October 23, 1977 (Letter from Kathy and Gary)

Are you still out there somewhere??

Received a letter from Dody and Wendy in Tenn.  In case she didn't write:
5652 Hinton Place
Memphis 38117

Dody decided to give up teaching in February for a career in the Coast Guard.

Gary is off to Bend, Oregon, to a 100 mile motorcycle race.  I would have gone except I felt I should to go a dental hygiene meeting in Pocatello yesterday.

Rick & Linda had a baby girl in late July, early August and ours is due the end of February.  We felt things were stable enough now to do such a foolish thing.

Any progress in the wife search for you?  Just married off the perfect girl for you.  We were just in L.A. visiting them.  We decided to get a good vacation in so Disneyland became our destination. We traveled down on our 1000-cc Honda motorcycle.  Came back through Sequoia and Yosemite National Forests and snow!  We had fun at Harrah's Antique Car Collection in Reno for 2 1/2 hours -- could have stayed much longer.  Anyway, that strikes out something that Gary has always wanted to do (bike to Cal. & the car collection) and Disneyland for me.  It was beautiful weather and a delightful trip.

We do plan to make our migration east for our 10 year reunion this summer.

Anxious to hear where you are and if you are happy.

Gary has a new accomplishment -- a 200cc motorcycle he built and designed himself.

Have had fantastic summer and fall weather.  Do have a guilt complex enjoying it though since we need rain so badly and lots of snow this summer winter!

Had a neat garden.

Schneider's visited us for 2 weeks in September.   Anxious for their first grandchild!

I'm anxious to get out for a little job.  My back is sore from sitting here.  Needed very badly to get some long overdue letters off.  Was thinking, your name appeared, and decided I might as well wake you up.

Take care.

September, 22, 1976 (Letter from Kathy)

The job that Gary had hoped for at FORD did materialize and better than anticipated.  Two weeks after he started as assistant service manager or service writer, the service manager quit so the store manager has been getting Gary squared away to take the job.  He should get the title shortly and the raise in pay to go with the title and, also should get a demo car.  Things are looking brighter.

Think of you often -- especially when I meet a neat single gal.  With the base located here though there are a higher % of single guys to gals.

After having lost our 2nd cutting of alfalfa to hail, we lost the third cutting to rain.  Hay costs are going to be high this year.  Thankful we don't have a horse to feed.  It's been a rather wet summer here -- not anything like Warren, but it has rained almost weekly.

Did some canning and freezing this year.  Now that I'm caught up on all that, have time to get the long lost letters written.

Gary now has Saturdays off so our lives are coming together a little more often now.  It's really neat to have him around more.  It's something I've missed the past couple years with the long hours he had at the motorcycle shop.

Wishing we could have made a trip home to Pa. in Sept -- it's been 3 1/2 years since we've been there, but finances and Gary's new job wouldn't allow for it.  Finance should be better in the spring, so I may go to see my parents alone or wait until Sept. when Gary will have a week vacation.  It would be impractical to make the trip by car in a week, so unless he can get an extra week, I may still plan to fly myself.  Wish I spent a little less time planing my or our lives and more just enjoying it day to day.

Think I have convinced Gary that after 7 years of marriage we're ready as we ever will be for children.  Just can't imagine my whole life without some children (1 or 2) to enjoy.  Think he's scared of losing the freedom to enjoy the out-of-doors.  We'll just have to work together to make a good adjustment.  So! -- I'm planning a little girl for next Sept!!!  It may not be a good time to have a baby but it just so happens to be convenient for me/us.

After having  managed to work through rope burns and smashes from the horses next door and then from some puncture wounds at work from dirty instruments, I've now discovered a lump on my right hand next to the joint in my middle finger.  Going to watch for a couple weeks and then make a decision.  Quite concerned as it does involve my occupation.

Somehow Gary agreed to take a 3 evening course with me on family planning. Really do think it helped our marriage, although it seems like it would have improved just with Gary's new job.  I'm sure he must feel better about himself.  I just couldn't have faced another winter with him at that cycle shop.

Anxious to hear if your job is still exciting to you.  Take care -- looks like those waiting years are paying off for us.

