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Dear Ron & Hazel,     I have before me a long letter from you written last Christmas time but for the life of me I cant remember whether I answered it or not.  I try to get all my long letters written by mid Nov. so I'm not stuck at the "hectic time" with lots of letters.  In case I did write to you this mostly will be old news – pardon the repetition please!     Michael has been to several meeting this year - tho I often hear from him that  people ask why he didn't go here or there.  He went to San Diego in February for something or other and in April to the federation meetings at Atlantic City (it rained there).  In June we all went down to San Diego for the Pacific Slope  meetings at the Univ. of Calif. at S.D.  Afterwards we went South for some camping along the Baja Calif coast (Mexico).  This was very disappointing as rich americans have built their fancy houses along most of the northern coast and South of Ensenada.  Another type of American is abundant....there, all sorts of Dune buggies, and motorcycles are literally tearing the country side apart.     During a part the summer the kids took swimming lessons at the Y.M.C.A.  They learned how to get their faces wet!  They also spent 2 weeks at the Y.M.C.A. day camp.  How they could get so dirty is beyond me – but this is my memory of day camp.     Late in August and some of September we went to N. Arizona, the Grand Canon, Navajo Indian Reservation, N. New Mexico, Colorado, Mesa Verde and Utah with Arches National Monument, Capitol Reef, Bryce and Zion Parks.  We camped most of the time and had a great time.  The kids behaved reasonably (for once) and the weather was good, crowds not too great and such scenery and Blue Sky.  Wow!     Now the kids are back in school.  Eric is in 3rd grade studying such things as physical vs chemical changes, handwriting and dinosaurs!  Miguel is in 1st grade – but in a class that has both 1st and 2nd graders in it.  He's the youngest in it but manages to do the work quite well – tho he still has trouble at times making the ole pencil do what he wants it to.  Lex started nursery school in the fall.  He goes 3 days a week.  He is certainly a friendly fellow compared to our other two.     Michael's post doc - Cynthia Sevilla (did you know her?  - she was at U. of W.) left in July.  Mike, her husband got a job at Oakland University in Michigan.  She was expecting a baby when they left but haven't heard if it came yet.     Now Michael seems to be  spending a lot of time on teaching and various seminars and meetings at USC.  Next semester he plans to start up a new course on science for journalists.  I guess he feels that too many students are anti science now-a-days.  He says kids are lining up outside his door to sign up for the class.  So I guess that's a good sign.  Of course Michael does manage to get in the lab.  He's also got several grad students "doing great".  So he's getting happy with USC – in spite of daily bomb scares interrupting lectures.  We're not too happy 'bout L. A. though.  Smog, traffic, not-too-great grammar schools etc get us to wanting to leave at times.     Not much else new with us - How goes it with you.  Have heard all sorts of things about fuel shortage in England.  Hope you are warm enough!!     Have a great Christmas and a great 1971!!!                                                   Irma

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