THE LOWE FAMILY NEWSLETTER: VOLUME 117 OCTOBER 2017

Dear Children, Family and Friends,

Kay and I made plans early in the summer( before our surprise July 4^th family reunion) for a fun Grandma/ Granddaughter road trip to Indianapolis over Labor Day weekend since Kay had not visited them for many years in their home.

Kay had to work on the Friday prior to Labor day so we couldn't leave until Saturday morning. This was probably a blessing, for although we lost a whole day in Indy, we avoided road construction delays en route – of which there would have been many on a week day. Kay arrived at my house about nine after dropping Theo off at the dog sitters. Since this was our first long road trip together I made sure that she knew the rules way ahead of time: no liquids, no stops for sight seeing, and no pulling off the interstate to go through a drive thru' window. Grandma's fully loaded Ford Focus only stops for gas.

Kay settled herself into my passenger seat and I put her in charge of the radio and navigation with a Garmin, map quest printed directions and of course google maps on her cell phone. I think she thought this was a bit much but having got lost in Indy the last time I drove I was determined not to waste time, in a panic, trying to figure out how to get to where I needed to be. Her most important task was un wrapping hard candies and passing them to me for hours - my liquid alternative!

Kay had bought some snacks along for the road trip: an entire grocery sack full of salty items like potato chips which she started munching on almost as soon as we pulled out of the driveway. I questioned the wisdom of eating this thirst inducing snack but she claimed starvation and assured me that salty things didn't make her gasp for liquid. “Just as well!” I retorted heading down the highway as far as our first tank of gas would take us with no stops. After hours on I70 we finally stopped for gas, lunch and a bathroom break. While we were sitting in the fast food restaurant Kay was gulping her drink while I nursed my small coffee. She actually went to the bathroom twice in fifteen minutes knowing there would be no more potty stops unless I needed one and as Norm said I have the bladder of a camel!

Fortunately for her, as we neared Indianapolis, I decided that we needed to top the gas tank up again as I didn't want to have to worry about finding a gas station in heavy city traffic. As soon as I pulled up to the pump Kay took off like a greyhound to the bathroom. I think we had gone through about half a bag of hard candy to stave off thirst by this time but I am a creature of habit and this has been one of the ways I keep stops to a minimum. I like to get from one place to another as fast as possible!

As we were driving I remarked to Kay that if her present relationship didn't work out she might want to consider dating someone in the truck manufacturing business as we seemed to pass by hundreds of semi trailers: there is nothing I hate more than having my Ford Focus boxed in by one on either end of me and each side of me but it must be a lucrative industry. We arrived at the Indy Lowes house in plenty of time for dinner so after hugs all round Lori gave Kay a tour of their beautiful home while I kept Ming company as he cooked and I enjoyed a nice cup of tea.

As we all know I love to turn junk into cool funk and I think Ming Lee has definitely got my artistic bent. He is in a class way above me as he has turned out some amazing pieces with his impressive self taught carpentry skills. Lori is so lucky to have a guy who can bring her ideas to fruition! Kay was amazed to see all the tile work, built-ins and furniture he has handcrafted. She noted that her dad has none of these skills – just like Marc, the other lawyer in the family, who can barely change a light bulb.

Ming-Lee made us a delicious hearty seafood stew including crab-legs and mussels. This was a special request on my part as I had enjoyed it so much on another visit. After dinner we headed out to the yard to play a game that was new to me and one that I know the rest of the family would enjoy too. We formed teams of three each and faced each other across an expanse of lawn and had to throw broomstick thick wooden dowels at several blocks of wood – the team knocking the most down winning. This game could definitely leave a player black and blue if they failed to keep an eye on the dowels hurtling towards them. But it was great fun, especially if you were on the winning team like me! I might try to make this game for my KC family.