July 7, 1976 (Letter from Kathy)

Glad to hear from you.  We were beginning to really wonder what happened to you.  Meet any neat gals this summer yet?  Your new job sounds great -- still think so?

My brother went to college in Springfield.  (little trivia for you)

I'm waiting for Gary to get home.  He's applied for several jobs here and in Boise in hopes that he'll come up with something that'll have a future.  He was hoping to hear from the Ford place today. Think things would be perfect if he'd get a job that pays for the hard worker he is.  He finally realized that he wasn't going to get anywhere at the cycle shop.  Tried this spring to buy in -- even thought about buying a business here and eventually convert it to a cycle shop -- hopefully on the good name he's built up, but everything led to a dead end.  I try to keep my big mouth shut.  We went to Colorado in March to see about job prospects there in the bike business -- nothing.  If this job at Ford doesn't come through, maybe an electrical job in Boise will.  H ate to move, but yet wouldn't mind if Gary could find himself.

I had the day off.  Spent the entire morning mowing our lawn and the neighbors (8:30 - 1:30).  Don't care if I see a green lawn again.  It's been so hot (in the 100s) that the lawn grew really fast as it was twice as hard and time consuming.  Used the afternoon for general housecleaning and defrosting refrigerator.

I recently quit the office you were in to work the other office 4 days a week.  Dr. Reynolds really does provide better working conditions, better benefits, and better salary. Just really got disgusted with the disorganization.  Was waiting it out until Dr. Reynolds felt he could use me more time.

The winter was hard for us financially, things are starting to look up a little, but the cycle business has never really started to boom yet.  (Bad is just no fun money!)

We kinda "fell into" a 1967 Corvette -- 36,000 miles on it in beautiful or "cherry" condition as Gary would say.  Trying to sell our truck.  Haven't had any bites yet.

Got 5 3/5  tons of alfalfa (hay) off our 2 acres -- made $200 this month on that.

Garden not doing too well unless you really like peas.  We had a hard frost June 28th. Unbelievable!!

Gary's been riding mountain trails now and raced through the winter.  Has also been neat to though.  He helps me more than ever with the daily chores and gets me out now and then.

May take a trip to Pa. in Sept. if we can both take 2 weeks.  Otherwise we'll probably take just a few days and visit my aunt in Victoria, Brit. Columbia.  We'd take in the Oregon and Washington coast on our way.

We did take a trip to Oklahoma City to visit Jeff Tuller & family for Christmas.  Jeff was getting around on his leg pretty well by then.  (He crushed it between 2 of his cars while jumping the batteries.)  Couldn't remember when in Sept. it happened -- whether you had been and gone or not.  Gary's parents did stay here on night as a result of flying to Oklahoma for Jeff -- they took a little side trip here.

Know a really neat gal -- teaches grade school.  Used to live here -- now in Grays Lake, Illinois. You're everything she'd like in a guy.  Don't know your likes in "women".  Too bad we can't get a match going.  She's almost as wonderful as me!!!

We got the rests of our lawn in this spring.  Gary and I laugh about it now but it we didn't divorce each other thru that we never will!!!  We do not work well in the yard together cuz Gary hates it. (My hand is sweating so that is why the writing is worse than ever!!)

Have a really neat neighbor that's been helping me with interior decorating.  Her 11 and 13 year old girls sure are great kids.  I kidnap them somedays all day to keep me company   (I'd like to start getting some money stashed away for a baby.)  Think I could convince Gary if he was happy with himself.  Time will tell.

Sounds like you're getting pretty good at taking care of yourself.  By the time you marry she won't have to break you in like I had to do with Gary!!  Paul -- take care.

Let us know how life treats you.  Maybe we'll see you for our 10 y ear class reunion or maybe you'll honeymoon out west!!

What do you hear from anyone?  Did you spend the winter in Warren?

October 11, 1973 (Letter from Kathy and Gary)

Sorry you couldn't get to Idaho.  We were really looking forward to your visit.  Hope you can make it sometime.  Plans are getting deeper for Gary's business here and with only 7 months left in the service, plans are very definite to stay here.  Reading your letter brought back a longing to see friends again but then we've made some really valuable friend here too.

