Tea for Fourteen

Here's to you, dear cousin Angie! We unpacked the family china. (Follow the link for the story.)

Family Photos, circa 1985 (Part 2)

Mark Johnson, Patty Johnson

Nate Johnson

Stan Burkhalter, Anna Burkhalter

Marian Burkhalter, Jacque Burkhalter, Elisabeth Burkhalter

Too Bad I Don't Remember the Trip...

Trip Expenses July - Aug 1976

Tacoma - Phoenix

Char, Stan, Jac, Anna, & Eliz

(there are actually 12 pages)

(don't you wish you had these gas prices?)

I could send Marian C.O.D. for you.

1981 - Monday

Hi Dad & Mom -

Happy Memorial Day...or is Memorial Day supposed to be happy. Not with this rain, it ain't. We went swimming, indoors, of course. Anna & Elisabeth showed off their new skills to Stan & Marian spent the hour trying to climb whatever "tree" was handy. Mostly me.

Anna is in seventh heaven because a new boy moved in down the street. He even called her today. Twelve more years of this will drive me crazy.

I'm writing to ask you to measure the diameter of your blue coat, and also the back length.

Or I should say, I need to know what diameter you want the new one since you're so skinny now and also the back length you prefer - I know you want it longer. Maybe you'll get it by father's day.

I presume Minne & Bill are back. Ah envy. Do you miss Benson, Dad? I could send Marian C.O.D. for you. Hell, I'd even prepay the freight. And she is housebroken now too. Just say the word...

Only 12 more dys, huh, Ma... Anna's counting, too - I'm surprised that she's sick of school already. Are you having a party?

What time on the 18th are you getting back from Alaska? I've been looking at our summer plans - will you take the girls Aug 3-7 and the weekend on either end? We're going to a workshop at Cal-Poly in San Luis Obispo. Depending on our monetary situation, we'de like to see San Francisco on the way down and LA on the way back. What I was wondering at the beginning of this paragraph is - do you maybe want to plan the Ocan trip the week of the 19th? We have the Burkhalter reunion the 25-26, so we could go straight from the ocean to California, which wouldn't be too restful, among other things. Other things being trying to pack stuff for three different "trips" all in one. On the other hand, you just might like more than a day or 2 to "rest up" and water all your weeds before you go again. Whatever.

Stan's on jury duty again this week. Hates it because of the detailed lesson plans he has to make up. He wrote about a dozen work sheets last night.

We went to a play Saturday nite - Ladyhouse Blues. Do you know when it was written? It was set in the 20's. We wondered because a lot of the jokes wouldn't have been meant as such if it was written back then (world coming to an end, last war stuff)

Le me know your measurements ma

See you soon

Jacque

Hi to Mark - I wrote you a lovely letter, but I lost it - unless Stan mailed it for me, which I doubt.

Fabric sample for the jacket:

Your the greatest, specialist and best grandpa

Week of Postcards: Japan

Konnichi Wa!

I'm having a great time in Japan. Everything is so different from the U.S. Everything is so small...the cars...the roads...the food...the people...everything! And the trains are so crowded. Just when you think not one more person can get on, 20 more squeeze on. I've never been more smoosed in my life. The food isn't as bad as I had anticipated. Some of the stuff is disgusting, but most of it is actually pretty good. The taxi drivers are crazy. I'm sure one of them is going to kill me before I get home. Tomorrow I'm leaving for my host family & a week at a Japanese high school. Sayonara!

Anna

Love your granddoder

Friday Photo: I Hated My Haircut Then...

...and I hate it now too...

Stan Burkhalter, Anna Burkhalter

Marian Burkhalter Sanchez, Jacque Johnson Burkhalter, Elisabeth Burkhalter Rossen

Elisabeth, Marian, Anna

1985

Her New Pukeproof Pad

January 1980

Monday PM

Hi Mom & Dad

Just wanted to write and thank you again for everything this past weekend. I only wish we'd had more time - all that strenuous shopping wore me out!

Marian is still sick. She shared her dinner with me in south Seattle. Fortunately she was laying on her new pukeproof pad so it wasn't such a disaster. Dad, I'm infinitely grateful for that gift!!!

Then she did it again when we got home - I'd used Ma's super duper foolproof medicine hold and no sooner said "Aha! I got you!", the she got me - allllllll over! Today she's been pretty sleepy so I think she's on "the road to recovery"!!

Anna loves her pjs - She cried real tears when I made her get dressed today.

Forgot to tell you just how much the girls like their lamps, too. Its one less thing to fight about (light on or off) at bedtime.

And I forgot to put up your hair. Sorry ma...

Also, I'll bring the b'day cake on the 23rd - if you'd rather I do something else just let me know.

Love, J & all

Guess I shoulda taped the lid shut, huh?

Hi Mom & Dad -

Thanks again for a fun weekend - oops - it wasn't a weekend, was it? The girls have big plans for their cash and we love our griddle - it was initiated tonight with burgers.

