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

Dear Kids,
         Yay, I can breathe again! Well, sort of. Almost. Way better than last week, or the week before that, or the week before that. I can sleep in bed at night, instead of propped up in the recliner. Tina is rewarding me by sleeping on my legs again. It’s all so much better! And Dad has almost stopped coughing. Thank you all for your prayers for us!
         But we’re not done with doctors yet, of course. Tomorrow I’m having the cancer cut out of my arm. I hope it doesn’t go very deep, but I’m prepared for anything. On Wednesday I’m seeing my hand doctor, Dr. Raemisch, about my middle right finger locking up. It bugs me, because I already had the trigger finger surgery on that one, four years ago. I didn’t think it could come back. Also on Wednesday, Dad and I have dental appointments with Dr. Condie, and there’s a tooth I’ll want to get crowned for sure. It has suddenly turned dark, and it’s right next to my nice white crowns in the middle. By then, I will have seen five doctors in the last month: Newbold (family doc), Engen (my forehead doc), Raemisch (for my hand), Panko (ordinary dermatologist) and Condie (dentist). I hope I never compile a record like this again. Thank goodness we have insurance.
         I checked with Nora for sure about the dates for our Ackerson reunion, and it’s August 2-5 at Pineview. We’ll be there three nights, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I’m so excited for the fun we’re going to have! And of course the Saturday before that, July 28, will be the big Allen reunion at Riverwoods Park, where we’ve always had it before. Lucy’s baptism will probably be that evening, since everybody will be in town. Sharon had asked me about reserving our stake center, since it would be close for both our family and the Thackers, but I suggested the Provo River. There’s a place over in Woodland where the locals have been baptized for generations. Mark and Tamri Allen’s son was baptized there, not very long ago. We need to find out more.
         I was hoping the blonde neighbor cat would become part of our household, but yesterday I saw her sauntering down the street toward Hilltop Road. She crossed Hilltop, jumped the barrier, and was gone down over the hill, probably to hunt. That’s how Oreo met his end, two years ago–it was February, and the snow had just melted, and he took off down there hunting. I’m sure the blonde cat has no clue.
         I hope you’re all doing well! Lots of love, Mom

Dear Kids,
         Dad and I were walking in to the Heber Walmart the other day when a car honked at us, and it turned out to be Bevan and Dallin. We waited for them to park and come in, and they were heading for the toy department. Dallin had earned a gold star in preschool, and he was getting a $10.00 truck for it. I’m not sure what goes into earning a gold star, but it was fun seeing them. I’m always amazed to run into family when we’re in Heber. I’m still not used to it. When we lived in West Valley, we never ran into anybody.
         I’m still struggling to breathe, and Dad’s still coughing, but we’re both doing slightly better. From day to day we don’t see any difference, but from week to week I can tell we’re improving. We had a different doctor’s appointment this week, though . . . a dermatologist check up for both of us. I got scared after finding out the cancer near my eye went so deep, and I was worried about a red patch Dad has had on his neck for more than two years, so I thought we’d better get looked over. Dr. Horsley is way past his prime (he ought to be retired now!) so the referral system found us a new dermatologist, a nice woman named Dr. Panko, at the Taylorsville Clinic. She examined Dad’s neck and gave him a new cream to try, which seems to be working. She looked over the patches on my arm and sprayed them to freeze them off. She biopsied the one I was really worried about, and it turns out it’s a squamous cell carcinoma. I’m going to have it cut out a week from tomorrow. More fun and games! Besides that, one of my fingers is locking up again, so I made an appointment to see my hand doctor, Dr. Raemisch. (It’s tough to play the piano with a locked finger!) Did we ever have a life before all these doctor visits? Will we ever have a life again?
         The blonde neighbor cat dropped by again a few days ago, and I fed her our best cat food. I wish we owned her. It would be so nice to have a pleasant cat sitting on my lap and purring, when I’m not feeling well. I’m so fed up with Tina, who dives under the bed and glares at me when I’m only trying to pet her. (OK, so I torment her with the lion puppet–who cares?) I really wish we had a better cat situation, but it is what it is.
         Still, life is good, and I love you all! Mom

