1981 Family Letter -Aug.

Monday Evening, August 31, 1981

Dear Family:

This time last week we were in Chicago with Serena.  We appreciated Serena taking the day (Tuesday) off from her work to be with your Mother while I made some business contacts.  Did enjoy some new restaurants while there and took in a play and from my viewpoint the least said about the play the better.  (Serena and I enjoyed seeing Shelly Winters in "Gingerbread Lady" in the round - Mother)  Wednesday noon we had lunch at Howard Johnson in Indpls and on the last lap to NY visited the new library in Miamisburg, Ohio . . . guite mod architecture . . . and then supper at "Joe's is a Fish Restaurant" in Dayton, which was a good stop.

The new car gave us about 30 MPG, but for a trip the larger car is much more comfortable and the use of cruise control makes freeway driving so much easier.

Saturday morning we were off for Pittsburgh, PA and had lunch at the Ohio Valley Mall near Wheeling.  It was a super Mall with two steak places, plus several fast food places and we ended up at Wendys.  There were also two tour buses which had let people out for a lunch stop.  After getting Aunt Virginia in PGH we drove back to New Cumberland to Miss Marshall's house (one of your Mother's former teachers who is still QUITE active at 83 after having taught in N.C. for 40 years) where we were staying.  The 70th school reunion was in Toronto, Ohio, across the river for the crow, but 20 miles by car.  There were nearly 500 people there, including two from the class of 1913.  One of them sat across from us -- he is still active in the real estate business and had driven down from northern PA.  The other '13 Grad was also staying with Miss Marshall and was to leave for Florida the next day.  We left the "party" about 11 to take Virginia back to PGH, but got into HEAVY rain on the way back and we were more than ready for bed at 2 A.M.  We were lucky for we stopped for a few minutes for the rain to quit and in less than a mile had to stop; a pick-up headed toward us in our lane, but who couldn't get under a big tree that had fallen across the highway . . . U.S. 30.  Luckily we squeezed under the tree . . . that's an experience that we will remember for a while.

Yesterday morning we went to the Presbyterian Church, but short service since the minister had had a heart attack, but your Mother did see people that she knew there years ago.  The Sankers were also staying with Miss Marshall and Jean S. was a Methodist in N.C. so we went to her Church at 11 A.M.  Then in the afternoon the school reunion group had a picnic at 2, with the meal at 4 another big turnout.  For recognition the person who came the farthest was from Argentina, with six folks from Calif.

Now it is back to the "farm" . . . wish we could share some of our abundant garden produce with you folks.  Grandma is all set for her trip on Wednesday to Phoenix . . . she is a great inspiration for all of us.  Sorry that we missed your call last night, Roberta but glad that MV was near enough to hear the phone -- the airlines had called here no doubt due to your suggestion.

We enjoyed both trips but would rather spread them out a little more -- further apart that is but glad that we were able to do them both.

 [Love to all etc.]