Dear Mom & Dad,
I really had a wonderful birthday yesterday, and it began with your telegram--that was really something. Yesterday morning Marian woke up with really severe pains in the right side of her abdomen, so I called Eric, and we took her to the health center. They gave her some tests and after awhile the doctor decided it was the pills for her back. He says they sometimes cause ulceration of the intestine. We were afraid it might be appendicitis. She's on a diet now and checks with the doctor daily but is still taking her finals. She's fine now. (That's as of today, this morning. By the time you receive this letter, things may have changed!) The school was considerate enough not to schedule any of my finals on my birthday, so I had a nice day of rest after we took care of Marian.
About noon Marian and Warren came over with a present for me to open from them. It was a beautiful navy-blue wool cape. I really like it! I wore it and my blue stripped pants up to the bookstore to sell some of my books, and there I met Eric, so I walked home with him and he gave me another present from him. You'll never guess what--a french-fry cutter! You put a whole peeled potato in, push down the handle, and presto, out come perfectly cut french fries. He got it for me because I'm always asking him to buy me french fries. He said he was on the verge of giving that to me early several times because of that.
All the boys from Warren's apartment came over with a cake and they brought it in all lighted and sang happy birthday. I tried to blow out the candles but they were trick ones that came on again after you blow them out. It was really frustrating--we almost burned the cake trying to get them out! Then Eric and I went to see two movies, but his car wouldn't start, so all five or six boys came down to push. There were so many they practically picked it up. Then it started really easy. The movies were good.
I had two finals on the 17th and 18th, and I have two more next Monday and Tuesday, and I'll be all done. There are standby flights the entire month. I'll probably come home on the 27th. Hope you're all well and thriving. Can't wait to see you all again. Love, Linda
February 26, 1968
Dear Gene & All,
I have so many books. Some are Dad's and church books and genealogy records, family records of both sides. I feel like throwing them in the trash. So many church books that would be good for church libraries. If none of the family need or want them, I feel like leaving them or let the Goodwill have them. Maybe if I telephoned some of them, they'd pick them up. I can't read anymore because of my bad eyesight.
Brother Grey will take my personal things to Joyce Manor, apt. 406 on the 1st of March. I'll have to be out of here so if none of the family want the books or genealogy records, they'd better let me know at once. Love from a tired old worn-out blind mother. [This letter is from my grandmother Leora Fast who was once again moving to another apartment in Los Angeles. It was at this time that I started collecting family history records in earnest.]
March 21, 1968
Dear Gene & All,
How are you all? Seems we all had such a quick visit together. I can hardly believe that we really all did get together and do the things that we did on my birthday. It's almost like having a dream, going to see and hear Lawrence Welk's program and having those refreshing eats under the bright lights in that great big theater. Then having the pleasure to go up on the stage and shake hands with Lawrence and the well-known singer of his group. Wow, what a birthday celebration! Think I told Lawrence Welk it was my birthday. Richard and Betty won't forget it either. What a quick trip to come that far and get back to Utah and his work on time too. Did they tell you that we drove to the cemetery and visited Dad's grave? How did you manage to sleep all of them? I'd liked to have come on out but knew you'd have a houseful without me.
This Joyce Manor has been through a change of management and the church members want it only for the elderly LDS women to live in. The older tenants who are not members of our church and been here so long are allowed to stay on here. Next to me is a Jehovah Witness and two or more from some other religion. So it was easy for me to get back in this Joyce Manor apartment. I'm glad I'm on the north side and have no sun to contend with and I get a very pretty view of the mountain range north of us from end to end. I know several of the tenants too.
Must tell you that Flossie Northern's friend, Lila, was beaten up by some guy as she drove back to where she lives. They broke her arm, I believe, and jerked her pocketbook away from her, and she had lots of her money in it. Flossie has been with her. I tried to phone Flossie and she wasn't home so guess she must be with Lila awhile. It doesn't pay to carry much cash with you or be out alone after dark too long anymore. So keep your doors locked and windows too. Flossie talked as if Lila carried most of her cash with her all the time. She doesn't live in a very good part of town either.
