August 3, 1963 The Whole School, The Big Horse and The Public Lecture

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"Summer school is just about over.  All of us are counting the days & I mean the whole school.  Bob has done well with his geometry.  It has been hard but he has worked hard too & so far has the highest average in class but next week could change that if he slips.  The work is so concentrated that one day can change a grade.

Ann's band has a concert Monday afternoon and it is surprising how much she has done on the violin. If she really practiced she could soon play real well. She has improved in the riding too.  You wouldn't think there would be much to learn there but you can see the kids improve.  I took them out Monday & they really had a workout.  The teacher kept them on the horses for over an hour. Ann looked like a midget on her horse.  He was so big.  Then the teacher put her on a smaller horse bareback to help her learn something (I don't know what) & she fell off.  She landed on a wrist & it swelled up & was sore for a day or two.

We took Ann to Mason City Monday night to visit her friends & went after her Thurs. night  She had a wonderful time.  The man (dad) is a farmer but they live at the edge of town.  They are real nice people. The mother has multiple schlerosis (I can't spell it) & walks with difficulty.  She is 36 but will be in a wheelchair in a year or so.  They have a 11 year boy besides their daughter.

We are planning to come home next Saturday & stay till the next Sat. if you don't get tired of us.  B will be working till late Friday so we won't plan to start very early & won't plan to get there till near suppertime.  We are all tired & don't want to hurry.

It is cloudy this morning & there is a fairly good breeze but it is hot when you begin moving around. Yesterday afternoon was terrible.  I just can't do anything when it is that way.  No wonder Southern people move so slow.

I finally got two coats of paint on the kitchen ceiling & it looks fine.  The curtains are down & when I get them done up I'm not going to do much more cleaning in there.

B gives a public lecture on Ethics next Tuesday night as part of the University's lecture series so he has been working on that.  Larsens are having an open house for him afterwards.

Hope both of you are feeling fine."

                     Lots of love,

                            Bonnie