Jeanne Called on a Mission January 1981

My sister Jeanne (who is a widow) has been called on a mission and is at the Provo MTC and is to be sent to California.  She is thoroughly enjoying her experience.  She says the MTC is divided into small branches and districts.  There are 7 sisters in her district and they go to class together and follow the same schedule.

They have 2 or 3 teachers to help them learn the discussions so they get lots of individual attention.  She said on Sunday she was called to do a 5-minute talk.  They also get to hear of other's experiences and conversions and she says the stories are fantastic.

The children are grown now but Stan died in November of 1979 and I think Jeanne will really enjoy a mission.  This must have been their 30th Wedding Anniversary in March of 79 and then he died later that year from cancer.  She looks beautiful in this picture.

Life's A-Changing, June 1981

I must say I really enjoyed my stint of being Relief Society President in 1978-9 as I had learned to delegate and had so much help.  I know it was hard for my girls though because they often had to fill in and do things I did not have time to do.  Now my life would really change.

Richard really felt the need to use my skills and time in his business to help him rather than to be helping other people all the time.  He was always urging me to get my Real Estate License.  I had resisted as long as I could.  When he opened an office of Jones Mortgage in a building not far from our home in La Jolla, he really needed me to commit to being there full-time.  I took my first class in Real Estate in April 1980.  It was called "Creative Financing in a Tight Money Market" and I completed Anthony School's "Real Estate License Course" in November 1980.

Richard had also gotten into Help U Sell as a way to do the real estate side of the foreclosures on their investment properties for their clients.

Because of all the foreclosures, there was a need to bring in another type of income and Richard was trying to figure that out.  He had traveled to Florida to learn about brokering and he finally brought in a woman to lead them in that direction.  She was charming and knowledgeable about one certain type of loan called the Wrap and used me to type and do things for her.   I still had hope I could help out a little and then go back home. Before I knew it, I had learned too much and there would be no going back...I was definitely in the loan business.  I was not in charge of the A paper loans which go to banks, etc. instead of private individuals.

     Richard wrote a letter to his brother Martin in June of 1981 and spelled out our family and business situation:

Dear Martin and Kathy:

... Economic pressures of interest rates and competition in our business are changing the business dramatically.  I am trying to find where we fit.  It is harder to do business on a profitable basis and we are getting more loans with foreclosure properties.  We have several properties we are taking over through foreclosure sales.  This is a new dimension of our business that we haven't done before.  We are still solvent.

       I have a lot of family in the business.  Family members in the business is a double edge sword.  It is advantageous to have them available so that I can give them direction, but it also places more responsibility on me to make sure they are successful.  I've got Matt Hardy, Linda Hardy, Maria Hardy, John Hardy, Janet Hardy and Richard Stevens who are working in the business.  Vaughn Leavitt is still here and he has his niece from Las Vegas here for a few weeks for the summer.  She is also working in the business, I don't know how long we can keep it up, but it certainly keeps us involved.

     Janet works in the business every day.  It seems our time is well taken.

     Let us know how you are doing, and how your children are faring.   

     

     John and Jennifer bought a spec house on foreclosure in Escondido.  I thought we could get in and out really fast, but it turned out to be more of a problem that we thought.  Now we are trying to get our money out.

     Love,  Richard 

My Viewpoint on Matters in July 1981

     "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times!  " We are all fairly healthy--no dire diseases of any sort and we have means whereby we live ok--the girls can go to college--we can buy gas for the cars and we eat well--too well.

     I've become a poor cook since working the last year at the Jones Mortgage La Jolla office--we seem to snack more than eat a meal.  However, in spite of our health and poverty,  there is an air of gloom of doomsday around our house.  With good reason.

     Jones Mortgage and California Mortgage (does the discounts) have had many foreclosures which they have had to bring current to protect their investors and then try and sell fast to keep cash flow.  It is very difficult for Richard and Bill.  Besides, the loan business, as they have been doing it (requiring only equity on the home and not stringent enough credit for the borrowers) has got to change, it is too risky, and it has been hard to figure out how to change it and still get business.


     They purchased two franchises with Equity 1 for $13,000 each hoping they would be of help in funding creditworthy, long-term loans but it fizzled into nothing.  Now there is the talk of selling the company--in the meantime, there needs to be business--also the escrow officer quit and so Richard has had to monitor escrows--a new headache along with everything else.

     Richard is overweight and obviously very preoccupied with business problems--how he avoids a heart attack under all this stress I don't know.  We only talk about the necessary business and avoid all talk personally or church-wise to keep stress down.   