Quiet night - the two bigs are tucked in their rooms with overnight friends and Marian is off at yet another party. Elisabeth made several dozen cookies today and I made lasagne. Her cookies are darling. Made with a pound of butter, they are also positively sinful. So sinful, in fact, that I mixed up another batch of dough tonight. Guess I shoulda taped the lid shut, huh?

Time for bed - see you Wednesday p.m., around 9 or 10.

DON'T WORK TOO HARD - people are coming to see you - not the house - not the garden. OKAY?!!

love,

Jacque

Friday Photo: Coloring

Anna Burkhalter

Elisabeth Burkhalter Rosson

I could end up in Timbucktoo for all I know.

Dear Grandma

I apologize that this letter of thanks is so late, but I have been meaning to write for awhile. I wanted to thank you so much for the wonderful trip to Phoenix. I had a great time & I am so glad we were able to spend some quality time together. You were so generous to give me this wonderful trip & then to also help me find some new career clothing - I cannot thank you enough!

School is going well this semester. I'm busy working 21 hours a week as well - plus working on finding a job. I actually have most recently gotten a contact at ASU, so you never know - I could be returning to Arizona sooner than I thought. Actually, Phoenix may be the perfect answer for me. It is a new environment for me, but I would have a wonderful family around me. The part of moving away that scares me the most is leaving my family, so the idea of still having family around me is very inviting. But we shall see what happens. I could end up in Timbucktoo for all I know.

It is a rather scary thought that I have no idea where I will be in 4 months. I really think I need to move on right now, so I could be anywhere...just hopefully not Arkansas.

I plan to be at Minne's on the 10th, so I look forward to seeing you there. Again, thank you. I had a wonderful time, & hey, perhaps I have discovered some place I may want to live!

I love you much & hope your back & health are improving.

Anna

"Gigantic pile of steaming chicken shit"

Hi Mom and Dad -

It's countdown 'til spring break! And we have enough "things to do during vaction" to last a whole month. Typical.

We have a gigantic pile of steaming chicken shit and sawdust in our front yard. One of Stan's track kids asked him if he would like a truckload - "Of course!" We didn't know that their truck was a very large dump truck FULL!!! Aren't you jealous, Dad?

Good stuff, too - it's ready to go on the garden now.

Elisabeth hasn't worn her 20 dollar shoes since you gave her those 99 cent slippers!

We'll be down either Saturday afternoon or evening or Sunday morning for Easter. Whenever. Let me know if it makes any difference.

Come visit us if you're bored during your vacation (ha ha). We'll be hangin' around shoveling you know what! (Very editorial "we" - good old "Let's" will have the shovel."

Anna wants to write...

Once about a time there was orange blue yellow green red grey black already. We ate our soup and took a nap. One green painted and one grey and one blue painted their roses. Red red look at me. Blue blue paint our foots. Grey paint your tummy. Green green paint your face. That's all the story.

A real thriller, huh?

Thanks again for all the nice things.

Love Jacque

And the thank you note from yours truly (another thriller, to use my mother's words)...

Boots!

Factory!

Digger!

Slippers!

Shirt!

Chair...

Teddy Bear! And Elisabthe's Teddy Bear!

Thank you

I been playing with the factory.

We have a new babysitter. I love her cuz I like her.

Can I put it in the envelope now?

I don't want to say the rest of it.

We went to the park and slided and swinged.

Love,

And more great fun from the Burkhalter household...

This is last month's I forgot to mail.

Say:

Grandpa first, now Grandma.

Now mailman. There was a mailman. He put the letter in the mailbox and she got it. That's what the mailman says (does). The mailman put it in funny Grandma & Grandpa's mailbox and she got it and brought it into the house and says "Oh, here it is!"

Thank you. I'm gonna say "thank you" for the fuzzy sleeper and they're gonna say "welcome".

Let's talk on the telephone. In'a say thank you for Elisabeth's white shirt.

Bye,

Anna. Elisabeth too.

And Daddy and Mommy.

Happy Mother's Day! (through the ages)

1950s: Mark to Lottie

1971: Martin to Ruth

1975: Jacque & Family to Lottie

1990s: Jennifer to Lottie

1996

"Marian learned to roll over and over and over"

June 29, 1979 (from postmark)

Tuesday

Hi Dad -

Just talked to Mark yesterday. This Monday, the man sez. Today I will order the lumber. Could you send up 2 thousand? (We'd like to borrow 4T total). I'm not sure if the lumber man wants cash or if he'll send a bill - and if it's cash he's gonna take all of Stan's paycheck - and then some! Also the cabinets should be done by the end of the week, too, and I know he wants cash.

This weekend we got the store room emptied (and Marian's room filled) and spent Saturday at the swap meet. We cleared over $80 - not bad for a bunch of junk! Came home with a fantastic sunburn - my face was swollen 'til today - especially my forehead - I looked kinda freaky.

