8/20/04 9:20am
Hey All,

Ya know, life just keeps you moving and keeps you on your toes. Yesterday was a very strange and worrysome day for some of us. Others had a good time.

Let me share with you my day yesterday concering Mom and Dad.

Liz and Sara took M&D out yesterday (using the handicapp van of mine), Thursday, to go to lunch and then a movie. I called Anna's house at about 10:30 to tell something to Ola, but there was no answer. So at about 12:15 pm I got a call from the LoJack people, saying my van may be stolen. When I baught the van I had a thing called an early warning LoJack installed (it is to help you recover your vehicle if it is stolen. I got it since I was adding the handicapp lift) . It has the key and a "key fob". If the car is moved without the key fob, the alarm goes off.

So I didn't know what to do. So I called the LoJack people and told them the situation, my parents were out with 2 nurses at a movie and neither of the nurses have a cell phone, so I didn't know if it was stolen or not. So the way I figured it, there are 3 potential things that may have happened.
1. The key fob fell off the key chain and they don't know it.
2. They lost all the keys and fob and used the spare key (noted from the previous e-mail locking dad in the van. and don't know it is considered stolen).
3. The van was really stolen.
I discussed things with Jerry and Anna and made the decision to file a report with the police . The police were very understanding, but since Liz has my permission to take the vehicle and we had no way to get intouch with them, they didn't do a full blown investigation. They told me to call them and let them know if it was really gone, and that I would know soon, because if it was really gone, they would be calling for a ride home.
So, I kept calling the house, no one home. I got off work and went to Anna's house. No one home. I called Anna and we decided if they weren't home by 7pm and hadn't heard from them, we were calling the police and reporting them missing.
God, it was getting kinda late and no word from them. I left Anna's and left a note for them to call me as soon as they got home. I was worried, Jerry was freaking out, Anna was worried, Joan was also freaked thinking they were car/van jacked and left dead on the side of the road.
I finally got a call from Liz around 6:15 pm and they were home safe and sound. They had the key fob and it was in the car when the van when it was moving. I guess it malfunctioned. That is the only explaination I have.
But, they all had a good time. It turns out they just left the house, when the alarm went off. The shower lady was there giving Mom a shower, so they didn't hear the phone ring at 10:30am.
Dad and Mom seemed to have a great time. They went to Blackeyed Pea for a 2 hour lunch, then to a movie, "Around the world in 80 days."
It turns out that Sara got a cell phone on Wednesday, but hasn't shared the # with us yet, but she forgot it at home anyway that day. And Liz had a cell phone, but lost it about 2 months ago, but just got the phone yesterday, and it will be activated this weekend. So hopefully they will be able to be reached when they are out wandering the city.
So Tom, just keep Mom's cell phone and use it till the contract runs out. Could you send me the model # and I will see if I can find a new battery for it for you since you can't find one up there.
Oh, and Sara said that Dad is getting back to his old self and making a bunch of jokes. She said when they were getting ready to go yesterday, Dad let out a huge fart, and he looked at Liz and said, "that's a kiss for you" and they both laughed. So remember, when you fart, you are just blowing kisses!
Let me let you go, we are moving our offices on Monday, and I need to do some more packing and file purging. We are moving accross the hall in the same building and the same floor, but it is a pain to pack and unpack all this stuff. I have worked for TCH in the Safety office since May of 1991 (13 going on my 14th year) and this makes my 14th move!
Love and hugs to all of you!
Mary