      The children somewhat perceive this gloom as lack of caring about them and the Gospel but it is not true--only preoccupation with problems that have to be solved economically..and...now!     The girls both work for Jones, one at the La Mesa office and one in La Jolla.   I don't think they like it all that much but both are excellent workers.    Linda and Maria have both applied to BYU Hawaii and so we hope they will get in and be able to enjoy that.  Jimmy is headed to high school and is fairly untouched by all these business problems the rest of us are working in.

      Since I was released as Relief Society President in order to work at the office, our time spent in doing church work is less and less.  Richard is a membership clerk and I write the ward newsletter. He does not enjoy his calling as it is all secretarial, work which I must do.  He set up the plan though and I must say our records are excellent.  Since I have such little contact with organizations it is becoming very difficult to write the newsletter, though.  I have tried numerous ways to get information back from people but unless you sit on the phone for hours and write while they talk it is impossible.  I also find it difficult to do my visiting teaching.  I am too tired at night and they all work, too, so that I can never find them at home, when I do have a little time.   
   
   I don't see Meagan as much as I would like but she does act as if she likes me and I adore her and wish I could see her more.    John is making good money preparing the property for sale and helping with Help-U-Sell, but it is hard with his schoolwork, marriage,  and doing property work.  

     I've decided to break the "doomsday" feeling by working on fixing up the house and yard "as if all was well".  I worked the 4th of July weekend in the yard and accomplished a lot.  Richard did all the hauling away of diggings and pruning, etc. and is interested in moving the jacuzzi.  It is not too popular and is expensive to run but really helps my aching muscles.   This week I hope to buy paint and begin doing all the hall woodwork.

     In September we are going to Hawaii for a week.  We have our tickets bought because we were offered a house to stay in over there (a client of Richard's) but I wonder if it will come to be. 

   

     
       How I miss the enjoyment I had in working with other people in the church--being Relief Society President and Stake Primary President were two very enjoyable times.  It was fulfilling the way a career can be I suppose when you are successful, you could see what you had accomplished and were so filled with love for the Gospel and people.  I remember my counselor in Primary saying she felt more appreciated for the work she did at church than she ever got at home.  There is that, I suppose.

     When you are not a part of things, you feel left out and it is easy to stop going to events and feel critical of others.  Church jobs and involvement with others is such an important part of the Gospel, it is hard to separate the two.   

      Richard is always reaching out to help everyone but he cannot do it all and so it is frustrating to him when it does not go as planned.   Problems everywhere it seems,  economical, that is.

   We are so blessed that we have such a lovely home to live in but we have been here almost 12 years and there are things we need to do and so little time and thought can go to that.

Hawaii 1981

   We did go to Hawaii and ended up just taking Maria and Linda.  The house where we stayed was really lovely, it belonged to a long-time client of Richard's.  

   Going in the surf was so different than La Jolla.  At one point I really needed to be pulled from the water, it was so powerful.  I had never felt ocean water so strong and I had no control at all.

   I do not have any pictures but we really enjoyed the Polynesian Show and the pineapple boats with vanilla ice cream in them were to die for.

   Richard and I were so stressed from the situations at the mortgage company that we had a hard time relaxing and really enjoying ourselves.

   This was my first time visiting Hawaii and the girls did get into BYU Hawaii and are going for the fall semester at least.  We are really going to miss them at the offices and at home.

In September Maria wrote that school at BYU Hawaii was going well and she was really enjoying the New Testament lessons and said it was easy for her as she had had it in Seminary.  She was also enjoying her sewing and learning lots of new things.  English was just OK but they had to hand in essays every day!  She thought Ceramics would be fun!

Linda wrote that she liked school in Hawaii and it was so different than her year at Ricks.    She likes that fact that she enjoys her classes and she has time for the beach.  She jogs every morning,  is also taking sewing, went hiking and sailing.  Sounds like they are enjoying it all!

Christmas Card 1981

The Christmas Card 1981 was a newsy letter written in Book of Mormon Style but it certainly told the story of what all the Hardys were doing, if anyone had the patience to read it:

     And so it was in the year of our Lord, 1981, that a scourge came upon the land and that scourge was called High-Interest Rates and all those that made their living in the housing industry were sorely tested.  And behold, the Hardys were among that group.  Nevertheless, they did suffer their affliction well and looked forward to the year 1982 with great hope and anticipation.

     And so it was that at Christmastime 1981 the Hardys looked back upon the year and saw that they were blessed, yea with many things and it was good.

