Monday, April 06, 2020

1980 Roberta's Letter -Mar.20


Sunday Morning
[3/20/80]
Dear Family,

Just now finally got the typewriter and lamp all set up on my desk in the bedroom.  Once everything gets in order I'm sure to be glad.  The trouble was that I had both electric outlets covered up by big pieces of furniture -- with books, etc. so couldn't get to the outlets to plug anything in.

Thank you for your letter yesterday.  I'm beginning to think I need to mark my calendar as to all of the activities that Mary Virginia is up to.  I'm wondering if she will see anyone she knows in Washington D.C. from the Mesa band.  I'm glad that she is going ahead with the little (?) scar removal surgery.  I wonder if Dr. Hale has a staple gun he will use.  Maybe you could loan him one from the factory and save a few dollars on the surgery.  At least this visit to the hospital is better planned than the first one.  I'm very sorry Mary that I won't be there to sing to you . . . and help you on your road to recovery.

The week of June 14th would be fine for you all to come out.  I'm wondering if Grandma would also like to come.  She would get along fine now that everything is one level.  It would be the heat that would be the worst.  But you might think about it.  Marion is out of school the last week in May.  Marjorie, her friend from Augusta is going to fly out June 6th . . . she will only stay here a few days and then they will go back together.  I believe their plan is to leave here on the 11th of June.

Mother, you will have to bring your new square dance squirt . . . I mean to say skirt with you.  Everyday in the paper there is a list of places you can go square dancing here.  I did sign up yesterday for the aerobic dance/exercise class.  It will start on April 3rd -- and be over the last week in Mary.  This summer I might sign up for golf through the city -- either Mesa or Tempe.

I'm ready to have this "call forwarding" thing taken off the phone.  I wanted it to be able to transfer calls out to work.  But because we have a Tempe phone number -- it's long distance from here out to work.  That means that if I use the call direct deal and if someone calls -- from anyplace other than Mesa it gets put on the phone bill here.  That goes from wrong numbers to people calling about selling you whatever.  Out at work its long distance for everything -- except for Mesa and Apache Junction.  so whenever I need to get a message here -- I call up Dorothy and then she relays the message for me.

I'm enclosing a menu from last week at work.  The new food service really has been good -- just hope it stays that way!!!  We are now doing it on a reservation basis -- where the people have to register before 11:00 one day for the meal the next day.  That seems to be working out pretty good.  We also get a few meals extra for the "walk-ins" -- but that is hard to guess on.  Some days we have so many walk-ins and other days not a one!!!

The closing date for the drivers job was yesterday.  Don't know how long it will take for them now to actually get someone out there.  The county is funding the van and the driver for us through June 30th.  At the center downtown they use Red Cross vans and volunteer Red Cross drivers.  I think they hope to go that way with East Mesa after June 30th.  I'm not sure if we wouldn't be better off to go that way now -- as they have such good volunteers driving at the other center -- more dedicated than any employee !!!

Did I tell you that we bought a lawn mower???  It is the style that has to be pushed . . . just right for the size of yard we have.  Our yard is not near as big as I thought it would be.  Even for this push lawn mower it cost some $60 dollars.  Marion talked about getting an electric one . . . but I really pushed that idea down.  Remember we talked about getting a grapefruit tree.  Have decided again it -- as the space that it would take up.  I plan to stay friends with people with grapefruit trees.

I went through all the paper work this last week to get an "incomplete" on the one course I was taking.  If I had dropped it, would not have gotten any money back -- this way I can take it again and won't have to pay for it.  I had gotten so far behind -- then did horrible on the mid-term -- D plus -- so figured that this way I'd be better off.  It's coming up to time to register for summer school.  I'm not real sure which way I want to go.  I've realized this semester that it isn't the easiest thing to do -- work during the day and be super-student at night.  I had wanted to do the intern this summer -- but that involves lots of writing -- planning, objectives, goals, etc....  I'd rather do that when Marion is here to help me with the writing.

Sounds like you are coming right along with your Spanish?!!  Of course Mary Virginia would be a good one to help you all out!!  Are you planning any trips to use this new knowledge???  For Hawaii you should have some Japanese . . . or "chink" language as Grandma or John would say . . . .

Mother, could you send me your yogurt recipe again???  I had it last year and tried it once or twice . . . now I can't seem to locate i.  Have been eating yogurt lately so want to try and make it.  Also one of the women out at work would like it.  Often wish you were here to help eat all the stuff that the "old ladies" give me out at work.  Cakes, pies, cookies, etc.  Also grapefruit and oranges . . . .

Do let me know your plans as to coming out.  I will ask for a few days off while you all are here.

Hope Mary Virginia has a good time in Washington D.C. and say hello to . . . . is it President Carter . . . I don't keep up with politics vey much . . . .

Love.
Roberta

PS My swimming pool design is coming right along.

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