Dear Kids,
          I got the following message from Bonnie, and some of you might have received it too: Hello all Lester and Marilyn descendants! Our "every other year in the park" Allen reunion is approaching, and the date we have chosen is Saturday July 28th! which is also Aunt/grandma Katie's birthday yippee! It will be held at the same park as always, in the Provo Riverview park (4620 N 300 W. Provo, UT) Please make this a priority since we only do this every other year, and for just a few hours. It is always fun to see how large and amazing this family has grown and for cousins to reconnect! Bring your own lunch and we will have a few fun games and activities planned. If anyone wants to help with activities, please let me know. Love to you all! Bonnie
         Our own Ackerson family reunion will be August 2-4 at Pineview, I’m pretty sure. I meant to check with Nora, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. I do know it will be a fabulous event, as all our reunions have been. I’m so proud of you kids for organizing them every year!
         We really enjoyed visiting with Sharon on Tuesday, while she was still here. She told us about the ski adventure on Monday at Deer Valley: There were four moms and eight kids, and everybody had a great time. You girls are so ambitious!
         We’re still thinking back on Tommy’s baby blessing last Sunday, and what a wonderful event that was! Thanks to John and Heather for hosting the after-party at their house, and to Donna and Bevan for producing the baby, so we have yet one more excuse to get together. These are my favorite times!
         Dad and I are still coughing. On Thursday we went to see Dr. Newbold, who could barely squeeze us in among all his sick patients. Evidently we have the same virus as everybody else. My lungs are full of mucous, but it isn’t pneumonia, because I don’t have fluid. Still, I’m always gasping for breath. I use my nebulizer day and night, but I’m not getting better. Dad has bronchitis. Dr. Newbold gave us antibiotics to prevent secondary infections, and he gave me a prescription for prednisone, but it isn’t doing me any good–it only keeps me awake at night. John says this is the worst virus he’s ever seen. People get it in their eyes, and it causes havoc. Thank goodness I’ve only got it in my lungs. Still, I wish we could get over it.
         Otherwise, life is great! I love you all! Mom

Dear Kids,
         If you’re checking here for the address of Tommy’s baby blessing this morning, it’s 250 East 200 South in Midway. Sacrament meeting starts at 11:00 am, and baby blessings are always at the very beginning. Lunch will be at John’s house after the block, which ends at 2:00. I’m really looking forward to seeing so many of you, but I’m not going to get too close to anybody, because I’ve caught this horrible virus that’s going around. Dad is into his fifth week of it, but he said he doesn’t really feel sick; he just coughs all the time. I’m sick AND I cough all the time. Friday morning, we were climbing into the car to do a couple of errands, and I said,
         "First to the bank
         and then to the store.
         Then we’ll come home
         and cough some more."
OK, it sounded pretty funny at the time. But the illness isn’t funny. Sometimes Dad and I are both up at the same time at night, coughing. I’ve been puffing on my nebulizer several times a day to try and keep my lungs clear, but it doesn’t work 100%.  I’m really bummed about this, because Thanksgiving was wiped out for me by my first surgery, and Christmas by the second, but I was really counting on celebrating this baby blessing with everybody. I’m probably not contagious now, but still, I’m only coming to the first part of sacrament meeting, and then I’ll hang out at John’s house until everybody else shows up. But I won’t cough on any of you.
         Friday night a nice reddish-blonde cat showed up in our front yard. I hoped it was Solar Eclipse, come back to us, but it was a girl cat, and her color was a little too light. I gave her some cat food, which she gobbled down, and then I picked her up and carried her around. She was so nice, not snarling and scratching like Tina! I wish she would have stayed here, but we haven’t seen her since.
          I can’t think of anything great coming up, but I hope you’re all well and happy.
          Love, Mom

