(Last Letter from Dad)

6/1/01

Rob,

Not much to report from home. Went to St. Louis yesterday for checkup for next transplant. My shoulder is getting much better now. Not nearly as sore and immobile as before. Next go back to Dr. on June 12. Of course, your mother was required to shop while we were there. We went down the night before and stayed with Anne and Tom. Susie is having a baby shower tomorrow and your mother is going to it with Gow. Big deal I suspect, but I am staying home.

Beilsmith found that a crank case ventilator was clogged on Woody. He thinks this may have been the cause of Woody's suddenly using of oil. If you think you can get along with Woody for another year, we might want to consider keeping him and seeing if the oil problem is no longer a problem. It is unusual for a car to start using oil so quickly so Beilsmith my have found the problem. I hope so.

Jim Beilsmith wants to buy your mother's van, but when a replacement came in at Murphy's Jim didn't have the money. He is trying to sell some of the cars in his stable. Don't think he can be counted on for several months. We may just wait and buy one of the 2002 models instead.

The burn of the warm season grass caused the golden rod to jump out of the ground and take over from the warm season grass (wsg). I will ask Richard to mow the golden rod and maybe the wsg could get a start. We have had cool wet weather and that has favored the weeds and caused the wsg to grow slowly.

Jim McNeal has graveled the road to the cabin. I asked him to wait until it was dry, but he got in a hurry and got stuck turning around and had to dump a load in the field. I suspect he will clean it up. I have left a call for him to see what his plans are before he finishes.

I was able to get some tung oil for the cabin floor. I will now make some samples and see if we can get a look we like.

Eric planted the switch grass in between the parking area and the electric transformer. None has germinated yet, but it has had plenty of rain. The cool weather has probably slowed everything down. Our highs have been in the 60's and the lows in the upper 40's and 50's. This has made the grass grow and has kept our yard boy, Quinn, busy.

Read is coming home this Sunday to pick up Mary and Tim's washer and dryer, which he bought. He is going out with Annie tonight and tomorrow he is working on a job application for a researcher needed in the vet school. He will probably not come home to get the washer and dryer until Sunday. His article for the Blues may be published on the web site this week. I guess he will take the washer & dryer back in the pickup. Merrill leaves soon for band camp. He will be on a bus playing in various locations and traveling.

Everyone is asking how things are going with you. Mrs. Viorel said Steve was amazed that you are doing something so exciting and adventurous. I hope things are going as well as you had hoped. I would have loved doing something like you are doing. You are just like my grandfather (Gow's dad) who went to Cheyenne at the age of 18 to become a cowboy. He got a job on the train as a fireman to get there, then got a job as a cowboy and bought a saddle. However, when the winter came and the cold winds, he came back to Frankford and became a midwestern farmer.

Jim Nemes hasn't started on the cabin floor yet, I have the screws for the floor. I expect him to start any day now. We will put screws in the boards to hold them to the floor. Jim knew of some special finish screws for the purpose. I ordered 2000 screws from a place in VA.

Gumm's broken collarbone is not healing fast. Therefore, he has not been back to do any more painting. He thinks it will be at least another 2 weeks before he can do anything. The bone is not healing as fast as hoped. A gap can still be seen on the X-ray.

Be sure to check the air in the tires when you drive it. Don't want you to have any tire problems. Hope the Explorer is meeting your needs. Don't forget the things you put under the seat.

I would be interested to hear who some of the other workers are at the camp. What schools do they go to, where are they from, how did they find out about the job, etc. Also, what you have done at guide school. I have been watching the weather on the weather channel. Looks like you have been having warm weather.

Your mother sent more underwear and the Phillips 66 gas card today.

Be sure to get someone to take close up pictures of you in your activities when you have time. Don't need a lot of long distance scenery photos. This is an opportunity you will be glad to have photos to remember by.

Have a great adventure.

(signed) Dad