THE LOWE FAMILY NEWSLETTER: VOLUME 70 0CTOBER 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

Becky, Evelyn and Sherry were one of the highlights of my September. They drove down for a weekend with Sherry at the wheel – her first major long interstate drive and she did very well according to her passengers. Becky was grateful to be spared driving duty as she had to work that day so the girl's didn't start their long trek until early Friday afternoon. They limited themselves to one break and arrived in time for dinner. As I raced out to the driveway to welcome them I warned them not to be alarmed by Norm's appearance as he was sporting a black eye from a recent fall. His lip was also healing from another episode where he had bitten it during a seizure so he looked rather like the loser of a boxing match. Honestly I was not his winning opponent.

We spent Friday night talking and drinking tea and later wine around the kitchen table. Becky was the first to head upstairs to bed: anything after 8:30pm is bedtime for someone who gets up at 4:30 am for work. Sherry and Evelyn -who works nights and seems to exist on cat naps throughout the day - kept me company for another hour or so before they headed upstairs to bed only to come charging back down shortly after they heard a thunderous thud. Norm had fallen (again) in the bathroom – one of his frequent stop and drop spots. They dashed into our bedroom to find Norm in full seizure mode - it provided some late night entertainment for the girls. I can guarantee that your dad has never had three women pushing, pulling and dragging him into bed. Too bad he was out of it at the time and has no memory of his good fortune.

Saturday morning the girls helped themselves to breakfast: as usual I had shown them where to find everything the night before and had even baked an apple coffee cake for us all to enjoy despite my diet. Can't expect my friends to deprive themselves too I said to myself as I also bought some some blueberry muffins and scones from the Hen House bakery to ensure a good choice - for them of course. I joined them at the crack of dawn around 8:00am as the smell of freshly brewed coffee penetrated our bedroom door and tickled my nose.

Unfortunately the day had dawned wet and gloomy with rain forecast all day. I think every weekend before and after for weeks had been sunny and dry as we almost had drought conditions here this summer. We decided to spend most of the day indoors, shopping, with only a brief outdoor stop for Becky to pick up some pansies. We did get caught in a couple of downpours as we ran to and from the shops and car but we had fun with every one finding something they needed or liked. We did get separated for awhile in Dillards , Becky and I were shopping in the petite section for some jeans for her while Sherry and Evelyn were looking elsewhere. Unfortunately none of us had each others cell phone numbers programmed into ours so we had to hunt each other down the old fashioned way by splitting up and circling around.

We enjoyed lunch at Cheddars – a newly opened and extremely popular restaurant, getting there just before the line was out of the door and in the rain. Becky deftly grabbed the check and insisted on treating us all – Sherry and Becky were very adventurous and tried fish tacos for the first time , one of my favorites. Evelyn had Chicken Alfredo which is always good too.

Whilst we were shopping, eating and running ( well - walking as fast as ladies our age can) through the rain, Josh and Bryn were keeping Norm company. Coryn arrived later in the afternoon once we had returned from our shopping trip to drown ourselves in more tea. Before my friends arrived Coryn had warned me not to bore them to death with her wedding plans but she was soon holding court waving her engagement ring and pointing out her beautiful purple wedding shoes ( with more bling than my Christmas decorations) on line that she had just ordered from Australia – I could have bought a nice pair of shoes for myself for the shipping cost alone. My friends listened with rapt attention as Coryn described everything she had planned so far. Evelyn had brought her photo album of Sarah's recent wedding so we were all able to enjoy too. Sherry very thoughtfully gave me some copies of photo's of her, Evelyn and myself at the reception.

Jeremy dropped by so the girls met Coryn's tall, dark and handsome fiancee who is also very involved in the wedding planning. Hopefully they will all be able to be here for the wedding although Evelyn may be a very busy Grandma at that time as I understand that Rachel and Sara are both expecting babies in early May.

