10/19/99 Update from Uncle Gary

10/19/1999

Dear Family,

All is well in Alabama! It is even getting cooler, why it was

only 82 today.

It has been down into the 50,s at night, though. We are all in

fairly good health, considering the condition we are in, Ha! Ha! Monica and

Chris celebrated their first year of wedded "Bliss" a couple of weeks

ago. She has had a sinus condition on and off all summer, and even spent a

night in the hospital because of dehydration. She seems to have that under

control now.

Last week she broke out with a rash, and had to go to a

Dermatologist today for it. He gave her Predisone (?) and some ointment and told her that if it wasn't noticeably better by Friday to call his office. He was

not real sure what was wrong, and did not rule out the possibility of a

reaction to a bug bite. Chris is busy getting ready for Hunting Season in his

Preserve, which keeps him hopping.

Diane and I are still plugging along. She is still doing a "Bang

Up" job at work, and is hopefully going to see a 5 - 10% pay raise this

month. I am working part time with our former Minister, Pastor Mark, in his

new position as Executive Director of the Lutheran Ministries of Alabama.

Mostly just Bookkeeping, and check balancing chores that he doesn't have

time for or doesn't want to cope with.

Grandma Davis is still basically the same, in her own little

world. She recognizes no one and talks virtually incoherently. She is still

in the Assisted Living Facility, Rosewood Terrace, but I don't know for

how much longer. Barbara, her Caregiver, had to raise her monthly fee to

$1,600.00 per month the first of October, and this is eating into her bank

account deeper and deeper. Having to pay for her drugs, at the rate of $450.00

to $600.00 dollars per month, doesn't do her account much good either.

Plus, her portion of the hospital stays at Baptist and at the State Hospital in

July and August look to be a couple of thousand, also. Life goes on, though. It

is so hard to visit with her, because she doesn't understand what you try to

tell her and just rambles on, whether you are through talking or not. She

doesn't want to be touched, hugged, or kissed. To her we are all strangers!

Well, enough of that! So, that's about all from here. I am glad

you are all doing well, and hope you continue to do so.

Love always,

Uncle Gary and Aunt Diane

08/29/99 Letter from Rebecca Chase and to Rebecca Chase

I have lots of mending that needs done but I don't think mom will be here long enough to help much with it.  The kids have clothes galore that need to be made into shorts or holes mended.

We had a fun weekend.  Aj enjoyed swimming at Sand Hollow Aquatic Center with his cousins.  We had cake and ice cream for his birthday.  He got lots of cool 8 year old stuff and had a great time.

In the late afternoon we went up to New Harmony and visited with Grandma and pa and Eldon and Diane came down.  They are still in a pretty bad way.  They went up and saw the place where Becca died.  They were really sad when they got to Griffins.  We spend the evening together- had pizza and hung out.  

Sunday I taught the lesson on Living a Virtous Life - which is the new unit we are on.  It went really well - it could have gone a little better but I ran out of time to get things done and had some things go wrong at the last minute - but I sent you a copy of the lesson as it WOULD have gone IF it had gone well and I think it is really awesome and you should do it. You are probably going, huh? Whatever.  But several mishaps happened - AJ dropped the cake before we ever got there - so they didn't get that part.  I forgot to bear my testimony cause I was nervous.  I didn't have anyone lined up to sing so they had to imagine.  That part was kind of lame.  

I think I am done rambling.  I am SOOOO glad my class is over.  I was so stressed out about it.  And it really wasn't that big a deal.  I had 18 people and they were very reverent the whole time.  ( I think they were embarrassed and didn't want to talk???)  Now I have to plan our combined YM/YW activity in 2 weeks.  We are going to split into 2 groups.  One will go outside and learn about car engines - where the oil goes, where the coolant goes etc and change a tire.  The other group will be in the kitchen making soft pretzels.  Then we'll switch.  That should take 20 minutes each class. Then we will go out side and have water balloon volleyball type thing.  Eat our pretzels and go home.  Sounds pretty fun to me - and it shouldn't be too much work.  I got balloons for 10 cents a pack of 12 several weeks ago and some rubber balls you blow up for $1 each.  I'll assign out the filling of balloons to one of my other leaders and I'll get all the pretzel stuff.  My friends husband works for a tire store and they'll bring the car and the expertise.  Should be awesome.

I am pretty excited about YW lately.  We had about 6 girls who never came all summer show up yesterday.  I know 3 of them are really excited about YW now and look forward to coming.  I still have about 6 other inactive girls to work on.  Plus I gotta keep these girls coming.  

