Thursday, May 13, 1999

Dear Steven, Grandy, Pappy, Grandmother, and Granddaddy,

It has been a couple of weeks since I last wrote, so I had better get a letter in the mail. Steve is out of town right now, so I will probably go ahead and mail this before he returns. If I wait for a picture, it could be several days before this gets sent. I don't know if we have any new pictures to add anyway.

We got your letter today, Bennett, and I enjoyed seeing the Joiner Coat of Arms. I also was very interested in the genealogy. I did not realize how many people in your family were in the medical field. With Mike's family, too, Julie really does have it in her blood. I hope you and Charlie have a fun time at Julie's graduation.

Steven, we enjoyed our long talk with you on Sunday. I'm glad you are having such a good quarter. You always sound like you are having fun. I hope the mid-term exams, etc., are going well. Do you have a reprieve now before the next round? I am enclosing your mail with this letter, and we will talk again on Sunday.

Steve had a good trip to Seattle last week. He finally gave up his other standards meeting that he was involved with before he changed jobs. Now he is getting involved in a new group, and I don't know if I'm glad or not. Those meetings always seem to involve a lot of stressful "debates." Steve must like them, though, or he wouldn't seek out a new one. This week he is in New Mexico on a follow-up trip to his recent meeting in Washington, D.C. It looks like DARPA is interested in funding the project, and Steve is representing H-P as it meets with several other companies that will work together on it. He is traveling with his boss on this trip, so I hope it goes well. He and his boss are making a presentation, which Steve was primarily responsible for preparing. He will be home tomorrow night.

I took time off last week but will work tomorrow and two days next week. These classes are all science classes. I have been approached twice for long term jobs in core classes, but I don't want to work full time, so I have declined them. I am still volunteering one morning each week at the church, and I still hike once a week with Linda and Lisa whenever I'm not working. I am finished with the sophomore tutorial program for this year (I think). I can tell that the end of the year is approaching: The high school has very few tutorial days left; we have been celebrating teacher appreciation this week; it is time for the spring awards nights and concerts, etc. One more month, and it will be over!

The boys have been busy with scouts, sports, and school. Michael placed fourth in shot put and fifth in discus (out of ten) on his junior varsity team at the high school. He did not go on to league finals, so his season is over. He still goes to the weight room after school on most days, and he has begun running in the evenings. He started the new Eagle-required merit badge, personal fitness, and is working to improve his scores. He is planning to complete the citizenship badges in the next couple of months, also. He met with a person from the city of Santa Clara to talk about doing his Eagle project at an historical house/museum. The plan is to build a period vegetable garden and a planter box. He has done a little research to see what it will involve. Michael plans to run for Senior Patrol Leader for the next six months. Elections will be in a couple of weeks.

Both boys went to the Boy Scout Camporee two weeks ago and will go to the annual Scout Expo this weekend. It will be held at Foothill College this year and will last all day Saturday. David has a game first, but Michael will go out early. David's team continues to do well, although yesterday they lost 9 to 1. I was doing snack shack duty, so I didn't see what was happening, but I think they just had an off day. They have lost twice to this team, but they have won twice, too.

David is also trying to advance in scouts and is working to complete his Second Class within the next couple of weeks. He hopes to complete First Class in the next month or so. Both boys worked at the Teddy Bear Fair after the paper drive last weekend, so they have been wearing their uniforms a lot recently.

Michael had a good birthday, but we haven't finished celebrating yet. He wanted to go see "Mummy" with his friends on his birthday, so we still owe him a family dinner. We went to the theater on Saturday, and Sunday was Mother's Day, so his birthday has been postponed until this weekend, I guess.

Steve and I will celebrate our 25^th anniversary on Tuesday. He is going to take a day off from work so that we can be together all day. We haven't finalized our plans yet.

Mother and Daddy, I hope your trip to Dallas goes well. Say hello to Horty and Margaret for me. I'm glad that we will be able to read your autobiographies at the ranch. We are getting excited about the trip.

It is now bedtime. The boys came home from school, so we have done homework, eaten, and attended the spring arts festival/ice cream social at the junior high school. Michael enjoyed seeing his teachers from last year, and David had a wood project on display.

Everyone take care!

Love,