February 18, 1977 (Letter from Cheryl)

Don't rem. who's suppose to owe who a letter, but I was thinking about you, so I thought I'd write. Don't know how far I'll get cuz I been drinking but I'll give it one hell of a try.

Hope you had a good turkey day, Xmas & New Years.  We sure did.  Had a couple big parties here and at our friends' house.  A lot of good food, liquor & people.  Then Lawana's birthday party was the 1st of Feb. so we had 6 kids, 27 big kids, r dozen enchiladas, cake & ice cream, & one hell of a good time up here.  Was a little crowded but fun.  Now nothing happens till the 21st of this month, which is mine & my old man's anniversary.  Been tog. 3 yrs.  Should have a good one then too.  One thing about this valley here.  Everyone likes to party & have fun.  You'd really like it here.

Haven't ever heard from George again since he left.  Neither has his mom.  Guess he's not in jail tho, or someone would have heard from him.  Just hope he found a lady & a decent job, so he doesn't have to go back to the joint again.

My son, George, got busted in November for larceny.  Really blew me away.  Could see his dad all over again.  He went to court the 15th & pleaded guilty and it's postponed til the 2nd of March.  I think they'll give him probation cuz it's his first offense & cuz he's only 11, but in this town their really strict.  If he fucks up again, they'll send him away.  I just hope he learned his lesson.

Guess I'm gettin' pretty sloppy huh?  Oh well I'm havin' a good time.  I'll have a drink for you too. Sure would like to see you again, for ole times sake.  Maybe some day.

Heard on the news you been havin pretty bad weather back there.  That's really too bad -- I feel sorry for ya all.  We been havin days where ya don't need a coat.  Been 45 & 55 the past 2 weeks. Today was cloudy but still 51.  Kinda wish it'd snow tho, cuz if it don't, no one can go in the wood this summer cuz it's so dry.  I kinda think we'll get snow & nasty weather next month.  It's so pretty up here either way so I don't care.

My plants are doin really good.  They've grown a lot in the past 6 wks.  Didn't really notice till today.  Guess cuz I'm around em so much.  But people come over & tell me how good they look & then I notice.  Makes me happy.

Well I've gotta go -- the lines are gettin' a little hazy.  Besides I've gotta feed the kids.  So take care & write soon.

November 5, 1976 (Letter from Cheryl)

Sure seems like it's been along time since I wrote or heard from you -- hope your still at the same place.

Alot has changed & alot has happened since I wrote last.  George and I aren't tog and haven't been for some time.  When he left he said he may go to Portland or he may turn himself back in to the joint.  No one has heard from him since so I don't know where he's at or what he's doin.   He doesn't even write to Georgie.  But he said he'd drop by Xmas so we'll see then.  Maybe.  I'd still like to know if he's okay tho, even if we aren't tog anymore.  If & when I heard from him I'll let you know.  I think I gave him your address & maybe you've heard from him?  Let me know if yo have okay.

In Sept. I moved to Washington but after a month of being there I got home sick for the mountains and came back.  It's nice to be back here again.  The hills are really pretty with all the leaves changing.  We haven't gotten any now yet; in fact it's been in the 50's most every day.  Which is nice for Nov.  While I was in Wash.  I caught hepatitis from firing up drugs.  Isn't that dumb?  I didn't even know I had it  till someone told me I should see a doc.  I'm kinda ignorant on diseases like that cuz I've never had it or seen it.  But a couple days before I went to the doc's I felt really tired & couldn't stay awake.  Guess I've had it about 3 wks now.  Should be over it soon, I hope. One good thing I've lost alot of weight from it.

I guess from what George said Brian Borgen is back in the joint.  Don't know what he did tho. Clayton Cline got in a fight and got shot 3 times and is now a vegetable.  That's too bad -- I kinda liked him.  Really even if I didn't like him I'd still hate to see it happen.

What are you doin for turkey day?  We're havin a big bird with all the trimmings and a bunch of people up for a party.  Hopefully the people we use to live with here will be up by then. They moved to Calif. in Aug.  Sure would make for a good party.