Stan's putting an Amity kit on the kitchen cupboards today and yesterday. Crazy man - he just woke up yesterday and said he had decided to do it - I didn't even nag or even ask.* Weird. Usually he sneaks out to the garden every chance he gets. Anyways, they look gorgeous. *As a matter of fact, I had a box of cherries ready to can that morning - of course, they're still sitting in the frig.

The varnish finally dried on the picnic table - I'm not about to put another coat on it - it'd be August before we could have a picnic. So far, we've eaten outside every day- even breakfast! (It's usually warmer outside than inside. You know me - I pick the warmest possible spot.)

Marian learned to roll over and over and over - 'til she bangs her head on something and cries. Cute kid. She also eats 3 meals a day now. She's pretty cheap to feed though - lots of applesauce!

Anna and Elisabeth have learned to pick everything! The only good strawberries are in the middle of the bed anymore. And they eat all the snowpeas before I ever get there. And every day Anna pulls a carrot up - "Still just a top with no bottom" she says. She'll have them all pulled up before there are any ready to eat! Dumb me - I couldn't figure out why they wouldn't eat much lunch or diner - I thought they should be real hungry since they're outside all day!

Every day the kids ask when Uncle Mark and Grandpa are coming. They're really looking forward to your visit. Anna keeps checking on when Aunt Marie and Grandma are coming too - I don't think she remembers Marie - but I told her that Marie was bringing new clothes and she can hardly wait! If I don't muzzle her she'll probably greet her at the door with "Where's my new stuff?" No, on second thought, that's something Elisabeth might do - but never Anna.

Well, my test is about over. It's so warm in my testroom today I'm about to fall asleep.

Take care - see you next week - love, Jacque

Two Owls

I think I should be right too. And good to know my list-making tendancies started at a young age.

DEAR GRANDMA AND GRANDPA I LOVE YOU THANK YOU FOR THE COATS I CAN RITE ELISABETH ICAN RIT LOTS OF LOTS OF WORDS OF

Anna

Friday

Hi Mom

The girls coats are beautiful and practical - gauranteed to last at least 2 years - fold up sleeves and long-ish body. Thank you!

I wrapped them up and gave them to the girls right away. Minne was here on Monday and I gave Benson Anna's "straight-jacket" - it looked great on him! (Don't worry it isn't pink) (One from my friend Annie Hill) So anyway - we just couldn't wait another week.

Hope you call soon about Thanksgiving - I should let Jen know. They are coming for Anna's birthday Friday.

Marian has started walking. Woe is me. She refuses to walk from Stan to me or vice versa but she freely walks away from furniture - its like she just forgets that she can't walk yet. Anyway, she goes 2 or 3 steps then falls on her face - a million times a day (at least).

Everybody here is suffering from "greensleeves". We all have colds and I'm the only one in the house that seems to believe in blowing one's nose in a tissue. Gross.

The carpeting was finaly installed in our "attic" today. Whoopee. Now we have a 3-day weekend to hopefully finish things up. I decided on cheap, boring, brown. It looks fine.

Anna is busy deciding one which toys will go in which playroom. I promised I would help her make a list in the morning. Yesterday she wrote out all the invitations to her birthday party by herself. Elisabeth figures her birthday should be with Anna's. Today Anna got a card in the mail, and Elisabeth cried all the way back to the house - real tears, too!

Yesterday and today I made "bulldog" outfits for them - plaid blouses. (I bought green cords.)

Almost forgot - the coats were $23. You don't need to pay all of it if you don't want to - Honest.

How are you guys? Hi Dad! Oh yawn, I'm sleepy. Nice talkin' to you. Looking forward to Thanksgiving. Let me know what to bring. Pies or relishes or whatever.

Monday nite...

Well, our 3-day weekend is almost over and we almost got everything done upstairs. You know how it goes. Stan really wants it finished for when his family is here Friday so at least we have a good goal!

Anna did most of the enclosed letter herself - just needed help spelling about 1/2 the words. She absolutely refusd to believe that "write" begins with a "w". She threw a fit! So who cares, anyway? I think she should be right.

Elisabeth sent her letter separately. I don't know whats inside - it was a secret!

Love,

Jacque

Photo Friday: Johnson Cousin's Day, Ocean Shores

Some memories from childhood are more prominent than others. This is one of them...

Allen Barteky, Sara Mossman, Benson Isley, Angie Johnson Hooper, Hugh Cumming, Annalei Burkhalter

Hugh Cumming, Allen Barteky, Angie Johnson Hooper, Sara Mossman

Jill Johnson Mattingly

Marian Burkhalter Sanchez, Elisabeth Burkhalter Rosson

Stanley Burkhalter, Elisabeth Burkhalter Rosson

Nathan Johnson, Marian Burkhalter Sanchez

Nathan Johnson

Allen Barteky