June 30, 1968 The Quiet House, The Wintry Week, The Huge Iron Pills, The Two Cards and The Northern Route

Dear Mother & Daddy,                                           Saturday

"The house has been so quiet this week. Ann left Monday afternoon and didn't get home until about 4:00 yesterday. I don't remember whether I told you she was going to this meeting or not. She was asked to represent the young people of our denomination at a planning meeting for a conference next summer. There are 9 states included and only 5 young people and 5 ministers are doing the planning for a conference of 3000 people next August at Notre Dame. Two-thirds will be young people, 1/3 will be adults and they are going to discuss problem within these 9 states such as race, church youth, etc. The plans aren't all made, of course, and they will work on it all next year. They all had a wonderful working vacation at a Presbyterian conference center near Rockford. It is an estate on the Rock River & the main house is a copy of a castle. It had an organ & a Steinway piano so Ann enjoyed them. Her expenses were paid by our national office. We don't know why she was so lucky to be asked. The Illinois Disciples of Christ state office is in Bloomington & one of the men there asked her to go.

This week has been wintry. We finally turned the furnace on and it was so dark & rainy. I spent much of the time cleaning upstairs. With Ann gone, I didn't have to hurry to get things done before bedtime so I took my time & really cleaned.

Now, I must start downstairs. The paint on the woodwork sure needs to be touched up but I'm not anxious to do it.

I'm sorry Aunt Beatrice is having such a time. Did they ever say what is wrong? Who is the doctor?

Yes, I'm fine except for low blood count but it's always that way so I don't get excited about it. The doctor gave me some huge iron pills and I'll take them but they probably won't make any difference. I didn't even tell him that Dr. Ball tried for years to bring my blood count up & decided that was the way I was supposed to be. Maybe these pills will work a little differently & give me more pep.

Where in the world did Charlotte get the mumps? They are so hard to catch. Our kids have never had them & they can make one so sick. I hope she's all right by now.

We had two cards from Bob & Pat this week. They had been to the Hemisfair in San Antonio and were on their way to Big Bend National Park. They are probably on their way back to Atlanta now & will be calling this next week.

The Fourth is Thursday but we'll probably just stay around home. I want to get the flag fixture back on the house before then. It was taken down when we had the siding put on & never got put back.

I don't see any chance to our getting to Richland this summer. B is going to a meeting in Oregon in mid-August so Ann will quit her job then at the church and we'll go along. We'll drive but will be taking a northern route, of course, so won't be able to come thru Richland. Maybe after she gets started in school we can come some weekend. She hates to give up her job but she can't come home every weekend, either. Maybe she can find one in Fulton.

Hope both of you are fine."

                         Lots of love,

                             Bonnie