Grandma Ree's letters

  DEAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS,                                                         June 30, 2026 Just as I was starting to right this letter a loud clap of thunder came crashing down right overhead.  It shook me a bit but I almost laughed for joy because we rarely received thunder back home in Oregon.  It always accompanied lightning which would start forest fires and was bad medicine for our area.  But here, it is almost a daily occurrence.  Dan says it is because Sebring lies at the very center of the state of Florida, both horizontally and vertically, so the clouds and temperatures collide here and cause thunder, with or without rain.  How ‘bout that!  We do, however, get some thunderstorms that are real doozies with a downpour of rain, strong winds and thunder that just doesn’t seem to quit.  So I cer...

  Dear Family and Friends, This month seems to have come and gone quickly for me and I am caught trying to remember what occurred that was worth telling you about.  One thing, I have put the new dentures away and have gone back to using my old ones so that I can enjoy eating - biting and chewing - once again.  But I don’t want to say anything more about that.  Mother’s Day was very nice.  I received lovely cards from each of my children and was treated to an enchilada dinner, of dear Cathy’s making, that was really tasty!  It was cheesy, just the way I like it.  Dan returned from his three week train trip by himself and enjoyed it immensely.  As the month has progressed they have gone together on several short little trips and soon a longer one to Utah. When both are to be gone during appointment times for me, they always make sure to provide a way for me to get there.  One time it was young Jonothan, but he left for BYU Idaho, so older Frank...

Dear Family and Friends, The first weekend of April was occupied by the Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, held in Salt Lake City, Utah but broadcast all over the world, and coincided this year  with the celebration of Easter honoring the death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ.  So it was a busy but very spiritual time for all members of the church as we were also able to participate in a Solemn Assembly, expressing by specific groupings our acceptance and support of Dallin H. Oaks as the Lord’s chosen prophet, seer, and revelator and president of the church today, along with his two counselors, after the recent passing of Russell M. Nelson.  And also by the same procedure sustain Gerald Causse and Clark Gilbert to fill the two seats recently made available by deaths in the quorum of the  twelve apostles, and to accept the twelve apostles as having the same priesthood power and authority as the prophet.  ...

  Dear Family and Friends, March  31, 2026 Well, the month of march has come to an end but not our lovely springtime.   It flourishes in full force with bright sunny days mixed with occasional showers and beautiful green grass and flowers everywhere. You may remember last month after attending a “Music in the Park” event here, that I hoped other similar things might also happen.  Well, sure enough, this month began with a nice “Picnic in the Park” activity where hamburgers and hot dogs were furnished.  We sat at a table with two other couples and I took this opportunity to share my March puzzles with them and those at various other tables. That’s how I met my new neighbors who were just moving into the next house east of me.  The house west of me, between me and Dan, is also up for sale so I may soon be getting another new neighbor there.  The couple just moving in are very nice.  Her name is Ruth and he goes by the name of Fuddy....

  Dear Family and Friends, Feb. 29, 2026 Seems that everything is shortened this month including interesting things to talk about.  Or so I thought until about the middle of the month when things began to improve.  First was the three-week departure of Cathy to Utah to help her daughter after emergency surgery while tending to her four little ones as well. It tired her out but she was glad to do it.  Cathy likes Valentine's Day so she celebrated it there, whereas Dan and I let it slip by us except for the Valentine puzzle I was able to share with friends at the NuHope party where I received a bunch of goodies from them. Second, my weekly Friday hair treatment was interrupted when Lisa left for a weeklong cruise and no one else was available to take her place.  Though my flaky scalp does need weekly scrubbing, I did manage to get through the week without my much needed treatment and nice hairdo besides. Third, the hour Dan and I spent attending the ...

  Howdy y’all – from sunny Florida! Yes, it is sunny today but has been up and way down in some of the other days, much to the chagrin of the snowbirds who come to Florida to get warm.  Oh, well, it’s probably better than what they left at home. And you know what, even with the screwy weather lately, we have still managed to have some beautifully spectacular sunsets full of bright pinks and oranges that covered the entire sky and the clouds therein.  Sunsets can be so lovely! Did you catch the southern drawl in my opening greeting?  I was quite surprised when I heard my little hairdresser, Lisa, let a y’all slip from her lips during my visit to her salon.  I have detected a slight southern twang ln her voice before, but this use of the word to remind a couple of ladies of a changed appointment time, really surprised me.  I wonder how often she does use it?  I haven’t heard it from anyone else yet. Speaking of Lisa, she did give me a new permanent on th...