[Gathnet] Gathnet letter much delayed.

[stuart g gathman]

Dear Gathnetters,
It has been a while since I last wrote to you all,  We have not been 
sick but just busy.  Since I last wrote you,  Anne and I have spent a 
couple of weeks with Jon and Jacqui in Mo. and a week in Hawaii with Jim 
and Sue.   I have managed to keep my teaching up and have done a fair 
job on the weeds for about 1/3 of the property.  We have also had the 
usual doctor's appointments and other things so you see we are healthy 
and busy.   

I will start off with a brief description of our Missouri trip.  
Unfortunately,  spring was just starting there but Jon and I were able 
to walk the property line on their 10 acres.  I don't think we could 
have done that if the trees were in leaf.  some of the hills on his 
property are pretty steep and the footing is loose irregular rocks so 
climbing was not easy.  They have a beautiful piece of land and a 
wonderful house on it.  It really reminds us all of a much larger 
version of our Virginia place.  (Shepherd Hill)..   We had a wonderful 
time with them all. Jon had taken leave for the time we were there so we 
had a lot of good visits. We were able to help a bit with cutting down 
dead trees and with baby sitting.  Best of all we were privileged to 
hear at their church on Palm Sunday, a special piece composed by Jon for 
the occasion.  We had a lot of fun with all the kids but Josiah and I  
formed a special relationship.... He loves trains as I do so the two of 
us watched train videos,  Thomas Tank Engine movies etc by the hour.  We 
of course went to the famous transportation museum there in Saint Louis 
and again Josiah was in seventh heaven.   It was pretty cold there for 
Californians some of the time but we made it well.  We were also able to 
see the "Brooks Bible Institute" of Saint Louis where Anne's father was 
a dean for a time years ago.  It is an urban Bible School and although 
still small,  Anne thought it had grown since she use to accompany her 
father to his classes there a night.  It was neat to see and photograph 
that piece of family history.   The direct flights there and back were 
very good.

After coming home and catching up on bills, weeds, my classes etc.,  We 
again flew via Aloha Airlines direct to Honolulu from San Diego.  This 
was indeed a pleasent flight and we were met by Jim, Sue and Maddie at 
the airport.  Jim was also on leave for the week we were there.  Jim had 
arranged for a Beach Cabin at the Billows AFS for three nights and it 
was absolutely beautiful.  I fell asleep each night with the sound of 
the breaking surf in my ears.  While at Billows,  we made contact with 
the Comptons,  friends from our Virginia days.  They retired from the AF 
and are living together with most of their family there in Hawaii.  It 
was fun to remember old days at a beach party with all of us together.  
We also hiked to Manoa Falls one day.  It was a beautiful hike up the 
mountain on a mud slik trail but the site of the Falls (600' in length) 
was worth the hike.  We were able to watch Maddie sing and dance at the 
huge big mall in Honolulu with her little dance group on the stage at 
the Mall.  Jim,  Anne and I enjoyed a day the Maritime Museum at 
Honolulu also.  The time was too short, but Jim is preparing for a long 
cruise leaving in May sometime and we really wanted to see him before he 
left.

Beth is in Mo. at the present time to attend as a member, a board 
meeting for the Cameroon Tribal Ministry Mission.  This is an AIDS 
orphans mission being started up by Jim and Alice Tucker, old friends of 
Beth from Cameroon days.   She also will be seeing the Missouri 
Gathman's for a bit before returning to San Diego.  Jon and Jacqui are 
getting a lot of visitors it seems.

Today,  I took Nate, Tad and Paul for a day at the air show in El 
Cajon,  (a neighboring town)  This was a special show in memory of the 
battle of Midway.  They had a number of planes of the type flown in the 
actual battle flying.  They even had a Flying Fortress (B17) some of 
which flew in the battle.   Best of all, they had an interview with 
three old gentlemen who were actually at the battle and they were 
telling war stories for us all to hear.  (by the way they were selling 
rides in the B17 for about $400.00 each....   That thing uses a lot of 
gas!!!!)  A good time was had by all.

Well, as you can see,  we are keeping on keeping on. 

Love to you all

der alt Grossvater



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