From: Rebecca S Chase <beck25@juno.com

Date: Sun, 29 Aug 1999 10:14:58 -0600

Hi--Mom's here so I haven't written in a few days.  Sorry to leave you

hanging.

We have had a really nice visit.  We've painted and sewed and we still

aren't done yet.  She's leaving too soon!  Maybe she'll have time to come

back up here.  How much help could Ruth really need????  I suggested mom

bring the invalid up here on Wed so we can paint while all the kiddies

(all 3!!) sleep.  We'll see what happens.  I think they are planning to

come down on Friday to see you.  I don't know how long they'll stay.  I

know the wedding is on the 9th--not sure what day that is though.  And

mom is making the cake for that so....  Is the baptism Friday or

Saturday?  I thought it was the 3rd but that is Friday so it must be the

4th.  I don't think we'll come.  I wish you weren't so far away!

How was AJ's birthday?  Did he have a party?  I just reminded grams that

AJ's b-day was yesterday.  She thought it was Friday--she was a little

confused.  So she'll probably call tonight.

Ruth and Mike came up last night and we went out to dinner.  It was a

really yummy restaurant.  Italian and ribs in one place.  Mmmmm.

Walmart is having a reallly good deal on kids clothes again.  I got

Dillon 2 shirts that were $3 each and they are REALLY nice.  Mostly for

church but if he were in school they'd be perfect for that.  They didn't

have much in the way of girls' clothes.  I was bummed cause she's the one

that really needs stuff.  Oh well.  I'm sure she won't go nude!

Well, time to get ready for church I guess.  See ya.

7/12/99 YW Presidency, visiting Kim, skating in the kitchen

Monday, July 12th, 1999

Life has been chaotic since I got back.   Thursday & Friday I had lots of work to do since I'd been gone so long so work just flew by.  Court was nice and short Thursday - only 2 people came and they both got continued so they could consult an attorney before making a plea.  Boring.  So we were done by 5:30 p.m.

Friday night after work I went shopping and got some movies at Albertson’s.  We didn't feel like doing much so we just stayed in and watched movies.  Not too exciting.

Saturday we had our first presidency meeting.  The bishop's counselor (Steven Haddox) came and went on for about 1 1/2 hours.  Then we had to do our part (getting things semi-organized -- the ladies that just left had NO CALENDARS - nothing written down about what's going on!!!)  So our meeting ended up being almost 2 1/2 hours.  Yikes.  And we only planned July.  Geesh.  This better stop in a hurry.

We've got some good things planned though.  This week the girls are doing a "camp" bulletin board and having treats.  Next week we are having an ice cream and swim party with the old leaders - it'll be a get to know you for us and a good bye for them.  It should be fun.  I'm in charge of that whole activity.

The following week I think they are going to get together with all the girls and plan our stuff for the rest of the year.  My Laurel has a stake activity that night.

So far it's not so bad.  I don't feel overwhelmed.  I do feel the need to get things on paper though so I know what to feel overwhelmed about!

I did a newsletter this weekend with a calendar on one side and the birthday's for the month, thought & scripture for the month, write-up about activities, our phone & address, etc.  Then I mailed it out to anybody who wasn't in church Sunday.  I hope this will help to get some girls out.  Our whole miamaid class is inactive and only 1 laurel is active.  We have about 15 girls between the 2 classes I think so that is pretty pathetic!

I think next month I'll try to hand deliver some of those and meet the girls who haven't been out yet.  This would be a whole lot more fun if we had some kids to work with!

Last night we visited Kim - our little Korean old lady friend.  She has a Richard Scarry book that the kids love to look at.  So the three of them sat on the couch looking at the pictures while I talked to Kim for about 1/2 hour.  Then we walked a little and AJ served dinner.  (Every Sunday he does a restaurant for us. He makes menus and asks each of us what we want and then makes it for us.  Afterward he cleans up the kitchen.  He really loves doing this and I like it cause I don't usually eat Sunday so I don't feel like preparing anything.)

    You know I think having a death like that so close makes you realize how special our time here is.  I have been trying to be extra nice to my kids and not be so impatient.  I've been trying not to let the little messes they make bug me and read to them & play with them more.  You know I think it's working a little.  AJ and me clash sometimes because we are too similar and last night he came out and asked me if he could help me clean-up.  I said sure and handed him a mop.  I went and got another mop and we cleaned the kitchen together.  After I am done mopping I always get towels on my feet and "skate" around the kitchen to dry the floor.  The kids LOVE this.  So me and AJ "Skated" afterward.  He couldn't go as fast as I could.  He kept saying - How do you do that!  It was funny.  I need to appreciate him more (and the others too.)  And having Becca die has brought that home to me. It’s sad that bad things have to happen for us to realize how special this life is.