Once the family returned from church on Sunday morning we headed out to a nearby park for a hike while the temperature was still bearable. Kay and I did a good job of keeping up with these fitness fanatics – they had probably agreed before hand to go at a snails pace – and returned home for lunch. That afternoon they took us on a sight seeing tour of Indianapolis. Lori was very excited to take us to the cat cafe to have coffee and play with a room full of cats. Unfortunately once we arrived we were told that it would be at least an hours wait so we decided to go elsewhere. Lori suggested we head to the interesting architectural library building and enjoy the ambiance of their coffee shop. Unfortunately it was closed! The Indy Lowes were mortified and so we headed off to find an open coffee shop, successfully doing so in a combo coffee and handmade chocolate store. Lori loaded up on delicious chocolates for us all to enjoy. I am sure she realized that my sweet tooth was beginning to niggle at me by now!

We found a spot to sit outside and discussed dinner plans. They had a restaurant in mind that they thought we might like – I suggested making a reservation since it was a holiday weekend so Ming called and learned that it was closed too! We ended up at a Thai restaurant. I have to say that Kansas City is alive and kicking every day of the week!

In between these activities we played games – I would classify it as a fun marathon family game weekend. If you get more than four Lowes in a room together you will be playing a game of some kind. Blake and Claudia were so patient with Kay and me as we tried to get up to speed on all their games – not at all the typical moody teenagers!

After breakfast on Monday morning we headed back home – after Ming had checked the air pressure and on a whim he decided to check my spare tire and was appalled to find it contained only three pounds of air! He pumped it up, we all hugged goodbye as Lori sneaked Kay a water bottle for the trip and sped off. A couple of hours after making it through Indianapolis and back onto I70 I fortuitously happened to look at the gas gauge and realized that we were very low on gas. I had not thought to fill it up again before we left – usually the first thing I do on a long road trip! Kay and I realized we might run out of gas driving across the barren plains so we anxiously kept our eyes focused on the road signs: far more miles down the interstate than I would have liked we finally found one that kept us from being stranded on the side of the road! Kay was thrilled too because she needed to use a bathroom desperately after drinking with abandon at breakfast – I of course had limited myself to one cup of coffee !

Our trip home took us a little longer as we had to make another stop for gas on our way into Kansas City. I pulled into my driveway around five , Kay loaded her stuff into her car, got behind the wheel and turned her key in the ignition. Nothing. I booted her out and tried the key myself. Nothing. I found the battery charger but could not find the power cord so I raced over to my friendly neighbor 's house because I knew that Roger was always fixing something on one of the five vehicles he and his wife own. He came over with his jumper cables and Kay's engine started up immediately. Roger thought her alarm system might have caused the issue. We were both thankful that he was able to start her car so that she could get home and spend some time with Theo before she had to return to work the following day. We had a fun time with the Ming-Lee, Lori, Blake and Claudia and would certainly do it again!

Owen decided that he was going to potty train himself about a week after July 4^th – just a month after his second birthday,coincidentally the same age his sister chose to do so too. Initially he did very well, especially when running around commando style all day. He would run to his potty, squat and pee and enthusiastically applaud his success. Things were going quite well until one day I noticed emerald green slime running down his leg. I grabbed him and set him on the potty . Coryn hopefully suggested that it might be play-dough that he had stuck to himself- as he was playing with some earlier but after seeing green poop in the potty of a very runny consistency we cleaned him up, the carpet on the stairs and put him in pull ups for the remainder of the day. Coryn reported that his poop stayed bright green for a couple of days but Owen seemed to have no ill effects thank goodness. I invested in a new carpet shampooer after this incident. I have used a few times!