Dear Kids,
         We’re all looking forward to Tommy’s baby blessing next Sunday. It will be at Donna’s church, 250 East 200 South (by the elementary school, Donna says) in Midway, at 11 am. Lunch will be at John’s house, after the block ends at 2:00. I’m really looking forward to seeing so many of you! Sharon will be here! I’m not sure exactly when she’s coming, or what her plans are, but it will be fun visiting with her, and all the rest of you. I’m making pumpkin and chocolate pies, for everybody who missed out on Thanksgiving. And everybody else, who didn’t.
         We finally had a winter storm yesterday, sort of. I guess it was mostly rain. Dad and I were gone when it hit. We had set out to visit McGettigans in Lehi, and so we headed down through Heber and Provo Canyon. Going around Deer Creek, all the traffic suddenly came to a stop, and we sat for about 20 minutes. I pulled up the UDOT site on my phone and saw that there was an accident down by the dam, stopping all the traffic in both directions. They didn’t expect to clear it for another 45 minutes. We didn’t like sitting there, and we really wanted to see the McGettigans, so we drove all the way around the other way, back through Heber, down Parley’s Canyon, through Salt Lake, and down to Lehi. We’d been on the road more than two hours when we finally got there, but it was totally worth it. We went to lunch at a Chinese restaurant, where the food was unusually good, and we had a great time talking. Jana’s doing really well new. Medications are keeping her cancer at bay.
         I’m still recovering from my surgeries, and it’s going really well now. I use a hot, wet rice pack on my forehead twice a day, to help the swelling go down. I was supposed to use a hot wash rag, for 20 minutes at a time, but I couldn’t make myself sit at the sink that long. But with the rice bag, I can sit at the microwave instead and reheat my little rice bag about every 5 minutes, and read books on Kindle. I love the 21st century!
         We had such nice days last week, before the storm, that I went for short walks at the Jordanelle almost every day. I’m so glad we live in the most beautiful spot in the world.
         Love to everybody, Mom

Dear Kids,
          Dr. Engen took the stitches out of my forehead on Friday morning, and my face is starting to look better. The swelling is nearly gone. The top of my nose looks a little skewed, but I’m hoping that will improve, too. If not, Dr. Engen can fix it for me. He emphasized how much tissue he had to take out! I’m really grateful to have it taken care of. I’ve been hearing horror stories about people who lost noses and cheeks and parts of their necks to basal cell carcinoma. I found a new dermatologist (Dr. Horsley should have retired by now!) and Dad and I both have appointments to get looked over for any other problems.
          I’ve felt so much better that on Thursday and Friday afternoons I went for short walks along the Jordanelle Trail. There’s practically no snow, so it’s great for hiking right now. If any of you want some great winter recreation, come and go hiking with me!
          Last night Dad and I went to my brothers’ and sisters’ annual holiday party, which was at Bonnie’s house. Our white elephant presents were the best ever! I had found a black Christmas tree angel at Walmart, with led lights. Barbara got it, and she was delighted, and plugged it in right there. I also re-donated some sister missionary action figures that I received two years ago. Dad got a set of Richard Simmons cook books, which disgusted him so much, he "forgot" to bring them home. My cousin Colleen was at the party! Remember Colleen? She used to live in Heber and work at the Mavrik–the old one. Her house had llamas in the back yard. She’s back in Heber now, living in a trailer she bought, at the Mountain Valley RV park, out toward Daniels. Her dad, my uncle Johnny, is 96 now. He’s at the Legacy care center on North University in Provo.
          At the party, we were talking about the big Allen summer reunion, which we only have every two years, now. We’ve tentatively scheduled it for July 28, 2018, probably at the same park, Riverwoods.
          Tonight is New Years Eve! I still have a couple of packs of fireworks left, like the ones somebody set off at our family reunion at Bear Lake last summer. If you’re here when it’s dark, I’ll set them off. I won’t even wait till midnight!
          I hope you’ll all have a great new year! Love, Mom


P.S I forgot to mention that Tommy's baby blessing will be two weeks from today, on January 14.  The after-party will be at John's.  I'll have more information next week.