In Aug. we went all the way back to North Dakota, right on the Minnesota border to see my brother.  It was really a good trip.  Had alot of fun.  On the way back I got to see my mother in Montana and I'm happy for that, cuz she died in Sept.  Was quite a shock to us all.  Ya don't realize how much they mean to ya till there gone.  Then it's too late.

The kids are really gettin big.  George is as tall as me an Lawana is already in school.  She really enjoys it and even tho she doesn't have any homework she pretends to just like her bother.  Their both gettin' all excited over Xmas.  Sure does seem like it comes around fast any more.

Well I'd better go for now -- gotta do some stuff.  So take care & write sooner than I did.  Have a good Thanksgiving -- Bye for now.

August 13, 1976 (Letter from Cheryl)

I finally got around to writing you again.  George got out and he came by here for 4 days.  He left & we kept in touch; then me & my old man had it out so I up & split & went to see George.  Had a really good wk's vacation.  George is here now  -- just got in today.  Don't really know what he's gonna do.  Matter of fact I don't know what I'm gonna do.  Guess things will work themselves out, they always do.

George, my son, went to Montana (Seely Lake) with some good friends of mine & is havin himself a ball.  Riding horses and fishing, camping & hiking.  I really miss him tho.  So does his sister, but school starts the 1st of Sept. so he should have a good time till then.  When they all get back, we're planning on goin to Yakima, Washington to pick apples.  That in itself should be a trip, seeings how none of us has ever done it before.  It's pretty country down there tho, and most likely will be a lot of fun. Cuz the people I'm goin with are crazy -- a lot of fun to be with.

I haven't been doin too much lately -- mostly stayin home and enjoying the last of summer. There's a lot of wild fruit here; huckleberries, raspberries, strawberries  cherries & apples -- a lot others too, but I don't know the names of em.  Anyway I went eating them & cookin with em. There's mushrooms up on the hill too, but I'm afraid to eat em or cook with em cuz I don't know about em.  But it's still far-out to take your kids up there in your back yard & let em see & eat all the wild stuff.

Our house goes up for auction the 30th.  As of now the landlady & lord have no say so over anything because they both went to Missouri.  So I guess I'll just stay here & wait & see what the new landlord says.  If he's smart he'll let me stay her e-- this place isn't worth moving into -- no one would want it except me & the mice.  (Except for the land; that's what I'm afraid of.)  Someone will want the land.  I'm really gonna hate to move from here.

George just said to tell you high -- and said to remind you "it's August and he's broke & wants to know when you & him are going truckin"!!  That was just off the wall talk -- but he remembers and wanted to know if you do --

Well I gotta go -- we're goin' to bed!!  Fun time!!  Write soon and keep in touch.  So will I.

July 15, 1976 (Letter from Cheryl)

Sorry it's taken so long to ans. your letter, but alot has been goin on.  Saw George for 4 days last month and it was so good to see him.  He really enjoyed seeing & being with the kids and believe it or not him & Shorts got along good.  Everyone took it good except me.  I wanted to go back to him so bad & wanted him to stay but he couldn't.  He already broke his parole.  He left and we haven't heard from him since.  I just hope he's okay.  No one has come lookin for him yet either.  I wonder why cuz they usually do.  Maybe they figure their better off without him.

We went to West Yellowstone and it sure wasn't like all the years before.  No one was there I knew except one person and millions of pigs.  They even had guards there from Deer Lodge, with dogs.  We didn't stay there, we went camping.  Had alot of fun doin' that.

Georgie's birthday was the 7th and we had a big party with cake, ice cream, presnts & spankings. Sure was fun -- he was 11.

We'll be movin in 30 days but I'll still have the same p.o. box number.  What happened is the landlady's son just got out of the navy and he's gonna buy this place and she wants to move in here.  She gave us an eviction notice and the whole shot.  So everything we put into this place we're tearing up, or down or takin' with us.  It was a junk pile when we moved in, so that's the way she'll get it back.  I don't mind leavin the house, it's the area -- the mountains & peace & quiet -- but we'll find something (I hope).

So how ya doin?  Real good I hope.  Still goin' to junk stores?  They opened up 2 new ones here and they got some neat stuff in em.  But we got to much stuff already.  It'll take a u-haul trailer to move us & our junk.

