June 6, 1975

Dearest Mother and Daddy --

Received your letter dated May 23rd today.  Better yet, your letter dated May 15th and 
postmarked from DFW Airport on the 17th arrived on the 26th and the package you mailed 
the 13th arrived the 28th.  Actually, I received the package then but it probably came in on 
the 26th.  Also, Thanks for the newsy letters we have really appreciated them. Lake 
Tanganyika and Jane Goodall's Gombe Stream is very far removed from us so I shouldn't 
worry.  Her little national park (closed to the public) doesn't have very good public relations 
with the rest of black Africa (all faces very pale) so local opinion figures that also had 
something to do with it.  Oh yes, _never_ worry about General Amin of Uganda he is a 
tremendous blowhard who loves to see himself quoted.  Our news sources are pretty limited 
-- most news comes via the BBC or Voice of America.  Local news is in Swahili and SRI's 
daily newspaper (about a week late) is also in Swahili.  We see about 1/2 of the international 
editions of Time & Newsweek and occasional English newspapers.

The embroidery thread is great.  Thanks so much.  I'm busily at work on my grand creation.  
It's about 30" x 36" and depicts the house and yard with _all_ the various animals which 
have been seen in it so far.  I'm very interested in working on it but it does take a lot of time 
-- seems like it took me a whole day to put the chimney on the house!

When are you guys coming to see us?  Mother sounds "homesick" for Steph.  I bet the 
tourist agency could get you a charter for an (almost) reasonable price.  Just remember you 
do have to get inoculations so you can't just decide to come overnight. Ha!  Besides, the 
world won't miss you for 3 weeks.  Actually, as I write it I know its probably not true.  If 
you were to come in a month or so it would be OK, but A. Margerite might need you after 
that -- just wishful thinking I guess, on my part.

We may be starting a garden shortly.  We have a little bit of chicken wire, (to keep the 
animals out) a[nd] some soil turned over.  Haven't gotten seeds yet but that will come.  
Doubt if we get much -- after all, starting a garden at the beginning of the dry season is a 
little foolish -- the pipeline is off too often.  Oh well -- we will try -- probably tomatoes, 
lettuce and a few other things.

We will probably be going to Nairobi around June 17th or so.  The MacNaughton's have 
houseguests who will need to return to Nairobi about then and we will drive them up and 
leave Stephanie here with the MacNaughtons.  If this works out we will call you and the 
Folses around then.  Anyway I think we will drive to Nairobi somewhere within the next 
month to load up on supplies.  Oh yes, we have written check #252 for $200 to the Nairobi 
bank and will soon write check #253 to the Arusha bank for $100.  If we go to Nairobi and 
spend ourselves silly, as usual, we may have to write another check there in advance of our 
July 1 A&M check.  Oh well, we will see if the M&P gets this one right!

Will close and see if I can catch the plane going to Nairobi.

Much love, 
Jan, Joe & Stephanie