Dear Kids,
      Will it ever stop snowing and raining? We’re very envious, here, of Donna and Bevan’s roadtrip to Arizona. They get to see the pageant at the Mesa Temple, and visit Monica, besides’s Bevan’s sister’s family. I remember the first year Dad and I were married, it was this same kind of weather, and we went to Arizona with my family at Easter time. It was like walking into the Garden of Eden.
      Maybe it will warm up by Easter. Don’t forget the family picnic that Allen and Missy are planning for the 23rd! I asked Missy about food assignments, and she said they’ll probably mail out invitations. I’m excited for the Easter egg hunt! You never get too old for that.
      Our chess club at the Harmon Center is going really well! A few weeks ago I started bringing a small crate with candy bars, fruit snacks, and granola bars, and our membership has shot upward. Last week we had four ladies there, besides six or seven guys.  Usually I've been the only lady, so it's nice not to be so out-numbered. There are lots of beginners now, and they like playing each other, so they don’t get beat every time. Two of our guys have been playing for more than fifty years, and when they play against each other, it can take three weeks. Mostly we just goof off and laugh, so nobody gets too stressed out. Yesterday, Dad played against Rodger, the scotsman, and they ended in a stalemate. It was a great victory for Dad, not to get pounded into the ground, but he was totally wound up for the rest of the day.
      My piano class for the Hispanics is going really well, too. Lots of Caucasians have filtered in, so we have a really diverse group. Donna still comes on Tuesdays to help me, and I have Elise Fulton and Kara McGettigan helping, too. Usually we have between ten and fourteen students. I started a "Best-in-the-Class" contest, and I took pictures of each person and got a picture frame to hang on the wall. Whoever is farthest along in the course books gets his picture up on the wall, and beside it, I post the number of the page he’s on. Last Tuesday, I put up the picture of Zack Fleischel, who’s farthest along, and all of a sudden everybody was very conscious of what page they were on. I hope it helps.
      Our cats aren’t doing very well on their diet. They both backslid while we were in Michigan, and now they seem fatter than ever. I’ve always been disgusted with really fat cats, and I always vowed we would never have any obese felines. Never say never.
      Lots of love, Mom