a complicated life

                                        April 3, 1961

Dear Mother,

            It seems a long time since I wrote to either you or Betty.  It is now past 9 P.M., and I have been up since 5: trying to get the washing and ironing done so we can come to Salt Lake.  Last week was spring vacation, and while I sewed, the children did the cleaning, and not very much of that.  A week before Spring vacation the Wilsons called and wanted a baby sitter while they went to Texas.  Alvin and Marilyn took the job, because they had vacation too.  They were gone from March 24 to April 1^st.  They asked if Trudy couldn’t stay up here with us because they have been having problems with her, well, ever since she was 4 years old, but particularly during the last 3 years.  She spent one year out at the orphanage, and it didn’t help matters much.  It all boiled down to a constant fight between Mother and daughter, so Trudy stayed with us all last week, and her mother came home on Sat. the day before Easter.  Trudy came up this morning, and said she had decided to go live with her Grandmother, but they wouldn’t let her go until Sat. and could she stay up here with me till Wednesday when she starts back to school after spring vacation.  I called her Mother, and found out there had just been constant trouble again. She let her come up, and said she would send her clothes up tomorrow.  So we may have another daughter.  There is a lot involved, and I couldn’t begin to tell you in a letter.  I have usually tried to keep out of family troubles of this sort, but this is one I couldn’t help, and Mrs. Wilson seems relieved when Trudy is gone.  In fact she told her this morning she would be glad when she was gone for good.

            We are still planning on leaving here early Wed. morning, and we may get to Salt Lake early on the 6^th.  We had been planning on bringing a stove over for Jennette, but she won’t let us, and we thought we would have to help set it up on the 6^th.  But now, we can come straight on.  We still want to be in Provo on Thursday evening, and will be at Dan’s on the eve of the 7^th.  He has invited our old gang to his place that night.  Tell Helen she will get a letter for me.  Some people in Golden owed me some money for yeast, and are sending it on there because we will need it before we get back.  I’m terribly tired tonight, so I must stop and get to bed.  We are most anxious to see all of you again, and to bring you back with us.

            The apricot tree burst into bloom this afternoon, and a week ago today and tomorrow we had more than 8 inches of snow on the ground.

                                    Lovingly,

                                                Laura

P.S.  Ten dollars inclosed for milk cereal etc.

Will you call Mary and tell her we plan on coming to her party.