Dear Kids,
      I just received a flyer in the mail from Utah Opera, and finally, they’re doing my favorite operas again! “The Flying Dutchman” in October, “Tosca” in January, and “Don Giovanni” in May. It’s enough to win me back! Dad and I will be going to “The Flying Dutchman” on Saturday night, October 13th. If any of you want tickets, let me know.
      Our trip to Albuquerque was a great success! Ben’s new house is beautiful, just west of the Rio Grande River, by the bosque (Spanish for “forest,” but it’s mostly cottonwood trees, mesquite, and tamarisk.) There’s lots of wildlife: roadrunners, bunnies, and Ben’s cat, Captain Jack, who’s a vicious hunter. But I mellowed him out with catnip. Ben and Monica took us on a long walk along the river, and they fed us well. We had lots of fun visiting with Rachel and Chuck DeBuck and their charming little boys, and Monica’s sons, and Steven, who was getting ready to go back to BYU. Grandma and Grandpa stayed in motel across the river, so we drove across the bridge lots of times. Saturday afternoon, we went to the Albuquerque temple. All together, it was a great trip. Coming home on Monday, we stopped in Price to eat at the Chinese Buffett. Dad remarked that we were bound to see someone we knew, and sure enough, Karl Bentley came in, with his friend, Dave Evans. Karl said to say “hi” to everybody.
      Nora got new carpet this week, and since I’d seen her samples, and I knew she’d done all the shopping around, I just called the carpet place and asked if they could put the same thing in our living room, when they finished Nora’s house. (I painted last February, but I got stalled on the carpet.) So these two Mexicans came the same afternoon and started to work. Trouble was, they were using carpet pad left over from lots of different jobs, and they were different thicknesses. I made them rip it out, and in fact, I helped them, practicing Spanish on them. They came back the next day with new pad, and did the whole job in an hour. Naturally I watched every single thing they did. It turned out great. It’s brown shag! Just like 1977, when we moved in! Nora says her house looks really good, too. Now that the carpet’s in, she can have the baby any time.
      Dad and I were riding our bikes around the neighborhood Tuesday night, and we stopped to talk to Paul Barbuto. Their property is overrun with animals, and he let us feed the horse, the burro, and the llama. I asked him about Peep and Scooter, since it’s been two years since we gave them to C.C. Paul said one of them died. He thought it was Peep. But he says the one who is still alive is very friendly, and always chirps at him when he comes into the room. So I’m betting it’s Peep that’s still alive, and Scooter who died. Peep’s 14 years old, and Scooter would have been at least 17. Those love birds live forever!
      Our house is quiet, now that Paul has gone to Logan. Actually, Paul was never that noisy, but we do miss him. And all the rest of you, who we don’t get to see as often as we like.
      Lots of love, Mom