     For it was early in the month of January that they did attend the mission farewell of Janet's sister Jeanne,  for behold she was called to fulfill a one year mission in the southern land of Ventura County, California.  And yea, she has been there these many months and has had many fruitful journeys throughout the Land.

     And it came to pass that in the month of March Janet and Maria did travel into the land of Idaho and had great joy in visiting Linda at Rick's College for Women's Week.  And behold,  Janet did do much good work at the Genealogy Library.  

     Now it was that Richard's nephews Matt and Richard did venture forth from the land of Las Vegas and begin to work for Richard.  And yes, they did labor with much diligence and did well.  And also it was that Matt did bring his wife Laura and his child Michelle with him and thus we could enjoy their sweet presence, and yea, it was good.      

     Now it came to pass that in the summer of 1981 many properties came unto Richard and his partners and John was sent to them to prepare them well for selling and so many were the properties that John and his friends spent the whole of the summer in preparing the homes.  And behold, Richard began to sell the properties and also to help others to sell their properties and yea, another business did begin to prosper under his hand.  And it was good.

     And it came to pass that in the month of July the daughter of John and Jennifer did have her First Birthday and behold, she was known as Meagan and we did see that she was a beautiful child, and yea, that she did bring much joy into our life.

     Now it was that Jimmy did go far into the Sierras and traveled many miles and was gone for the space of 10 days, and yea, he did well.  And it came to pass that he also traveled south into the land of Baja California, and he did spend much time upon the waters on his surfboard and behold, it was good for Jimmy.

    



 Now it came to pass that Linda did want to travel unto the island of Oahu to attend BYU, and yea, Maria did also.  And so it was that the Hardys did venture far even to the land of Kauai and the island of Oahu.  And behold, it was good and they found much joy in their travels.  And so it was that Maria and Linda did tarry in Laie, and yea, they did attend college and were filled with much wisdom.

      
     Now it was that there was much fear and trembling in the Hardy house for it came to pass that Jimmy did enter his fifteenth year and begin to drive a car--and yea, even did procure a motorcycle.  And behold, his mother was much concerned for his safety and so his father did see that Jimmy did take learning in the matter of motorcycles and thus Jimmy did prepare to ride out upon the land.

    Now it was that John and Jennifer and Meagan did live near unto the Hardy house for John did attend UCSD and yea, even did work hard to prepare himself for law school and to earn money for his family.  And behold, his wife Jennifer was a good mother to Meagan and yet she also did work part-time in a children's store.  Thus they were very busy with their school and work and in raising Meagan to be a wise and beautiful child. 

     And it came to pass that the Hardys were lonely with Linda and Maria gone and John and Jennifer so busy and so it was a great happiness for them to hear that Linda and Maria would return to the land of California and attend school and yea, even to labor.

     And so it was with much thanksgiving that the Hardys looked forward to being together at Christmastime in the land of La Jolla and behold, Janet did decorate the house and yea, even begin to prepare food, but woe unto Janet.  She did hurry too fast and did slice off the tip of her middle finger in the food processor and so it was that Janet could not type, nor cook well, nor yea, any of those things she had heretofore done.

     Nevertheless it was well with the Hardys and they did look forward to Christmas and expressing love to their friends and relatives, for yea, even these friendships are some of their greatest blessings.  And so it was in December of 1981 that the Hardys did wish the most choice people in all the world a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!     

Linda and Gary's Wedding, Aug 7, 1982

Linda and Gary plan on getting married in the Los Angeles Temple and the question was where to have the reception.  Gary lived in El Cajon and Linda lived in La Jolla so they decided on the Institute building at San Diego State University.

Richard and I were in one crisis after another and so I was not as much help in all the planning as I would have liked to have been but Gary and Linda had some great pictures.  And they both looked stunning.

I loved Linda's dress.  

On the Steps of the Temple

Great pictures at the Los Angeles Temple and of the happy couple.

Inside the Visitors Center

A  Favorite Picture

Patty Gwin, Linda, Maria, Gary's sisters Kim and Marcy 

Gary's brother Kirk was best man

Linda's Family and Jennifer and Meagan

Janet and Jennifer

I have always liked this picture, wonder what we were looking at?

Christmas 1982

In 1982 things went from bad to worse and Richard was not making any money but spending his time full time just trying to save his clients by foreclosing on properties, fixing up and reselling them.

It was not a time of prosperity but of hope and Richard continuing to help his family with school, jobs, cars, etc.  I was busier than ever learning and trying to make the A paper side bring in income.

   Consequently, it was one of the years I never did get a Christmas card out.  And I did not write anything down but we did get these pictures in which Meagan was the star.  Meagan was always so animated.  She was fun to photoshoot.