1978 Roberta's Letter - April 17

April 17, 1978

Dear Family,

Here it is Monday morning . . . have been thinking all week-end about writing . . . did get a letter finished to John that I had started earlier in the week, and also one to Catherine off.  John called about 11:30 Friday night.  I was half asleep, but we must have talked for about a half hour or so.  The connection was very bad . . . couldn't hardly hear him.  He said he would be home this weekend.

We have had some cool weather . . . had planned to go swimming this weekend, but it was cool . . . very windy.  It was only 50 some this morning !!!

Saturday I had a strange day as to getting things picked up from being repaired.  I did tell you that I dropped my good watch, so had taken it in to get fixed.  They told me it would be $13.50 to get fixed – main spring had been broken.  So when I went in to pick it up it was on the bill $18.50. . . so I readily said that it was supposed to be only $13.50 . . . after much talk, them telling me that I had agreed to pay . . . which I had not.  Finally the outcome was that my watch had not been fixed after all.  Now, I'll just wait til I get home to get it fixed.  In the meantime I bought a $9.00 timex, which I like alot.  It is brown, silver trim.  Large face (something like Mary's and has a second hand).

Then we went from there to the shoe store, where I had gotten my new pair of sandals.  I had given them my old ones to fix.  I had not asked how much it would be, so I was in for quite a surprise.  For a pair of sandals that cost me $18 to begin with . . . cost me $22 to get fixed ! ! !  I was in shock ! ! !  I felt like telling them to keep the shoes, but the guy had been so nice when he made the sandals for me.  Next time I'm going to ask how much before I leave something to be fixed.

We did practically nothing all weekend.  Until the car gets fixed, we won't be going far.  The seals seem to have all gone bad.  It is leaking transmission fluid bad.  I'm beginning to wish I had a more dependable car.  This one you can depend on spending money on it.  I have written John and also talked to him over the phone about the granada.  I'm telling him that perhaps he would like to take the money that he had paid Grandma and put that toward his own car.  I'll pay him that money back.  He talked about selling the granada.  Which makes little sense to me.  It should have some good years ahead of it.  I would need to put A/C in it, but that makes a whole lot more sense than putting it in the Buick.  Marion would like to keep the Buick in running condition to go back and fourth to school in.  Either that or she talks about getting another older car.  She seems to think that the Buick still has some miles left in it.  I'm anxious to see what the price of this transmission problem is going to be.  The guy said at least $180, and perhaps $350 if the metal has gone bad.  I'll keep you posted.

I'm trying to get this done too quickly – as if you all can't tell.  I've got so much news about what all has happened here at work, but for now I better not get into it.  Will get some memo's out and then come back to this letter.

Remember the Mexican Restaurant we ate at when you all were here, the one in Tempe, the Mandes took us there for supper on Saturday.  We all ordered these big dinners, but also ordered a cheese crisp – as like an appetizer – it was giant – like a huge pizza.  I could only eat about half of my dinner – so you know what I mean when I say how much food there was.  But then later that night we were at Fudgies . . . had talked about banana splits . . . but most of got just two dips.  Guess Rene had his banana split.

Sunday at Church there wasn't the crowd like there has been earlier.  The tourist season is really come to a close.  Eating out in the restaurants is another sure sign that the tourists are on their way back home . . . Sure don't see the Iowa license plates that we saw for so long.

As to license plates for the buick . . . I plan to buy Arizona tags . . . for a car that old it will only coast about $12.  For a new car, if its a big one a license cost about $120 or so.  Also has to go through inspection which cost about $5 . . . about smog control . . . doesn't have to be done on cars older than 1966 . . . so the Buick just makes it.

I better close for now . . . trying to get this letter out down here right now is not the easiest thing to do!!

Love,

Berta