23 Apr 1975
Dorothy Griffin to Marolynn and Paul Griffin / LaCanada, CA
Dearest Marolynn and Paul
Well, we are all back from Utah - you in Oregon and we in California, and often the place I'm not in seems almost like a dream. Do you find that so! I've written you a long letter so this will come as a surprise, but two things have happened and you might be interested in one or both.
First, Paul, I've taken the first long step and signed an earnest money agreement for one of those condominiums. I decided that since they won't be ready until winter next, or maybe after the first of the year, the economic situation will go one way or another by then. If things look too bleak, I'll simply let the earnest money go by the board, but I look at it as a challenge that will be exciting and very involving for me during this first transitional year of retirement. I wrote and told them about the offer made you (without naming names) and they called me on the phone and said the man who talked to you was wrong, that he was no longer with them and that they could certify that the price they offered the condominium to me was the lowest they had ever offered it; that because I was not happy with the "ground floor" location, and the second floor was gone, they would let me have the third floor location (same exact tier and view) for a thousand dollars more, instead of the regular $2,000 increase. And because I really like the view (that one tier has a view of the temple and of the hotel -- no other windows have that view -so there are only 11 or 12 such views. I don't know when - probably not for months - I'll be able to break the news to dad. So don't mention it in letters for a while. They don't expect the closing date to be before December, or maybe into 1976. But I should be eligible for the $2,000 rebate on this year's taxes, and since it will be our last big tax year it amounts to a $2,000 reduction on the price of the condominium. I shall probably have to pay 20 percent down because of our age, although the peo0le up there quoted me 10 percent. But once down here when I get involved in seriously buying one down at San Clemente they told me that because of our age, the institutions would probably ask 20 percent. That's all right, because by tight squeezing I am sure I can work that out. I won't be available for loans to others for a couple of years, but once I get the house under rental for a year's lease - but that's another story.
If the condominium is ready early next year I shall try to lease this house for a year, because Robley has told me that they are planning to go to Cambridge, England a year from next September for six months, and has offered to rent me their house for that six months at winter rental. In that way I could have the house leased, go up and get the condominium in order. I would move up my bedroom furniture, my sofa and marble-topped tables from here to the condominium, lease this house partially furnished or even get in some "trading post" furniture if anyone wanted total furnishings - then I wouldn't worry about anyone wrecking my prime things. Then we could live in the condominium untilfall, lease it out for six months or a year (after 7 months) and live six months at the beach, to determine whether dad could live in that climate, and maybe by then he could decided that we could sell the house and get a place near the beach, because eventually I would like to spend part of the year in the condominium in Salt Lake and the other part at the beach - (winters at the beach and rent the beach place out for summers which would also mean income). If I was down there for 6 months in the fall and winter and put my name in so Robley's realtor she thinks a place would eventually come up (estate selling or quick moving or something) that would satisfy our needs, maybe like some of these smaller places near Robley's.) We shall see.
The second bit of news is that Robley is going to the orient from the 5th to the 19th of this coming July, and has offered me the house for those two weeks, a real delightful surprise. so if you can arrange your vacation for all or part of that time and would like to come down there with me (us), we would love to have you. She is going with Gil to New York or Chicago this weekend, and dad and I are going down to the house Friday night through Sunday. Isn't it great to have such a friend.
Now, isn't that a whole bunch of exciting news? Of course you could all probably have me declared insane to want to make such drastic changes, but I think you understand my situation better than most anyone else, and can see that such plans will help me over these next otherwise frightening and depressing years. I stopped to see Florence and she is so depressed. Just house-sitting there in Richfield while she says there is just "nothing" for her anymore, but refusing to make any drastic changes, and I want to avoid that. If I find that dad cannot bear to let go of the house to change to the beach, that is all right too, because I could garden and get the house in shape for the winter months I stayed here, and plan to be in Salt Lake from late April until October (never, but never could I take the winters up there.
Well, that's all for today. I'll keep you informed as to steps I take, and in the meantime, let me hear from you.
Love Always... Mother
Oh - there was something else. Chuck Hedrick (Pat Garret's husband) bought out Avon Thomander's plastic business about six months or so ago. Avon was going to stay with him for a year to teach him the business (making plastic, etc,) and then move to Utah. Well, I just heard that Chuck had turned it back to Avon. He just wasn't suited to making plastic parts. So Avon plans to keep it himself for another year before letting it go.
I don't know if you would be interested in such a complete change - what it offers or what, but if the thought of owning your own business and you would like to know more about it, let me know and I will talk to Avon. When I first heard that Chuck had gone in with Avon I thought how clever you were with products, etc, and that you might be interested - felt let down the opportunity hadn't been offered to you. So here it is again if you want to explore it.
Again, love....Mother
Carrie is just absolutely perfect! You can be very proud of her.
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