Well, I've gotta go -- only have 2 pieces of paper left and 2 more letters to write.  So you take care of yourself and write back sooner than I did.  If I hear from George I'll tel him hello for ya.  Bye for now.

May 13, 1976 (Letter from Cheryl)

I'm finally gettin around to ans. letters.  Usually I'll ans. the next day, but lately I haven't been doin much writing.  I only owe about 7 letters.  I enjoyed your last letter -- it sounds like your happy and doin great -- and I'm happy for you.  Myself I don't think I could live in a big city any more.  Too many people, cars and cops.

I've been doin alot of stuff outside lately, the weather is just beautiful.  The mountain behind us is just full of flowers and it's really pretty.  I've planted all my flowers and my garden and their all doin really good.  We've kind of got 2 pet blue jays who hang around here, and I had trouble with em at first with the seeds I planted.  Mostly the corn & pot seeds.  But they've kinda mellowed out now. But it's really neat to be able to have a pet like that.

For some reason the welfare lady has been hasseling us the past wk.  She keeps insisting me & Shorts are married and I have a strange feeling she's gonna kick me off.  She even called my Aunt and wanted to know if I beat or abused my kids.  She's really a bitch.  I don't care if she kicks me off but I'll sure miss the food stamps -- oh well, maybe things will work themselves out.

We took some people to Columbia Falls, Mont. last wk. end and really had a good trip. We stopped off in Missoula Friday nite and just got loose.  Then Sat. we went cruising around Msla, bought alot of albums and a bunch of junk (that ya can't get here, including downers -- yellows). Sat. nite we did the downers by Flathead Lake.  Was really fun. Me & George caught some fish and cooked em up.  They were pretty good to. The country up there is really pretty; I took alot of pictures.  We're goin back to Missoula over Memorial Day wk.end for my cousin's graduation.  It should be a good party.

George wants to go see his dad that wk. end but I don't know if we are.  He wrote & asked his dad if he could come see him, but so far he hasn't ans. back.  If he doesn't ans. back then we aren't goin, but I hope he does.  It would really hurt Georgie's feelings.  I suppose I wouldn't mind seeing him either but I don't like to think about that very hard.   His mom wrote me yesterday & said he goes to board the last wk of May & that he has a job & a place to live promised him, so he's pretty sure he'll get out.  He also said it'll seem strange not to be with me and the kids.  It's really going to be a hard trip to go threw, esp. if he comes here.  I still love him very much but.....

There's really alot of old furniture and antiques around here, which I really like.  In the mountains behind us, you ca take a shovel and just dig any where and find old bottles.  I've gotten so many in just the yr we've been here I don't have any room left to put any more.  But if we find more I won't threw em away.  George was in the mountains last wk with his friends just messin around & they saw a bear.  It really freaked me out cuz I'm really afraid of bears, but they thought it was neat. Just so they stay up there & don't come down here.

Well it's almost time to get George up for school, so I'd better go for now.  This is the best time of the day.  I get up at 6:00 to get Shorts off  to work and it's so quiet and peaceful.  I really enjoy our life here.  Anyway, take care, don't work too hard & write soon!  Bye for now.

September 26, 1975 (Letter from Cheryl)

Thought I'd write you & see how your doin'?  Hope your doin fine -- are you still working in the library?  We are all fine.  Georgie is in school now & likes it pretty much, as much as he can like school.  Me & Lawana fart around all day, goin to junk stores & down by the creek's.  We got a neat log cabin house with 3 bedrooms, no neighbors to speak of and 300 ft. behind the house that's ours.  It's right in the mountains too -- we have to chop our own wood for fire, which may prove to be a hassle this winter, but it's still nice to have it.  Do you see Linda very much any more?  Or is she still even there?  How is George doin?  He doesn't write me any more.  Does he seem to be happy; well as happy as he can be in there?  Does he still work in the library?  I have a car now (it needed a little work) but maybe one of these days I'll make it up there.  Wallace is closer to D. L. but it costs more on the bus for some reason, plus they cut my welfare grant down cuz other people live with em.

Anyway take care & please answer back.  I'd like to hear from you, plus find out about my old man.  Tell him hello for me.  Hope to see you when I come out.  By for now.