S'mores and more 9/12/09

Brian and Emily at the backyard firepit.
Paul, William and Peter below.

Breakfast for Donna's birthday 9/13/09

Dawn, Lisa, Donna (Norma's sister from Chicago), Norma and Emily sitting in front of a little shop in downtown Granville. We had just finished having breakfast with the rest of the gang -- Ralph, Brian and Paul. Then we celebrated Donna's birthday on my mom and dad's deck with a sunflower-shaped cake and fresh strawberries from the Granville Farmer's Market.

Norma with Emily and her friends 9/12/09

At a recent sleepover, Grandmas is surround by Tatum, Amanda, Emily and Amanda-2.

Emily and Paul - my mom's best medicine

Even after a day of chemo or if my mom is feeling tired, she just loves seeing Emily and Paul and attending their sporting events. This week in particular, Emily and Paul are my mom's best medicine. She's been feeling more pain than usual and also started another round of treatment yesterday. Her doctor initiated a third version of chemotherapy with the intent of minimizing the pain while continuing to fight the cancer. My mom is a real trooper, but she could use a break from the pain.
Keep sending your thoughts and prayers.

Boy Scout Picnic

Brian and Paul invited us to join them at the Boy Scout pig roast and picnic last weekend for bluegrass music, rides and great food. The band was a special treat for Ralph because it featured Andy Carlson, a fiddler and music professor at Dennison University in Granville.



Pictured are Emily, Paul and friend William.

Favorite Pastime

A book is never far from reach for Norma, as most of you know. She enjoys sitting on the deck, overlooking a wooded lot, surrounded by potted flowers and a new garden that she and my dad carved out this spring.

Norma is on a 2-week break from chemo, while her body digests and responds to the last dose of treatment. Last Monday, she needed an injection to boost her white blood cell count. She's also taking a drug to help support healthy bone growth during this process.

Granville Farmer's Market

Dawn and Norma at the Granville Farmer's Market, held every Saturday. We load up on cinnamon rolls, pecan pie, peaches and whatever else is in season.
A favorite vendor is an English baker (second from the left) who's beautiful scones, lemon pound cakes and blossom-shaped shortbread cookies are perfectly placed on doilied-cake stands and wrapped in satin ribbons. A visual delight! Also pictured are Ralph, Lisa and the baker's assistant.