Well, it's dark. I must close and drop this letter too. We must all be cautious, even your girls. The devil is all around. Must close, Mother [Leora]
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| Perry about 1968 |
Dear Mother and Dad,
I thought that this kind of type might be a little bit easier for you to read. It's a typewriter I have at school. And right now I have a few minutes, so I thought I would take a few minutes to write you.
We surely did enjoy our visit up there with you during the spring vacation. It is really wonderful just to see you for a little while. I hope we can do it oftener. I haven't been very good at writing birthday cards and letters, so I thought that I would discipline myself and write to each one in the family on MY birthday. I guess it is more appropriate that I write particularly to my parents on my birthday rather than have them write to me. After all, I should really thank them for daring to have me and being willing to endure all of the trials of raising a son. I am really grateful to you for your courage, patience, understanding and selflessness. So, on this my forty-sixth birthday, I say THANK YOU Mother and Dad. Thanks so much for the church news section. I really enjoy it.
We are all well and very busy. We are trying to get the house looking decent for two wedding receptions this summer--one is only a month away. [Linda and Marian both got married the summer of 1968, Marian in June to Warren Bodily and Linda in July to Eric Hartman.] We are trying to get most of the rooms painted and you know what kind of a job that is. Also the yard needs a lot of work done on it. And with my being away from six in the morning until eight-thirty at night, it all really presents a problem.
Dale is working and trying to save money so that he can come up to BYU this summer. It is going to take some doing, but I hope he can do it. If we can do all that we and the children want for this summer, it will be truly monumental.
I hope that you are both still feeling well. It surely made me feel good to see both of you and see you in such good health both mentally and physically. I hope I can do that well at your age. I'll bet spring is really beginning to show up there now. It is showing here, but it is never as dramatic as up there. Sometimes I hardly know what season it is. That is some difference from the Uintah Basin isn't it? Best wishes to both of you. Love, Perry
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| Spring vacation at 1190 Elgin Ave. |
Dear Perry & family,
So many things have happened at your home and are going to happen that your thoughts likely are all whirling through space, but I thought perhaps you might like to hear a line or two from Elgin Ave.
We have pictured the reception in our minds, and we were glad you said it was wonderful. Marian said it was wonderful too. She, Warren and Dale came here for a short time toward evening of the Fourth. They had been to Lagoon. All day before, on the 3rd, I kept thinking we should get some ice cream or something, but Dad thought going to the store was "too much." I said, "We always used to have ice cream on the Fourth and 24th, even if it was salty or turned to butter lumps!" Ha ha!" But anyway, we didn't get any.
The next day Lorin and Lorna came and brought us a big watermelon and two cantaloups, so when Marian and Warren and Dale came, we sat out under our big tree and had melon. Oh, yes, we had some cherries from our tree. We had to "scrounge" them from the sparrows before they were quite ripe, but they were pretty good anyway, and we gave Marian some to take home. We were so glad Marian and all came. It seemed much more like the "Fourth of July" although there were no flares or firecrackers.
One's thoughts go back to the celebrations we used to have long ago when all the young folks had to have a few firecrackers. All the girls thought they had to have a "Fourth dress." Somebody once asked Lucile Merrell if she had her "Fourth dress." "No," she said, "but I have my second one." Everyone was poor.
Well, it is warm weather, and we sleep in our basement. We are thankful for it. June spent several days with us, and we all went to see Hazel and Walter. I think they were glad to see us, and we took them some cherries. Walter has gone back to work but Hazel said his leg has a lot of pain in it. Leona Manwaring [Elmer's sister] stayed with us a few days too. She had been to the Logan Temple with Doris and her husband to be sealed. Most all of Alta's family group went too and made it quite an occasion. Dee and Mary came Sunday and took her home. Wayne is going on a mission to West Germany. He got acquainted with Warren and Eric at BYU and says they are fine men. He has grown so tall.
Well, although I thought this would go in the mail this morning, the mail carrier must have taken a notion to come real early, so I am late again, or this letter is. I am going to write to Linda later. As ever, Dad & Mother
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