Must tell you about some of Dale's activities

Padua Hills Theatre, Claremont, CA

June 5, 1961

Dear Folks,

Just a line--do hope you are feeling much better Mother. We think of you every day and mention you in all our prayers. We are all fine. Marian has just recovered from a two-week siege of bronchitis. We had to get a 3-day $5 miracle drug to give her to clear it up. She is just so frail and thin and growing so fast I guess.

School will be out in "8 more days" the kids tell me. But everyone is going back for six weeks of summer school--even Harriet. And Daddy will be teaching too. I told Perry, "Guess I'll go to school too!" Pomona schools have an adult education program which I could take advantage of. I have been sewing quite a bit lately and have made a suit and several dresses for myself and helped Linda and Marian with their sewing too.

Our Relief Society had their closing social last Wednesday. They took us up to a Spanish adobe historical spot in Pomona and then to luncheon at the Padua Hills Restaurant, which is located 2 miles above us in the hills here. It was a very lovely affair.

Must tell you about some of Dale's activities over the past week or so here. He has been working for a neighbor and earned himself about $6.00 last week. He also found a couple of 3-foot snakes (one got a away). He called until he found a pet shop that told him to bring it in. When they saw it, they said, "Yes" they would buy it, that people liked this kind for pets. This just floored Perry. They gave him 75 cents for it and told him they would take more if he found that kind. Perry just laughed and laughed about this.

We always had plenty of pets

He asked them about hamsters and said he would like to raise some. They told him they would pay him 25 cents apiece for any he raised, so he bought a pair of young ones and a cage with some of his money. So now he is in the hamster business too. He has been selling light bulbs for his scout troop this past week too. He sold about $60 worth and found he was way over what the other boys had sold and will win some kind of prize and get to go to camp this summer too.

The girls have found two pure-white kittens at a friends house and just had to have them too! So we now have quite a house full of pets. I tell you, what with gold fish, a dog, cats, kittens, hamsters and sometimes snakes around here. So it goes. More later, Love, Gene

August 2, 1961 (Tuesday)

Dear Mother,

I miss not being able to call you. We plan to leave Friday afternoon. Harriet has her birthday Thursday so will have a few friends in for awhile. Could you plan to be here Thursday sometime so we could visit awhile?

Golly, Mom, you will be quite isolated out here while we are gone. No buses or close places to walk to like at Pierce's. No television either. You'll miss some of your favorite TV shows I'll bet. But we have our lovely hi-fi radio set you can enjoy some lovely music on (day or night.)

Perry is hiring a neighbor boy to water the place because that is quite a big job. Can you get to a phone and call me collect and let me know when you can come out? I'll be home all day tomorrow and Thursday too. I'm anxious to talk to you about your plans too and wish to see you before we go. We will be gone about one week, Mom.

Hope you are fine. We are working like mad to be ready to go Friday. I'm trying to finish up some sewing too. Must run now. Love, Gene

I'm ashamed to see how pouty I was, spoiling a
beautiful vacation that my parents planned and
worked for just because Dale got to sit in the front seat
of the car instead of that special seat next to Mom going
to me as it always had in the past--for my WHOLE life.

August 25, 1961

Dear Perry & Family,

We were glad to get your letter telling of your safe arrival home and of your trip to the Grand Canyon. I am glad you could all go. As you said, "One's impressions are beyond expression." My, school has come again so soon. Hazel had to go to a meeting today and school next week! I suppose you will be in school too.

Well, Perry, about all we heard when we met friends after you left was, "We wanted to see them." Brother Kizerian was really disappointed. Mrs. Ballard said, "I started over to your place and Harold said, "You don't need to do that. They'll be over here." Then Elmer and I went to the Uintah Basin Reunion last Sunday at Liberty Park and met the Wiscombes. Brother Wiscombe said, "Why didn't you come to see us when you were down to Provo? I would have liked to see Perry." Elmer said, "Well, if you had as many grandchildren as I have, and all of them wanting to ride and swim, etc. you would understand why we had to hurry."

But Dale appears to be in fine spirits. Looks like
my bad mood rubbed off on Marian too.
Sorry about that, Marian.

We surely did enjoy your being here, and I hope you can come next year and maybe stay a day or so longer. Dale, next week our birthdays come. How are we going to celebrate them? Maybe we should think we already have. What do you think?

Did the man get your piano fixed and are the girls taking lessons? Yesterday Elmer and I went to the temple for the first time in a long while. I hope we can go more often from now on. We went early in the morning and we got back before noon.

Floyd [Genevieve's oldest son] will be getting married on the 5th of September. The girl's parents are going through with them and have their own endowments and have their children sealed to them. Genevieve said they are really fine people, and it seems that Floyd has had quite an influence on first a young boy who was in his class and wanted Floyd to come and explain some things to his parents. That is how Floyd met the girl. . . .

Nice to see I finally got my happy face back.

We had a real good rain night before last, so I haven't had to water the grass yet, and it is still cloudy. We may get some more. Well, everything here is about the same as when you were here. Oh, Margy Wiscomb inquired about you. She said she has four children. The little girl she had with her was surely a cute one and pretty. Genevieve and Lorin were down day before yesterday. She took some bottles to put up some peaches and tomatoes for me. Love to all, Mother and Dad

September 8, 1961

Dear Perry and Family,

Dale makes Tenderfoot

That is a beautiful picture of Mt. Whitney, and how did Dale make it? I'm glad, Perry, that you could give that much time to hiking with him. It is interesting to know that the highest and lowest places are so close to each other and in Inyo County.

Harriet Lea, that was a sweet letter you wrote to us, and you do such nice printing. You should have seen Grandpa smile when he read it, and when Grandpa smiles, it is a big smile. We had quite an interesting trip last Tuesday. Grandpa had his Labor Day holiday on Tuesday, so we went with Genevieve and Lorin to Manti and went through the temple with all of them. Hope and Grant and Nelson were there too, so it was real inspirational for us.

In the first meeting, they asked Grant to offer the prayer. Then they called on Nelson to talk, along with one other missionary. Then Hope and Grant were called to be witnesses at the different ceremonies. Nelson has a good voice, and he gave a good (short) talk.

There was only one disappointment, and that was that they (the officials) took all the brides through the veil first and the missionaries last. So Nelson didn't get to witness the marriage ceremony of Floyd and Sharon. Hope was in tears when we found her. The leading official apologized when he learned about it and said he should have enquired if all of the party was there. Sharon's parents had their endowments and sealings too. When I told Hazel, she said, "Well, that is the way of everything--just one thing to keep the occasion from being a perfect one." Hazel and Walter and June with their two boys went down Wednesday night to the reception. We didn't go. Maybe we will go with June down to Richfield to Nelson's farewell testimonial Sunday the 17th.

While in the assembly room in the Manti Temple, I met several people (five in fact) that I haven't seen for more than twenty years. We visited for a while afterward. Perry, June brought your story, or poem (which) for me to read. My that was interesting and so funny, and you made it rhyme so easily. It really surprised me. I didn't know you had so much imagination! Gene, why don't you illustrate it? You are so good at drawing. I'll bet you could make it more impressive than it already is.

It has surely been nice hearing from you occasionally and thanks to Dale for his nice letter and birthday wish. All of you write again. Love to all, Mother and Dad