Two Emails

from Petie to dawn

October 10, 1999

Hi Dawn - Just after I left the message on your recorder, I got your note about being in Miami; Alan said that you have the future of traveling quite a bit with your job and also that you are planning to go to Paris soon. Paris is so wonderful - so easy to get around because it is all laid out in sections ("arrondissement") with easy metro access. One of the metro accesses is actually a famous work of art deco itself. I know that you will love it and also the side trips to Versailles, Giverney and Chartres (to which I have not yet been but it is one of the treasures). What a good choice for a first trip to Europe. Also, I don't agree that the Parisians are awful as some say; if they feel that you are trying to use French for some phrases and not just automatically chattering on in English they are mostly very nice. But I could run on and on about Paris and hope to do so with you before you go.

The drawings that you sent were so well done - especially the one of you really captures an expression that I remember from your girlhood. What talent to do something like that! Also, Carol has some photos of the sidewalk show which we have yet to see and will do so after they all disengage themselves from the football game. I am the only abstainer which gives me good time to go dig in the garden. We still don't know when we will go to Texas but are on standby. Keep in touch and I will too. We will have e-mail in Houston because a good friend is loaning us a laptop for the trip.

Love, Petie

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December 26, 1999

Hi Dawn - What fun to visit your websites and see your art. It seems like you have two of them though; I'll check to see if it is so because Gary showed me how to put it into our "Favorites" file so that we can check for new additions.

Yes, we received your cards and it evoked memories of some wonderful places to which I have traveled. I was in Antigua, which sounds a lot like the Dominican Republic. I've never seen the Everglades, though. There is a wonderful movie (video) called "Cross Creek" which tells the story of Marjorie Rawlins, the author of "The Yearling," who packed up her life and moved to the Everglades so that she could write. Mary Steenburgen is in it.

We had a quite but thankful Christmas; a friend cooked us a complete meal after also putting up an artificial tree (I can't have anything "living" here except Gary) and she so covered it with decorations that you think it is the real things. Right now, Gary has a cold and is sacked out one the sofa with the football games and you know what? It makes me happy as a lark, I'm so glad to be out of the hospital. Even though I have to go about 6 hours a day, it is so easy to do.

New Year's Eve will be day 50; we have to stay until approximately day 100, so that will be 1/2 way. So we will include a toast to that along with a quiet millennium. And you? Will you be out on the town? It is so interesting to me how you have blossomed in the Bay Area; that's my perception, is it so?

I'm off for a walk. Love, Petie

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Dawn is Petie's niece and Alan's daughter.