You can reach Sue at (314) 452-3685 or (314) 726-2032. You can write to her c/o Rose Holt, 905 Barnard College Lane, St. Louis, MO 63130



Margaret forwarded this e-mail from Doug, Bernie and Maudie's son:


"Hi Aunt Margaret and Uncle Norm,

It sounds like surgery is the trendy thing to be doing right now. I hope your recovery is going well Uncle Norm. You're in our prayers.

Dad (Bernie) is going in for surgery on Thursday. He decided to have the Seattle VA operate on his legs to fix the blockages that have kept him from getting around like he wants to. It looks like they will keep him for at least one week, maybe two. The doctor says that he will be able to tap dance when he is done (or at least play the piano) like he has been wanting all his life.

We'll keep you up to date.

Love,
Doug"



So, today is the day Bernie is having the surgery. When we get news, we will 'blog' it here.

Margaret tells us that Bernie and Maudie took their camper over to Seattle (from Spokane) last weekend to be ready for the surgery. She thinks they can park it right on the hospital lot so that Maudie has a 'home away from home,' and it will be there for the both of them when he is released but not yet ready to travel back home.

Norm went for a follow-up check with his physician yesterday. He got a blood sugar monitor and a preliminary check shows his blood sugar is normal. Diabetes seems NOT to be a problem.

In other family news, Brother Joe has been nominated by the St. Louis Railway Club as their "Man of the Year." There will be a big dinner at some fancy hotel in St. Louis in early October where he will be celebrated. We don't know exactly what all this means because Joe is so modest and unwilling to toot his own horn. So, we've decided to go to the dinner to see for ourselves. All Joe's family will be attending. I think his cheering section will be large and loud.

We had an e-mail from Marilyn Smith, a longtime friend who, with her husband Jim, retired to Florida a couple of years ago. The two of them chose to move to a place that has been hit with some horrendous hurricanes in the short time they have been there. This week, after various summer travels, they were in Memphis, waiting out Hurricane Ophelia before returning home. Marilyn, who is also from a large family, said she loves the Blog and, because of it, knows more about our family than she does her own!

Once again, we want all our Dear Readers, friends and family alike, to know that we like to post news--the good and the bad, especially the good--to keep everyone abreast. Keep those cards and letters (and e-mails) coming!