Ava Claire and Owen are now back in pre-school three and two mornings a week respectively. I am once again driving over to Lees Summit on Mondays to pick them up from preschool and stay with them until Coryn returns from work. On Wednesdays they still spend the day at Grandmas house. I have them trained them not to expect fun Grandma to appear until I have consumed at least two cups of coffee and watched the news first thing in the morning. They arrive at the crack of dawn in their pajamas so after breakfast and dressing I take on the many roles of the day that Ava Claire and her make believe world demand. She loves to pretend that she is another family member like Claudia or Auntie Leslee-Ann and then I am told to be Claudia's friend or Leslee-Ann's sister Coryn. Owen is also given a role – frequently that of a baby girl called Lily! We then act out going to the movies, where I can guarantee that the movie of my choice will not be showing, a restaurant where everything I try to order is off the menu, “sorry we are not serving that today” , or a dress store where everything you like does not come in your size. Ava Claire loves to disappoint and tell you what you can have!

Leslee-Ann and Craig were affected by the hurricane that hit Florida recently. They sheltered from the high winds and heavy rain in a friends bunker – apparently Ray slept through it! When they returned to their house the only damage was to their landscaping unlike some of their neighbors who sustained roof damage. However they were without power and despite having a generator it was too hot to stay in home with sub standard air conditioning – we all know that Craig hates being hot! So they moved in with friends for the week about forty-five minutes away who had power. I will be visiting them at the beginning of November and then they will be here for Christmas so I will get to spend lots of time with Ray – and his parents of course! Ming -Jon visited them this past weekend anxious to meet his new nephew.

Marc just returned from a trip to Amsterdam,and Paris, Bryn moved to Mexico City a week after the earthquake: when I questioned the wisdom of this he assured me that his apartment was still standing and that he was more than willing to help with the clean up which he says is going well. Sarah and Sean are heading to Honduras this coming weekend for a short vacation and amazingly enough Josh has committed to working in Kansas City for the next four months until the travel bug bites him again – which I am sure it will in January.

I had been thinking about adding a coffee table to my upstairs family room for sometime as I had been without one for sometime since your dad fell over the one we previously had during a seizure. For many years I have had a big spare space in front of my sofa's which also worked well as a playing area for my grandchildren while they were still using play mats, crawling, and napping on the floor . Now that they are older and enjoy playing and doing art projects at a table I decided it might be time to finally add a coffee table back into the room. I knew I didn't want something I would have to worry about the kids ruining so having decorated this room in a rustic theme I decided that a pallet table would be perfect! I mentioned this idea to Josh, making some design suggestions that were ignored of course but Josh built the table almost as soon as I mentioned it which was amazing! I also asked for two matching stools for Ava Claire and Owen to use so that they could play and snack at the table. I got these a couple of weekends later! I painted and stained it in three different colors - already in the room's color scheme and love how it turned out. I pointed out to Josh that we could go into business as I found one on Etsy distressed like mine for five hundred dollars with no adorable matching stools. Josh rolled his eyes and declared that only an idiot would pay that much for a creation out of free pallet wood!

Sarah's parents, Cindy and Joe recently came to Kansas City for a week and we had some fun get togethers. The whole family went over to Sarah and Sean' homes for a Sunday barbecue and of course to play games set up in the backyard. They had also invited some of their friends so it was quite a large gathering! Their large kitchen table was laden with food and Owen must have been very hungry that day as he sneaked back inside, climbed on a kitchen chair and hollered out the open window “ Hello Daddy!” I found him gorging himself on chips. Throughout the afternoon others reported that he was moving from chair to chair sampling everything before him!”

Cindy and Joe were delightful company and enjoyed Kansas City very much, I was happy to have them over to supper one night and I really have to like someone to go to all that effort as we know!

I am now gearing up to paint my upper windows exterior sills as the paint on them is peeling, seal my concrete patio, pressure wash my siding, dig up my Canna and Dahlia bulbs and keep my newly planted trees and ornamental grasses alive out on Quivera. I don't want to fall too far behind on outdoor chores at this time of year as winter approaches. I am never bored! Wish I had more time to sit out on my front porch like one of my pumpkins (I know at least one of you is thinking I am the same shape these days) and watch my real spiders spinning their webs. Mother knows she can be bewitching but I don't think I can create enough magic to have my chores done for me – unless I can use my broomstick to prod one of my kids to do it all for me! Love Mother