Saturday, July 10, 1993

All we do is sit so I'll write a letter.  Will enclose one from Edna as it is "newsy".  It's never been as hot as it is - doesn't even cool down at nite.  Not even a sheet is needed.  We've had 5 days of temps in the 90's & humidity, too.  I just do what is necessary & then sit by the fan.  But I'm thankful it's not the flooding of the Midwest & the damage that follows.

July 4th we were at Lar & Kim's camp & the screened in porch is so nice.  It is the small porch on the side.  Dr. Jay, Nancy & their 4 daughters were also there.  They went in the stream to cool off & had a great time.  Their dog (from the same litter) was there & Ginger & Taury have more fun playing together.  They also enjoyed the water.  The girls made "Some Mores" & enjoyed toasting the marshmallows.  It was a nice time.  Jay & Nancy are very down to earth.

Lar & Kim leave the 16th for a visit in Atlanta & in Fla.  They decided to take the dog so Barb won't have to "dog-sit".  She was to stay at the apt. but I don't think Kim can leave the dog that long.

The Bishop of the Synod was here one Wed. in June to present Dad with a certificate & a gift for his 50th anniv.  He was here for lunch & we had a nice visit.  Gift from Synod.

Fri  July 2nd Kim took Barb & me to the Erie Mall as a thank you.  Barb for helping her clean the camp & me for baking cookies for when her 2 aunts & uncle were here.  They loved the double choc. cooky.  We did some shopping & ate lunch at Ruby Tuesday.  A new place, nice environment & good food.

Edna [Mom's oldest sister] wrote in her letter she hasn't bot anything for herself in over a yr.  Dad says hardly a week goes by for me to shop for something if I see a bargain I must have it.  That keeps me going & happy.  I think Edna will be 80, Aug 27th.  Maybe you could drop her a card.

This past week Dad got another floral arrangement from the Hessel Valley Church - for his 50th.  It is beautiful with maroon colored lilies.  Haven't see them before.

Barb is getting her hair colored this A.M. & this aft. we'll go to the Mall as she has a pkg. to pick up at Penney's.  We'll also get some groceries.

If the weather ever cools down I'll be glad as I get restless not doing anything.  Didn't dust or vacuum this week.  Need to bake cookies also.

But we are all fine & send you our love, hugs & kisses.


Edna's letter.  (Monday, July 5, 1993)

I can't remember the last time I wrote to you but thought I should write now.

As far as my condition is concerned I think I told you I had ultrasound therapy for my shoulder during the month of January.  I used to wake up about 3 or 4 in the morning with a pain in my shoulder & I would massage it & it would feel better.  However, I wasn't getting any better so on May 24 I went to a rheumatologist who said I had bursitis.  (I thought I had arthritis.)  I had a cortisone injection and in 2 days the pain was gone.  I should have gone to him much sooner.  My arm is still a little stiff because I haven't done my exercises very much.  If I'm on my feet a lot, I get tired and sometimes when I walk I feel as though People think I'm drunk.  But people say I walk as if nothing had happened to me.  Now I'm following in Aunt Esther's footsteps.  Every morning before getting up, she does exercises in bed.  Now I massage my arms & legs in bed & get the circulation going and the stiffness out and I feel much better.

Yesterday we had a July 4 picnic at Gen's.  I picked up Aunt Esther & Uncle Wilfred at the nursing home & brought them over.  Frank Carlson brought them back.  It was a beautiful day and we had a delicious meal.  You should have seen Esther & Wilfred eat!  They had ravenous appetites.  He is very thin but Esther should lose weight.  She has gained.  Wilfred was rambunctious when he first entered the Home but now seems calmer.  He rambles on about things which we can't understand.  He looked very nice yesterday.  At one time he wore 3 ties at once and also slept in a chair because he laid out all his clothes on the bed.  The nurses decided to let him do as he pleased because he was mean to them otherwise.

Gen & Ed & Edith had a wonderful time in Sweden & a couple of days in Copenhagen.  I was glad they went.  They saw Ed's relatives and the Luthgren family.  Everybody was so good to them.  But it rained most of the time, I guess.  About that time, I think, we had about 10 days with no rain.  My lawn looks terrible.  I watered it a few times, but I didn't start early enough & I finally gave up.  We haven't had much rain this past week, just a shower now & then.  It's been in the 80s, near 90.

Wally's son-in-law painted my house in May because he's not working.  I was lucky because he charged only half or less than a professional would charge.  Later on he's going to do the panelling on the front porch.  He wanted to go back to Florida to work on a house that he bought cheap from his aunt who was willed it and didn't want it.  It was a mess so he's spent a lot of time there fixing it up both inside and out.  It's a long trip to Florida & back.

I'm also lucky that I have Wally's son, Ralph, next door to mow the lawn, but I pay him like anyone else.  It saves me from trying to find someone who is reliable.

I'm also having 4 birch trees treated for Birch Leaf Minor.  Some of the leaves were brown this Spring so I'm having 3 treatments.  There is always something to spend money on.  I haven't spent any money on myself for over a year.  I have to get some new shoes though.

It will be 3 years this month since Wally died  I can't believe it.  It will be 4 years in December since Jerry died.  Both Larry & Linda like to have Millie visit them quite often.  Allan is good to her, too.  Jerry's brother Tony and his wife take her out quite often while they are here; they go to Florida for the winter.

Steiger's is downsizing their downtown store from 4 floors & a basement to 2 floors & a basement.  They are going to lay off more people.  Millie got a call the other day, thinking she was going to be laid off.    [Millie was born in 1913.]  Instead, they want her to work 4 days instead of 3 and longer hours.  She doesn't like the hours because 2 days she has to work until 5 PM and she can't get the afternoon bus when she goes to visit Larry & Debbie on the week-ends.  But it is better than nothing.  She would go crazy if she didn't work because she has to be on the go all the time.  I'm just the opposite; I don't mind staying home.  Of course, I have a larger house & I try to keep busy.

I hope Carl is feeling alright and I hope you all have a good summer.

P.S.  I forgot about Carl's 50th anniversary.  I hope you all had a good time.