they all had left.  She got to have a nice visit.

Really enjoyed talking to Wendy on the phone the other Friday and wish we could be closer to see the changes.  The phone company has a good ad about Grandma getting to talk baby talk as long as she want on the early morning calls.

How do you like the new envelopes?  Thought you might appreciate them more than those old ones from Wells that we still have many of but sure aren't my favorites.

Cheryl Cook Ray had a brain tumor and passed away last week leaving three children -- a real attractive 8th grade girl and one in 4th and a boy in 2nd. Her husband had died several years ago so guess Rita and Wayne Davidson plan to raise her sister's children.  Cheryl was only 33.

Roberta the menu you sent from the Senior Center at East Mesa sounds real good and hope that it continues as well -- do you get to eat the same thing as part of the fringe benefits?  Sorry that you have had so many problems with the contractors and finishing up projects like grass, doors, etc.  Which course do you plan to finish later -- you didn't say?  Mabel Collier fell and has been in the hospital -- they can't or hadn't decided whether she had a hair line fracture in the same leg she injured before but hopefully she was to get home yesterday and would have to use a walker for 6 weeks if not just slightly injured.  We invited Elroyd and Ruth in Saturday evening but he wouldn't come.  Afterwards we took Ruth to Wilmington and we stopped to see Mrs. Matthews and Mr. McCoy at Extended Care and then picked up Ruth after visiting with Ernest Wilson and Mabel briefly.

Just got in for lunch and see that the "better half" has covered all the news, for we certainly hear enough political and economic news without going into that.

Mary Virginia and a friend spent one Saturday morning over at the laundry mat bldg in Wilmington cleaning things up, as they did not renew the lease because of poor business, which is another story.  I'm planning on selling it, but now is a poor time for the banks, etc. for the banks have no money to loan.  In fact after paying all these taxes I sometimes wonder about the effort when the government takes such a big bite, but seriously there are so many things to be thankful for.

Norman and Donna Brown have bought a mobile home in Leesburg, FL -- guess they have been down twice this winter.

[Love, etc.]

No comments:

Items from Uible photo album