1983 Family Letter - Sep. 25

This family letter from September 1983 continues for a half page on the back side which is not scanned. Always glad to get the updates from home. Transcription follows.

Sunday, Sept. 25, 1983

Dear Family,

Last Sunday noon we were having a picnic at the Tennessee Welcome Station en route to Fontana. We felt more comfortable there this time than two years ago as we have "mastered" a few more square dance calls.  Possibly another ten years or so we will do better.  Anyway, we still enjoy it.

Catherine tells us that Wendy is enjoying school this year .. hard to believe that she is six years old.  Always see a happy face on these young children as they put their birthday money into the small church athat we use in our Sunday School.

Roberta is in Los Angeles for a few days as a "guest" of Dr. Schuller and their Chruch.  We are sure that it will be a great experience for her.  Marion has gone a diet and has lost some 30#.

Serena seems to like her job in the insurance office.  She took the tent back to Chicago to do some camping, but the weather so far has not been too cooperative.  We are planning on getting up there later this fall.

Had a nice letter from X and John.  John's birthday wxill be here October 4th.  They are going to a weekend religous [sic] seminar in October.  in Wheaton, Illinois.

Mary Virginia started her classroom observing sessions at New Vienna this past week.  She comes over twice a week for ten weeks.  She is doing it in the music area.under Eileen Cline.

Yesterday was Rob's and Cindxy's 1st anniversary . . . they are "enthralled" with their new house dog.  Angela and Cris are talking about their future celebration on their 1st anniversary.  No news on when Joe will be coming to NYC, as he is now selling some of his art works before leaving there.  [Saudi Arabia?]

The Hortons sent us some deliciousx mangoes from Florida, which we have really enjoyed.  Also took some to the square dance . . they are really a treat there . . . . quite a contrast to the usual items.

Grandma is fine . . . making plans to go to Florida and Arizona.  We are so thankful that her spirit and mind are so great.  She plans to get a "narrower" wheelchair in Florida that will be more adaptable for travel.  Know that this news will be welcome to Roberta.  She has had problems getting her in and out of doors on cruise ships, etc.

Last night was a special dance of our square dance group at Laurel Oaks.  We had a caller from Aurora, Ind. who kept us really moving. He is scheduled for several years ahead - also had a flyer about a squaredance cruise to Hawaii in 1985 but didn't sighn [sic] up for it tho it sounded like fun.  The new class this year has started off real well.  The two free sessions were the past two Tuesdays and classes officially begin this coming Tuesday.  Shirley and Donald McKamey and Wendell and Kathy Mahanes have started as well as Henry and Mary Fisher.  We haven't been there yet but hope to go to the one next Tuesday.  The second grade teacher here is going and really loves it but we need more single men for there are an abundance of single women involved.  Orville brought someone from Hillsboro the first week but was with us last Tuesday so anxious to se if he brings her back.

Linda Hughes Wilson has had another operation for cancer and isn't doing so well - is taking radium treatments.  They live about 40 miles south of Cincinnati in Williamstown, Ky.  She has done so well after her first operation and had planned to teach gifted children on her own time but had to give that up.

Gary and Kathy Tilton who live out where Jack and Virginia Walker used to live lost their 7 week old baby due to crib death last Friday.  Someone had said that there is a relationship between mothers who smoke and children with lung disease and this might be a possibility here.  For some reason they didn't have Rev. Thompson [NVUMC, 1981-85] but the minister from Mt. Olive conduct the services - perhaps they have been going out there.  He is so young and vibrant that many people have been going there from New Vienna.  Wish we had a livelier minister.  We had a good attendance Rally Day (two weeks ago) but it was down from 98 to60 last Sunday and back up to 75 today.  OUr being gone doesn't let us say too much but thought the group from Newark that sang last Sunday would help the attendance.  Grandma said that they didn't get out til 12:15 or so but we were out early today.

The raspberries that Dad transplanted across the street (where the pictures were taken at time of G'ma's birthday have really been doing well and are so much bigger thaxn the ones in our back yard.

Just read an article about "Self-analysis for the price of a movie" and sounds like Zelig would be a good one to see -- starring Woody Allen.  Let us know if you think Dad and I might enjoy it.  There was another article in the paper as to whether we are living or Living or LIVING and the jist [sic] of it was that we die at 35 and have a burial atx 83 in too many instances.

[Love, etc.]