NOVEMBER 2008 NEWSLETTER
______________ THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES My stepfather has been having intermittent memory problems for years but it is only recently that he was formally diagnosed with alzheimers disease. It is interesting that, with alzheimer's, it sometimes seems that the caregivers suffer more than the patients themselves. I am seeing this with my mother. She can only leave her husband for short periods of time. She has few resources for assistance because my stepfather is easily agitated by visitors. Sadly, my mother will be forced to make some difficult decisions in the not too distant future. I wonder what alzheimer's patients think - or don't think? We know that they normally lose their short term memory first and then, in later alzheimer's stages, they lose long term memory as well. What would we do without our memories? For me, my memory helps bring me comfort, especially during the holidays. If I am feeling lonely or sad, I can go to my visual memory banks and revisit scenes from early family holiday gatherings: grandma baking pies, me laughing at her cursing the pie dough that keeps shrinking back to its original shape as she rolls it with the rolling pin, sitting at the "kid's table" and ever so much wanting to sit at the big table. My sensory memory smells the turkey and the pumpkin pies and they come out of the oven and remembers the laughter and loud voices which fill every room of the house. I remember taking a walk after dinner, walking next to my cousin who is four years older and I'm so excited to just be in her company. I remember hugs from my aunts and uncles - Aunt Betty wears strong perfume, Uncle Jack gives big bear hugs, Uncle Howard smells like a stale cigar. I remember sitting on my grandfather's knee, giving him a hug, and rubbing his bald head. I remember my grandmother patiently teaching me how to knit and crochet... So many memories - and as I write them down, tears come to my eyes and I am grateful. I am grateful to have these lovely snapshots of those I love and have loved. Though all of my grandparents are gone now, I know they will be with me for as long as I have my memories. So, this Thanksgiving season, I offer a big thank you to God for my memories - good, bad, or neutral - and pray for many more memories to come. And may we ALL be blessed with beautiful memories. Happy Thanksgiving! ______________ CALENDAR LISTINGS You can now add events to the Calendar of Events page. You don't have to wait for me to add the events. Whew! Please pass this message on to all local non-profit organizations. I particularly want to include their events. ______________ HOLIDAY SHOPPING I create a page on the website for Holiday Shopping - gift ideas and special promotions from New Hope and Lambertville businesses. There's not much there right now but I am asking for business owners to let me know what they have and I will put up as many as I can. The Holiday Shopping link is located on the right hand side of the home page of www.ILoveNewHope.com. Or Click Here to go directly to the page. ______________ UPCOMING EVENTS
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(click on the Faces & Places logo to be taken directly to the Faces & Places page) LOCAL COLOR - Nancy Edwards hand paint for you a custom rocking chair, rocking horse, table, chair, almost any type of furniture for your special child or grandchild. AROUND TOWN- Walk Around Wednesdays in Lambertville! LOCAL COLOR- If you didn't go to the New Hope market last Thursday, you missed it for the year. They will be back again next year! Go Green by shopping at the Lambertville and New Hope Farmers Markets!
___________ FREE MONTHLY DRAWING! This month's Free Monthly Drawing is four tickets to the Duke Robillard Concert at Havana on Dec 16th. The value is $60 and sponsored by Havana New Hope. To enter the FREE DRAWING, go to www.ILoveNewHope.com - the Free Drawing entry form is on the home page. Good Luck!!! The October Winner of a $25 gift certificate to a Lambertville or New Hope restaurant or store of your choice and 2 t-shirts - sponsored by Bullock Marketing & Design was Mike Jaeger. Congratulations
Mike!
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