Dear Kids,
If any of you have talked to Sharon lately, you’ll know they’ve been right in the thick of things in Maryland: first, the record hot temperatures, and then the earthquake, and now a hurricane barreling towards them. Most people don’t get that much excitement when they move to a new state. Monica? Any earthquakes or hurricane’s up there? There probably won’t be any record hot temperatures for you guys. Here in Salt Lake it’s hotter now than it’s been all summer. Weird!
Wednesday I had surgery on my left foot, and Dr. Rhodes took out a neuroma that’s been causing me lots of trouble. So now I’m clomping around the house in one of those big surgical shoes, and when I stomp towards Xena, she takes off like a bullet. (Oreo isn’t scared.) Actually, I don’t stomp very hard, because my foot is really tender. I’ll have the stitches taken out Monday, I hope.
This afternoon Dad and I are leaving town for the cabin, along with most of our chess club. We’re having an overnight chess marathon. I don’t know how late I’ll be able to stay awake, but there’s going to be some kind of a Round Robin where we all play each other. We’re all bringing plenty of food, too. One of our ladies is into star gazing, and it should be pretty good, because there’s a new moon tonight. We’ve been planning it in chess club for the last several weeks, and I hope everybody has a good time. I think Dad and I will be back here on Sunday, since I don’t know how I can do church with my big clumpy foot. Dad can visit his beloved 5th Ward and say hi to his long-lost friends there.
I’ll be cooking Sunday dinner a week from Sunday, September 4, at the cabin. 5:00 pm. Let me know if you’re coming.
Lots of love, Mom

Dear Kids,
       Life was sort of a letdown after the family reunion, because it was so much fun. On Sunday, the cabin was so quiet it drove me crazy. But thanks, everyone, for making it a blast. Especially thanks to Tom and Kim for all their planning and hard work! I thought the rocket launcher was incredibly fun. And the train ride, and the Dairy Keen, and the fire engine, and the games, and the swimming. It was all fun. I’m already looking forward to next year. Speaking of which, Allen contacted some of you already about having it August 13-15, but we’ve already talked about changing it, because of Tom’s conflicts with his work. So now we’re looking at August 6-8. The plan is that we would drive to Bear Lake on Monday, and camp there Monday and Tuesday nights. Those of you who wanted to find cabins or condos to stay in, I’m sure you could arrange it, especially with this much advance notice. Allen pointed out, however, that camping is a lot less expensive, and would leave us with more money to rent jet skis or boats. Anyway, save the date, and we’ll let you know if we change it again!
       In my last letter, I bragged that Dad and I will be selling tickets to the Frontier Days Rodeo. Of course we have to attend it, too. (Neither of us has ever been to a rodeo.) The Saturday night (Sept 3) rodeo starts at 7:30 pm, if any of you are interested in coming. The cost is $7 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under. If you google Francis Utah Frontier Days, it takes you to their site, and on the far right is a link that says 2011 Francis Frontier Days. That gives you a schedule of their activities. Anyway, if any of you would like to join us at the Rodeo Saturday night, we’d be delighted. There are fireworks after it’s over.
       Now, about Sunday dinners . . . I had considered alternating each month between the cabin and our West Valley house, but the logistics just don’t work. So I guess I’ll only be doing Sunday dinners at the cabin. Since we just had the reunion, I’ll wait until Labor Day Sunday, Sept. 4, for our next family dinner. Please let me know if you can come, so I can bring enough food. I have to plan more carefully, since I can’t just sent Dad to Walmart on Saturday night.
       What a family! There’s no stopping the fun!
       Love, Mom

Dear Kids,
       I love this: "You know you’re from West Valley City if . . . You’re sure that the border between Mexico and Tonga is 35th South." Paul had a link to it on Facebook this morning. Love it! So true! I think the border has moved south, though. It’s around 47th now.
       I’m packing up for the family reunion, and I’m very excited to see everybody, especially Monica and Big Jack. I’m only sorry Sharon’s family won’t be there. Hey, Share Bear, how’s the new piano? You’re going to love having a Clavinova. Both my Clavinovas from 1988 are still going strong (with a little help from Dad now and then.)
       Dad and I are totally part of the Kamas-Francis scene now because, would you believe, we’ve been signed up to sell tickets to the Frontier Days rodeo! We’re going to sit in an information booth and sell T-shirts and rodeo tickets, the Saturday before Labor Day. Could anything be more hoaky that that? A nice lady in church, Trisha Gerlach, signed us up. You kids who’ve lived in the cabin probably know her well. She’s a one-woman welcoming committee, besides Marianne Peck. Dad is starting to like the ward now, but he’s still a little freaked out when the other High Priests talk about their horses, their hay, their alfalfa, and their cows. Some of them even wear bolo ties, but Dad won’t wear one.
       Last Saturday afternoon I got to go up in a glider with John. It wasn’t the one he partly owns, because it only holds one person, and it wasn’t the really smooth one I went up in last fall, which didn’t cause me to heave at all. We had a great ride, over Wallsburg, the back of Timp, Brighton (I looked down on Sunshine, my favorite run) and back over Heber. It was a little bumpy, though, so I barked a lot, but I didn’t throw up, because I hadn’t eaten lunch. There’s nothing as thrilling as gliding. (They call it soaring, though.) Even if your stomach is lurching. Next time I’ll take dramamin, though. It’s always good insurance.
       Lots of love to everybody! Mom

Dear Kids,
       I hope most of you have seen the cute pictures of Jackson that Monica put up on facebook. As you can see, he has a little of our family in him, and a little from the other side. I’m always biased, and the newest baby is always the cutest one ever, but I think he’s unusually good looking. The best news of all is that Monica and Jackson will be at the cabin for part of the reunion! They’re coming Friday afternoon, and they’ll be here in Utah until Monday morning, I think. I can’t wait to see the little guy, and Monica too, of course.
       And of course I’m way excited about the reunion! I think our family get-togethers are the most fun I ever have. I hope you’ll all get there safely! If you have any more questions, call Tom or Kim!
       The Spudman Triathlon last Saturday was lots of fun. Vanessa cut 10 minutes off her previous time, (She was 2:28, or thereabouts) and Nora came in faster than she thought. She had told us that her goal was to make it in three hours, but she didn’t think she could. So a couple of minutes before the 3-hour mark, I went to ask Vanessa what color shirt she had on. It turns out that was right when she came in, and none of us saw her cross the finish line! Besides that, she was running under another name, so we didn’t recognize it when they called it out. Still, it was all very exciting. Triathlon finishers don’t look half as hammered as marathon finishers, when they cross the finish line. I think they have more fun, too. I had lots of fun hanging out with the grandkids who were there, and keeping mosquitos off of Isaac’s white little head, while he was sleeping. (They were dive-bombing him in the tent.)
       Thanks to all of you for your phone calls and cards and presents on my birthday! It was my first birthday not having Grandma Allen call me, (and she used to send me $100, too!) so I’m glad the rest of you came through for me! It’s wonderful being part of such a big family.
       See you next weekend! I’m only sorry that Sharon’s family can’t be there.
       Love, Mom