Dear Kids,
         Dad and I are still keeping the doctors busy. On Monday I had the carcinoma cut out of my arm, and it didn’t take long. I let Dad watch–he said the tumor was about the size of a nickel. It had grown from practically nothing in about three weeks, so I’m glad it’s gone. It’s healing up nicely, and hasn’t hurt much at all, since the first day.
          Dad has been having some pain in his hips when he walks, and I suggested he call an orthopedic doctor, but he said what he really needed was a podiatrist, because an ingrown toenail was causing him even more pain. He had to call our referral hot line to find somebody, because Dr. Rhodes, who worked on most of you, had to retire early. He developed glaucoma and lost most of his eyesight. So the new podiatrist, a young woman, worked on Dad’s toe Friday morning, and did the same surgery all of you had. She just cut out the side of the toenail. I remember being in excruciating pain after I had that done, but Dad hasn’t even needed ibuprofin. He’s up and around and doing just fine.
         I cancelled my appointment with my hand doctor because I wasn’t really sure my finger was locking up. It is, of course, but I just couldn’t stand any more doctor visits right now.
         Since we never really had winter, I decided spring was here, so Friday morning I went out to dig in the yard. It was muddier than it looked, and the dirt was really heavy, but I dug out a few rocks and piled them up. It was more tiring than I remember, maybe because I’m not really in shape to be digging, so I went back inside. I’m looking forward to spring really being here, and to feeling really good.
         Allen and his kids came by Friday night, and Allen cooked a nice vegetarian dinner for us. If you dip pieces of cauliflower in batter and deep fry them, they taste like chicken, supposedly. He mixed them with oriental vegetables, and you put the mixture over rice. It looked like a restaurant meal. It was fun having them here, and it was nice having our house smell like real food had been cooked, I mean from the deep-frying. Most of the stuff I cook has very little smell at all.
         I called the lady who owns the property on the Provo River where some of the local kids have been baptized, and she said we’re welcome to have Lucy’s baptism there. She said they’ve built a pavilion there, with picnic tables, just for baptisms. She warned me, though, that the water’s always cold.
         I hope you’re all doin’ great and lovin’ it! Mom