West Beach, Galveston, 7-10-79

[by Robert Darnell]
We rented this house at Bermuda Beach and came down last Friday. Jerre, Becky, Natalie, and Bob. We have been beach bumming, shell picking, sun bathing, swimming, and walking.

Sunday, Ron, Sylvia and Licia came. Ron tried his luck at fishing and I think he caught three about the size of your little finger. Sylvia and Licia played in the surf and picked up shells. They had a good time and went home that night.

Monday morning David, Jan, David and Jen dropped in. They stayed until Wednesday. Everybody continued to do all the usual things and had a lot of fun with no sun burn.

Tuesday Annie and David Whitlock came so we had a crowd Tuesday night. We went down to the East End of the island to a little seafood place called Tuffy's to eat supper. It was great and we were right by the ship channel where we could see the ships standing in -- standing out -- and laying to. Everybody ate seafood and had a blast. Jennifer put on a show with her two-year-old syndrome.

That morning all the kids and ladies went to the jungle water slide. It was fun for the kids, but not for Jerre, Jan, and Annie standing around waiting.

David and Bob played nine holes of golf. Also, last Saturday Bob played nine holes and Becky and Nat drove the golf cart.

Yesterday the big excitement was Hurricane Bob and Skylab is falling. Bob rose up out of the gulf suddenly and went on in somewhere in Louisiana. We got no effect from Hurricane Bob. Skylab fell today somewhere off in nowhere and no one was effected.

end

New Year 1976

By Robert Darnell


Old Mom and Old Pop came in from the Ranch.

Pat working at Ernie Cole's.

Becky playing with Amy and Sara.

Jerre and I went to Shumway's New Years Eve Party. People we saw:

Lanier
Liz
Shumway
Fay
John Reed
Jean
Jackson
Artie Lee
Roy Bray
Tom Draper and wife
Harry Reed
Chester Reed and wife
Dick Skinner
Dana Roberts
David Cayan and wife
John Sowell
Rust Staub
Dick Collier and wife
Joe Evans and wife
Ron Marney
Chuck Reagan
Annette
John Sutly and wife
Bill Shepherd
Don Clark
Perry Penny and wife
Otis Cable and wife
Sam Jeffry and wife
Shirley Rowe
Bill

It was a good party --  good food -- drink -- we whooped it up at midnight. Danced a little -- not very good music.

Got home about 2 or 3 -- Pat came in about the time we did. He had been to Baker;s. Old P and M stayed up and watched Guy Lombardi that new comer on television.

New Years Day -- Pat went to Corpus Christi. Jan and David and David and Ron and Sylvia came over. (Hogs and Dogs). We watched:

Cotton Bowl Ark 31 -- Ga 10
Rose Bowl UCLA 16 -- Ohio St 10
Sugar Bowl Okla 14 -- Mich 3

Food -- Sm Turk -- Beef -- Venison -- Black-eyed Peas -- Cheese and cheese dip -- Onion dip -- etc.

Weather cloudy -- great day.

Charlie Madden and Claudia came over -- Took picture of family.

Jenny visited Becky and Becky spent night with Jenny.

end

Santa Claus Letter

One Christmas Eve Long Ago When Sylvia turned 24

Dear Santa:
These are critical years for those who believe design can improve the human condition. The idea is as old as Utopian Thought. What is "new?" Melding of observable behavior patterns and understanding of client aspirations and needs, and use of emerging technology to affect the built environment might be accomplished by design.

Whether this is the basis for a new aesthetic is not yet clear. But no conscientious planner or designer can ignore a growing body of knowledge waiting application.
Pat

***

Dear Santa Claus,
I've been urging mother to let me open a present.

Well, Smokey's learning to talk real good, You don't have to worry about him biting you, he might bark, but he won't bite.

How do you like our Christmas tree? I think it is the beautifulest tree we've had. I hope you fill my stocking. Do you like my little guy on the mantle? Bev made it. You know the lady I've known so long?

Look at all the presents under the tree. I've got 11 or 12. We've got candles all over the house this year. You know Christmas Eve is Sylvia's birthday. She'll be 24!

Be sure and stop by David's house, They are not going to be able to be with us on Christmas. Jan had to work everyday except Christmas! That's terrible isn't it?

Well, Good Bye!!
Becky

***

Ho Ho Ho

This country air really makes a feller sleepy. From Nottingham to Shannon Valley Drive to the Ranch... you Darnell kids sure change around a lot for Christmas.

Becky, you are the only little one left so my job is getting easier every year at your house. I hear you are beginning to ask silly questions like "Is there really a Santa Claus?" Believe you me if I ain't real this sure is a tired old nothing  and I sure don't feel like nothing.

Anyway, real or not, here it is, and here is a pretty neat bicycle for you, Becky. I hope it works better than the one last year. Oh, well, we all make mistakes.

I see old Pat and Ron and Sylvia over there asleep. They are so big now that they don't need my toys; just some work clothes and vitamin pills to keep 'em going.

There's old Jerre and Robert, too. They are so dam old they don't need nothing but two rocking chairs and some Geritol.

I met Smokey down in the barn in the hay and he can almost talk. In fact he can talk to a Jolly Old Elf like me. He said he likes to chase around here after birds and armadillos. He says he really knows how to hunt quail, track 'em down, and point at 'em and all that stuff, but no one ever taught him so he just plays dumb and goes ahead and chases armadillos because it is easier and less regimented.

Well HO HO HO and I'm going to grab a quick piece of cake and a short nap in the hay and then I'll be on my way.

Tell David , Jan and David I missed them out here but I'll catch them in Houston.

Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, and Au Revoir.

Jolly Old St. Nick