Saturday Afternoon
3:00 P.M.
[9/1/79 or possibly 9/8/79]
Dear Family,Have been waiting all week to hear from you and finally decided today I better get out a letter, and perhaps that would bring better results. This last week has really been a busy one, so really not much time for writing and other past-times.
Classes yesterday seemed to be getting into business. The names of my classes are: URBAN LEISURE SYSTEMS, THEORY PRINCIPLES RECREATION PROGRAM, ADMINISTRATION LEISURE SERVICES, AND PS AGING. I don't think I had all the official names of courses home with me this summer. Each course has a project of some kind already assigned, two of them have already handed out a list -- like a full page list -- of necessary reading and the like. Each of these I should have had the earlier course for a pre-requisite before taking it. Plus was suppose to have had a course -- also undergraduate -- called leisure and society -- which I got excused from altogether. Now my advisor has told me that I should get that textbook and read it. I was talking to someone yesterday who had taken the course and still has the book, so will just borrow it from them.
I called up Aleini when I got in -- or rather on Monday. He wanted to talk to me on Wednesday. He is my advisor. So he met me on Wednesday in the building where my classes are -- thought that was pretty nice of him. He broke the news to me that he thought it would be a good idea to get Accounting in -- tho not this semester, or necessarily at ASU. He said that it is a requirement for undergraduates in Recreation and he thought that it would be good for me to have it. He said that alot of students because of money reasons, or convenience, etc got it at the Junior College. I never quite imagine myself taking Accounting. He also wanted me to sign up for a Special Topics class -- which just meets on Fridays between 12:00 and 1:15 -- so I did that. It is just a one hour credit thing -- but no book (thank goodness at the price of books) necessary and no cut class outline. We are to tell them (three professors seem to be running it) next week what we would like see done. Their were only 8 students in it last week. It's suppose to be the type thing where you take your lunch. I talked to Aleini about working and he said he felt that I should really concentrate on school this semester and then think about it -- if necessary -- for next semester.
Our area is sure growing around here. The townhouses directly behind us are through with their first phase. Some 44 finished, and alot of them sold, some people are already living back there, tho still much work is being done on landscaping and future building. The ones that are finished now are selling for $49 thou, and the ones that they are just starting to build -- and should be ready for move-in by February will be about $3 thou more. Hard to believe. They are Hallcraft just like this one -- tho they are alot classey looking -- as I understand it these were about $24 thou when first bought. Now people selling them are getting close to $40 thou. How do you all like that thou business????
The Sears store now has Goldwaters and Broadway as open-for-business- neighbors. Tho at the present you have to enter each one separately. The actual mall is not to be open till October 3rd. There are two new restaurants being built right down here at Alma School and Southern. Speaking of restaurants -- we haven't eaten out since we got back -- and that will be a week tomorrow. And even more surprising we haven't been to Swenson's -- tho the rumor is out that we might make it out there tonight or tomorrow. Just make sure it is still there and operating. Mother, would you like me to put down a small deposit on one of the new (to be done in February) townhouses for you -- so you would be sure and have one?????
We never did get the bikes started, so had to have them out to the Honda dealer, where it was necessary to do something to the battery, carb. (sp?) and gas lines. It came to a total of $9 dollars which I thought to be pretty reasonable. I did ride my bike to school yesterday. Took me about 15 minutes to get from door here, to the door of the building. Not bad. My first professor -- the 8:40 class says that if you are more than three minutes late, then go to the student union and get a cup of coffee or drink. He doesn't want his class interrupted. I want to get in the habit of leaving here early and getting some studying done in the morning over there. The library opens up at 7:00 a.m. Was there Wednesday, and took me some 40 minutes to track down two different books -- out of a list of some 15 books. Found out later that the dept. has their own library. The school library is offering a 50 minute tour which I plan to take this week. Understand that it is for free. I did check out the two books -- one month policy. Tho with the amount of reading I need to be doing, I best not need one month of these two.
I have the feeling that I am going to like the class on aging the best. In it we have to go on 6 out of the ten class visits to all sorts of nursing homes, senior citizen centers, etc. Then we have to go on four visits by ourselves -- different than those we go on as a class. He also will have alot of guest speakers in and it sounds like it really will be good.
Agnes (speaking of nursing homes) seems fine. She made me a very nice quilt -- made out of just squares of poly material -- no back on it -- thinking about just putting a sheet on back side of it. Also a pillow which would be hard to describe -- you all will just have to come out and see it. Fred is much worse. Can just barely get around. He is going to have to go into a nursing home, tho he says he sure doesn't want to get stuck where Agnes is -- but being a veteran he will probably go into one of their places.
Did you know that the federal gov't just recently passed a law saying that any "nursing home" has to have an Activities Director????
Please send me Joe's address -- my cousin. Had a letter today from Mary Greene, and she said that her brother Mike -- who is also in Saudi Arabia was in a very bad car accident. Was unconscious for quite some time, broke his collar-bone, and really had his face messed up. Mary graduated from Berkley in June, and has been taking flight instruction (to fly plane) this summer. She has a job in Japan starting in October. Will be teaching English. Tho what she really wanted to get into (and still plans to) is that of hotel management.
Just this morning we finally finished -- if you want to call it that -- putting stuff away. The first few days all we had was a small path through the downstairs to walk. I have a drawer behind kitchen table to put my books, etc in . . . so am using kitchen table as desk.
So what have you all been doing, did you get the Mexican dinner fitted in the schedule while Catherine and Wendy were there??? What all did the Hortons do while in New Vienna??? Did Uncle Bill get out to the Country Club??? And did they get to see Marianne? What did C.W. think of the factory and all of its changes?
I wish I had gotten a letter off earlier in the week to have made it home now -- when John and Carol were there. How much of the weekend did they spend in New Vienna??? Did they mention anything exciting they got for their wedding -- in line of gifts. They sure had a table full. Oh, Marion sure appreciated the cake. But I don't think she put it under her pillow -- just ate it. We have been having some very good cantaloupe here -- 19 cents a pound. Not too bad. Gas here is just under a dollar, a gallon.
Grandma, I'm sure using the yellow back-pack you gave me. It's one of the few pretty ones on the campus. Tho most everyone it seems has one -- but usually a dull navy blue.
Serena, what are you doing??? You should be about recuperated from your trip from Ft. Dodge to Kent by now. I was sure tired making it from Denver to here in one day plus one evening -- and I only did half the driving. Are you still planning on going to Chicago? If you go, I understand it gets cold there, take boots. As I've already said, you are more than welcome to try out this area. I understand that there is a courthouse in Phoenix.
I better go. Mary Virginia you should be getting -- or have got small (very small package) soon. You really did a great job on the first one -- or rather the second one -- if you look at it in relation to when they were bought -- even if it didn't get ironed!!!
We got Church letter -- notice that youth choirs are beginning again. Also that Wednesday night suppers are still a buck. They are starting up again this coming Wednesday -- we will be there. I'll tell Mrs. Garrett hello from Mary Virginia and will no doubt ask her if I could sing for her sometime. Probably THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME. I feel like that is about my best song. Tho I am working very hard to develop new ones. Should I send a tape to you Mary Virginia??
OK -- gotta go. Thanks again for everything. Hope you can read my typing -- but I understand that it is easier to read than my writing.
Love,
Berta
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