Christmas letters seem to be the
way a lot of people keep in touch, and letters can be more personal than
Christmas cards. We always look forward to receiving these Christmas letters
from friends and family. They give us news and updates on jobs and new babies,
weddings, deaths, and other information that we may not have had a chance to
get any other way. However, these letters sometimes seem to be a little
“braggy” and I wonder if things are really as rosy as the letters make them
look. Because of that I decided to share a letter that I would love to send out
to our acquaintances.
Dear family and friends:
It is that time of year again when
we look back and marvel at the things that have gone on in our lives. I know
you are interested and I will try to keep it short, but we have had some great
experiences:
I noticed in some of the news
letters that we have received that many of our friends and families have been
on cruises this past year. It’s so fun to read about your trip, all the places
you went to, and to see some of the pictures you shared. Boyd and I had the
opportunity to go over to Driggs not too long ago. The fall colors were
beautiful, but we didn’t stop to take any pictures. The road going up over the
Pine Creek Pass is not one you can use the cruise control on, so I guess that
wouldn‘t be considered a cruise. However, it was an enjoyable trip.
Last winter Uncle George got the
flu and was really sick. One day, while leaning over the toilet and sending his
dinner down to the septic tank, his false teeth popped out and went down with
everything else. Well, he and Aunt Mabel
called the plumber. It was a weekend and night time, but the plumber came right
out, took pipes apart and was able to find Uncle George’s teeth. Aunt Mabel
told Uncle George he couldn’t put those teeth in his mouth until they were
sterilized, so she put them in a pan of water and set it to boiling. Uncle
George still hasn’t forgiven her for ruining a good pair of false teeth. He
wasn’t real happy about the bill he got from the plumber either, but his new teeth
look good.
Just about Easter time I was
reading a story about rabbits to some of the grandchildren. After the story,
Grandpa and I got them in the pickup and took them for a ride. I noticed
four-year-old Chantelle really looking Grandpa over, and all of a sudden she
gasped and said, “Grandpa! You are turning into a rabbit. You have hair in your
nose and in your ears.” We enjoyed that moment as we wondered if this was
evolution or just us getting older.
You all are aware of the
challenges Fred has faced the last decade. We are pleased to inform you that he
was released from jail a few weeks ago. He said the food was a lot better this
time than when he spent time there last, which made his stay more tolerable.
And he was able to get his GED while there.
Joan is going to try to get a job
at the Youth Training Center as a cook or janitor. She figures if she can do
that she will be available when little Johnnie is committed, as she is sure he
is working toward commitment.
Arnold was in a fight and knocked
a fellow out. The fellow hit Arnold hard in the jaw, knocking two teeth out
which Arnold swallowed. At the hospital they gave him something to help him
pass those teeth, and sure enough he did. They gave the teeth back to him and he
had them implanted. He claims he now has a reason for his language as I’ve
always told him he had a dirty mouth. He loves to tell everyone about this, but
I don’t think his girlfriend has let him kiss her since the implants were put
in.
At church recently a speaker
talked about the importance of positive thinking. It made me look back and
think of challenges this past year. We are so pleased with the upbeat and
positive way each member of our family is facing the challenges they have.
We sure hope all of you have a
Merry Christmas and look forward, as we do, to a wonderful New Year and more
exciting happenings.