Rick and Linda did come for 10 days.  They may have mentioned something at the reunion.  We visited Yellowstone and Sun Valley plus little things.  We enjoyed ourselves a lot in spite of the fact that they are difficult guests because they're very fussy eaters.

Gary's out working on the van's body.  He had hoped to finally get it painted this fall (the summer was so busy with camping and bike riding-- trials style) that he never found that time to do the finishing touches needed.  Now it turns out the engine is throwing out so he figures it's time to get his money out of it instead of struggling through the cold weather for a new engine.  He would like to pick up a second hand car for me to drive to work.  I ride my bike in the summer but winter really requires a vehicle.  Shame -- it would be really nice only to need on vehicle.

I'm happier in my job than ever.  Working 3 1/2 days for 2 dentists.  Takes the humdrum out of work when there's two offices -- lose fulltime benefits though. Both my dentists went elk hunting this week so I've been on vacation.  We were hoping to visit an aunt in Canada (B.C.) or Disneyland but finances won't allow that.  Gary just took a trip to Texas with his forthcoming partner to see the Suzuki '74 models.  We'll be watching pennies closely for this business adventure.  So glad we don't have a family to support although our golden retriever is having a litter Nov 9th or thereabouts!!  We're going to take one dog to my sister's neighbor in Colorado Springs when we go down for Christmas.  My sister came here last year so we're planning on the holiday there this year.

Is you social life getting complicated in wonderful Pittsburgh?

Had really good yields from my garden this year -- too much lettuce.  This was the first year-- next year I'll know the right way.

Have been helping with the Brownie Girl Scouts this year and enjoying that.  It has been taking 2 or more nights a week lately, but with Gary on a 4 to midnight schedule this month it's not too bad.

Fall has definitely set in.  We won't have the tree splendor like there but the trees will lose their leaves with little ceremony.

Well, need to get us some lunch before we starve!  Take care.

May 29, 1973 (Letter from Kathy and Gary)

My goodness what a fantastic letter you wrote.  Have to put that with our senior yearbook!! Thanks. Miss knowing where everyone is and what they're doing.  Do plan on dropping Dody a short line today.  I'm catching some sunshine -- beautiful summer day -- 80.  My garden is all seeded.  Now all I need to do is week, watch, and eat (and definitely WATER!!)

At the time we were there you were not working.  Glad you got something you wanted.

Gary's been busy keeping the bikes and vehicles in running order.  He's got plans for enclosing the back patio for bike storage and trying to get land for a business.  I'm busy with the usual house things plus the yard and garden.  I'm working 3 1/2 days (cleaning teeth naturally -- prophy's) and really enjoying the extra time at home.  We go to the mountains most weekends..  Rick and Linda Dies are flying out here July 29th-Aug 7th.  Yellowstone is among our plans.

Knew Kaye Gorenflo was engaged but thought she was going to wait for a summer wedding. Knew Sue's father died.  My mother always passes the deaths along but little else.
Since I read your letter to Gary he was confused over Marty and Marti for awhile.

Would appreciate any addresses you have (Nancy Rush, Kaye Gorenflo -- had here hers but probably different since she got married).

Gary and I are just really getting to know each other after being married 2 years.  Our trip home really bought us closer.

To try and beat the meat prices we bought a freezer and half a beef.  Now we can't afford to eat anything but the meat and maybe the freezer!!

If we hadn't made the trip home in February then we would like to have made plans for the reunion, but that isn't possible now so we'll have to make plans for the 10 year reunion.  My brother-in-law's 10 year high school reunion is this summer so my sister and he will be making the trip from Colorado.  We usually see them 2 times a year.  They're about 1 1/2 days from us (over high mountains that make winter travel unpredictable).

Whew -- beginning to roast out here.

Have taken more and more to do my own thing -- making almost all our own grain products (bread, rolls, Eng muffins, etc.) and with the freezer really plan on filling up on our own fresh fruit and vegetables and forget about canned stuff.  It's really a challenge -- Dumb, Oh well!!  It's great living away from everyone that knew how terrible you were when you were younger.  Have really made some great new friends and strange as myself -- but we both miss the old.  Not many people seem to write anymore.

Time to turn over.

Good luck this summer and be sure to keep in touch.  We'll be here.