15 Jan 1941
Dorothy Griffin to the Griffins / Los Angeles, CA
Dear Mother and Dad Griffin
As usually I'm awful about writing, but I hope I'm making up for it a little by writing on my birthday, to thank you for the adorable flower bowl and floating candles. I placed the bowl on my huge blue chapdish and we've had lovely roses in it ever since it acme. The blue is just the right tone to [go] with the roses. The bushes in back are loaded with lovely Talisman, Tea, and yellow roses; hardier and really lovelier than those from the trees in front, although I love the trees! The climbers on front are blooming now; one a lovely orange color, the other deep red. The house, especially the outside, is beginning to "grow" on me. I meddle with the flowers every day. The weather is gorgeous today! Then John is digging the earth until it all looks so nice, and we're planting marigolds, sweet peas, and iris until I probably will want to stay here just to watch things grow!
We're both working on the Stake board now and enjoy it a lot. We've met two other couples whom we like ever so much already. And I enjoy going to the different wards; there are 12, I believe.
The fruit was a delightful surprise. Don dotes on it! But I hold him down a little, even though he thinks it's really his. Maybe it was sent specially for him but I don't let him think I think so.
Tenn comes over about once a week. He has a lot on his mind and tries to get it off each time, but we enjoy his visits. He's given me some good pointer in playing checkers.
The Christmas pictures are fair, although the shot of the presents and cookies didn't turn out. I was disappointed abut that! The shots of each of us and our gifts, though are pretty good, your nighties photos an elegant color, and we're awfully glad to have colored pictures of you and dad in particular. Don looks like a Beau Brummel. You must have Madge come up when you run them off! It will keep here all excited to see the lad look so handsome! They took a last shot of me (to finish the film so they could put in one for the rose parade) and I was showing them how to act, and its really funny! We roar every time we see it.
strangely the rose parade film has never been returned. I can't imagine why not. Mother sent me a lovely lace cloth for my birthday, and John gave me a real turquoise ring - he was in Phoenix last week - and an Indian silver charm bracelet. Both I adore!
Your card was so sweet! The mail box was full of cards and letters today. I was thrilled; it's so nice to have people remember when birthdays are so easy to forget! We got such a cute letter from Marion and Ben this week. Marion says she and I have each other to lean on. While don't declares his marriage promises to be the perfect ones, for him it will be, I hope, each of us really likes his own life best, and I feel very smug about mine.
Love, Dorothy.
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