On Saturday night Norm and I had planned to take our guests out to dinner but unfortunately Norm was not feeling well enough so I decided to pick up Chinese food from Bolings which is always very good. We were all happily chowing and chatting around the dining room table when Norm began talking nonsensically( well more so than usual) and soon was lost to a full blown seizure. While he sat seemingly comatose in his chair I urged the girls to make themselves a nice cup of tea in the kitchen whilst I made sure he didn't fall off his chair. However they insisted on helping me and we eventually decided to lay him out the dinning room floor where we wouldn't have to worry about him falling and where he could sleep himself out of his seizure. Evelyn, Sherry and I dragged Norm to his feet while Becky pulled the chair out from under him. Unfortunately Norm had had an accident and showing what great friends the girls are they all offered to help clean it up – once again I shooed them into the kitchen to make us all a much needed cup of tea as I bustled around with cleaning supplies. Once again your dad had no recollection of being fawned over by several women simultaneously!

Sunday morning found us sitting around the breakfast table for a couple of hours. Once Norm joined us I decided to leave him to enjoy the company of our guests while I jumped in the shower. Once dressed and ready for football Sunday I returned to the kitchen to find Norm on the verge of yet another seizure: he got quite belligerent when he saw me and was soon was slurring his speech,waving his arms about and drooling. Then he began to make horrific choking sounds – a new development so I checked to see if he had food in his mouth and gave him a few hearty whacks on the back but he soon became unresponsive. This phase lasted much longer than usual and I was unable to get any kind of reaction from him. Becky propped him up on one side while I took the other. Unfortunately the sitting situation in the kitchen eating area is quite tight so we couldn't figure out a way to move him to a safer place. After about half an hour or more the girls were becoming quite upset and I decided that we might need to call an ambulance. Fortunately Josh and Sean arrived at this point and suggested that they try to move him in hopes of bringing him out of his seizure. So they moved the furniture and managed to lift your dad from his kitchen chair to the wheelchair where he thankfully began to revive.

We ordered pizza for lunch and left Norm in his wheelchair in case he ate and seized again. I know it was very hard for the girls who have known Norm for so many years to see him so compromised but they certainly lifted his spirits and he enjoyed hearing about the changes at FMCH. We are blessed to have such supportive friends. Our guests left early that afternoon for their long drive back to Fort Madison.

Ming came out for a quick visit at the beginning of the month and helped me out by staying with his dad while I shopped and ran errands. He was very impressed with his brothers' tiling and woodworking skills , skills which I greatly appreciate too and take every advantage off – figuring they need the practice. I am currently trying to enlist their skills to replace my backyard fence which is dire danger of collapsing as it is cobbled together every few feet. Sean had the brilliant idea of using the salvageable fence pickets to build some planter boxes. I can see a couple of big compost bins out on Quivera

In recent weeks I have seen a side of your dad I never knew existed: he is quite the fashion guru. He has accompanied Coryn and I on several of our bridal store appointments. He actually insists on pulling on some jog pants instead of his usual comfy flannel PJ bottoms and a “matching”top. He must ask me a dozen times through out the day what time he needs to be ready for our appointment. On one visit he explained to me in great detail why one length of veil was so much better than another. Short veils cut the dress in half, long veils add to the line. He even had opinions on lace edgings and shades of white. Who knew? I swear I could have dressed the boys in dresses when they were little and he would probably never have noticed!

Halloween weekend Coryn and I will be in Orlando visiting Leslee and Craig – and no children - Coryn will not be hitching a ride on my broomstick: we are flying commercial! It's fortunate for the Remsburgs' that moi, the Martha Stewart of Halloween decorating will be arriving just in time to hang Sassafras, the ugliest but most adorable black pug in a fake spider's web on their front door to greet trick or treaters. I thought her looks might have improved since her snaggle tooth fell out but apparently it was keeping her tongue in her mouth so now it permanently hangs out of her lopsided mouth. Brutus their other pug is very handsome, if a bit portly, so I'm sure I can turn him into a pumpkin with a little of my hair coloring.

Don't forget to buy some candy to hand out on Halloween night but no stocking up on my supply or you'll have a bat out of hell in your hair. Love to you all from your spooktacular and bewitching Mother.