July 4, 1975

Dear Momma & Daddy -- 

I can't seem to settle down and write letters this week -- this one has already missed 2 
chances to go to Nairobi and one to Arusha.  Since Monday is Tanzania's sortof 
Independence Day, I doubt if this one gets to a decent Post office for another week.

Things seem to be steaming along as usual.  SRI has a new administrator who really knows 
his job.  We are all finding it hard to adjust to all the efficiency!  His wife is a teacher at the 
school at Seronera so we don't see her too often.  However, when she gets to Ladies' Tea 
she tells us how it _really_ is.  We are really enjoying hearing about life in Tanzania from a 
Tanzanian woman's point of view.

I have some nice African fabric which I am going to try and make up into a dress in the next 
2 weeks.  SRI is going to have a party at the Fort Ikoma Lodge (just outside the N. W. 
corner of the Park) on July 18th.  3 meals and bed for about $14 ahead.

July 10--

Do I feel guilty -- I've recieved 2 letters from you since I started this letter.  Both American 
express cards arrived safely.  In your letter of June 28 you said you hadn't received a letter 
since one dated June 6 or 9th; according to my calendar, I sent you a letters with pictures on 
June 10 via Arusha and then an aerogram via Nairobi on June 24.  Hope you have gotten 
them by now.  As for that possible phone call around June 17th -- we never got to Nairobi.  
In fact, we found out we weren't going the day after I mailed you that letter.   We were 
thinking about using the McNaughton's landrover to drive their houseguests to Nairobi but 
it turned out that they had business in Nairobi themselves so we didn't go.  Until we have 
proper Tanzanian license plates on our Toyota, we can't leave the Park in it.  Our next 
possible trip to Nairobi _may_ occur around August 4th.  As time grows closer I shall write 
you the odds on us actually getting there.

As for your maybe or maybe not hotfooting it over here, Get Your Shots, Passports, _etc._!  
If you have all that out of the way, it won't take you 2 weeks to get here from the minute you 
decide to come.

Things are beginning to pick up around here -- 2 couples have come back from a trip to the 
States.  George & Lory Frame left alot of their possessions with us while they were gone.  
So when they came back, they brought Stephanie a dress.  It is too big for her (size 6) but 
I'm sure she will get lots of use out of it in the next year.

Steph has a slight cold this week (who knows where she got it from) and I have a sore 
throat myself this A.M.  We have been so healthy that I guess we are really lucky.

Oh yes, Joe had the address changed on his journals to over here when he renewed his 
subscriptions, so you shouldn't have to worry much about those anymore.  However, if you 
have an uncontrollable urge to mail things, how about sending some felt for your 
granddaughter to sew with.  She has a cute book with lots of directions for making things 
but almost everyone of them requires felt -- which can't be had in E. Africa.  If you could 
buy some assorted-colored pieces -- about 1 foot squares or larger I guess and mail them, I 
would appreciate it.

Will close and write the Folses.  I've been worse about writing them the last month than 
about writing you.

Very much love,
Jan, Joe & Stephanie